Fragrance comparison

Stem vs Barbicaja

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 152 ratings analysed

Stem

Malin+Goetz

3.67124 votes

Rank #17,801 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Barbicaja

Spoturno

4.0028 votes

Rank #51,610 White FloralFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Barbicaja takes 5 of 7 categories.

Stem
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Barbicaja
Choose it for a white floral and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Stem2/7

Barbicaja5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

StemMalin+Goetz

BarbicajaSpoturno

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 124 votes

Have 43%Had 8%Want 49%

4.00/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 16%Had 0%Want 84%

Category winnerBarbicajaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

21%Love

42%Like

23%Ok

12%Dislike

2%Hate

124 votes

50%Love

21%Like

14%Ok

7%Dislike

7%Hate

28 votes

Category winnerBarbicajaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity51

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityBarbicaja

SillageBarbicaja

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value32

Category winnerStemBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green91%

musky83%

white floral74%

fresh spicy65%

amber56%

white floral100%

floral86%

green72%

tuberose58%

fresh spicy44%

woody30%

Scent match55%Closely related · both floral, white floral and green

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

FreesiaHyacinthMandarin Leaf

Heart1 to 2 hours

Stems GreensJasmineGreen Branches

Base2 to 4 hours

MuskAmbroxanVetiverWhite Cedar Extract

Top

HyacinthFloral NotesLily of the ValleyFreesia

Heart

TuberoseJasmineOrange BlossomApricot

Base

CedarwoodVanillaVetiverPatchouli

InformationalShared notesFreesia, Hyacinth, Jasmine and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Stem, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer81

Fall12

Winter9

Day100

Night19

Spring100

Summer67

Fall56

Winter33

Day100

Night40

Category winnerBarbicajaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex52

Women48

Men13

Unisex19

Women69

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,801

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews34

Overall rank#51,610

PerfumerChristopher Sheldrake

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerStemHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Stem by Malin+Goetz presents a crisp take on a florist shop counter. Released in 2019, this aromatic green fragrance centers on freshly clipped foliage and pale petals rather than sugary blossoms. It opens with sharp hyacinth, bright freesia, and bitter mandarin leaf before settling into wet stems greens, soft jasmine…

Reviews →

Barbicaja by Spoturno captures the brisk sensation of walking through an open Mediterranean garden right after a morning rain. The first spray releases a sharp rush of green hyacinth, dewy lily of the valley, and crisp freesia that feels like snapped flower stems and cool coastal air. As the initial freshness settles,…

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, Stem or Barbicaja?

Barbicaja takes 5 of 7 categories. Stem is rated 3.67/5 from 124 votes; Barbicaja is rated 4.00/5 from 28 votes. Choose Stem for a floral and green character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Barbicaja for a white floral and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Stem or Barbicaja?

Barbicaja lasts longest (Barbicaja 71/100, Stem 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Stem or Barbicaja?

Barbicaja projects furthest (Barbicaja 57/100, Stem 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Stem and Barbicaja smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, white floral and green accords. Common notes include Freesia, Hyacinth, Jasmine and Vetiver.

Is Stem or Barbicaja better for summer or winter?

For summer, Stem is the stronger pick. For winter, Barbicaja is the stronger pick. Stem suits daytime wear; Barbicaja suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Stem and Barbicaja?

Stem has top notes of Freesia, Hyacinth and Mandarin Leaf, heart notes of Stems Greens, Jasmine and Green Branches, a base of Musk, Ambroxan, Vetiver and White Cedar Extract. Barbicaja has top notes of Hyacinth, Floral Notes, Lily of the Valley and Freesia, heart notes of Tuberose, Jasmine, Orange Blossom and Apricot, a base of Cedarwood, Vanilla, Vetiver and Patchouli.