Fragrance comparison

Message in a Bottle vs Scarlet Jas

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 106 ratings analysed

Message in a Bottle

Mark Buxton

3.9462 votes

Rank #16,999 White FloralFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Scarlet Jas

Just Jack

4.1844 votes

Rank #12,041 White FloralYellow Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Scarlet Jas takes 6 of 7 categories.

Message in a Bottle
Choose it for a white floral and floral character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Scarlet Jas
Choose it for a white floral and yellow floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.

Message in a Bottle1/7

Scarlet Jas6/7

Ratings & consensus: Scarlet Jas
Community sentiment: Scarlet Jas
Longevity: Scarlet Jas
Sillage & projection: Message in a Bottle
Value for money: Scarlet Jas
Versatility: Scarlet Jas
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Scarlet Jas

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Message in a BottleMark Buxton

Scarlet JasJust Jack

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.94/ 5 · 62 votes

Have 28%Had 21%Want 51%

4.18/ 5 · 44 votes

Have 59%Had 7%Want 35%

Category winnerScarlet JasRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

37%Love

39%Like

8%Ok

13%Dislike

3%Hate

62 votes

45%Love

36%Like

11%Ok

5%Dislike

2%Hate

44 votes

Category winnerScarlet JasMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityScarlet Jas

SillageMessage in a Bottle

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value88

Category winnerScarlet JasBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

floral92%

amber84%

yellow floral77%

animalic69%

citrus61%

white floral100%

yellow floral92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

sweet69%

citrus61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both white floral, yellow floral and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Jasmine SambacYlang-YlangNeroliMagnoliaAmbergrisCivetSandalwoodLabdanum

No top / heart / base split published

Top

White PepperBlack PepperBergamotCinnamonGingerSicilian MandarinCardamom

Heart

Jasmine SambacYlang-YlangClary SageNeroli

Base

AmberWoody NotesLabdanumLeather

InformationalShared notesJasmine Sambac, Ylang-Ylang, Neroli and Labdanum. Durations are only published for Message in a Bottle, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer71

Fall33

Winter10

Day100

Night42

Spring100

Summer100

Fall53

Winter41

Day75

Night100

Category winnerScarlet JasMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex40

Women60

Men0

Unisex14

Women86

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#16,999

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#12,041

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Category winnerScarlet JasHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Message in a Bottle by Mark Buxton is a bold floral blend anchored by deep animalic warmth. The scent opens with a bright burst of neroli paired with powdery magnolia and sweet ylang-ylang, creating an immediate yellow floral and white floral presence. Beneath the sunny blossoms lies an earthy foundation of ambergris,…

Reviews →

Scarlet Jas by Just Jack captures the intense aroma of blooming white florals warmed by spices. Ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon greet the nose before yielding to a rich heart of jasmine sambac. Designed for women who enjoy bold floral compositions, it settles into a dry base of amber and leather that suits chilly sprin…

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, Message in a Bottle or Scarlet Jas?

Scarlet Jas takes 6 of 7 categories. Message in a Bottle is rated 3.94/5 from 62 votes; Scarlet Jas is rated 4.18/5 from 44 votes. Choose Message in a Bottle for a white floral and floral character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Scarlet Jas for a white floral and yellow floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Message in a Bottle or Scarlet Jas?

Scarlet Jas lasts longest (Scarlet Jas 67/100, Message in a Bottle 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Message in a Bottle or Scarlet Jas?

Projection is very close: Message in a Bottle 62/100, Scarlet Jas 60/100 for sillage.

Do Message in a Bottle and Scarlet Jas smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, yellow floral and citrus accords. Common notes include Jasmine Sambac, Ylang-Ylang, Neroli and Labdanum.

Is Message in a Bottle or Scarlet Jas better for summer or winter?

For summer, Scarlet Jas is the stronger pick. For winter, Scarlet Jas is the stronger pick. Message in a Bottle suits daytime wear; Scarlet Jas suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Message in a Bottle and Scarlet Jas?

Message in a Bottle features Jasmine Sambac, Ylang-Ylang, Neroli, Magnolia and Ambergris. Scarlet Jas has top notes of White Pepper, Black Pepper, Bergamot and Cinnamon, heart notes of Jasmine Sambac, Ylang-Ylang, Clary Sage and Neroli, a base of Amber, Woody Notes, Labdanum and Leather.