Fragrance comparison

Mediterráneo vs Monsieur Balmain

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 1,445 ratings analysed

Mediterráneo

Antonio Banderas

3.73996 votes

Rank #5,302 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Monsieur Balmain

Pierre Balmain · 1990

4.69449 votes

Rank #23,677 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Monsieur Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories.

Mediterráneo
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Monsieur Balmain
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Mediterráneo2/7

Monsieur Balmain5/7

Ratings & consensus: Monsieur Balmain
Community sentiment: Monsieur Balmain
Longevity: Monsieur Balmain
Sillage & projection: Monsieur Balmain
Value for money: Mediterráneo
Versatility: Monsieur Balmain
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Mediterráneo

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MediterráneoAntonio Banderas

Monsieur BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.73/ 5 · 996 votes

Have 54%Had 46%Want 0%

4.69/ 5 · 449 votes

Have 56%Had 14%Want 31%

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

23%Love

57%Like

9%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

954 votes

72%Love

25%Like

3%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

36 votes

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityMonsieur Balmain

SillageMonsieur Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value82

¤ Price value60

Category winnerMediterráneoBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

citrus90%

aromatic80%

woody70%

earthy60%

musky50%

citrus100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy53%

fresh30%

Scent match61%Closely related · both citrus, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

BergamotVetiverGingerPepperMuskAmber

No top / heart / base split published

Top

LemonBergamotBitter OrangeMint

Heart

GingerSandalwoodRosemaryCarawayNutmegMossPepperThyme

Base

VetiverClary SageAmberMusk

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Vetiver, Ginger and Pepper. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter12

Day–

Night–

Spring82

Summer100

Fall18

Winter6

Day100

Night13

Category winnerMonsieur BalmainMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex11

Women1

Men70

Unisex25

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#5,302

PerfumerRosendo Mateu

Launched—

Reviews49

Overall rank#23,677

PerfumerGermaine Cellier

Launched1990

Reviews0

Category winnerMediterráneoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mediterráneo is a light, citrus-green freshie with ginger, vetiver and a clean soapy edge. It opens brisk and aromatic, then settles into a soft woody musk with a slightly powdery feel. It suits warm weather, office wear and easy daily use more than statement-making occasions. Most wearers seem to enjoy the scent itse…

Reviews →

Monsieur Balmain by Pierre Balmain is a sharp, sun-drenched blast of yellow lemon peel and bitter orange. It is designed for those who appreciate dry, completely unsweetened citrus that holds its ground in high heat. It works beautifully on humid summer days when sugary scents turn cloying.

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, Mediterráneo or Monsieur Balmain?

Monsieur Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories. Mediterráneo is rated 3.73/5 from 996 votes; Monsieur Balmain is rated 4.69/5 from 449 votes. Choose Mediterráneo for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Monsieur Balmain for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Mediterráneo or Monsieur Balmain?

Monsieur Balmain lasts longest (Monsieur Balmain 63/100, Mediterráneo 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Mediterráneo or Monsieur Balmain?

Monsieur Balmain projects furthest (Monsieur Balmain 57/100, Mediterráneo 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Mediterráneo and Monsieur Balmain smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Vetiver, Ginger and Pepper.

Is Mediterráneo or Monsieur Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Monsieur Balmain is the stronger pick. For winter, Mediterráneo is the stronger pick. Monsieur Balmain suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Mediterráneo and Monsieur Balmain?

Mediterráneo features Bergamot, Vetiver, Ginger, Pepper and Musk. Monsieur Balmain has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot, Bitter Orange and Mint, heart notes of Ginger, Sandalwood, Rosemary and Caraway, a base of Vetiver, Clary Sage, Amber and Musk.