Fragrance comparison

Dark Fresh vs Epic

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 135 ratings analysed

3 wins

Dark Fresh

Desigual

3.63125 votes

Rank #16,828 CitrusMarine

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

Epic

American Eagle

4.1010 votes

Rank #39,618 GreenAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Dark Fresh takes 3 of 4 categories.

Dark Fresh
Choose it for a citrus and marine character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Epic
Choose it for a green and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Dark Fresh3/4

Epic1/4

Ratings & consensus: Epic
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Dark Fresh
Sillage & projection: Dark Fresh
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Dark Fresh

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dark FreshDesigual

EpicAmerican Eagle

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.63/ 5 · 125 votes

Have 58%Had 24%Want 19%

4.10/ 5 · 10 votes

Have 57%Had 36%Want 7%

Category winnerEpicRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

49%Like

11%Ok

21%Dislike

1%Hate

125 votes

20%Love

70%Like

10%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

10 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate66

⏱ Longevity40

〰 Sillage25

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityDark Fresh

SillageDark Fresh

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value78

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

marine92%

amber84%

woody77%

aromatic69%

floral61%

green100%

aromatic92%

woody84%

citrus77%

fruity69%

sweet61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both citrus, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Sea NotesNeroliCitrusesSpicesGreen Leaves

Heart2-3 hrs

FlowersOrange

Base4-6 hrs

AmberWoodsy NotesVanillaMuskMoss

Top

Mandarin OrangeAldehydesLemonNeroliGreen LeavesGalbanumRhubarb

Heart

Red ApplePearSandalwoodVetiverPatchouli

Base

Tonka BeanMossMyrrhMusk

InformationalShared notesNeroli, Green Leaves, Musk and Moss. Durations are only published for Dark Fresh, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer93

Fall0

Winter28

Day100

Night32

Spring67

Summer67

Fall67

Winter100

Day100

Night25

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men77

Unisex19

Women4

Casual 41%Work 23%Party 18%Date 17%

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#16,828

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews14

Overall rank#39,618

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerDark FreshHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Desigual Dark Fresh is a brisk, sweet aromatic fragrance built for everyday warm-weather wear. It kicks off with a sharp rush of sea notes, tart citruses, and bright neroli. You get an immediate wave of salty marine air and crushed green leaves. The alcohol flash fades in two minutes. Soon after, sweet orange juice an…

Reviews →

Epic by American Eagle is an aromatic, fruity fragrance for men that centers on a crisp blend of mandarin, green leaves, and rhubarb. Released in 2012, this scent opens with a sharp, aldehyde-driven freshness that settles into a woody, musky base. It is a casual choice suitable for daily wear, particularly during the …

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, Dark Fresh or Epic?

Dark Fresh takes 3 of 4 categories. Dark Fresh is rated 3.63/5 from 125 votes; Epic is rated 4.10/5 from 10 votes. Choose Dark Fresh for a citrus and marine character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Epic for a green and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Dark Fresh or Epic?

Dark Fresh lasts longest (Dark Fresh 60/100, Epic 40/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dark Fresh or Epic?

Dark Fresh projects furthest (Dark Fresh 61/100, Epic 25/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dark Fresh and Epic smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Neroli, Green Leaves, Musk and Moss.

Is Dark Fresh or Epic better for summer or winter?

Dark Fresh suits daytime wear; Epic suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dark Fresh and Epic?

Dark Fresh has top notes of Sea Notes, Neroli, Citruses and Spices, heart notes of Flowers and Orange, a base of Amber, Woodsy Notes, Vanilla and Musk. Epic has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Aldehydes, Lemon and Neroli, heart notes of Red Apple, Pear, Sandalwood and Vetiver, a base of Tonka Bean, Moss, Myrrh and Musk.