Fragrance comparison

New Journalist vs Surfing Feelings

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 71 ratings analysed

New Journalist

Michael Malul London

4.3432 votes

Rank #31,051 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

20%scent match

Clearly different

Surfing Feelings

Zara

3.5039 votes

Rank #19,652 SandFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3.

New Journalist
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Surfing Feelings
Choose it for a sand and floral character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

New Journalist3/7

Surfing Feelings3/7

Ratings & consensus: New Journalist
Community sentiment: New Journalist
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Surfing Feelings
Value for money: Surfing Feelings
Versatility: New Journalist
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Surfing Feelings

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

New JournalistMichael Malul London

Surfing FeelingsZara

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.34/ 5 · 32 votes

Have 42%Had 3%Want 56%

3.50/ 5 · 39 votes

Have 52%Had 18%Want 30%

Category winnerNew JournalistRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

59%Love

22%Like

16%Ok

0%Dislike

3%Hate

32 votes

13%Love

32%Like

42%Ok

6%Dislike

6%Hate

31 votes

Category winnerNew JournalistMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage43

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate62

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageSurfing Feelings

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value57

¤ Price value79

Category winnerSurfing FeelingsBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic92%

woody84%

floral77%

lavender69%

fruity61%

sand100%

floral86%

amber72%

aquatic58%

ozonic44%

mineral30%

Scent match20%Clearly different · both floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Apple LeafMandarinLemon

Heart

LotusBlue LavenderGeranium

Base

SandalwoodVetiverAmber

Top

Sand

Heart

Lotus

Base

Amber

InformationalShared notesLotus and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring95

Summer100

Fall19

Winter10

Day100

Night25

Spring56

Summer100

Fall6

Winter0

Day100

Night–

Category winnerNew JournalistMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men91

Unisex9

Women0

Men13

Unisex7

Women80

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#31,051

PerfumerAlexandra Monet

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#19,652

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Category winnerSurfing FeelingsHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

New Journalist opens bright and easygoing, with lemon, mandarin and apple leaf giving it a crisp fruity-citrus lift. As it settles, lavender, lotus and geranium keep things airy and clean before sandalwood, vetiver and amber bring a soft woody finish. It reads fresh, aromatic and gently aquatic rather than heavy or da…

Reviews →

Zara Surfing Feelings is a breezy, summer fragrance that pairs sand and aquatic notes with a warm amber base. Perfect for casual seaside outings, this scent captures the essence of a warm day at the beach. It offers a refreshing, light aura for women looking for an easy, cost-effective scent to wear under the hot sun.

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, New Journalist or Surfing Feelings?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3. New Journalist is rated 4.34/5 from 32 votes; Surfing Feelings is rated 3.50/5 from 39 votes. Choose New Journalist for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Surfing Feelings for a sand and floral character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, New Journalist or Surfing Feelings?

They last about the same: New Journalist 61/100, Surfing Feelings 61/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, New Journalist or Surfing Feelings?

Surfing Feelings projects furthest (Surfing Feelings 54/100, New Journalist 43/100), based on community performance votes.

Do New Journalist and Surfing Feelings smell similar?

Clearly different: a 20% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral accords. Common notes include Lotus and Amber.

Is New Journalist or Surfing Feelings better for summer or winter?

For summer, New Journalist is the stronger pick. For winter, New Journalist is the stronger pick. New Journalist suits daytime wear; Surfing Feelings suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in New Journalist and Surfing Feelings?

New Journalist has top notes of Apple Leaf, Mandarin and Lemon, heart notes of Lotus, Blue Lavender and Geranium, a base of Sandalwood, Vetiver and Amber. Surfing Feelings has top notes of Sand, heart notes of Lotus, a base of Amber.