Dear John vs Mata Hari
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
33%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Mata Hari takes 6 of 7 categories.
Dear JohnChoose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Mata HariChoose it for a floral and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Dear John1/7
Mata Hari6/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Mata Hari
- Community sentiment
- Mata Hari
- Longevity
- Mata Hari
- Sillage & projection
- Mata Hari
- Value for money
- Mata Hari
- Versatility
- Mata Hari
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Dear John
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Dear JohnLushMata HariDSH PerfumesWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.77/ 5 · 358 votes
Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%
4.41/ 5 · 44 votes
Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%
Category winnerMata HariRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate31%Love
44%Like
11%Ok
12%Dislike
1%Hate
300 votes
57%Love
36%Like
0%Ok
5%Dislike
2%Hate
44 votes
Category winnerMata HariMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityMata Hari
SillageMata Hari
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerMata HariBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwoody100%
aromatic90%
warm spicy80%
citrus70%
conifer60%
green50%
floral100%
amber92%
warm spicy84%
sweet77%
woody69%
aromatic61%
Scent match33%Clearly different · both woody, warm spicy and aromatic
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedNotes
LimeCloveVetiverPineVirginia CedarCorianderCoffee
No top / heart / base split published
Top15-30 mins
Fruity NotesOrangeNeroliBlood OrangeCorianderBergamotMandarin OrangeTarragon
Heart2-4 hrs
CloveCinnamonWhite HoneyChampacaJasmineTuberoseOrris RootLilac
Base6-8+ hrs
MyrhhLeatherMuskoak mossBenzoinTobaccoFrench labdanumPeru Balsam
InformationalShared notesClove and Coriander. Durations are only published for Mata Hari, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring51
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring50
Summer29
Fall100
Winter100
Day85
Night100
Category winnerMata HariMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#11,486
PerfumerMark Constantine
Launched—
Reviews17
Overall rank#20,215
PerfumerDawn Spencer Hurwitz
Launched—
Reviews9
Category winnerDear JohnHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotDear John is a dry, smoky woody scent with clove spice, cedar, vetiver and a small but noticeable coffee twist. It opens brighter with lime and aromatic lift, then settles into something warmer, earthier and more nostalgic. The overall feel is unisex, slightly masculine leaning, and best suited to cool weather or anyo…
Reviews →Mata Hari by DSH Perfumes is a fierce, vintage-styled fruity chypre built on uncompromising botanical contrasts. The scent hits the skin with a tart blast of blood orange, bitter coriander, and sweet candied fruit notes. It does not apologize. Within twenty minutes, the bright citrus flash fades into a thick, sultry b…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Dear John or Mata Hari?
Mata Hari takes 6 of 7 categories. Dear John is rated 3.77/5 from 358 votes; Mata Hari is rated 4.41/5 from 44 votes. Choose Dear John for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Mata Hari for a floral and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Dear John or Mata Hari?
Mata Hari lasts longest (Mata Hari 77/100, Dear John 62/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Dear John or Mata Hari?
Projection is very close: Mata Hari 58/100, Dear John 56/100 for sillage.
Do Dear John and Mata Hari smell similar?
Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Clove and Coriander.
Is Dear John or Mata Hari better for summer or winter?
For summer, Mata Hari is the stronger pick. For winter, Dear John is the stronger pick. Mata Hari suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Dear John and Mata Hari?
Dear John features Lime, Clove, Vetiver, Pine and Virginia Cedar. Mata Hari has top notes of Fruity Notes, Orange, Neroli and Blood Orange, heart notes of Clove, Cinnamon, White Honey and Champaca, a base of Myrhh, Leather, Musk and oak moss.
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