Fragrance comparison

In principio vs Polyamory

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 20 ratings analysed

4 wins

In principio

Zanini

4.1317 votes

Rank #20,016 AmberFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

Polyamory

Perfume Cult

4.673 votes

Rank #45,892 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

In principio takes 4 of 4 categories.

In principio
Choose it for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money.
Polyamory
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Best in spring, day or night wear.

In principio4/4

Polyamory0/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

In principioZanini

PolyamoryPerfume Cult

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 0%Had 33%Want 67%

4.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 19%Had 0%Want 81%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

100%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

67%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityIn principio

SillageIn principio

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value25

Category winnerIn principioBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

citrus77%

aromatic69%

balsamic61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

sweet69%

musky61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both woody, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Tuscan CypressBitter OrangeTurkish RoseFrankincenseYlang YlangAmbergrisKumquatNutmegelemiLilyMacePalisander Rosewood

No top / heart / base split published

Top

CypressPineappleBergamotLavenderLemonAppleMandarin Orange

Heart

Palisander RosewoodCardamomNutmegRoseJasmineelemi

Base

MuskPatchouliCedarwoodMossTonka BeanLabdanumVanillaMaltol

InformationalShared notesTurkish Rose, Nutmeg, elemi and Palisander Rosewood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

No season votes yet

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,016

PerfumerPhilippo Zanini

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#45,892

PerfumerLaure Breysse

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerIn principioHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

In principio by Zanini starts with bright, bitter citrus and dries down to a rich, meditative base of frankincense and cistus. The fragrance suits individuals seeking a contemplative, resinous aroma for cool autumn evenings. It balances citrus top notes with warm, mineral ambergris, creating a distinct option for thos…

Reviews →

Polyamory by Perfume Cult is a bright woody gourmand with a lively fruit and citrus opening, then a warmer heart of rosewood, cardamom, nutmeg, rose, jasmine and elemi. The dry-down settles into musk, patchouli, cedarwood, moss, tonka, vanilla, maltol, labdanum and amber. It suits someone who likes sweet, aromatic, sp…

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, In principio or Polyamory?

In principio takes 4 of 4 categories. In principio is rated 4.13/5 from 17 votes; Polyamory is rated 4.67/5 from 3 votes. Choose In principio for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Choose Polyamory for a woody and aromatic character. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, In principio or Polyamory?

In principio lasts longest (In principio 83/100, Polyamory 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, In principio or Polyamory?

In principio projects furthest (In principio 75/100, Polyamory 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do In principio and Polyamory smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Turkish Rose, Nutmeg, elemi and Palisander Rosewood.

Is In principio or Polyamory better for summer or winter?

Polyamory suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in In principio and Polyamory?

In principio features Tuscan Cypress, Bitter Orange, Turkish Rose, Frankincense and Ylang Ylang. Polyamory has top notes of Cypress, Pineapple, Bergamot and Lavender, heart notes of Palisander Rosewood, Cardamom, Nutmeg and Rose, a base of Musk, Patchouli, Cedarwood and Moss.