Fragrance comparison

Ivoire de Balmain vs Mark Birley

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 1,247 ratings analysed

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #25,107 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

Mark Birley

4.19140 votes

Rank #8,993 CitrusPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3.

Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Mark Birley
Choose it for a citrus and powdery character. Wins on community sentiment, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Ivoire de Balmain3/7

Mark Birley3/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Mark Birley
Longevity: Ivoire de Balmain
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Tie
Versatility: Mark Birley
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Mark Birley

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Mark BirleyMark Birley

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

4.19/ 5 · 140 votes

Have 38%Had 15%Want 47%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

44%Love

44%Like

1%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

140 votes

Category winnerMark BirleyMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

citrus100%

powdery92%

woody84%

aromatic77%

musky69%

violet61%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

Top15 to 30 minutes

BergamotMandarin OrangeLemon

Heart1 to 2 hours

VioletCarrot SeedsLeather

Base2 to 4 hours

IncenseVetiverSandalwoodMuskCedar

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Lemon, Vetiver and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Mark Birley, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Spring97

Summer100

Fall47

Winter18

Day100

Night39

Category winnerMark BirleyMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,107

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#8,993

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews25

Category winnerMark BirleyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate s…

Reviews →

Mark Birley is a crisp woody aromatic fragrance created by Pierre Bourdon in 1996. It opens with an immediate burst of lemon, bergamot, and mandarin orange, providing a clean and bright introduction. As the bright citrus fades, the fragrance introduces a dry heart built around violet, earthy carrot seeds, and subtle l…

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, Ivoire de Balmain or Mark Birley?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3. Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes; Mark Birley is rated 4.19/5 from 140 votes. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Mark Birley for a citrus and powdery character. Wins on community sentiment, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ivoire de Balmain or Mark Birley?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Mark Birley 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ivoire de Balmain or Mark Birley?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Mark Birley 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ivoire de Balmain and Mark Birley smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Lemon, Vetiver and Sandalwood.

Is Ivoire de Balmain or Mark Birley better for summer or winter?

For summer, Mark Birley is the stronger pick. For winter, Ivoire de Balmain is the stronger pick. Mark Birley suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ivoire de Balmain and Mark Birley?

Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense. Mark Birley has top notes of Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Lemon, heart notes of Violet, Carrot Seeds and Leather, a base of Incense, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Musk.