Mystery & Excellence vs Star
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
45%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Star takes 5 of 7 categories.
Mystery & ExcellenceChoose it for a sweet and powdery character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring.
StarChoose it for a vanilla and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Mystery & Excellence2/7
Star5/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Star
- Community sentiment
- Star
- Longevity
- Star
- Sillage & projection
- Star
- Value for money
- Mystery & Excellence
- Versatility
- Mystery & Excellence
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Star
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Mystery & ExcellenceLinn YoungStarMauboussinWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.89/ 5 · 76 votes
Have 24%Had 22%Want 55%
4.06/ 5 · 913 votes
Have 86%Had 14%Want 0%
Category winnerStarRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate33%Love
45%Like
4%Ok
16%Dislike
3%Hate
76 votes
43%Love
37%Like
11%Ok
7%Dislike
2%Hate
678 votes
Category winnerStarMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityStar
SillageStar
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerMystery & ExcellenceBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothsweet100%
powdery92%
soft spicy84%
anis77%
vanilla69%
violet61%
vanilla100%
sweet90%
powdery80%
amber70%
woody60%
fruity50%
Scent match45%Some overlap · both sweet, powdery and vanilla
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
AniseVioletIvyLemonPineappleMahogany
Heart
LicoriceIrisJasmineVetiverAmaryllisLily-of-the-ValleyOrris Root
Base
VanillaTonka BeanAlmondWhite MuskChocolateHeliotropeTobacco
Top
PineappleFig
Heart
Coconut MilkIris
Base
VanillaTonka BeanPralineWhite AmberVirginian CedarHeliotrope
InformationalShared notesPineapple, Iris, Vanilla and Tonka Bean. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer46
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring38
Summer22
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerMystery & ExcellenceMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#27,749
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews3
Overall rank#519
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews191
Category winnerStarHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotLinn Young Mystery & Excellence opens with an immediate blast of star anise and powdery violet, settled over dark ivy. As it dries down on skin during cold autumn evenings, a syrupy licorice heart mixes with vanilla, tonka bean, and almond. The dark gourmand trail stays sweet, cozy, and distinctly warm for casual wint…
Reviews →Star by Mauboussin is a sweet, powdery vanilla with a creamy coconut milk feel and a lightly smoky, woody edge. On many wearers, the fig and pineapple brighten the opening briefly before the scent settles into praline, tonka and iris. It suits cooler weather best and reads like a cosy, dressed-up gourmand rather than …
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
Recent comparisons
Head-to-head activity from live history
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Mystery & Excellence or Star?
Star takes 5 of 7 categories. Mystery & Excellence is rated 3.89/5 from 76 votes; Star is rated 4.06/5 from 913 votes. Choose Mystery & Excellence for a sweet and powdery character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring. Choose Star for a vanilla and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Mystery & Excellence or Star?
Star lasts longest (Star 71/100, Mystery & Excellence 60/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Mystery & Excellence or Star?
Star projects furthest (Star 61/100, Mystery & Excellence 56/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Mystery & Excellence and Star smell similar?
Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet, powdery and vanilla accords. Common notes include Pineapple, Iris, Vanilla and Tonka Bean.
Is Mystery & Excellence or Star better for summer or winter?
For summer, Mystery & Excellence is the stronger pick. For winter, Mystery & Excellence is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Mystery & Excellence and Star?
Mystery & Excellence has top notes of Anise, Violet, Ivy and Lemon, heart notes of Licorice, Iris, Jasmine and Vetiver, a base of Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Almond and White Musk. Star has top notes of Pineapple and Fig, heart notes of Coconut Milk and Iris, a base of Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Praline and White Amber.
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