Fragrance comparison

Mark Birley vs DNA for Men

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 164 ratings analysed

Mark Birley

4.19140 votes

Rank #8,993 CitrusPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

DNA for Men

Bijan

3.9224 votes

Rank #38,453 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

DNA for Men takes 3 of 5 categories.

Mark Birley
Choose it for a citrus and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.
DNA for Men
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Mark Birley2/5

DNA for Men3/5

Ratings & consensus: Mark Birley
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: DNA for Men
Sillage & projection: DNA for Men
Value for money: DNA for Men
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Mark Birley

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Mark BirleyMark Birley

DNA for MenBijan

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.19/ 5 · 140 votes

Have 38%Had 15%Want 47%

3.92/ 5 · 24 votes

Have 31%Had 27%Want 42%

Category winnerMark BirleyRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

44%Like

1%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

140 votes

21%Love

58%Like

13%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityDNA for Men

SillageDNA for Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value79

Category winnerDNA for MenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

powdery92%

woody84%

aromatic77%

musky69%

violet61%

amber100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

fresh spicy69%

leather61%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

BergamotMandarin OrangeLemon

Heart1 to 2 hours

VioletCarrot SeedsLeather

Base2 to 4 hours

IncenseVetiverSandalwoodMuskCedar

Top

LavenderMandarin OrangeBergamotCarawayLemon

Heart

JasmineGingerCyclamenFirGardeniaPepperWest Indian BayGeranium

Base

AmberBenzoinLeatherSandalwoodOakmossTonka BeanPatchouliCedar

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Mandarin Orange, Lemon and Leather. Durations are only published for Mark Birley, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring97

Summer100

Fall47

Winter18

Day100

Night39

Spring33

Summer8

Fall83

Winter100

Day63

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,993

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews25

Overall rank#38,453

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerMark BirleyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mark Birley is a crisp woody aromatic fragrance created by Pierre Bourdon in 1996. It opens with an immediate burst of lemon, bergamot, and mandarin orange, providing a clean and bright introduction. As the bright citrus fades, the fragrance introduces a dry heart built around violet, earthy carrot seeds, and subtle l…

Reviews →

Bijan DNA for Men is a warm aromatic leather fragrance with a soft classic feel. It opens with lavender, citrus, moss and leather, giving a barbershop-like freshness before amber, benzoin and sandalwood make the dry-down warmer and gentler. It suits men who enjoy mature spicy woods with amber warmth, especially for fa…

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, Mark Birley or DNA for Men?

DNA for Men takes 3 of 5 categories. Mark Birley is rated 4.19/5 from 140 votes; DNA for Men is rated 3.92/5 from 24 votes. Choose Mark Birley for a citrus and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose DNA for Men for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Mark Birley or DNA for Men?

DNA for Men lasts longest (DNA for Men 61/100, Mark Birley 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mark Birley or DNA for Men?

DNA for Men projects furthest (DNA for Men 61/100, Mark Birley 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mark Birley and DNA for Men smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Lemon and Leather.

Is Mark Birley or DNA for Men better for summer or winter?

Mark Birley suits daytime wear; DNA for Men suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mark Birley and DNA for Men?

Mark Birley has top notes of Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Lemon, heart notes of Violet, Carrot Seeds and Leather, a base of Incense, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Musk. DNA for Men has top notes of Lavender, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Caraway, heart notes of Jasmine, Ginger, Cyclamen and Fir, a base of Amber, Benzoin, Leather and Sandalwood.