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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Mary McFadden vs Âmbar

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

Updated 108 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

  • Mary McFadden

    Choose it for a rose and floral character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

  • Âmbar

    Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Mary McFadden2/4
Âmbar2/4
Ratings & consensus
Not scored
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
Mary McFadden
Sillage & projection
Mary McFadden
Value for money
Âmbar
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Âmbar

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
Mary McFaddenMary McFadden
ÂmbarPhebo
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.83/ 5 · 6 votes
Have 27%Had 9%Want 64%
4.16/ 5 · 102 votes
Have 39%Had 20%Want 41%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
83%Love
17%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate

6 votes · too few to score

40%Love
46%Like
4%Ok
9%Dislike
1%Hate

102 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity80
〰 Sillage88
♥ Love / hate96
⏱ Longevity68
〰 Sillage58
♥ Love / hate79
Category winners

LongevityMary McFadden

SillageMary McFadden

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value50
¤ Price value64
Category winnerÂmbarBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
rose100%
floral92%
aromatic84%
woody77%
amber69%
warm spicy61%
amber100%
woody92%
powdery84%
citrus77%
vanilla69%
floral61%
Scent match42%Some overlap · both woody, amber and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top15-30 mins
CorianderHyacinthDavanaBergamot
Heart3-5 hrs
Moroccan RoseEgyptian RoseBulgarian RoseCarnationYlang-YlangJasmine
Base8-12 hrs
SandalowoodAmberMuskLabdanumMyrhhPatchouli
Top
BergamotLemon
Heart
AmberVanilla FlowerFrangipani
Base
VanillaSandalowoodPatchouliLabdanumMusk
InformationalShared notesBergamot, Sandalowood, Amber and Musk. Durations are only published for Mary McFadden, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring33
Summer33
Fall67
Winter100
Day33
Night100
Spring43
Summer13
Fall93
Winter100
Day51
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men0
Unisex0
Women100
Men0
Unisex50
Women50
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#31,071

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#26,061

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerÂmbarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mary McFadden is a rich, spicy vintage floriental released in 1979 that celebrates dramatic texture. The opening hits with a sharp burst of green hyacinth, pungent herbal coriander, and tart bergamot that quickly commands your attention. Within twenty minutes, that brisk green edge softens into an opulent floral heart…

Reviews →

Phebo Âmbar opens with a bright flash of bergamot and lemon before settling into a cozy, resinous core. The heart introduces frangipani and vanilla flower, giving the amber accord a creamy floral texture instead of heavy spice. As it dries down, labdanum and sandalwood combine with patchouli and musk, creating a smoot…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Mary McFadden or Âmbar?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Mary McFadden is rated 4.83/5 from 6 votes; Âmbar is rated 4.16/5 from 102 votes. Choose Mary McFadden for a rose and floral character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Âmbar for a amber and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Mary McFadden or Âmbar?

Mary McFadden lasts longest (Mary McFadden 80/100, Âmbar 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mary McFadden or Âmbar?

Mary McFadden projects furthest (Mary McFadden 88/100, Âmbar 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mary McFadden and Âmbar smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, amber and floral accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Sandalowood, Amber and Musk.

Is Mary McFadden or Âmbar better for summer or winter?

Mary McFadden suits evening wear; Âmbar suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mary McFadden and Âmbar?

Mary McFadden has top notes of Coriander, Hyacinth, Davana and Bergamot, heart notes of Moroccan Rose, Egyptian Rose, Bulgarian Rose and Carnation, a base of Sandalowood, Amber, Musk and Labdanum. Âmbar has top notes of Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Amber, Vanilla Flower and Frangipani, a base of Vanilla, Sandalowood, Patchouli and Labdanum.

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