Potion vs Monsieur Balmain
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
26%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Monsieur Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories.
PotionChoose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Monsieur BalmainChoose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Potion3/7
Monsieur Balmain4/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Monsieur Balmain
- Community sentiment
- Monsieur Balmain
- Longevity
- Potion
- Sillage & projection
- Monsieur Balmain
- Value for money
- Monsieur Balmain
- Versatility
- Potion
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Potion
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
PotionDSQUARED²Monsieur BalmainPierre BalmainWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.15/ 5 · 1,474 votes
Have 43%Had 26%Want 31%
4.69/ 5 · 449 votes
Have 56%Had 14%Want 31%
Category winnerMonsieur BalmainRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate41%Love
45%Like
2%Ok
12%Dislike
0%Hate
1,474 votes
72%Love
25%Like
3%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
36 votes
Category winnerMonsieur BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityPotion
SillageMonsieur Balmain
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerMonsieur BalmainBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothamber100%
warm spicy92%
musky84%
cinnamon77%
woody69%
fresh spicy61%
citrus100%
aromatic88%
fresh spicy77%
warm spicy53%
fresh30%
Scent match26%Clearly different · both warm spicy and fresh spicy
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15 to 30 minutes
AngelicaMintThyme
Heart2 to 3 hours
CinnamonPepperGentianaRose
Base3 to 5 hours
AmberCashmere WoodPatchouliMusk
Top
LemonBergamotBitter OrangeMint
Heart
GingerSandalwoodRosemaryCarawayNutmegMossPepperThyme
Base
VetiverClary SageAmberMusk
InformationalShared notesMint, Thyme, Pepper and Amber. Durations are only published for Potion, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring29
Summer10
Fall100
Winter93
Day85
Night100
Spring82
Summer100
Fall18
Winter6
Day100
Night13
Category winnerPotionMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#1,225
PerfumerAnnick Menardo
Launched—
Reviews151
Overall rank#26,042
PerfumerGermaine Cellier
Launched1990
Reviews0
Category winnerPotionHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotPotion by DSQUARED² is a warm, aromatic woody fragrance built around amber, cinnamon, and distinctive herbal accents. Created by perfumer Annick Menardo and launched in 2011 as an Eau de Parfum, it opens with a curious mix of cool mint, aromatic thyme, and green angelica. As the opening settles, the heart reveals crac…
Reviews →Monsieur Balmain by Pierre Balmain is a sharp, sun-drenched blast of yellow lemon peel and bitter orange. It is designed for those who appreciate dry, completely unsweetened citrus that holds its ground in high heat. It works beautifully on humid summer days when sugary scents turn cloying.
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Potion or Monsieur Balmain?
Monsieur Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories. Potion is rated 4.15/5 from 1,474 votes; Monsieur Balmain is rated 4.69/5 from 449 votes. Choose Potion for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Monsieur Balmain for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Potion or Monsieur Balmain?
Potion lasts longest (Potion 66/100, Monsieur Balmain 63/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Potion or Monsieur Balmain?
Monsieur Balmain projects furthest (Monsieur Balmain 57/100, Potion 54/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Potion and Monsieur Balmain smell similar?
Clearly different: a 26% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Mint, Thyme, Pepper and Amber.
Is Potion or Monsieur Balmain better for summer or winter?
For summer, Monsieur Balmain is the stronger pick. For winter, Potion is the stronger pick. Potion suits evening wear; Monsieur Balmain suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Potion and Monsieur Balmain?
Potion has top notes of Angelica, Mint and Thyme, heart notes of Cinnamon, Pepper, Gentiana and Rose, a base of Amber, Cashmere Wood, Patchouli and Musk. Monsieur Balmain has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot, Bitter Orange and Mint, heart notes of Ginger, Sandalwood, Rosemary and Caraway, a base of Vetiver, Clary Sage, Amber and Musk.
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