Fragrance comparison

Jolie Madame vs Lilac In Water

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 945 ratings analysed

3 wins

Jolie Madame

Pierre Balmain

4.23942 votes

Rank #24,703 AromaticWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

16%scent match

Clearly different

Lilac In Water

Chaque Jour

4.333 votes

Rank #58,543 FloralMarine

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Jolie Madame takes 3 of 4 categories.

Jolie Madame
Choose it for a aromatic and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Lilac In Water
Choose it for a floral and marine character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Jolie Madame3/4

Lilac In Water1/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Jolie MadamePierre Balmain

Lilac In WaterChaque Jour

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 942 votes

Have 73%Had 27%Want 0%

4.33/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 43%Had 0%Want 57%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

40%Like

2%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

942 votes

67%Love

0%Like

33%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

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityJolie Madame

SillageJolie Madame

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value75

Category winnerLilac In WaterBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

white floral92%

earthy84%

animalic77%

woody69%

leather61%

floral100%

marine90%

fresh80%

aromatic70%

green60%

salty50%

Scent match16%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ArtemisiaCorianderGardeniaBergamotNeroliPetitgrainCloves

Heart

Violet LeafNarcissusOrris RootRoseTuberoseJasmineLilacOrange Blossom

Base

LeatherOakmossVetiverTobaccoCivetPatchouliMuskCedar

Top20-30 mins

Aquatic notesCucumber

Heart2-3 hrs

LilacPetitgrain

Base4-6 hrs

Musk

InformationalShared notesPetitgrain, Lilac and Musk. Durations are only published for Lilac In Water, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter76

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer50

Fall0

Winter0

Day100

Night22

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex51

Women47

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Casual 40%Work 35%Date 18%Party 8%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,703

PerfumerGermaine Cellier

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#58,543

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerJolie MadameHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Jolie Madame is a challenging leather fragrance from 1953, marked by Germaine Cellier's signature boldness. It opens with sharp artemisia and coriander before giving way to a heart of violet leaf and tuberose. The dry-down reveals a deep, animalic base of leather, civet, and oakmoss. It suits those who appreciate vint…

Reviews →

Lilac In Water by Chaque Jour opens with an immediate splash of crisp cucumber and breezy aquatic notes. It feels like standing next to a freshwater pond in late April. The initial spray has a fast alcohol flash that evaporates within two minutes, leaving behind dewy purple lilac petals. Bitter petitgrain keeps the bl…

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, Jolie Madame or Lilac In Water?

Jolie Madame takes 3 of 4 categories. Jolie Madame is rated 4.23/5 from 942 votes; Lilac In Water is rated 4.33/5 from 3 votes. Choose Jolie Madame for a aromatic and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Lilac In Water for a floral and marine character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Jolie Madame or Lilac In Water?

Jolie Madame lasts longest (Jolie Madame 64/100, Lilac In Water 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Jolie Madame or Lilac In Water?

Jolie Madame projects furthest (Jolie Madame 60/100, Lilac In Water 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Jolie Madame and Lilac In Water smell similar?

Clearly different: a 16% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Petitgrain, Lilac and Musk.

Is Jolie Madame or Lilac In Water better for summer or winter?

Lilac In Water suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Jolie Madame and Lilac In Water?

Jolie Madame has top notes of Artemisia, Coriander, Gardenia and Bergamot, heart notes of Violet Leaf, Narcissus, Orris Root and Rose, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Vetiver and Tobacco. Lilac In Water has top notes of Aquatic notes and Cucumber, heart notes of Lilac and Petitgrain, a base of Musk.