Fragrance comparison

Jolie Madame vs Ottomane

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 1,042 ratings analysed

Jolie Madame

Pierre Balmain

4.23942 votes

Rank #24,554 AromaticWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

24%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Ottomane

Ulric de Varens

4.13100 votes

Rank #12,840 SweetHoney

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ottomane takes 6 of 7 categories.

Jolie Madame
Choose it for a aromatic and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring.
Ottomane
Choose it for a sweet and honey character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Jolie Madame1/7

Ottomane6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Jolie MadamePierre Balmain

OttomaneUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 942 votes

Have 73%Had 27%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 100 votes

Have 32%Had 25%Want 43%

Category winnerJolie MadameRating 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

33%Love

55%Like

5%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

100 votes

Category winnerOttomaneMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityOttomane

SillageOttomane

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value84

Category winnerOttomaneBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

white floral92%

earthy84%

animalic77%

woody69%

leather61%

sweet100%

honey92%

woody84%

floral77%

white floral69%

balsamic61%

Scent match24%Clearly different · both white floral and woody

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

Top15-30 mins

GardeniaMarigoldLilacRose

Heart2-4 hrs

White HoneyPeachCoconut

Base6-8+ hrs

SandalwoodPatchouli

InformationalShared notesGardenia, Rose, Lilac and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Ottomane, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter76

Day–

Night–

Spring32

Summer24

Fall100

Winter76

Day100

Night79

Category winnerOttomaneMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex51

Women47

Men0

Unisex20

Women80

Date 33%Casual 31%Work 19%Party 17%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,554

PerfumerGermaine Cellier

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#12,840

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Category winnerOttomaneHigher 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 →

Ottomane by Ulric de Varens delivers a golden blast of vintage French perfumery from 1993. The first spritz unleashes an unmistakable burst of bitter marigold alongside waxy gardenia and cool lilac blossoms. Give it five minutes to settle. Once the initial alcohol evaporates, a thick pool of white honey coats ripe pea…

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 Ottomane?

Ottomane takes 6 of 7 categories. Jolie Madame is rated 4.23/5 from 942 votes; Ottomane is rated 4.13/5 from 100 votes. Choose Jolie Madame for a aromatic and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring. Choose Ottomane for a sweet and honey character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Jolie Madame or Ottomane?

Ottomane lasts longest (Ottomane 73/100, Jolie Madame 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Jolie Madame or Ottomane?

Ottomane projects furthest (Ottomane 67/100, Jolie Madame 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Jolie Madame and Ottomane smell similar?

Clearly different: a 24% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral and woody accords. Common notes include Gardenia, Rose, Lilac and Patchouli.

Is Jolie Madame or Ottomane better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ottomane is the stronger pick. For winter, Jolie Madame is the stronger pick. Ottomane suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Jolie Madame and Ottomane?

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. Ottomane has top notes of Gardenia, Marigold, Lilac and Rose, heart notes of White Honey, Peach and Coconut, a base of Sandalwood and Patchouli.