Fragrance comparison

HO vs Zen

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 5,673 ratings analysed

Tiens

3.3312 votes

Rank #59,036 AmberAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

9%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

Zen

Shiseido

4.075,661 votes

Rank #26,931 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zen takes 3 of 5 categories.

HO
Choose it for a amber and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Zen
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

HO2/5

Zen3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

HOTiens

ZenShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.33/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 14%Had 10%Want 76%

4.07/ 5 · 5,661 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

Category winnerZenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

17%Love

42%Like

0%Ok

42%Dislike

0%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

38%Love

44%Like

6%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

5,661 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate58

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityHO

SillageHO

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value55

Category winnerZenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family

amber100%

aromatic83%

balsamic65%

warm spicy48%

smoky30%

citrus100%

woody92%

floral84%

patchouli77%

fruity69%

sweet61%

Scent match9%Clearly different

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

IncenseElemi resinCoriander

Heart

HyacinthLavenderViolet

Base

MyrhhAmberMusk

Top

GrapefruitPineappleBergamotOrangeRose

Heart

FreesiaRed AppleLotusHyacinthGardeniaLily-of-the-ValleyVioletOrris

Base

PatchouliCedarMuskAmberIncensePine

InformationalShared notesIncense, Hyacinth, Violet and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter67

Day100

Night33

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men1

Unisex16

Women82

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#59,036

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#26,931

PerfumerMichel Almairac

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerZenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

HO by Tiens is a warm, smoky amber with incense up top, a soft floral heart, and a musky base that gives it a powdery, slightly dressed-up feel. It opens spicy and resinous, then settles into something smoother and more intimate. It may suit someone who likes classic oriental styles without heavy sweetness. Review evi…

Reviews →

Shiseido Zen opens with a sharp, fizzy splash of grapefruit and pineapple that feels bright and energetic. As it settles, the initial citrus bite softens into a clean floral heart dominated by freesia and red apple. It carries a breezy, watery texture rather than a heavy sweetness, making it particularly refreshing du…

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, HO or Zen?

Zen takes 3 of 5 categories. HO is rated 3.33/5 from 12 votes; Zen is rated 4.07/5 from 5,661 votes. Choose HO for a amber and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Zen for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, HO or Zen?

HO lasts longest (HO 69/100, Zen 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, HO or Zen?

HO projects furthest (HO 63/100, Zen 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do HO and Zen smell similar?

Clearly different: a 9% scent match on Fragranxe. They share few main accords. Common notes include Incense, Hyacinth, Violet and Amber.

Is HO or Zen better for summer or winter?

HO suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in HO and Zen?

HO has top notes of Incense, Elemi resin and Coriander, heart notes of Hyacinth, Lavender and Violet, a base of Myrhh, Amber and Musk. Zen has top notes of Grapefruit, Pineapple, Bergamot and Orange, heart notes of Freesia, Red Apple, Lotus and Hyacinth, a base of Patchouli, Cedar, Musk and Amber.