Fragrance comparison

Optimistic for Him vs The Scent

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 81 ratings analysed

4 wins

Optimistic for Him

Paul Smith

3.8069 votes

Rank #14,765 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

49%scent match

Some overlap

The Scent

Hemp Care

3.5812 votes

Rank #58,797 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Optimistic for Him takes 4 of 5 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.
The Scent
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Optimistic for Him4/5

The Scent1/5

Ratings & consensus: Optimistic for Him
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Optimistic for Him
Sillage & projection: The Scent
Value for money: Optimistic for Him
Versatility: Not scored
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

The ScentHemp Care

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.80/ 5 · 69 votes

Have 50%Had 25%Want 25%

3.58/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 46%Had 11%Want 43%

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

58%Like

0%Ok

17%Dislike

8%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityOptimistic for Him

SillageThe Scent

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value60

¤ Price value53

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%

woody90%

herbal80%

cannabis70%

earthy60%

citrus50%

Scent match49%Some overlap · both aromatic, herbal and woody

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

Notes

VetiverPrecious WoodsSagecannabisCitrusesWhite RoseJasmine

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesCitruses, Sage and Vetiver. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring93

Summer100

Fall35

Winter16

Day–

Night–

Spring83

Summer50

Fall100

Winter67

Day100

Night40

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,765

PerfumerNathalie Feisthauer

Launched—

Reviews16

Overall rank#58,797

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

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 →

The Scent by Hemp Care starts with a sharp pop of Sicilian citrus and crushed clary sage. Herbal cannabis leaf quickly takes center stage, supported by clean white rose and dry cedarwood in the background. It feels crisp, green, and earthy on skin. Perfect for warm spring mornings when you want a clean botanical prese…

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, Optimistic for Him or The Scent?

Optimistic for Him takes 4 of 5 categories. Optimistic for Him is rated 3.80/5 from 69 votes; The Scent is rated 3.58/5 from 12 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 The Scent for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Optimistic for Him or The Scent?

Optimistic for Him lasts longest (Optimistic for Him 67/100, The Scent 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Optimistic for Him or The Scent?

The Scent projects furthest (The Scent 58/100, Optimistic for Him 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Optimistic for Him and The Scent smell similar?

Some overlap: a 49% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, herbal and woody accords. Common notes include Citruses, Sage and Vetiver.

Is Optimistic for Him or The Scent better for summer or winter?

The Scent suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Optimistic for Him and The Scent?

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. The Scent features Vetiver, Precious Woods, Sage, cannabis and Citruses.