Fragrance comparison

Gardenia vs Mod Noir

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 1,164 ratings analysed

5 wins

Gardenia

Penhaligon's

3.96652 votes

Rank #2,609 White FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

60%scent match

Closely related

Mod Noir

Marc Jacobs

3.64512 votes

Rank #7,367 White FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Gardenia takes 5 of 7 categories.

Gardenia
Choose it for a white floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Mod Noir
Choose it for a white floral and green character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Gardenia5/7

Mod Noir2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

GardeniaPenhaligon's

Mod NoirMarc Jacobs

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 652 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

3.64/ 5 · 512 votes

Have 33%Had 24%Want 43%

Category winnerGardeniaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

49%Like

3%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

554 votes

22%Love

47%Like

5%Ok

25%Dislike

1%Hate

512 votes

Category winnerGardeniaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate66

Category winners

LongevityGardenia

SillageGardenia

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value40

¤ Price value43

Category winnerMod NoirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

green83%

floral65%

tuberose48%

animalic30%

white floral100%

green92%

citrus84%

floral77%

sweet69%

tuberose61%

Scent match60%Closely related · both white floral, green and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Green NotesMagnoliaHyacinthRhuburbBergamotViolet

Heart

GardeniaTuberoseLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineOrange BlossomYlang-YlangRoseCinnamon

Base

MuskVanillaBenzoinSandalwood

Top15-30 mins

Green NotesYuzuClementine

Heart2-4 hrs

GardeniaWater LilyTuberoseMagnolia

Base4-6 hrs

NectarineOrange BlossomMusk

InformationalShared notesGreen Notes, Magnolia, Gardenia and Tuberose. Durations are only published for Mod Noir, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter13

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter19

Day100

Night24

Category winnerMod NoirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex11

Women87

Men5

Unisex9

Women86

Work 38%Casual 35%Date 19%Party 8%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,609

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews63

Overall rank#7,367

PerfumerJean Claude Delville

Launched—

Reviews74

Category winnerGardeniaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Penhaligon's Gardenia is a green white floral with a fresh, soapy lift rather than a thick tropical feel. The opening reads crisp and clean, then the heart turns fuller with gardenia, tuberose and jasmine, while vanilla, musk and sandalwood soften the dry-down. It suits shoppers who want an elegant floral with presenc…

Reviews →

Marc Jacobs Mod Noir delivers a crisp, gardenia-forward scent profile centered on dewy botanicals rather than heavy nighttime warmth. The first spray releases a sharp flash of green leaves, tart yuzu, and juicy clementine before softening into an airy floral heart. Here, fresh gardenia petals mingle with aquatic water…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Gardenia or Mod Noir?

Gardenia takes 5 of 7 categories. Gardenia is rated 3.96/5 from 652 votes; Mod Noir is rated 3.64/5 from 512 votes. Choose Gardenia for a white floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Mod Noir for a white floral and green character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Gardenia or Mod Noir?

Gardenia lasts longest (Gardenia 68/100, Mod Noir 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Gardenia or Mod Noir?

Gardenia projects furthest (Gardenia 59/100, Mod Noir 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Gardenia and Mod Noir smell similar?

Closely related: a 60% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, green and floral accords. Common notes include Green Notes, Magnolia, Gardenia and Tuberose.

Is Gardenia or Mod Noir better for summer or winter?

For summer, Gardenia is the stronger pick. For winter, Mod Noir is the stronger pick. Mod Noir suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Gardenia and Mod Noir?

Gardenia has top notes of Green Notes, Magnolia, Hyacinth and Rhuburb, heart notes of Gardenia, Tuberose, Lily-of-the-Valley and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Vanilla, Benzoin and Sandalwood. Mod Noir has top notes of Green Notes, Yuzu and Clementine, heart notes of Gardenia, Water Lily, Tuberose and Magnolia, a base of Nectarine, Orange Blossom and Musk.