Fragrance comparison

Magic vs West Side

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,013 ratings analysed

3 wins

Magic

Karen Doué

4.005 votes

Rank #59,342 WoodySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

49%scent match

Some overlap

West Side

Bond No 9

3.781,008 votes

Rank #5,844 RoseFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Magic takes 3 of 4 categories.

Magic
Choose it for a woody and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
West Side
Choose it for a rose and floral character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Magic3/4

West Side1/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MagicKaren Doué

West SideBond No 9

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 40%Had 0%Want 60%

3.78/ 5 · 1,008 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

20%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

20%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

43%Love

35%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

861 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityMagic

SillageMagic

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value35

Category winnerMagicBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

sweet91%

rose83%

warm spicy74%

floral65%

fruity56%

rose100%

floral92%

powdery84%

vanilla77%

woody69%

amber61%

Scent match49%Some overlap · both rose, woody and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Spicy NotesYlang-YlangFruity NotesSweet Notes

Heart

RoseGuaiac WoodPeony

Base

SandalwoodAmberFloral Notes

Notes

RosePeonyVanillaAmberMuskYlang-YlangSandalwood

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesYlang-Ylang, Rose, Peony and Sandalwood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring25

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day75

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter83

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men3

Unisex38

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#59,342

PerfumerAnna Shevchuk

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#5,844

PerfumerMichel Almairac

Launched—

Reviews29

Category winnerWest SideHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Magic by Karen Doué offers a dense, warm woody and sweet experience tailored for colder weather. The scent opens with a sharp burst of spices before settling into a rich sandalwood and amber base. It works best for formal evening wear when you want a rich, comforting presence that cuts through the winter chill.

Reviews →

West Side is a plush rose floral with a powdery, creamy finish. Rose and peony lead, ylang-ylang adds warmth, and the dry-down settles into vanilla, sandalwood, amber, and musk. It usually reads romantic, smooth, and slightly dressy rather than airy or sharp. If you enjoy sweet rose perfumes with a soft woody base and…

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, Magic or West Side?

Magic takes 3 of 4 categories. Magic is rated 4.00/5 from 5 votes; West Side is rated 3.78/5 from 1,008 votes. Choose Magic for a woody and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose West Side for a rose and floral character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Magic or West Side?

Magic lasts longest (Magic 80/100, West Side 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Magic or West Side?

Magic projects furthest (Magic 81/100, West Side 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Magic and West Side smell similar?

Some overlap: a 49% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share rose, woody and floral accords. Common notes include Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Peony and Sandalwood.

Is Magic or West Side better for summer or winter?

Magic suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Magic and West Side?

Magic has top notes of Spicy Notes, Ylang-Ylang, Fruity Notes and Sweet Notes, heart notes of Rose, Guaiac Wood and Peony, a base of Sandalwood, Amber and Floral Notes. West Side features Rose, Peony, Vanilla, Amber and Musk.