Fragrance comparison

Monsieur vs Presence

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 186 ratings analysed

6 wins

Monsieur

Carven

4.57131 votes

Rank #4,487 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

Presence

Houbigant

4.1555 votes

Rank #27,761 MossyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Monsieur takes 6 of 7 categories.

Monsieur
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Presence
Choose it for a mossy and floral character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Monsieur6/7

Presence1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MonsieurCarven

PresenceHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.57/ 5 · 131 votes

Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%

4.15/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 44%Had 11%Want 45%

Category winnerMonsieurRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

66%Love

27%Like

3%Ok

3%Dislike

0%Hate

131 votes

42%Love

44%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerMonsieurMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate89

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityMonsieur

SillageMonsieur

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value64

Category winnerPresenceBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy92%

earthy84%

aromatic77%

amber69%

powdery61%

mossy100%

floral92%

earthy84%

woody77%

fresh69%

fruity61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both woody and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesNeroliArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

SandalwoodJasminePatchouliCinnamonCarnationRoseVetiverOrris Root

Base

CoconutCivetOakmossMyrrhLeatherLabdanumVanilla

Top15-30 mins

AppleAldehydesNeroliLemonBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

OrrisHeliotropeCarnationJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossMuskCedarVetiverSpicesAmbergrisPatchouliSandalwood

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Neroli, Bergamot and Lemon. Durations are only published for Presence, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring78

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day100

Night79

Spring79

Summer50

Fall100

Winter71

Day100

Night64

Category winnerMonsieurMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men84

Unisex11

Women5

Men7

Unisex20

Women73

Work 41%Casual 28%Date 21%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,487

PerfumerRaymond Chaillan

Launched—

Reviews14

Overall rank#27,761

PerfumerRaymond Kling

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerMonsieurHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Monsieur Carven by Carven opens with a sharp burst of aldehydes, bitter artemisia, and crisp lemon that immediately establishes its vintage 1978 pedigree. As the initial brightness settles, a complex floral heart emerges on skin, combining spicy carnation, dry rose, and earthy patchouli. Cinnamon and sandalwood add a …

Reviews →

Houbigant Presence is a crisp, historic chypre built on striking contrasts. The first spray releases a brisk wash of tart green apple, fizzy aldehydes, and sharp lemon zest. Give it ten minutes. The top burns off rapidly to reveal a velvety, dry heart of earthy orris root and spicy carnation blossoms. It smells like v…

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, Monsieur or Presence?

Monsieur takes 6 of 7 categories. Monsieur is rated 4.57/5 from 131 votes; Presence is rated 4.15/5 from 55 votes. Choose Monsieur for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Presence for a mossy and floral character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Monsieur or Presence?

Monsieur lasts longest (Monsieur 82/100, Presence 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Monsieur or Presence?

Monsieur projects furthest (Monsieur 71/100, Presence 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Monsieur and Presence smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and earthy accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Neroli, Bergamot and Lemon.

Is Monsieur or Presence better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Monsieur and Presence?

Monsieur has top notes of Aldehydes, Neroli, Artemisia and Bergamot, heart notes of Sandalwood, Jasmine, Patchouli and Cinnamon, a base of Coconut, Civet, Oakmoss and Myrrh. Presence has top notes of Apple, Aldehydes, Neroli and Lemon, heart notes of Orris, Heliotrope, Carnation and Jasmine, a base of Oakmoss, Musk, Cedar and Vetiver.