Fragrance comparison

Core Memory vs Contemporary

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 9 Oct 2026 64 ratings analysed

4 wins

Core Memory

DIME Beauty · 2024

4.4314 votes

Rank #28,446 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

Contemporary

Police

3.3250 votes

Rank #20,069 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Core Memory takes 4 of 5 categories.

Core Memory
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Contemporary
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Core Memory4/5

Contemporary1/5

Ratings & consensus: Core Memory
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Core Memory
Sillage & projection: Core Memory
Value for money: Core Memory
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Contemporary

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Core MemoryDIME Beauty

ContemporaryPolice

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.43/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 55%Had 5%Want 41%

3.32/ 5 · 50 votes

Have 67%Had 19%Want 14%

Category winnerCore MemoryRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

57%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

6%Love

48%Like

24%Ok

16%Dislike

6%Hate

50 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity43

〰 Sillage42

♥ Love / hate86

⏱ Longevity42

〰 Sillage37

♥ Love / hate58

Category winners

LongevityCore Memory

SillageCore Memory

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value68

Category winnerCore MemoryBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody88%

fresh spicy77%

aromatic65%

fruity53%

fresh42%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy86%

citrus72%

green58%

woody44%

powdery30%

Scent match59%Closely related · both citrus, aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

BergamotAppleMandarinGrapefruit

Heart

JuniperBluebellRosemaryRoseJasmine

Base

BambooCedar

Top

BergamotGrapefruitJuniper

Heart

MintGeraniumLavenderVioletJasmineRosemaryClary Sage

Base

MuskOakmossSandalwoodCedarTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Grapefruit, Juniper and Rosemary. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall60

Winter0

Day100

Night43

Spring79

Summer100

Fall29

Winter17

Day100

Night19

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex14

Women86

Men76

Unisex17

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,446

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2024

Reviews4

Overall rank#20,069

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerContemporaryHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

DIME Beauty Core Memory delivers an instant splash of chilled fruit and airy woods that feels like stepping out of a cool morning shower. The opening hits with tangy pink grapefruit, juicy mandarin, and crunchy green apple balanced by bright bergamot. Within minutes, cooling juniper berries, dewy bluebells, and garden…

Reviews →

Police Contemporary opens with a bright burst of bergamot and bitter grapefruit before settling into a cool herbaceous heart of mint, lavender, and clary sage. A soft base of cedar and oakmoss keeps the dry-down clean. It suits warm summer mornings and casual office wear when you want a light, unpretentious scent that…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Core Memory or Contemporary?

Core Memory takes 4 of 5 categories. Core Memory is rated 4.43/5 from 14 votes; Contemporary is rated 3.32/5 from 50 votes. Choose Core Memory for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Contemporary for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Core Memory or Contemporary?

They last about the same: Core Memory 43/100, Contemporary 42/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Core Memory or Contemporary?

Core Memory projects furthest (Core Memory 42/100, Contemporary 37/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Core Memory and Contemporary smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Grapefruit, Juniper and Rosemary.

Is Core Memory or Contemporary better for summer or winter?

Core Memory suits daytime wear; Contemporary suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Core Memory and Contemporary?

Core Memory has top notes of Bergamot, Apple, Mandarin and Grapefruit, heart notes of Juniper, Bluebell, Rosemary and Rose, a base of Bamboo and Cedar. Contemporary has top notes of Bergamot, Grapefruit and Juniper, heart notes of Mint, Geranium, Lavender and Violet, a base of Musk, Oakmoss, Sandalwood and Cedar.