Fragrance comparison

Explorer vs Hepster

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 150 ratings analysed

Explorer

Phytoderm

3.5511 votes

Rank #62,879 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Hepster

Annette Neuffer

3.93139 votes

Rank #2,652 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Hepster takes 4 of 5 categories.

Explorer
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Hepster
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Explorer1/5

Hepster4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ExplorerPhytoderm

HepsterAnnette Neuffer

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.55/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 31%Had 38%Want 31%

3.93/ 5 · 139 votes

Have 22%Had 10%Want 69%

Category winnerHepsterRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

27%Like

45%Ok

9%Dislike

0%Hate

11 votes · too few to score

41%Love

18%Like

18%Ok

24%Dislike

0%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity51

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity84

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityHepster

SillageHepster

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value60

Category winnerExplorerBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

amber84%

marine77%

citrus69%

animalic61%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

woody84%

citrus77%

balsamic69%

earthy61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Sea NotesBergamotOrangeBlack Pepper

Heart

ArtemisiaLavenderGeraniumRosemaryViolet Leaves

Base

AmbergrisPatchouliVetiverTonka BeanMusk

Top

LimeBitter OrangeBergamotJuniper BerriesNutmegRosemaryBlack Pepper

Heart

Silver FirLavenderGeraniumOrris RootTunisian Orange Blossom

Base

Mastic or LentisqueOakmossCedarHyraxVetiverSandalwoodLabdanumOlibanum

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Black Pepper, Lavender and Geranium. 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

Summer57

Fall57

Winter14

Day100

Night25

Spring100

Summer20

Fall100

Winter40

Day100

Night25

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex14

Women0

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#62,879

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#2,652

PerfumerAnnette Neuffer

Launched—

Reviews69

Category winnerHepsterHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Explorer by Phytoderm is an aromatic men's fragrance featuring a sharp opening of sea notes and black pepper. It balances refreshing citrus with a herbaceous heart of lavender and rosemary, finally settling into an earthy, musky base. Perfect for casual daytime wear during the spring season when you want a crisp, clea…

Reviews →

Hepster is a green, resinous chypre with a sharp citrus and juniper opening, a piney lavender heart, and a mossy, balsamic woods base. The strongest wearer feedback frames it as an original, well-built take on deep pine fragrances, with lavender pulling it toward fougere territory. It suits people who enjoy crisp herb…

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, Explorer or Hepster?

Hepster takes 4 of 5 categories. Explorer is rated 3.55/5 from 11 votes; Hepster is rated 3.93/5 from 139 votes. Choose Explorer for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Hepster for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Explorer or Hepster?

Hepster lasts longest (Hepster 84/100, Explorer 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Explorer or Hepster?

Hepster projects furthest (Hepster 73/100, Explorer 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Explorer and Hepster smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Black Pepper, Lavender and Geranium.

Is Explorer or Hepster better for summer or winter?

Explorer suits daytime wear; Hepster suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Explorer and Hepster?

Explorer has top notes of Sea Notes, Bergamot, Orange and Black Pepper, heart notes of Artemisia, Lavender, Geranium and Rosemary, a base of Ambergris, Patchouli, Vetiver and Tonka Bean. Hepster has top notes of Lime, Bitter Orange, Bergamot and Juniper Berries, heart notes of Silver Fir, Lavender, Geranium and Orris Root, a base of Mastic or Lentisque, Oakmoss, Cedar and Hyrax.