Fragrance comparison

Substance vs Japanese Rose

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

Updated 21 Oct 2026 6 ratings analysed

Substance

Brocard

3.754 votes

Rank #59,989 AmberMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Japanese Rose

ALREHAB PERFUMES

4.502 votes

Rank #42,059 MuskyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Japanese Rose takes 3 of 4 categories.

Substance
Choose it for a amber and musky character. Best in winter.
Japanese Rose
Choose it for a musky and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Substance0/4

Japanese Rose3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

SubstanceBrocard

Japanese RoseALREHAB PERFUMES

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.75/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 32%Had 5%Want 63%

4.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 4%Had 2%Want 93%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

25%Like

50%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

50%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageJapanese Rose

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value100

Category winnerJapanese RoseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

musky83%

woody65%

marine48%

aromatic30%

musky100%

amber91%

fruity83%

rose74%

fresh65%

woody56%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both amber, musky and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

AmbroxanCedarSea Notes

No top / heart / base split published

Top

CaloneCassisPink Pepper

Heart

RoseBlackberryRose Oxide

Base

AmbroxanMuskCedar

InformationalShared notesAmbroxan and Cedar. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex67

Women33

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#59,989

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#42,059

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerJapanese RoseHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Substance by Brocard opens with a crisp wave of sea notes that carries a distinct salty kick. At its core, ambroxan delivers a warm, skin-like amber accord supported by dry cedar shavings. As the bright maritime opening settles, a smoky musky quality emerges, turning the salty breeze into a quiet mineral woodiness. Th…

Reviews →

Japanese Rose by ALREHAB PERFUMES is a Floral fragrance for women and men. Japanese Rose was launched in 2023. Top notes are Calone, Cassis and Pink Pepper; middle notes are Rose, Blackberry and Rose Oxide; base notes are Ambroxan, Musk and Cedar.

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, Substance or Japanese Rose?

Japanese Rose takes 3 of 4 categories. Substance is rated 3.75/5 from 4 votes; Japanese Rose is rated 4.50/5 from 2 votes. Choose Substance for a amber and musky character. Best in winter. Choose Japanese Rose for a musky and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Substance or Japanese Rose?

They last about the same: Substance 60/100, Japanese Rose 60/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Substance or Japanese Rose?

Japanese Rose projects furthest (Japanese Rose 75/100, Substance 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Substance and Japanese Rose smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, musky and woody accords. Common notes include Ambroxan and Cedar.

Is Substance or Japanese Rose better for summer or winter?

Japanese Rose suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Substance and Japanese Rose?

Substance features Ambroxan, Cedar and Sea Notes. Japanese Rose has top notes of Calone, Cassis and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Rose, Blackberry and Rose Oxide, a base of Ambroxan, Musk and Cedar.