Fragrance comparison

Genji vs Patchouli

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 242 ratings analysed

6 wins

Genji

Mary Kay

4.5246 votes

Rank #26,094 WoodyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

Patchouli

Phebo · 2015

4.38196 votes

Rank #7,670 WoodyPatchouli

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Genji takes 6 of 7 categories.

Genji
Choose it for a woody and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Patchouli
Choose it for a woody and patchouli character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Genji6/7

Patchouli1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

GenjiMary Kay

PatchouliPhebo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.52/ 5 · 46 votes

Have 33%Had 31%Want 35%

4.38/ 5 · 196 votes

Have 52%Had 10%Want 38%

Category winnerGenjiRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

59%Love

37%Like

2%Ok

2%Dislike

0%Hate

46 votes

60%Love

27%Like

7%Ok

5%Dislike

2%Hate

196 votes

Category winnerGenjiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityGenji

SillageGenji

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value55

Category winnerGenjiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

powdery92%

warm spicy84%

amber77%

floral69%

fruity61%

woody100%

patchouli90%

warm spicy80%

citrus70%

rose60%

balsamic50%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

ApricotPlumMelonBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

JasmineRoseCarnationLily-of-the-ValleyCyclamen

Base8-12+ hrs

AmberPatchouliSandalwoodCedarMusk

Top

BergamotOrangeLemon

Heart

JasmineLily-of-the-ValleyRoseCyclamen

Base

PatchouliWoody NotesCedar

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Jasmine, Rose and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for Genji, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring29

Summer86

Fall100

Winter100

Day71

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter85

Day100

Night83

Category winnerGenjiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men50

Unisex44

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,094

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#7,670

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2015

Reviews10

Category winnerPatchouliHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Genji by Mary Kay is a discontinued 1985 oriental floral that delivers unapologetic vintage power. The opening bursts with juicy plum, tart bergamot, and sweet apricot before settling into a spicy floral bouquet of carnation, jasmine, and velvety rose. Deep base notes of sandalwood, earthy patchouli, and warm amber cr…

Reviews →

Built around dry timber and crisp foliage, this Brazilian release pairs tart citrus with an airy herbal base. Fresh Sicilian lemon and bitter orange cut through the earthy bite of patchouli, supported by a sheer veil of cyclamen and lily of the valley. It serves workers and casual wearers who want a clean woody signat…

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, Genji or Patchouli?

Genji takes 6 of 7 categories. Genji is rated 4.52/5 from 46 votes; Patchouli is rated 4.38/5 from 196 votes. Choose Genji for a woody and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Patchouli for a woody and patchouli character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Genji or Patchouli?

Genji lasts longest (Genji 77/100, Patchouli 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Genji or Patchouli?

Genji projects furthest (Genji 68/100, Patchouli 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Genji and Patchouli smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Jasmine, Rose and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Genji or Patchouli better for summer or winter?

For summer, Genji is the stronger pick. For winter, Genji is the stronger pick. Genji suits evening wear; Patchouli suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Genji and Patchouli?

Genji has top notes of Apricot, Plum, Melon and Bergamot, heart notes of Jasmine, Rose, Carnation and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Amber, Patchouli, Sandalwood and Cedar. Patchouli has top notes of Bergamot, Orange and Lemon, heart notes of Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Rose and Cyclamen, a base of Patchouli, Woody Notes and Cedar.