Fragrance comparison

Pure Black vs Pink Sugar Sensual

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 2,266 ratings analysed

5 wins

Pure Black

Mandarina Duck

4.26988 votes

Rank #1,726 VanillaCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

73%scent match

Closely related

Pink Sugar Sensual

Aquolina

3.791,278 votes

Rank #2,169 SweetVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Pure Black takes 5 of 7 categories.

Pure Black
Choose it for a vanilla and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Pink Sugar Sensual
Choose it for a sweet and vanilla character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Pure Black5/7

Pink Sugar Sensual1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Pure BlackMandarina Duck

Pink Sugar SensualAquolina

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.26/ 5 · 988 votes

Have 74%Had 26%Want 0%

3.79/ 5 · 1,278 votes

Have 60%Had 40%Want 0%

Category winnerPure BlackRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

43%Like

6%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

988 votes

24%Love

52%Like

2%Ok

21%Dislike

0%Hate

1,278 votes

Category winnerPure BlackMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillagePink Sugar Sensual

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value75

Category winnerPure BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

citrus92%

sweet84%

woody77%

white floral69%

powdery61%

sweet100%

vanilla88%

citrus77%

white floral65%

fruity53%

woody42%

Scent match73%Closely related · both vanilla, sweet and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

TangerinePepperBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Tonka BeanTiare FlowerAfrican Orange Flower

Base6-8+ hrs

VanillaSandalwoodVirginia Cedar

Top

TangerineBlack CurrantBergamot

Heart

Tiare FlowerJasmineAfrican Orange Flower

Base

SugarVanillaSandalwood

InformationalShared notesTangerine, Bergamot, Tiare Flower and African Orange Flower. Durations are only published for Pure Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring78

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day92

Night100

Spring77

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerPure BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men83

Unisex15

Women3

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

Men0

Unisex5

Women95

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,726

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews148

Overall rank#2,169

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews200

Category winnerPure BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Aquolina Pink Sugar Sensual swaps the heavy licorice and scorched burnt sugar of the original 2004 release for a brighter, softer floral gourmand profile. Crisp tangerine and tart black currant open the scent with a juicy snap before settling into a heart of tropical tiare flower, jasmine, and orange blossom. The dry-…

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, Pure Black or Pink Sugar Sensual?

Pure Black takes 5 of 7 categories. Pure Black is rated 4.26/5 from 988 votes; Pink Sugar Sensual is rated 3.79/5 from 1,278 votes. Choose Pure Black for a vanilla and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Pink Sugar Sensual for a sweet and vanilla character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Pure Black or Pink Sugar Sensual?

They last about the same: Pure Black 63/100, Pink Sugar Sensual 63/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Pure Black or Pink Sugar Sensual?

Pink Sugar Sensual projects furthest (Pink Sugar Sensual 58/100, Pure Black 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Pure Black and Pink Sugar Sensual smell similar?

Closely related: a 73% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla, sweet and citrus accords. Common notes include Tangerine, Bergamot, Tiare Flower and African Orange Flower.

Is Pure Black or Pink Sugar Sensual better for summer or winter?

For summer, Pure Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Pure Black is the stronger pick. Pure Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Pure Black and Pink Sugar Sensual?

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. Pink Sugar Sensual has top notes of Tangerine, Black Currant and Bergamot, heart notes of Tiare Flower, Jasmine and African Orange Flower, a base of Sugar, Vanilla and Sandalwood.