Fragrance comparison

New Romantics vs Bay Rum

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 330 ratings analysed

New Romantics

Lush

3.09126 votes

Rank #18,945 CitrusWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

7 wins

Bay Rum

Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes

3.22204 votes

Rank #11,074 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bay Rum takes 7 of 7 categories.

New Romantics
Choose it for a citrus and warm spicy character. Best in spring.
Bay Rum
Choose it for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

New Romantics0/7

Bay Rum7/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

New RomanticsLush

Bay RumOlympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.09/ 5 · 126 votes

Have 54%Had 10%Want 36%

3.22/ 5 · 204 votes

Have 32%Had 20%Want 48%

Category winnerBay RumRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

22%Love

34%Like

15%Ok

21%Dislike

8%Hate

103 votes

23%Love

39%Like

11%Ok

25%Dislike

3%Hate

146 votes

Category winnerBay RumMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate59

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

LongevityBay Rum

SillageBay Rum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value57

¤ Price value60

Category winnerBay RumBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

warm spicy90%

fresh spicy80%

aromatic70%

green60%

cinnamon50%

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy83%

aromatic65%

camphor48%

rum30%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

DavanaCitrusesClovesCinnamonOrangeNutmegAllspice

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

LaurelsClovesAllspiceWest Indian BayRumCinnamonCardamonResinsOrange BlossomCitrusesWoody Notes

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesCitruses, Cloves, Cinnamon and Allspice. 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

Winter66

Day–

Night–

Spring38

Summer32

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBay RumMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex38

Women63

Men39

Unisex58

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,945

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews15

Overall rank#11,074

PerfumerEllen Covey

Launched—

Reviews49

Category winnerBay RumHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Lush New Romantics opens with bright citrus and davana, then turns warmer and spicier as clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice come forward. It feels lively, fruity, and slightly retro in mood rather than polished or quiet. On skin, it usually reads as a moderate-wearing spicy citrus with a soft balsamic edge. This su…

Reviews →

Olympic Orchids Bay Rum is an aromatic spice-forward scent for those seeking a photorealistic take on the classic barber shop staple. Launched in 2012 by Ellen Covey, this fragrance leans heavily into cloves, allspice, and laurel. It provides a dry, warm, and distinctly herbal experience suitable for daily wear during…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, New Romantics or Bay Rum?

Bay Rum takes 7 of 7 categories. New Romantics is rated 3.09/5 from 126 votes; Bay Rum is rated 3.22/5 from 204 votes. Choose New Romantics for a citrus and warm spicy character. Best in spring. Choose Bay Rum for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, New Romantics or Bay Rum?

They last about the same: Bay Rum 68/100, New Romantics 66/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, New Romantics or Bay Rum?

Bay Rum projects furthest (Bay Rum 61/100, New Romantics 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do New Romantics and Bay Rum smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Citruses, Cloves, Cinnamon and Allspice.