Fragrance comparison

Magic Guard vs Musk Deer

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 1,109 ratings analysed

Magic Guard

Maori Collection

3.7193 votes

Rank #27,888 RoseWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Musk Deer

Zoologist Perfumes

3.901,016 votes

Rank #1,529 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Musk Deer takes 5 of 7 categories.

Magic Guard
Choose it for a rose and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Musk Deer
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Magic Guard2/7

Musk Deer5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Magic GuardMaori Collection

Musk DeerZoologist Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.71/ 5 · 93 votes

Have 52%Had 17%Want 32%

3.90/ 5 · 1,016 votes

Have 35%Had 10%Want 56%

Category winnerMusk DeerRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

17%Love

55%Like

12%Ok

14%Dislike

2%Hate

93 votes

38%Love

33%Like

19%Ok

8%Dislike

2%Hate

808 votes

Category winnerMusk DeerMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityMusk Deer

SillageMagic Guard

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value42

¤ Price value44

Category winnerMusk DeerBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

rose100%

woody83%

floral65%

powdery48%

aromatic30%

woody100%

warm spicy91%

musky83%

floral74%

aromatic65%

powdery56%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both woody, floral and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

RoseAtlas Cedar

No top / heart / base split published

Top

CardamomCalamusRose

Heart

Atlas CedarLabdanumPatchouliJasmine Sambac

Base

Ambrette (Musk Mallow)SandalwoodLaotian OudOrris

InformationalShared notesRose and Atlas Cedar. Durations are only published for Magic Guard, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring70

Summer61

Fall100

Winter70

Day100

Night70

Spring52

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerMagic GuardMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex29

Women71

Men24

Unisex68

Women8

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,888

PerfumerPaolo Terenzi

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#1,529

PerfumerPascal Gaurin

Launched—

Reviews216

Category winnerMusk DeerHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Magic Guard by Maori Collection presents an uncompromising, sharp take on the classic woody floral theme. Instead of a sugary garden blossom, the composition centres on a cool, unsweetened rose paired directly against dry Atlas cedar. The profile carries distinct powdery and aromatic facets that give it a clean, almos…

Reviews →

Musk Deer opens as a soft spicy musk with cardamom, rose and woods, then settles into a powdery, slightly floral dry-down with ambrette, sandalwood and oud. Many wearers find it cleaner and more approachable than the name suggests, though some still pick up an animalic edge and a curious cola-like nuance.

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, Magic Guard or Musk Deer?

Musk Deer takes 5 of 7 categories. Magic Guard is rated 3.71/5 from 93 votes; Musk Deer is rated 3.90/5 from 1,016 votes. Choose Magic Guard for a rose and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Musk Deer for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Magic Guard or Musk Deer?

Musk Deer lasts longest (Musk Deer 73/100, Magic Guard 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Magic Guard or Musk Deer?

Magic Guard projects furthest (Magic Guard 60/100, Musk Deer 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Magic Guard and Musk Deer smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, floral and powdery accords. Common notes include Rose and Atlas Cedar.

Is Magic Guard or Musk Deer better for summer or winter?

For summer, Magic Guard is the stronger pick. For winter, Musk Deer is the stronger pick. Magic Guard suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Magic Guard and Musk Deer?

Magic Guard features Rose and Atlas Cedar. Musk Deer has top notes of Cardamom, Calamus and Rose, heart notes of Atlas Cedar, Labdanum, Patchouli and Jasmine Sambac, a base of Ambrette (Musk Mallow), Sandalwood, Laotian Oud and Orris.