Sweet Vanilla vs Zen
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
26%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Zen takes 5 of 7 categories.
Sweet VanillaChoose it for a lactonic and vanilla character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
ZenChoose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Sweet Vanilla2/7
Zen5/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Zen
- Community sentiment
- Zen
- Longevity
- Zen
- Sillage & projection
- Zen
- Value for money
- Sweet Vanilla
- Versatility
- Sweet Vanilla
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Zen
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Sweet VanillaDilís ParfumZenShiseidoWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.45/ 5 · 29 votes
Have 46%Had 18%Want 36%
4.07/ 5 · 5,661 votes
Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%
Category winnerZenRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate10%Love
52%Like
14%Ok
21%Dislike
3%Hate
29 votes
38%Love
44%Like
6%Ok
11%Dislike
1%Hate
5,661 votes
Category winnerZenMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityZen
SillageZen
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerSweet VanillaBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothlactonic100%
vanilla91%
sweet83%
coconut74%
fruity65%
tropical56%
citrus100%
woody92%
floral84%
patchouli77%
fruity69%
sweet61%
Scent match26%Clearly different · both sweet and fruity
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15 to 30 minutes
PineappleCoconutGrapefruit
Heart30 to 60 minutes
GardeniaLily-of-the-ValleyCyclamenRose
Base1 to 2 hours
MilkVanillaSandalwoodAmberCedar
Top
GrapefruitPineappleBergamotOrangeRose
Heart
FreesiaRed AppleLotusHyacinthGardeniaLily-of-the-ValleyVioletOrris
Base
PatchouliCedarMuskAmberIncensePine
InformationalShared notesPineapple, Grapefruit, Gardenia and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for Sweet Vanilla, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring62
Summer69
Fall100
Winter85
Day100
Night31
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter52
Day–
Night–
Category winnerSweet VanillaMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#58,380
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#25,782
PerfumerMichel Almairac
Launched—
Reviews0
Category winnerZenHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotSweet Vanilla by Dilís Parfum is an Oriental Vanilla women's fragrance built around a creamy, dessert-like structure. The opening delivers a tropical splash of bright grapefruit, juicy pineapple, and soft coconut flesh. As the initial fruitiness softens, the fragrance transitions into a gentle floral bouquet featuring…
Reviews →Shiseido Zen opens with a sharp, fizzy splash of grapefruit and pineapple that feels bright and energetic. As it settles, the initial citrus bite softens into a clean floral heart dominated by freesia and red apple. It carries a breezy, watery texture rather than a heavy sweetness, making it particularly refreshing du…
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
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
Recent comparisons
Head-to-head activity from live history
Jette 7Flowers Cherry BlossomJette JoopRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
KoiameJ-ScentWINNER
Madly Kenzo! Eau de ToiletteKenzoRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
PerpetuumBrocardWINNER
My ChoiceLouzanRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
LordPhytodermWINNER
♛
The Real TobaccoMahdi PerfumesWINNER
vs
VIII EightAzalea ParfumsRUNNER-UP
1 person compared this today
The Real TobaccoMahdi PerfumesWINNER
vs
VIII EightAzalea ParfumsRUNNER-UP
Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Sweet Vanilla or Zen?
Zen takes 5 of 7 categories. Sweet Vanilla is rated 3.45/5 from 29 votes; Zen is rated 4.07/5 from 5,661 votes. Choose Sweet Vanilla for a lactonic and vanilla character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Zen for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, Sweet Vanilla or Zen?
Zen lasts longest (Zen 65/100, Sweet Vanilla 46/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Sweet Vanilla or Zen?
Zen projects furthest (Zen 58/100, Sweet Vanilla 46/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Sweet Vanilla and Zen smell similar?
Clearly different: a 26% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet and fruity accords. Common notes include Pineapple, Grapefruit, Gardenia and Lily-of-the-Valley.
Is Sweet Vanilla or Zen better for summer or winter?
For summer, Sweet Vanilla is the stronger pick. For winter, Sweet Vanilla is the stronger pick. Sweet Vanilla suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Sweet Vanilla and Zen?
Sweet Vanilla has top notes of Pineapple, Coconut and Grapefruit, heart notes of Gardenia, Lily-of-the-Valley, Cyclamen and Rose, a base of Milk, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Amber. Zen has top notes of Grapefruit, Pineapple, Bergamot and Orange, heart notes of Freesia, Red Apple, Lotus and Hyacinth, a base of Patchouli, Cedar, Musk and Amber.
Popular fragrance comparisons
The matchups people have compared most on Fragranxe.
vs
Sauvage vs Bleu de Chanel
Dior · Chanel · 36 comparisons
vs
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme Rabanne for men vs Shiyaaka Shadow
Rabanne · Khadlaj Perfumes · 30 comparisons
vs
Baccarat Rouge 540 vs Khamrah
Maison Francis Kurkdjian · Lattafa Perfumes · 21 comparisons
vs
Birth of Venus vs Brioni Eau de Parfum Intense
Argos · Brioni · 17 comparisons
vs
Supremacy Not Only Intense vs Arabians Tonka
Afnan · Montale · 14 comparisons
vs
Secret De Venus Eau de Parfum vs # What Matters is Inside - Italy
Weil · Jovoy Paris · 14 comparisons