Fragrance comparison

Herbae Clary Sage vs Monsieur Balmain

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 489 ratings analysed

Herbae Clary Sage

L'Occitane en Provence

4.0040 votes

Rank #19,025 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Monsieur Balmain

Pierre Balmain · 1990

4.69449 votes

Rank #23,126 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Monsieur Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories.

Herbae Clary Sage
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Monsieur Balmain
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Herbae Clary Sage2/7

Monsieur Balmain5/7

Ratings & consensus: Monsieur Balmain
Community sentiment: Monsieur Balmain
Longevity: Monsieur Balmain
Sillage & projection: Monsieur Balmain
Value for money: Monsieur Balmain
Versatility: Herbae Clary Sage
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Herbae Clary Sage

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Herbae Clary SageL'Occitane en Provence

Monsieur BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 40 votes

Have 34%Had 7%Want 58%

4.69/ 5 · 449 votes

Have 56%Had 14%Want 31%

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

33%Like

10%Ok

13%Dislike

3%Hate

40 votes

72%Love

25%Like

3%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

36 votes

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage41

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityMonsieur Balmain

SillageMonsieur Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value41

¤ Price value60

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus92%

amber84%

musky77%

fresh spicy69%

green61%

citrus100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy53%

fresh30%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both citrus, aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

BergamotThymeBitter Orange

Heart2-3 hrs

Clary SageGrassAngelica

Base4-6 hrs

CashmeranelemiAmber

Top

LemonBergamotBitter OrangeMint

Heart

GingerSandalwoodRosemaryCarawayNutmegMossPepperThyme

Base

VetiverClary SageAmberMusk

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Thyme, Bitter Orange and Clary Sage. Durations are only published for Herbae Clary Sage, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer89

Fall39

Winter22

Day100

Night32

Spring82

Summer100

Fall18

Winter6

Day100

Night13

Category winnerHerbae Clary SageMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Casual 40%Work 35%Date 18%Party 8%

Men70

Unisex25

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#19,025

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#23,126

PerfumerGermaine Cellier

Launched1990

Reviews0

Category winnerHerbae Clary SageHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Herbae Clary Sage by L'Occitane en Provence captures the untamed freshness of a sunlit meadow in the South of France. The fragrance opens with a sharp, invigorating burst of bitter orange and crisp bergamot, immediately softened by aromatic thyme. As the initial citrus sparkle settles, the scent reveals an earthy hear…

Reviews →

Monsieur Balmain by Pierre Balmain is a sharp, sun-drenched blast of yellow lemon peel and bitter orange. It is designed for those who appreciate dry, completely unsweetened citrus that holds its ground in high heat. It works beautifully on humid summer days when sugary scents turn cloying.

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, Herbae Clary Sage or Monsieur Balmain?

Monsieur Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories. Herbae Clary Sage is rated 4.00/5 from 40 votes; Monsieur Balmain is rated 4.69/5 from 449 votes. Choose Herbae Clary Sage for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Monsieur Balmain for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Herbae Clary Sage or Monsieur Balmain?

Monsieur Balmain lasts longest (Monsieur Balmain 63/100, Herbae Clary Sage 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Herbae Clary Sage or Monsieur Balmain?

Monsieur Balmain projects furthest (Monsieur Balmain 57/100, Herbae Clary Sage 41/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Herbae Clary Sage and Monsieur Balmain smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Thyme, Bitter Orange and Clary Sage.

Is Herbae Clary Sage or Monsieur Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Monsieur Balmain is the stronger pick. For winter, Herbae Clary Sage is the stronger pick. Herbae Clary Sage suits daytime wear; Monsieur Balmain suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Herbae Clary Sage and Monsieur Balmain?

Herbae Clary Sage has top notes of Bergamot, Thyme and Bitter Orange, heart notes of Clary Sage, Grass and Angelica, a base of Cashmeran, elemi and Amber. Monsieur Balmain has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot, Bitter Orange and Mint, heart notes of Ginger, Sandalwood, Rosemary and Caraway, a base of Vetiver, Clary Sage, Amber and Musk.