FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Essencial Elixir vs Why Not a Fougère

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

Updated 811 ratings analysed
Clearly different
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Essencial Elixir takes 6 of 7 categories.

  • Essencial Elixir

    Choose it for a powdery and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

  • Why Not a Fougère

    Choose it for a aromatic and herbal character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Essencial Elixir6/7
Why Not a Fougère1/7
Ratings & consensus
Essencial Elixir
Community sentiment
Essencial Elixir
Longevity
Essencial Elixir
Sillage & projection
Essencial Elixir
Value for money
Essencial Elixir
Versatility
Why Not a Fougère
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Essencial Elixir

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
Essencial ElixirNatura
Why Not a FougèreMark Buxton
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.17/ 5 · 780 votes
Have 82%Had 18%Want 0%
3.74/ 5 · 31 votes
Have 28%Had 3%Want 69%
Category winnerEssencial ElixirRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
60%Love
28%Like
7%Ok
4%Dislike
1%Hate

774 votes

19%Love
52%Like
16%Ok
10%Dislike
3%Hate

31 votes

Category winnerEssencial ElixirMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity73
〰 Sillage62
♥ Love / hate86
⏱ Longevity65
〰 Sillage50
♥ Love / hate69
Category winners

LongevityEssencial Elixir

SillageEssencial Elixir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value70
¤ Price value39
Category winnerEssencial ElixirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
powdery69%
citrus61%
woody53%
warm spicy30%
aromatic100%
herbal92%
fresh spicy84%
floral77%
citrus69%
woody61%
Scent match31%Clearly different · both citrus and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
CardamomBlack PepperPink PepperMandarin OrangeGrapefruitLemonCassisSage
Heart
LeatherLavenderVioletGeranium
Base
CognacVanillaBenzoinSandalwoodCedarMuskVetiverPatchouli
Top15 to 30 minutes
Cedar NeedlesPink PepperBergamotAngelicaPearMandarin Orange
Heart2 to 3 hours
ChamomileGeraniumLavenderVioletSageMagnolia
Base3 to 4 hours
PatchouliNarcissusOsmanthusTonka BeanMusk
InformationalShared notesPink Pepper, Mandarin Orange, Sage and Lavender. Durations are only published for Why Not a Fougère, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring37
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring73
Summer73
Fall100
Winter45
Day100
Night57
Category winnerWhy Not a FougèreMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men95
Unisex3
Women1
Men67
Unisex33
Women0
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,131

PerfumerVerônica Kato

Launched2017

Reviews2

Overall rank#38,828

PerfumerDavid Chieze

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerEssencial ElixirHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Natura Essencial Elixir is a woody masculine fragrance defined by a complex fusion of cognac, leather, and aromatic spices. Launched in 2017, this scent relies on a robust foundation of patchouli and cedar to deliver a grounded, sophisticated profile. It thrives in autumn and winter, serving as a reliable companion fo…

Reviews →

Why Not a Fougère by Mark Buxton presents an unconventional, modern twist on traditional barbershop perfumery. The fragrance opens with an invigorating burst of bergamot, mandarin orange, and crisp cedar needles, brightened by spicy pink pepper, angelica, and juicy pear. As the scent settles, a soothing heart emerges …

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Essencial Elixir or Why Not a Fougère?

Essencial Elixir takes 6 of 7 categories. Essencial Elixir is rated 4.17/5 from 780 votes; Why Not a Fougère is rated 3.74/5 from 31 votes. Choose Essencial Elixir for a powdery and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Why Not a Fougère for a aromatic and herbal character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Essencial Elixir or Why Not a Fougère?

Essencial Elixir lasts longest (Essencial Elixir 73/100, Why Not a Fougère 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Essencial Elixir or Why Not a Fougère?

Essencial Elixir projects furthest (Essencial Elixir 62/100, Why Not a Fougère 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Essencial Elixir and Why Not a Fougère smell similar?

Clearly different: a 31% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Pink Pepper, Mandarin Orange, Sage and Lavender.

Is Essencial Elixir or Why Not a Fougère better for summer or winter?

For summer, Why Not a Fougère is the stronger pick. For winter, Essencial Elixir is the stronger pick. Why Not a Fougère suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Essencial Elixir and Why Not a Fougère?

Essencial Elixir has top notes of Cardamom, Black Pepper, Pink Pepper and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Leather, Lavender, Violet and Geranium, a base of Cognac, Vanilla, Benzoin and Sandalwood. Why Not a Fougère has top notes of Cedar Needles, Pink Pepper, Bergamot and Angelica, heart notes of Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender and Violet, a base of Patchouli, Narcissus, Osmanthus and Tonka Bean.

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