Fragrance comparison

To Break vs Neandertal Them

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 234 ratings analysed

To Break

Mark Buxton

3.8159 votes

Rank #23,277 FruityIris

Full profile Similar & dupes

34%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Neandertal Them

Neandertal

3.92175 votes

Rank #8,704 AmberPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Neandertal Them takes 6 of 7 categories.

To Break
Choose it for a fruity and iris character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Neandertal Them
Choose it for a amber and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

To Break1/7

Neandertal Them6/7

Ratings & consensus: Neandertal Them
Community sentiment: Neandertal Them
Longevity: Neandertal Them
Sillage & projection: Neandertal Them
Value for money: Neandertal Them
Versatility: To Break
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Neandertal Them

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

To BreakMark Buxton

Neandertal ThemNeandertal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 59 votes

Have 34%Had 7%Want 59%

3.92/ 5 · 175 votes

Have 18%Had 4%Want 78%

Category winnerNeandertal ThemRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

31%Love

34%Like

24%Ok

10%Dislike

2%Hate

59 votes

42%Love

29%Like

14%Ok

11%Dislike

5%Hate

175 votes

Category winnerNeandertal ThemMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityNeandertal Them

SillageNeandertal Them

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value44

¤ Price value46

Category winnerNeandertal ThemBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

iris92%

powdery84%

sweet77%

floral69%

musky61%

amber100%

powdery92%

musky84%

woody77%

marine69%

aromatic61%

Scent match34%Clearly different · both powdery and musky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

PineappleGreen AppleMagnolia

Heart1 to 2 hours

IrisSpices

Base3 to 4 hours

Ambrette (Musk Mallow)AmbergrisSandalwoodMusk

Top

Carrot SeedsSeaweedIrisLavenderGrapefruit

Heart

HinokiNeroliMagnolia

Base

AmbergrisAmbrette (Musk Mallow)SandalwoodStyraxMusk

InformationalShared notesMagnolia, Iris, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Ambergris. Durations are only published for To Break, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer59

Fall76

Winter47

Day100

Night53

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter53

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTo BreakMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex74

Women22

Men14

Unisex73

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#23,277

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#8,704

PerfumerEuan McCall

Launched—

Reviews37

Category winnerNeandertal ThemHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

To Break by Mark Buxton offers an unconventional twist on fruity floral perfumery. The scent opens with a sharp burst of pineapple and crisp green apple, smoothed quickly by creamy magnolia blossoms. As the initial brightness settles, a distinctive chalky iris arrives alongside warm dry spices, pulling the profile awa…

Reviews →

Neandertal Them opens with a crisp clash of carrot seeds, tart grapefruit, and salty seaweed. As the initial mineral snap softens, powdery iris and hinoki wood create a quiet, clean warmth over an ambergris base. Built for cool spring mornings and modern art gallery visits, it offers a stark, unisex scent profile.

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, To Break or Neandertal Them?

Neandertal Them takes 6 of 7 categories. To Break is rated 3.81/5 from 59 votes; Neandertal Them is rated 3.92/5 from 175 votes. Choose To Break for a fruity and iris character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Neandertal Them for a amber and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, To Break or Neandertal Them?

Neandertal Them lasts longest (Neandertal Them 68/100, To Break 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, To Break or Neandertal Them?

Neandertal Them projects furthest (Neandertal Them 52/100, To Break 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do To Break and Neandertal Them smell similar?

Clearly different: a 34% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery and musky accords. Common notes include Magnolia, Iris, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Ambergris.

Is To Break or Neandertal Them better for summer or winter?

For summer, To Break is the stronger pick. For winter, Neandertal Them is the stronger pick. To Break suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in To Break and Neandertal Them?

To Break has top notes of Pineapple, Green Apple and Magnolia, heart notes of Iris and Spices, a base of Ambrette (Musk Mallow), Ambergris, Sandalwood and Musk. Neandertal Them has top notes of Carrot Seeds, Seaweed, Iris and Lavender, heart notes of Hinoki, Neroli and Magnolia, a base of Ambergris, Ambrette (Musk Mallow), Sandalwood and Styrax.