Fragrance comparison

Kobako vs L’Eau

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 2,564 ratings analysed

4 wins

Kobako

Bourjois

3.71676 votes

Rank #5,003 White FloralAnimalic

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

L’Eau

Serge Lutens · 2009

3.701,888 votes

Rank #2,953 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Kobako takes 4 of 7 categories.

Kobako
Choose it for a white floral and animalic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
L’Eau
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on community sentiment, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Kobako4/7

L’Eau3/7

Ratings & consensus: Kobako
Community sentiment: L’Eau
Longevity: Kobako
Sillage & projection: Kobako
Value for money: Kobako
Versatility: L’Eau
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: L’Eau

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

KobakoBourjois

L’EauSerge Lutens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.71/ 5 · 676 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

3.70/ 5 · 1,888 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

Category winnerKobakoRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

26%Love

43%Like

8%Ok

18%Dislike

4%Hate

676 votes

28%Love

42%Like

21%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

263 votes

Category winnerL’EauMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityKobako

SillageKobako

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value87

¤ Price value51

Category winnerKobakoBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

animalic92%

musky84%

aldehydic77%

powdery69%

fresh61%

citrus100%

aromatic92%

fresh84%

aldehydic77%

green69%

musky61%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both aldehydic, musky and fresh

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesCinnamonCitruses

Heart

LilyJasmineIrisMagnoliaRoseGardenia

Base

CivetAmbergrisMusk

Notes

AldehydesCitrusesMintMuskClary SageMagnolia

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Citruses, Magnolia and Musk. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring42

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring90

Summer100

Fall38

Winter27

Day100

Night27

Category winnerL’EauMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex26

Women73

Men15

Unisex64

Women21

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#5,003

PerfumerErnest Beaux

Launched—

Reviews38

Overall rank#2,953

PerfumerChristopher Sheldrake, Serge Lutens

Launched2009

Reviews164

Category winnerL’EauHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Bourjois Kobako opens with a sharp burst of soapy aldehydes and warm cinnamon before settling into a dense floral heart of jasmine and iris. Created by Ernest Beaux in 1936, this vintage formula shifts into a heavy base dominated by dirty civet and ambergris. It suits cold winter evenings when you want a nostalgic, an…

Reviews →

L’Eau Serge Lutens is a masterpiece of minimalist perfumery. Designed as an anti-perfume, it leans into the sharp, cooling crispness of white mint, clean aldehydes, and citrus. It mimics the sensation of slipping into freshly laundered cotton sheets on a humid morning. This unisex fragrance provides a serene, unobtrus…

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, Kobako or L’Eau?

Kobako takes 4 of 7 categories. Kobako is rated 3.71/5 from 676 votes; L’Eau is rated 3.70/5 from 1,888 votes. Choose Kobako for a white floral and animalic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose L’Eau for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on community sentiment, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Kobako or L’Eau?

Kobako lasts longest (Kobako 72/100, L’Eau 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Kobako or L’Eau?

Kobako projects furthest (Kobako 69/100, L’Eau 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Kobako and L’Eau smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aldehydic, musky and fresh accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Citruses, Magnolia and Musk.

Is Kobako or L’Eau better for summer or winter?

For summer, L’Eau is the stronger pick. For winter, Kobako is the stronger pick. L’Eau suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Kobako and L’Eau?

Kobako has top notes of Aldehydes, Cinnamon and Citruses, heart notes of Lily, Jasmine, Iris and Magnolia, a base of Civet, Ambergris and Musk. L’Eau features Aldehydes, Citruses, Mint, Musk and Clary Sage.