Fragrance comparison

Nostos vs Gualala Mala

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 49 ratings analysed

4 wins

Nostos

L'Erbolario

4.0728 votes

Rank #20,717 MarineSalty

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

Gualala Mala

Pictura Fragrans

3.5021 votes

Rank #45,532 MarineAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Nostos takes 4 of 5 categories.

Nostos
Choose it for a marine and salty character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Gualala Mala
Choose it for a marine and amber character. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Nostos4/5

Gualala Mala0/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

NostosL'Erbolario

Gualala MalaPictura Fragrans

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.07/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 14%Had 18%Want 68%

3.50/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 6%Had 4%Want 90%

Category winnerNostosRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

61%Like

0%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

28 votes

38%Love

19%Like

25%Ok

13%Dislike

6%Hate

16 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityNostos

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value88

¤ Price value47

Category winnerNostosBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

marine100%

salty77%

aromatic53%

aquatic30%

marine100%

amber90%

salty80%

ozonic70%

aromatic60%

animalic50%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both marine, salty and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Sea waterSalt

No top / heart / base split published

Top

Sea waterOzonic notesOysters

Heart

AmbergrisSaltSeaweed

Base

Woody NotesLeatherAmber

InformationalShared notesSea water and Salt. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer100

Fall17

Winter22

Day100

Night22

Spring100

Summer100

Fall20

Winter10

Day100

Night57

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men30

Unisex70

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,717

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#45,532

PerfumerDL Jenkins

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerNostosHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Erbolario Nostos hits the nose with direct sea water and harsh salt crystals right from the initial spray. This Italian creation bypasses the synthetic melon notes common in mass market nineties aquatics. Instead, it relies on a raw aromatic structure that feels like walking along a storm-swept coastal bluff. Marine…

Reviews →

Gualala Mala by Pictura Fragrans offers a bracing, marine-forward experience that captures the raw intensity of the coast. With prominent sea water, sharp ozonic notes, and an unexpected oyster accord, it settles into a deep, salty ambergris profile. This is an assertive scent for those who enjoy the briny, cool reali…

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, Nostos or Gualala Mala?

Nostos takes 4 of 5 categories. Nostos is rated 4.07/5 from 28 votes; Gualala Mala is rated 3.50/5 from 21 votes. Choose Nostos for a marine and salty character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Gualala Mala for a marine and amber character. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Nostos or Gualala Mala?

Nostos lasts longest (Nostos 80/100, Gualala Mala 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Nostos or Gualala Mala?

Projection is very close: Nostos 68/100, Gualala Mala 68/100 for sillage.

Do Nostos and Gualala Mala smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share marine, salty and aromatic accords. Common notes include Sea water and Salt.

Is Nostos or Gualala Mala better for summer or winter?

Nostos suits daytime wear; Gualala Mala suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Nostos and Gualala Mala?

Nostos features Sea water and Salt. Gualala Mala has top notes of Sea water, Ozonic notes and Oysters, heart notes of Ambergris, Salt and Seaweed, a base of Woody Notes, Leather and Amber.