Fragrance comparison

Optimistic for Him vs Prince Noir

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 104 ratings analysed

4 wins

Optimistic for Him

Paul Smith

3.8069 votes

Rank #15,626 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

71%scent match

Closely related

Prince Noir

Princesse Marina De Bourbon

3.8335 votes

Rank #21,253 AromaticWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Optimistic for Him takes 4 of 7 categories.

Optimistic for Him
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in summer.
Prince Noir
Choose it for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Optimistic for Him4/7

Prince Noir3/7

Ratings & consensus: Optimistic for Him
Community sentiment: Prince Noir
Longevity: Optimistic for Him
Sillage & projection: Prince Noir
Value for money: Optimistic for Him
Versatility: Prince Noir
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Optimistic for Him

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Optimistic for HimPaul Smith

Prince NoirPrincesse Marina De Bourbon

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.80/ 5 · 69 votes

Have 50%Had 25%Want 25%

3.83/ 5 · 35 votes

Have 40%Had 15%Want 45%

Category winnerOptimistic for HimRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

51%Like

4%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

69 votes

17%Love

66%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

3%Hate

35 votes

Category winnerPrince NoirMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityOptimistic for Him

SillagePrince Noir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value60

¤ Price value50

Category winnerOptimistic for HimBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

citrus80%

herbal70%

warm spicy60%

woody50%

aromatic100%

warm spicy86%

fresh spicy72%

woody58%

citrus44%

amber30%

Scent match71%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CitrusesPepperMandarin OrangeCardamom

Heart

SageGeraniumSea Notes

Base

VetiverVirginia CedarAmber

Top15 to 30 minutes

CardamomAmalfi LemonPepper

Heart1.5 to 3 hours

GeraniumVirginia CedarCinnamon

Base2 to 4 hours

VetiverAmberBrazilian Rosewood

InformationalShared notesPepper, Cardamom, Geranium and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Prince Noir, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring93

Summer100

Fall35

Winter16

Day–

Night–

Spring80

Summer40

Fall100

Winter80

Day71

Night100

Category winnerPrince NoirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men67

Unisex22

Women11

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,626

PerfumerNathalie Feisthauer

Launched—

Reviews16

Overall rank#21,253

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerOptimistic for HimHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Optimistic for Him opens with bright citrus, light pepper, and a clean blue freshness that reads easy, airy, and office-friendly. As it settles, sage, a slightly salty marine touch, soft vetiver, cedar, and amber keep it dry and discreet. It suits spring and summer best. Sample first if you dislike synthetic citrus or…

Reviews →

Prince Noir by Princesse Marina De Bourbon is a woody spicy fragrance that offers a crisp, tailored profile rather than a heavy evening scent. It opens with an energetic burst of Amalfi lemon, sharp pepper, and sweet cardamom, giving it an immediate fresh spicy and citrus lift. As the brightness settles, a structured …

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, Optimistic for Him or Prince Noir?

Optimistic for Him takes 4 of 7 categories. Optimistic for Him is rated 3.80/5 from 69 votes; Prince Noir is rated 3.83/5 from 35 votes. Choose Optimistic for Him for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in summer. Choose Prince Noir for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Optimistic for Him or Prince Noir?

Optimistic for Him lasts longest (Optimistic for Him 67/100, Prince Noir 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Optimistic for Him or Prince Noir?

Projection is very close: Prince Noir 56/100, Optimistic for Him 55/100 for sillage.

Do Optimistic for Him and Prince Noir smell similar?

Closely related: a 71% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Pepper, Cardamom, Geranium and Vetiver.

Is Optimistic for Him or Prince Noir better for summer or winter?

For summer, Optimistic for Him is the stronger pick. For winter, Prince Noir is the stronger pick. Prince Noir suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Optimistic for Him and Prince Noir?

Optimistic for Him has top notes of Citruses, Pepper, Mandarin Orange and Cardamom, heart notes of Sage, Geranium and Sea Notes, a base of Vetiver, Virginia Cedar and Amber. Prince Noir has top notes of Cardamom, Amalfi Lemon and Pepper, heart notes of Geranium, Virginia Cedar and Cinnamon, a base of Vetiver, Amber and Brazilian Rosewood.