Fragrance comparison

Oak for Men vs Pure Black

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 1,078 ratings analysed

Oak for Men

Bath & Body Works

4.2390 votes

Rank #9,638 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Pure Black

Mandarina Duck

4.26988 votes

Rank #1,726 VanillaCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Pure Black takes 4 of 7 categories.

Oak for Men
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Pure Black
Choose it for a vanilla and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Oak for Men2/7

Pure Black4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Oak for MenBath & Body Works

Pure BlackMandarina Duck

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 90 votes

Have 35%Had 20%Want 44%

4.26/ 5 · 988 votes

Have 74%Had 26%Want 0%

Category winnerPure BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

41%Love

49%Like

3%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

90 votes

45%Love

43%Like

6%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

988 votes

Category winnerOak for MenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityPure Black

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value68

¤ Price value81

Category winnerPure BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

powdery65%

citrus53%

warm spicy42%

vanilla100%

citrus92%

sweet84%

woody77%

white floral69%

powdery61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both woody, citrus and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotAmalfi LemonJuniperClary SageAldehydes

Heart

NutmegLavenderAfrican Orange FlowerPepperCloveGeranium

Base

OakVirginia CedarMuskSandalwoodVetyverCoffeePatchouli

Top15-30 mins

TangerinePepperBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Tonka BeanTiare FlowerAfrican Orange Flower

Base6-8+ hrs

VanillaSandalwoodVirginia Cedar

InformationalShared notesBergamot, African Orange Flower, Pepper and Virginia Cedar. Durations are only published for Pure Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring29

Summer19

Fall100

Winter57

Day100

Night85

Spring78

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day92

Night100

Category winnerOak for MenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men90

Unisex10

Women0

Men83

Unisex15

Women3

Casual 32%Work 30%Date 26%Party 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,638

PerfumerIrina Burlakova

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#1,726

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews148

Category winnerPure BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Oak for Men is a woody spicy scent that grounds itself in the rugged profile of forest notes. Built with top notes of bergamot and juniper, it warms into a heart of nutmeg and clove. This fragrance is a solid choice for cooler days when you want a masculine profile that sticks close to the skin without being overwhelm…

Reviews →

Mandarina Duck Pure Black delivers an approachable, lightly spiced citrus profile wrapped in smooth sweetness. It opens with juicy tangerine, sharp black pepper, and bright bergamot. The alcohol evaporates within two minutes, revealing an airy heart of tonka bean and creamy orange flower petals. As the scent warms, sw…

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, Oak for Men or Pure Black?

Pure Black takes 4 of 7 categories. Oak for Men is rated 4.23/5 from 90 votes; Pure Black is rated 4.26/5 from 988 votes. Choose Oak for Men for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Pure Black for a vanilla and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Oak for Men or Pure Black?

They last about the same: Pure Black 63/100, Oak for Men 62/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Oak for Men or Pure Black?

Projection is very close: Oak for Men 55/100, Pure Black 55/100 for sillage.

Do Oak for Men and Pure Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, citrus and powdery accords. Common notes include Bergamot, African Orange Flower, Pepper and Virginia Cedar.

Is Oak for Men or Pure Black better for summer or winter?

For summer, Oak for Men is the stronger pick. For winter, Pure Black is the stronger pick. Oak for Men suits daytime wear; Pure Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Oak for Men and Pure Black?

Oak for Men has top notes of Bergamot, Amalfi Lemon, Juniper and Clary Sage, heart notes of Nutmeg, Lavender, African Orange Flower and Pepper, a base of Oak, Virginia Cedar, Musk and Sandalwood. Pure Black has top notes of Tangerine, Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Tonka Bean, Tiare Flower and African Orange Flower, a base of Vanilla, Sandalwood and Virginia Cedar.