Fragrance comparison

Mae vs Mastermind Noir

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 109 ratings analysed

Mae

VeraLab

3.7182 votes

Rank #34,591 PatchouliGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

7 wins

Mastermind Noir

Nabeel

4.2227 votes

Rank #24,480 WoodyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Mastermind Noir takes 7 of 7 categories.

Mae
Choose it for a patchouli and green character. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Mastermind Noir
Choose it for a woody and leather character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Mae0/7

Mastermind Noir7/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MaeVeraLab

Mastermind NoirNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.71/ 5 · 82 votes

Have 66%Had 16%Want 18%

4.22/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 33%Had 10%Want 57%

Category winnerMastermind NoirRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

35%Like

15%Ok

13%Dislike

6%Hate

82 votes

56%Love

26%Like

11%Ok

0%Dislike

7%Hate

27 votes

Category winnerMastermind NoirMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityMastermind Noir

SillageMastermind Noir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value56

¤ Price value73

Category winnerMastermind NoirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

patchouli100%

green92%

woody84%

fresh77%

warm spicy69%

citrus61%

woody100%

leather90%

amber80%

warm spicy70%

musky60%

powdery50%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

GrassBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

PatchouliLily-of-the-ValleyJasmine

Base6-8 hrs

MuskAmber

Top

Woody NotesCloveWallflowerGrassRosemarySweet Notes

Heart

Cypriol Oil or NagarmothaCedarPatchouliGuaiac WoodVioletLily-of-the-Valley

Base

Tobacco LeafLabdanumLeatherCastoreumMuskSandalwoodTonka BeanAmber

InformationalShared notesGrass, Patchouli, Lily-of-the-Valley and Musk. Durations are only published for Mae, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring88

Summer32

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Spring62

Summer8

Fall69

Winter100

Day73

Night100

Category winnerMastermind NoirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex13

Women88

Casual 37%Work 32%Date 21%Party 11%

Men76

Unisex24

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#34,591

PerfumerPaola Bottai

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#24,480

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerMastermind NoirHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

VeraLab Mae strikes the nose with a vivid, sheared blade of fresh green grass and bitter bergamot. It opens sharp and unapologetic. Within fifteen minutes, the brisk daylight dampness steps back, clearing room for an earthy patchouli heart rounded by pale lily-of-the-valley petals and faint jasmine. It does not smell …

Reviews →

Mastermind Noir by Nabeel delivers a dry, earthy profile centered around smoked woods, tobacco, and castoreum. Launched in 2022, this unisex leather fragrance targets enthusiasts who prefer dense, dark compositions over mainstream sweetness. It performs best in cold weather, wrapping the wearer in a dense cloud of res…

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, Mae or Mastermind Noir?

Mastermind Noir takes 7 of 7 categories. Mae is rated 3.71/5 from 82 votes; Mastermind Noir is rated 4.22/5 from 27 votes. Choose Mae for a patchouli and green character. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Mastermind Noir for a woody and leather character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Mae or Mastermind Noir?

Mastermind Noir lasts longest (Mastermind Noir 71/100, Mae 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mae or Mastermind Noir?

Mastermind Noir projects furthest (Mastermind Noir 61/100, Mae 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mae and Mastermind Noir smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Grass, Patchouli, Lily-of-the-Valley and Musk.

Is Mae or Mastermind Noir better for summer or winter?

For summer, Mae is the stronger pick. For winter, Mae is the stronger pick. Mae suits daytime wear; Mastermind Noir suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mae and Mastermind Noir?

Mae has top notes of Grass and Bergamot, heart notes of Patchouli, Lily-of-the-Valley and Jasmine, a base of Musk and Amber. Mastermind Noir has top notes of Woody Notes, Clove, Wallflower and Grass, heart notes of Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha, Cedar, Patchouli and Guaiac Wood, a base of Tobacco Leaf, Labdanum, Leather and Castoreum.