Fragrance comparison

M2 vs Stayin' Alive

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 59 ratings analysed

Michael Cinco

4.003 votes

Rank #57,291 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Stayin' Alive

Lush

3.9656 votes

Rank #24,564 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Stayin' Alive takes 3 of 4 categories.

M2
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Stayin' Alive
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

M21/4

Stayin' Alive3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Stayin' Alive
Sillage & projection: Stayin' Alive
Value for money: M2
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Stayin' Alive

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

M2Michael Cinco

Stayin' AliveLush

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 13%Had 0%Want 87%

3.96/ 5 · 56 votes

Have 32%Had 14%Want 54%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

33%Like

33%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

43%Love

34%Like

4%Ok

16%Dislike

4%Hate

56 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityStayin' Alive

SillageStayin' Alive

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value44

Category winnerM2Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy86%

fresh spicy72%

soft spicy58%

aromatic44%

cinnamon30%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

aromatic84%

amber77%

vanilla69%

cinnamon61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both warm spicy, amber and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Pink PepperSpicesCardamomCinnamonLemon

Heart

GeraniumOsmanthusJasmineRose

Base

AmberSandalwoodOlibanumGuaiac WoodPatchouliMuskPrecious Woods

Notes

OlibanumMadagascar VetiverVanillaSandalwoodCinnamonLemonFloral Notes

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesCinnamon, Lemon, Sandalwood and Olibanum. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall50

Winter100

Day33

Night100

Spring19

Summer14

Fall100

Winter71

Day50

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex75

Women25

Men20

Unisex60

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#57,291

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#24,564

PerfumerSimon Constantine

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerStayin' AliveHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

M2 by Michael Cinco opens with lemon, cardamom, cinnamon and pink pepper, then settles into an ambery, spiced wood base with soft florals in the middle. It reads warm, polished and slightly ceremonial rather than casual. This 2024 release leans unisex, with a clear amber-spice focus that may suit cooler weather, eveni…

Reviews →

Stayin' Alive reads as a dry, spicy wood fragrance with frankincense, vetiver, sandalwood and vanilla doing most of the work. The opening likely feels sharper from lemon and cinnamon, then settles into something warmer, smokier and slightly powdery. It suits someone who likes resinous, woody scents more than sugary va…

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, M2 or Stayin' Alive?

Stayin' Alive takes 3 of 4 categories. M2 is rated 4.00/5 from 3 votes; Stayin' Alive is rated 3.96/5 from 56 votes. Choose M2 for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Stayin' Alive for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, M2 or Stayin' Alive?

Stayin' Alive lasts longest (Stayin' Alive 75/100, M2 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, M2 or Stayin' Alive?

Stayin' Alive projects furthest (Stayin' Alive 76/100, M2 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do M2 and Stayin' Alive smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, amber and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Lemon, Sandalwood and Olibanum.

Is M2 or Stayin' Alive better for summer or winter?

M2 suits evening wear; Stayin' Alive suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in M2 and Stayin' Alive?

M2 has top notes of Pink Pepper, Spices, Cardamom and Cinnamon, heart notes of Geranium, Osmanthus, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Amber, Sandalwood, Olibanum and Guaiac Wood. Stayin' Alive features Olibanum, Madagascar Vetiver, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Cinnamon.