Fragrance comparison

Mae Nak vs Galanga

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 37 ratings analysed

4 wins

Mae Nak

Journal

4.1811 votes

Rank #52,501 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

32%scent match

Clearly different

Galanga

Journal

4.0426 votes

Rank #50,869 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Mae Nak takes 4 of 5 categories.

Mae Nak
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Galanga
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Mae Nak4/5

Galanga1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Mae NakJournal

GalangaJournal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.18/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 33%Had 0%Want 67%

4.04/ 5 · 26 votes

Have 40%Had 5%Want 55%

Category winnerMae NakRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

64%Love

9%Like

18%Ok

0%Dislike

9%Hate

11 votes · too few to score

35%Love

38%Like

23%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

26 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityMae Nak

SillageMae Nak

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value56

Category winnerMae NakBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

floral84%

aromatic77%

fresh spicy69%

amber61%

citrus100%

fresh spicy83%

aromatic65%

balsamic48%

herbal30%

Scent match32%Clearly different · both fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LemonRoseChampacaFrangipani

Heart

JuniperGeraniumPatchouli

Base

Agarwood (Oud)SandalwoodSiam BenzoinSaffronIncense

Top

LimeLemongrassGalangaVerbena

Heart

LavenderJuniper

Base

IncenseAgarwood (Oud)SandalwoodBenzoinSaffron

InformationalShared notesJuniper, Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood and Saffron. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall50

Winter50

Day100

Night50

Spring93

Summer100

Fall57

Winter14

Day100

Night18

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

Men31

Unisex69

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#52,501

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#50,869

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerGalangaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mae Nak by Journal introduces a sharp citrus spark of lemon layered over exotic frangipani. As it settles on the skin, the fragrance reveals a deep, woody base of agarwood and siam benzoin. It fits best as an easygoing option for casual daytime wear during warm spring and summer months.

Reviews →

Journal Galanga opens with a sharp burst of lime and lemongrass before revealing its darker side. It wraps those bright Thai citruses in a base of incense and agarwood. The scent is clean yet moody, making it ideal for casual warm days when you want something more interesting than a standard soapy cologne.

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Mae Nak or Galanga?

Mae Nak takes 4 of 5 categories. Mae Nak is rated 4.18/5 from 11 votes; Galanga is rated 4.04/5 from 26 votes. Choose Mae Nak for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Galanga for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Mae Nak or Galanga?

Mae Nak lasts longest (Mae Nak 80/100, Galanga 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mae Nak or Galanga?

Mae Nak projects furthest (Mae Nak 75/100, Galanga 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mae Nak and Galanga smell similar?

Clearly different: a 32% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Juniper, Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood and Saffron.

Is Mae Nak or Galanga better for summer or winter?

Mae Nak suits daytime wear; Galanga suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mae Nak and Galanga?

Mae Nak has top notes of Lemon, Rose, Champaca and Frangipani, heart notes of Juniper, Geranium and Patchouli, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood, Siam Benzoin and Saffron. Galanga has top notes of Lime, Lemongrass, Galanga and Verbena, heart notes of Lavender and Juniper, a base of Incense, Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood and Benzoin.