Fragrance comparison

Max Mara vs Better Than Sex

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 1,994 ratings analysed

6 wins

Max Mara

3.941,898 votes

Rank #1,096 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Better Than Sex

Too Faced

3.8696 votes

Rank #10,399 FruityTropical

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Max Mara takes 6 of 7 categories.

Max Mara
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Better Than Sex
Choose it for a fruity and tropical character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring.

Max Mara6/7

Better Than Sex1/7

Ratings & consensus: Max Mara
Community sentiment: Max Mara
Longevity: Max Mara
Sillage & projection: Max Mara
Value for money: Max Mara
Versatility: Better Than Sex
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Max Mara

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Max MaraMax Mara

Better Than SexToo Faced

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 1,898 votes

Have 37%Had 63%Want 0%

3.86/ 5 · 96 votes

Have 83%Had 17%Want 0%

Category winnerMax MaraRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

52%Like

2%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

1,819 votes

44%Love

23%Like

17%Ok

9%Dislike

7%Hate

96 votes

Category winnerMax MaraMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityMax Mara

SillageMax Mara

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

¤ Price value41

Category winnerMax MaraBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

citrus91%

fresh spicy83%

fresh74%

floral65%

white floral56%

fruity100%

tropical92%

woody84%

fresh77%

floral69%

sweet61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both sweet, fresh and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GingerCitruses

Heart

MagnoliaLilyMuskOrchid

Base

Sugar Cane

Top

PassionfruitCitrusesLitchiPeach

Heart

RoseMagnoliaJasmineOrchid

Base

MuskPatchouliAmberCedarSandalwood

InformationalShared notesCitruses, Magnolia, Musk and Orchid. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer41

Fall0

Winter57

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBetter Than SexMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex3

Women96

Men2

Unisex15

Women83

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,096

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews137

Overall rank#10,399

PerfumerFrank Voelkl

Launched—

Reviews38

Category winnerMax MaraHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Max Mara is a sweet white floral with a polished citrus and ginger opening, then a creamy heart of magnolia, lily, orchid and soft musk over raw sugar. It often reads elegant, cosy and quietly distinctive rather than loud. Many wearers find it most at home in cooler weather, where the sugar, florals and spice feel ric…

Reviews →

Better Than Sex by Too Faced is a fruity, floral Eau de Parfum launched in 2021. It centers on a tropical blend of passionfruit, litchi, and peach, balanced by a woodier, musk-heavy base. This scent is intended for those seeking a bold, feminine profile for evening wear. It arrives in an iconic, embossed bottle that l…

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, Max Mara or Better Than Sex?

Max Mara takes 6 of 7 categories. Max Mara is rated 3.94/5 from 1,898 votes; Better Than Sex is rated 3.86/5 from 96 votes. Choose Max Mara for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Better Than Sex for a fruity and tropical character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Max Mara or Better Than Sex?

Max Mara lasts longest (Max Mara 68/100, Better Than Sex 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Max Mara or Better Than Sex?

Max Mara projects furthest (Max Mara 60/100, Better Than Sex 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Max Mara and Better Than Sex smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet, fresh and floral accords. Common notes include Citruses, Magnolia, Musk and Orchid.

Is Max Mara or Better Than Sex better for summer or winter?

For summer, Better Than Sex is the stronger pick. For winter, Max Mara is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Max Mara and Better Than Sex?

Max Mara has top notes of Ginger and Citruses, heart notes of Magnolia, Lily, Musk and Orchid, a base of Sugar Cane. Better Than Sex has top notes of Passionfruit, Citruses, Litchi and Peach, heart notes of Rose, Magnolia, Jasmine and Orchid, a base of Musk, Patchouli, Amber and Cedar.