Fragrance comparison

MDM Black vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 1,114 ratings analysed

3 wins

MDM Black

Marc de la Morandiere

4.297 votes

Rank #38,598 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #23,899 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories.

MDM Black
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

MDM Black3/4

Ivoire de Balmain1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: MDM Black
Sillage & projection: MDM Black
Value for money: MDM Black
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Ivoire de Balmain

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MDM BlackMarc de la Morandiere

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.29/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 27%Had 16%Want 57%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

71%Love

14%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

14%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage83

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityMDM Black

SillageMDM Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value50

Category winnerMDM BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

earthy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

BergamotOrange BlossomRosemaryMandarin OrangeMintGrapefruitLemonGreen Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

LavenderCinnamonCarnationRoseGuaiac WoodNutmegGreen Apple

Base6-8+ hrs

PatchouliMossVetiverVanillaSandalwoodIncenseTonka BeanMusk

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Lemon, Carnation and Rose. Durations are only published for MDM Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter100

Day86

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

Date 30%Casual 28%Work 25%Party 18%

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#38,598

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#23,899

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Marc de la Morandiere MDM Black hits the skin with a brisk surge of bergamot, sharp lemon, and cool mint before quickly revealing a deeper, darker core. It bridges sunny Mediterranean brightness and shadowy woods. The opening citrus spark softens within twenty minutes as aromatic lavender, warm cinnamon, and green app…

Reviews →

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate s…

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, MDM Black or Ivoire de Balmain?

MDM Black takes 3 of 4 categories. MDM Black is rated 4.29/5 from 7 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose MDM Black for a aromatic and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, MDM Black or Ivoire de Balmain?

MDM Black lasts longest (MDM Black 83/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, MDM Black or Ivoire de Balmain?

MDM Black projects furthest (MDM Black 83/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do MDM Black and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Lemon, Carnation and Rose.

Is MDM Black or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

MDM Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in MDM Black and Ivoire de Balmain?

MDM Black has top notes of Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Rosemary and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, Carnation and Rose, a base of Patchouli, Moss, Vetiver and Vanilla. Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense.