Fragrance comparison

Ivoire de Balmain vs Mysteriously No 1

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 1,140 ratings analysed

5 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #24,095 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

20%scent match

Clearly different

Mysteriously No 1

Marc Cain

3.7933 votes

Rank #27,353 AmberCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories.

Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Mysteriously No 1
Choose it for a amber and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Ivoire de Balmain5/7

Mysteriously No 12/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Ivoire de Balmain
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Mysteriously No 1
Versatility: Mysteriously No 1
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Ivoire de Balmain

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Mysteriously No 1Marc Cain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

3.79/ 5 · 33 votes

Have 50%Had 33%Want 17%

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

21%Love

55%Like

9%Ok

12%Dislike

3%Hate

33 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value61

Category winnerMysteriously No 1Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

amber100%

citrus92%

balsamic84%

aromatic77%

warm spicy69%

white floral61%

Scent match20%Clearly different · both aromatic

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

Top15-30 mins

AppleMarigoldMandarin OrangeSicilian Bergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

JasmineRoseCinnamonVetiver

Base6-8+ hrs

BenzoinIncenseVanillaTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesMarigold, Bergamot, Turkish Rose and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Mysteriously No 1, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Spring91

Summer27

Fall100

Winter64

Day100

Night41

Category winnerMysteriously No 1Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

Men7

Unisex29

Women64

Work 37%Casual 32%Date 21%Party 9%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,095

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#27,353

PerfumerCorinne Cachen, Maarten Schoute, Michel Almairac

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainHigher 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 →

Marc Cain Mysteriously No 1 delivers a crisp, spiced warmth that catches you off guard. The first spray releases tart green apple, bitter marigold, and bright Sicilian bergamot with a brief flash of alcohol. That initial sharpness passes within minutes. Soon, spicy cinnamon bark, velvety rose, and earthy vetiver emerg…

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 Mysteriously No 1?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories. Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes; Mysteriously No 1 is rated 3.79/5 from 33 votes. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Mysteriously No 1 for a amber and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ivoire de Balmain or Mysteriously No 1?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Mysteriously No 1 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ivoire de Balmain or Mysteriously No 1?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Mysteriously No 1 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ivoire de Balmain and Mysteriously No 1 smell similar?

Clearly different: a 20% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Marigold, Bergamot, Turkish Rose and Vetiver.

Is Ivoire de Balmain or Mysteriously No 1 better for summer or winter?

For summer, Mysteriously No 1 is the stronger pick. For winter, Ivoire de Balmain is the stronger pick. Mysteriously No 1 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ivoire de Balmain and Mysteriously No 1?

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. Mysteriously No 1 has top notes of Apple, Marigold, Mandarin Orange and Sicilian Bergamot, heart notes of Jasmine, Rose, Cinnamon and Vetiver, a base of Benzoin, Incense, Vanilla and Tonka Bean.