Fragrance comparison

U vs Zen Summer

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 131 ratings analysed

Adolfo Dominguez

4.0039 votes

Rank #50,369 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Zen Summer

Shiseido

4.1692 votes

Rank #33,436 FruityCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Zen Summer takes 4 of 5 categories.

U
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Zen Summer
Choose it for a fruity and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer.

U1/5

Zen Summer4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

UAdolfo Dominguez

Zen SummerShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 39 votes

Have 29%Had 55%Want 16%

4.16/ 5 · 92 votes

Have 23%Had 17%Want 60%

Category winnerZen SummerRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

55%Like

15%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

41%Love

47%Like

0%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

92 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity48

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityZen Summer

SillageZen Summer

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value38

Category winnerUBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

citrus92%

powdery53%

fruity100%

citrus92%

floral84%

sweet77%

white floral69%

woody61%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both citrus and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotRaspberryBlack CurrantMandarin Orange

Heart

RoseLily-of-the-ValleyFreesiaMagnolia

Base

SandalwoodPatchouliVirginia Cedar

Top

GrapefruitAmalfi LemonBlack CurrantPeachGreen Apple

Heart

FreesiaLotusGardeniaRoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base

RaspberryMuskVirginia CedarAmber

InformationalShared notesRaspberry, Black Currant, Rose and Lily-of-the-Valley. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring89

Summer100

Fall44

Winter22

Day100

Night75

Spring74

Summer100

Fall0

Winter4

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men0

Unisex17

Women83

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#50,369

PerfumerRamon Monegal

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#33,436

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerZen SummerHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

U by Adolfo Dominguez is a Floral Fruity fragrance for women. U was launched in 2001. The nose behind this fragrance is Ramon Monegal. Top notes are Bergamot, Raspberry, Black Currant and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley, Freesia and Magnolia; base notes are Sandalwood, Patchouli and Virginia…

Reviews →

Shiseido Zen Summer launches with a crisp, dew-dappled brightness that instantly cuts through oppressive humidity. The initial spray delivers a sharp splash of Amalfi lemon and bitter grapefruit, softened slightly by the green crunch of apple. As the fragrance settles on the skin, the sharp citrus edge yields to a ser…

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, U or Zen Summer?

Zen Summer takes 4 of 5 categories. U is rated 4.00/5 from 39 votes; Zen Summer is rated 4.16/5 from 92 votes. Choose U for a woody and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Zen Summer for a fruity and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer.

Which lasts longer, U or Zen Summer?

Zen Summer lasts longest (Zen Summer 64/100, U 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, U or Zen Summer?

Zen Summer projects furthest (Zen Summer 65/100, U 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do U and Zen Summer smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Raspberry, Black Currant, Rose and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is U or Zen Summer better for summer or winter?

U suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in U and Zen Summer?

U has top notes of Bergamot, Raspberry, Black Currant and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley, Freesia and Magnolia, a base of Sandalwood, Patchouli and Virginia Cedar. Zen Summer has top notes of Grapefruit, Amalfi Lemon, Black Currant and Peach, heart notes of Freesia, Lotus, Gardenia and Rose, a base of Raspberry, Musk, Virginia Cedar and Amber.