Fragrance comparison

Unforgivable Black vs Upscale

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

Updated 11 Oct 2026 97 ratings analysed

3 wins

Unforgivable Black

Sean John

3.6880 votes

Rank #10,879 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

65%scent match

Closely related

Upscale

Mary Kay

4.3517 votes

Rank #37,518 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Unforgivable Black takes 3 of 5 categories.

Unforgivable Black
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, day or night wear.
Upscale
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Unforgivable Black3/5

Upscale2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Unforgivable BlackSean John

UpscaleMary Kay

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.68/ 5 · 80 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

4.35/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 52%Had 33%Want 14%

Category winnerUpscaleRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

16%Dislike

1%Hate

75 votes

59%Love

24%Like

12%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage42

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityUnforgivable Black

SillageUnforgivable Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value60

¤ Price value63

Category winnerUpscaleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic90%

woody80%

fresh spicy70%

rum60%

warm spicy50%

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

warm spicy77%

citrus69%

amber61%

Scent match65%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Green MandarinGrapefruitTangerineSicilian LemonBergamotPearCardamomLavender

Heart

IrisBasilClary SageRosemary

Base

Coconut RumCashmere WoodAmberAustralian SandalwoodTonka Bean

Top20-30 mins

Sicilian LemonGreen MandarinRosemaryCypress

Heart2-3 hrs

GeraniumLavenderArtemisiaCardamom

Base5-7 hrs

Australian SandalwoodAmberPatchouliMusk

InformationalShared notesGreen Mandarin, Sicilian Lemon, Cardamom and Lavender. Durations are only published for Upscale, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring94

Summer100

Fall75

Winter100

Day100

Night95

Spring100

Summer55

Fall91

Winter64

Day100

Night47

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex14

Women0

Men80

Unisex20

Women0

Work 38%Casual 32%Date 19%Party 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#10,879

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews17

Overall rank#37,518

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerUnforgivable BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Unforgivable Black by Sean John is a woody aromatic fragrance built around a core of coconut rum and dry woods. It opens with a bright blast of green mandarin and grapefruit before settling into a warmer, more mysterious base. Best suited for evening wear or casual nights out, it offers a distinct profile that sits co…

Reviews →

Upscale by Mary Kay delivers an invigorating splash of Mediterranean citrus paired with classic aromatic woods. The opening pairs zesty Sicilian lemon and green mandarin with the bracing forest snap of Italian cypress and crushed rosemary. Within thirty minutes, a disciplined heart of French lavender, geranium, and dr…

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, Unforgivable Black or Upscale?

Unforgivable Black takes 3 of 5 categories. Unforgivable Black is rated 3.68/5 from 80 votes; Upscale is rated 4.35/5 from 17 votes. Choose Unforgivable Black for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, day or night wear. Choose Upscale for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Unforgivable Black or Upscale?

Unforgivable Black lasts longest (Unforgivable Black 67/100, Upscale 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Unforgivable Black or Upscale?

Unforgivable Black projects furthest (Unforgivable Black 67/100, Upscale 42/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Unforgivable Black and Upscale smell similar?

Closely related: a 65% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and citrus accords. Common notes include Green Mandarin, Sicilian Lemon, Cardamom and Lavender.

Is Unforgivable Black or Upscale better for summer or winter?

Unforgivable Black suits day or night wear; Upscale suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Unforgivable Black and Upscale?

Unforgivable Black has top notes of Green Mandarin, Grapefruit, Tangerine and Sicilian Lemon, heart notes of Iris, Basil, Clary Sage and Rosemary, a base of Coconut Rum, Cashmere Wood, Amber and Australian Sandalwood. Upscale has top notes of Sicilian Lemon, Green Mandarin, Rosemary and Cypress, heart notes of Geranium, Lavender, Artemisia and Cardamom, a base of Australian Sandalwood, Amber, Patchouli and Musk.