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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Max vs Jean Marais

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

Updated 27 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

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

  • Max

    Choose it for a woody and leather character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

  • Jean Marais

    Choose it for a aromatic and honey character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Max2/4
Jean Marais2/4
Ratings & consensus
Not scored
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
Jean Marais
Sillage & projection
Max
Value for money
Max
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Jean Marais

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
MaxÉsika
Jean MaraisSerge Dumonten
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
3.56/ 5 · 9 votes
Have 54%Had 14%Want 32%
4.33/ 5 · 18 votes
Have 34%Had 10%Want 56%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
22%Love
44%Like
11%Ok
11%Dislike
11%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

56%Love
33%Like
0%Ok
11%Dislike
0%Hate

18 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity62
〰 Sillage70
♥ Love / hate64
⏱ Longevity72
〰 Sillage65
♥ Love / hate83
Category winners

LongevityJean Marais

SillageMax

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value71
¤ Price value50
Category winnerMaxBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
woody100%
leather86%
aromatic72%
earthy58%
animalic44%
smoky30%
aromatic100%
honey91%
lavender83%
woody74%
fresh spicy65%
sweet56%
Scent match40%Some overlap · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

No top / heart / base split published

Notes
HoneyLavenderFernSageWoody NotesVetiverJasmineGreen NotesLeather

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesVetiver, Leather and Woody Notes. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring33
Summer33
Fall100
Winter100
Day100
Night86
Spring50
Summer83
Fall100
Winter67
Day100
Night50
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men88
Unisex13
Women0
Men64
Unisex36
Women0
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#64,968

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#44,152

PerfumerSerge Duval

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerJean MaraisHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Max by Ésika is an earthy, direct woody leather cologne built for men who like straightforward masculine scents. It opens with a brisk touch of dry vetiver root before settling into a warm core of worn jacket leather and sturdy cedar-style woody notes. There is a subtle smoky quality in the background that gives the b…

Reviews →

Jean Marais by Serge Dumonten delivers an intriguing mix of rustic greens and rich sweetness. It opens with sharp lavender and sage before settling into a warm, thick honey base. The herbal qualities keep the gourmand elements from becoming cloying on skin, making it a great match for crisp autumn afternoons.

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, Max or Jean Marais?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Max is rated 3.56/5 from 9 votes; Jean Marais is rated 4.33/5 from 18 votes. Choose Max for a woody and leather character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Jean Marais for a aromatic and honey character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Max or Jean Marais?

Jean Marais lasts longest (Jean Marais 72/100, Max 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Max or Jean Marais?

Max projects furthest (Max 70/100, Jean Marais 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Max and Jean Marais smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Vetiver, Leather and Woody Notes.

Is Max or Jean Marais better for summer or winter?

Max suits daytime wear; Jean Marais suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Max and Jean Marais?

Max features Vetiver, Leather and Woody Notes. Jean Marais features Honey, Lavender, Fern, Sage and Woody Notes.

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