Fragrance comparison

DNA vs Malai

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 94 ratings analysed

DNA

Bijan

3.8491 votes

Rank #9,294 AromaticAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

Malai

Roccobarocco

4.333 votes

Rank #44,214 AmberPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

DNA
Choose it for a aromatic and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Malai
Choose it for a amber and powdery character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

DNA2/4

Malai2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DNABijan

MalaiRoccobarocco

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.84/ 5 · 91 votes

Have 37%Had 21%Want 42%

4.33/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 25%Had 8%Want 67%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

39%Like

1%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

77 votes

67%Love

0%Like

33%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage42

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityMalai

SillageDNA

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value75

Category winnerMalaiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

amber92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

white floral61%

amber100%

powdery92%

musky84%

yellow floral77%

woody69%

aromatic61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both amber, aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GeraniumYlang-YlangRosemaryBergamotMint

Heart

ClovesTuberoseOsmanthusJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base

MyrrhSandalwoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverAmberVanilla

Top

AngelicaOrangeCoriander

Heart

Ylang-YlangIrisGeraniumJasmine Sambac

Base

AmberMyrrhBenzoinPeru BalsamVetiverOakmoss

InformationalShared notesGeranium, Ylang-Ylang, Myrrh and Benzoin. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring19

Summer14

Fall81

Winter100

Day38

Night100

Spring100

Summer50

Fall100

Winter100

Day50

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex44

Women56

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,294

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews19

Overall rank#44,214

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerDNAHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

DNA by Bijan is a bold 1990s floral with a spicy, resinous backbone. Reviewers often describe it as warm, rich, musky and assertive, with geranium, herbs and spice up top before the florals sink into myrrh, benzoin, sandalwood, amber and vanilla. It suits people who enjoy vintage-style statement perfumes more than cle…

Reviews →

Malai by Roccobarocco presents a resinous experience centered on amber and incense. Opening with crisp angelica and orange, the scent settles into a powdery iris heart before grounding itself in myrrh and benzoin. It offers a distinct, smoky profile suitable for those who appreciate liturgical or earthy incense scents…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, DNA or Malai?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. DNA is rated 3.84/5 from 91 votes; Malai is rated 4.33/5 from 3 votes. Choose DNA for a aromatic and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Malai for a amber and powdery character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, DNA or Malai?

They last about the same: Malai 80/100, DNA 79/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, DNA or Malai?

DNA projects furthest (DNA 69/100, Malai 42/100), based on community performance votes.

Do DNA and Malai smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Geranium, Ylang-Ylang, Myrrh and Benzoin.

Is DNA or Malai better for summer or winter?

DNA suits evening wear; Malai suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in DNA and Malai?

DNA has top notes of Geranium, Ylang-Ylang, Rosemary and Bergamot, heart notes of Cloves, Tuberose, Osmanthus and Jasmine, a base of Myrrh, Sandalwood, Benzoin and Oakmoss. Malai has top notes of Angelica, Orange and Coriander, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Iris, Geranium and Jasmine Sambac, a base of Amber, Myrrh, Benzoin and Peru Balsam.