Fragrance comparison

Riviera vs Zara Sandalwood

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 56 ratings analysed

Riviera

Mendes Perfumes

3.5819 votes

Rank #40,842 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Zara Sandalwood

Zara

3.7637 votes

Rank #18,493 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zara Sandalwood takes 4 of 5 categories.

Riviera
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Zara Sandalwood
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Riviera1/5

Zara Sandalwood4/5

Ratings & consensus: Zara Sandalwood
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Riviera
Sillage & projection: Zara Sandalwood
Value for money: Zara Sandalwood
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Zara Sandalwood

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

RivieraMendes Perfumes

Zara SandalwoodZara

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.58/ 5 · 19 votes

Have 43%Had 19%Want 38%

3.76/ 5 · 37 votes

Have 43%Had 18%Want 39%

Category winnerZara SandalwoodRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

32%Love

37%Like

0%Ok

21%Dislike

11%Hate

19 votes · too few to score

27%Love

46%Like

3%Ok

24%Dislike

0%Hate

37 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage41

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityRiviera

SillageZara Sandalwood

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value48

¤ Price value50

Category winnerZara SandalwoodBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

citrus77%

green69%

amber61%

citrus100%

aromatic91%

warm spicy83%

musky74%

powdery65%

fresh spicy56%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both aromatic, citrus and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotLimeCassisPeppermintPink PepperBlack Pepper

Heart

MojitoSea NotesRosemaryCypressJasmine SambacGeraniumLavenderCardamom

Base

Orris RootPatchouliVetiverCedarwoodOakOlibanumAmberMusk

Top

BergamotLime

Heart

Cardamom

Base

MuskVetiver

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Lime, Cardamom 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

Spring88

Summer100

Fall100

Winter38

Day100

Night89

Spring63

Summer25

Fall100

Winter63

Day100

Night71

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men91

Unisex9

Women0

Men60

Unisex20

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#40,842

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#18,493

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews9

Category winnerZara SandalwoodHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Riviera opens with a sharp burst of bergamot and peppermint paired with crisp black pepper. As the top notes fade, sea notes and cypress emerge alongside green rosemary and lavender to build a breezy marine heart. The base settles into dry cedarwood, vetiver, and subtle oak. It works best during warm spring and summer…

Reviews →

Zara Sandalwood opens with an energetic splash of bergamot and sour lime that hits skin with immediate brightness. The citrus top feels sharp and crisp, cutting through warm spring air and giving your morning routine a clean boost. As the tart citrus fades, warm cardamom comes forward to meet a dry vetiver and musk b…

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, Riviera or Zara Sandalwood?

Zara Sandalwood takes 4 of 5 categories. Riviera is rated 3.58/5 from 19 votes; Zara Sandalwood is rated 3.76/5 from 37 votes. Choose Riviera for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Zara Sandalwood for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Riviera or Zara Sandalwood?

Riviera lasts longest (Riviera 60/100, Zara Sandalwood 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Riviera or Zara Sandalwood?

Zara Sandalwood projects furthest (Zara Sandalwood 63/100, Riviera 41/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Riviera and Zara Sandalwood smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, citrus and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Lime, Cardamom and Vetiver.

Is Riviera or Zara Sandalwood better for summer or winter?

Riviera suits daytime wear; Zara Sandalwood suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Riviera and Zara Sandalwood?

Riviera has top notes of Bergamot, Lime, Cassis and Peppermint, heart notes of Mojito, Sea Notes, Rosemary and Cypress, a base of Orris Root, Patchouli, Vetiver and Cedarwood. Zara Sandalwood has top notes of Bergamot and Lime, heart notes of Cardamom, a base of Musk and Vetiver.