Fragrance comparison

New York Muse vs Zen

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 5,721 ratings analysed

New York Muse

Parfums Elite

3.7360 votes

Rank #17,693 FloralPatchouli

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Zen

Shiseido

4.075,661 votes

Rank #24,618 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zen takes 4 of 7 categories.

New York Muse
Choose it for a floral and patchouli character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Zen
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

New York Muse3/7

Zen4/7

Ratings & consensus: Zen
Community sentiment: Zen
Longevity: Zen
Sillage & projection: Zen
Value for money: New York Muse
Versatility: New York Muse
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: New York Muse

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

New York MuseParfums Elite

ZenShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.73/ 5 · 60 votes

Have 41%Had 32%Want 27%

4.07/ 5 · 5,661 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

Category winnerZenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

17%Love

62%Like

2%Ok

18%Dislike

2%Hate

60 votes

38%Love

44%Like

6%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

5,661 votes

Category winnerZenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityZen

SillageZen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value55

Category winnerNew York MuseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

patchouli92%

citrus84%

woody77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

citrus100%

woody92%

floral84%

patchouli77%

fruity69%

sweet61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both floral, citrus and patchouli

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Blood OrangeGardeniaLotus

Heart2-3 hrs

OrchidPeonyViolet

Base4-6 hrs

PatchouliMusk

Top

GrapefruitPineappleBergamotOrangeRose

Heart

FreesiaRed AppleLotusHyacinthGardeniaLily-of-the-ValleyVioletOrris

Base

PatchouliCedarMuskAmberIncensePine

InformationalShared notesGardenia, Lotus, Violet and Patchouli. Durations are only published for New York Muse, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer48

Fall71

Winter52

Day100

Night44

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNew York MuseMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Casual 41%Work 35%Date 15%Party 9%

Men1

Unisex16

Women82

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,693

PerfumerEmilie Coppermann

Launched—

Reviews9

Overall rank#24,618

PerfumerMichel Almairac

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerNew York MuseHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

New York Muse by Parfums Elite delivers a vibrant, easygoing mix of juicy blood orange, watery lotus, and soft gardenia petals right from the first spray. Give it two minutes for the initial alcohol rush to burn off. Once the mist settles on skin, a creamy heart of powdery violet, sweet orchid, and lush peony takes ce…

Reviews →

Shiseido Zen opens with a sharp, fizzy splash of grapefruit and pineapple that feels bright and energetic. As it settles, the initial citrus bite softens into a clean floral heart dominated by freesia and red apple. It carries a breezy, watery texture rather than a heavy sweetness, making it particularly refreshing du…

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 York Muse or Zen?

Zen takes 4 of 7 categories. New York Muse is rated 3.73/5 from 60 votes; Zen is rated 4.07/5 from 5,661 votes. Choose New York Muse for a floral and patchouli character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Zen for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, New York Muse or Zen?

Zen lasts longest (Zen 65/100, New York Muse 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, New York Muse or Zen?

Zen projects furthest (Zen 58/100, New York Muse 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do New York Muse and Zen smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, citrus and patchouli accords. Common notes include Gardenia, Lotus, Violet and Patchouli.

Is New York Muse or Zen better for summer or winter?

For summer, New York Muse is the stronger pick. For winter, New York Muse is the stronger pick. New York Muse suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in New York Muse and Zen?

New York Muse has top notes of Blood Orange, Gardenia and Lotus, heart notes of Orchid, Peony and Violet, a base of Patchouli and Musk. Zen has top notes of Grapefruit, Pineapple, Bergamot and Orange, heart notes of Freesia, Red Apple, Lotus and Hyacinth, a base of Patchouli, Cedar, Musk and Amber.