Fragrance comparison

Ivoire de Balmain vs Why Not a Fougère

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

Updated 31 Oct 2026 1,138 ratings analysed

6 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #25,107 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

60%scent match

Closely related

Why Not a Fougère

Mark Buxton

3.7431 votes

Rank #38,828 AromaticHerbal

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 6 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.
Why Not a Fougère
Choose it for a aromatic and herbal character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Ivoire de Balmain6/7

Why Not a Fougère1/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Ivoire de Balmain
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Ivoire de Balmain
Versatility: Why Not a Fougère
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

Why Not a FougèreMark Buxton

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

3.74/ 5 · 31 votes

Have 28%Had 3%Want 69%

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

19%Love

52%Like

16%Ok

10%Dislike

3%Hate

31 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value39

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

aromatic100%

herbal92%

fresh spicy84%

floral77%

citrus69%

woody61%

Scent match60%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and herbal

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

Cedar NeedlesPink PepperBergamotAngelicaPearMandarin Orange

Heart2 to 3 hours

ChamomileGeraniumLavenderVioletSageMagnolia

Base3 to 4 hours

PatchouliNarcissusOsmanthusTonka BeanMusk

InformationalShared notesChamomile, Bergamot, Narcissus and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Why Not a Fougère, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Spring73

Summer73

Fall100

Winter45

Day100

Night57

Category winnerWhy Not a FougèreMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

Men67

Unisex33

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#38,828

PerfumerDavid Chieze

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 →

Why Not a Fougère by Mark Buxton presents an unconventional, modern twist on traditional barbershop perfumery. The fragrance opens with an invigorating burst of bergamot, mandarin orange, and crisp cedar needles, brightened by spicy pink pepper, angelica, and juicy pear. As the scent settles, a soothing heart emerges …

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, Ivoire de Balmain or Why Not a Fougère?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 6 of 7 categories. Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes; Why Not a Fougère is rated 3.74/5 from 31 votes. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring. Choose Why Not a Fougère for a aromatic and herbal character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ivoire de Balmain or Why Not a Fougère?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Why Not a Fougère 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ivoire de Balmain or Why Not a Fougère?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Why Not a Fougère 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ivoire de Balmain and Why Not a Fougère smell similar?

Closely related: a 60% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and herbal accords. Common notes include Chamomile, Bergamot, Narcissus and Patchouli.

Is Ivoire de Balmain or Why Not a Fougère better for summer or winter?

For summer, Why Not a Fougère is the stronger pick. For winter, Ivoire de Balmain is the stronger pick. Why Not a Fougère suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ivoire de Balmain and Why Not a Fougère?

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. Why Not a Fougère has top notes of Cedar Needles, Pink Pepper, Bergamot and Angelica, heart notes of Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender and Violet, a base of Patchouli, Narcissus, Osmanthus and Tonka Bean.