Fragrance comparison

Mae vs Union Square

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 219 ratings analysed

Mae

VeraLab

3.7182 votes

Rank #34,591 PatchouliGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Union Square

Bond No 9

3.30137 votes

Rank #17,730 GreenFresh

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Union Square takes 4 of 7 categories.

Mae
Choose it for a patchouli and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Union Square
Choose it for a green and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Mae3/7

Union Square4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MaeVeraLab

Union SquareBond No 9

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.71/ 5 · 82 votes

Have 66%Had 16%Want 18%

3.30/ 5 · 137 votes

Have 37%Had 20%Want 43%

Category winnerMaeRating 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

33%Love

34%Like

6%Ok

27%Dislike

1%Hate

89 votes

Category winnerMaeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate64

Category winners

LongevityUnion Square

SillageUnion Square

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value56

¤ Price value30

Category winnerMaeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

patchouli100%

green92%

woody84%

fresh77%

warm spicy69%

citrus61%

green100%

fresh91%

floral83%

white floral74%

musky65%

leather56%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both green and fresh

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

GrassLily-of-the-Valley

Heart

FreesiaBirch

Base

MuskAmber

InformationalShared notesGrass, Lily-of-the-Valley, Musk and Amber. 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

Spring100

Summer77

Fall23

Winter23

Day100

Night27

Category winnerUnion SquareMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex13

Women88

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

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#34,591

PerfumerPaola Bottai

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#17,730

PerfumerStephen Nilsen

Launched—

Reviews8

Category winnerUnion SquareHigher 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 →

Union Square is a crisp green floral built around grass, lily of the valley and freesia, with musk and amber keeping it soft underneath. It usually reads fresh, bright and spring-ready rather than plush or sweet. On skin, it tends to stay fairly linear. That makes it a good fit if you want an easy daytime floral with …

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 Union Square?

Union Square takes 4 of 7 categories. Mae is rated 3.71/5 from 82 votes; Union Square is rated 3.30/5 from 137 votes. Choose Mae for a patchouli and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Union Square for a green and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Mae or Union Square?

Union Square lasts longest (Union Square 70/100, Mae 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mae or Union Square?

Union Square projects furthest (Union Square 62/100, Mae 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mae and Union Square smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share green and fresh accords. Common notes include Grass, Lily-of-the-Valley, Musk and Amber.

Is Mae or Union Square better for summer or winter?

For summer, Union Square is the stronger pick. For winter, Mae is the stronger pick. Mae suits daytime wear; Union Square suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mae and Union Square?

Mae has top notes of Grass and Bergamot, heart notes of Patchouli, Lily-of-the-Valley and Jasmine, a base of Musk and Amber. Union Square has top notes of Grass and Lily-of-the-Valley, heart notes of Freesia and Birch, a base of Musk and Amber.