Fragrance comparison

Mandarina Duck vs Marc Jacobs Gardenia

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 1,261 ratings analysed

Mandarina Duck

3.881,197 votes

Rank #11,493 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Marc Jacobs Gardenia

Marc Jacobs

4.0964 votes

Rank #16,321 White FloralLactonic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Marc Jacobs Gardenia takes 4 of 8 categories.

Mandarina Duck
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Marc Jacobs Gardenia
Choose it for a white floral and lactonic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Mandarina Duck3/8

Marc Jacobs Gardenia4/8

Ratings & consensus: Marc Jacobs Gardenia
Community sentiment: Mandarina Duck
Longevity: Marc Jacobs Gardenia
Sillage & projection: Marc Jacobs Gardenia
Value for money: Mandarina Duck
Versatility: Marc Jacobs Gardenia
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Mandarina Duck

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Mandarina DuckMandarina Duck

Marc Jacobs GardeniaMarc Jacobs

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.88/ 5 · 1,197 votes

Have 41%Had 59%Want 0%

4.09/ 5 · 64 votes

Have 9%Had 9%Want 83%

Category winnerMarc Jacobs GardeniaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

22%Love

58%Like

6%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

1,197 votes

45%Love

36%Like

3%Ok

14%Dislike

2%Hate

64 votes

Category winnerMandarina DuckMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityMarc Jacobs Gardenia

SillageMarc Jacobs Gardenia

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value72

¤ Price value50

Category winnerMandarina DuckBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

citrus91%

white floral83%

floral74%

woody65%

aromatic56%

white floral100%

lactonic83%

warm spicy65%

animalic48%

fruity30%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

BergamotWhite PepperYellow Freesia

Heart2-4 hrs

HoneysuckleGardeniaJasmine

Base5-7 hrs

CedarMusk

Top15-30 mins

GardeniaHoneysuckleJasmine

Heart2-4 hrs

GingerMuskCedar

Base5-7 hrs

—

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter29

Day100

Night21

Spring100

Summer65

Fall25

Winter25

Day100

Night37

Category winnerMarc Jacobs GardeniaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex32

Women65

Casual 45%Work 36%Date 10%Party 8%

Men0

Unisex20

Women80

Casual 37%Work 31%Date 22%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,493

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews21

Overall rank#16,321

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Category winnerMandarina DuckHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mandarina Duck greets you with an electric blast of yellow freesia and bergamot, instantly spiked by a sharp kick of freshly cracked white pepper. It feels sunlit and brisk. There is no heavy syrup or syrupy sugar here. Instead, a clean, dew-drenched bouquet of honeysuckle and gardenia emerges within twenty minutes, s…

Reviews →

Marc Jacobs Gardenia opens with a vivid spray of sweet honeysuckle and green jasmine petals before settling into its star flower. Give it three minutes. The initial alcohol flash quickly burns off, letting a buttery gardenia bloom across the skin with remarkable intensity. A quiet pulse of fresh ginger keeps the petal…

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, Mandarina Duck or Marc Jacobs Gardenia?

Marc Jacobs Gardenia takes 4 of 8 categories. Mandarina Duck is rated 3.88/5 from 1,197 votes; Marc Jacobs Gardenia is rated 4.09/5 from 64 votes. Choose Mandarina Duck for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Marc Jacobs Gardenia for a white floral and lactonic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Mandarina Duck or Marc Jacobs Gardenia?

Marc Jacobs Gardenia lasts longest (Marc Jacobs Gardenia 65/100, Mandarina Duck 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mandarina Duck or Marc Jacobs Gardenia?

Marc Jacobs Gardenia projects furthest (Marc Jacobs Gardenia 72/100, Mandarina Duck 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mandarina Duck and Marc Jacobs Gardenia smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral accords. Common notes include Honeysuckle, Gardenia, Jasmine and Cedar.

Is Mandarina Duck or Marc Jacobs Gardenia better for summer or winter?

For summer, Marc Jacobs Gardenia is the stronger pick. For winter, Mandarina Duck is the stronger pick. Mandarina Duck suits daytime wear; Marc Jacobs Gardenia suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mandarina Duck and Marc Jacobs Gardenia?

Mandarina Duck has top notes of Bergamot, White Pepper and Yellow Freesia, heart notes of Honeysuckle, Gardenia and Jasmine, a base of Cedar and Musk. Marc Jacobs Gardenia has top notes of Gardenia, Honeysuckle and Jasmine, heart notes of Ginger, Musk and Cedar.