Fragrance comparison

Explorer vs Riviera

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 30 ratings analysed

Explorer

Phytoderm

3.5511 votes

Rank #62,879 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Riviera

Mendes Perfumes

3.5819 votes

Rank #45,514 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Riviera 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.
Riviera
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Explorer1/5

Riviera4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ExplorerPhytoderm

RivieraMendes Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.55/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 31%Had 38%Want 31%

3.58/ 5 · 19 votes

Have 43%Had 19%Want 38%

Category winnerRivieraRating 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

32%Love

37%Like

0%Ok

21%Dislike

11%Hate

19 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity51

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage41

♥ Love / hate64

Category winners

LongevityRiviera

SillageRiviera

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value48

Category winnerExplorerBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

amber84%

marine77%

citrus69%

animalic61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

citrus77%

green69%

amber61%

Scent match56%Closely related · 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

BergamotLimeCassisPeppermintPink PepperBlack Pepper

Heart

MojitoSea NotesRosemaryCypressJasmine SambacGeraniumLavenderCardamom

Base

Orris RootPatchouliVetiverCedarwoodOakOlibanumAmberMusk

InformationalShared notesSea Notes, Bergamot, Black Pepper and Lavender. 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

Spring88

Summer100

Fall100

Winter38

Day100

Night89

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex14

Women0

Men91

Unisex9

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#62,879

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#45,514

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerRivieraHigher 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 →

Riviera opens with a sharp burst of bergamot and peppermint paired with crisp black pepper. As the top notes fade, sea notes and cypress emerge alongside green rosemary and lavender to build a breezy marine heart. The base settles into dry cedarwood, vetiver, and subtle oak. It works best during warm spring and summer…

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 Riviera?

Riviera takes 4 of 5 categories. Explorer is rated 3.55/5 from 11 votes; Riviera is rated 3.58/5 from 19 votes. Choose Explorer for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Riviera for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Explorer or Riviera?

Riviera lasts longest (Riviera 60/100, Explorer 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Explorer or Riviera?

Riviera projects furthest (Riviera 41/100, Explorer 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Explorer and Riviera smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Sea Notes, Bergamot, Black Pepper and Lavender.

Is Explorer or Riviera better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Explorer and Riviera?

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. Riviera has top notes of Bergamot, Lime, Cassis and Peppermint, heart notes of Mojito, Sea Notes, Rosemary and Cypress, a base of Orris Root, Patchouli, Vetiver and Cedarwood.