Fragrance comparison

Universe vs Murasaki

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 344 ratings analysed

5 wins

Universe

Iceberg

4.08107 votes

Rank #10,532 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Murasaki

Shiseido

4.09237 votes

Rank #29,738 White FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Universe takes 5 of 7 categories.

Universe
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Murasaki
Choose it for a white floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring.

Universe5/7

Murasaki2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

UniverseIceberg

MurasakiShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.08/ 5 · 107 votes

Have 39%Had 20%Want 41%

4.09/ 5 · 237 votes

Have 67%Had 33%Want 0%

Category winnerMurasakiRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

39%Like

3%Ok

13%Dislike

2%Hate

107 votes

41%Love

43%Like

3%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

237 votes

Category winnerMurasakiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityUniverse

SillageUniverse

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value68

¤ Price value52

Category winnerUniverseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

powdery84%

white floral77%

green69%

warm spicy61%

white floral100%

green92%

floral84%

earthy77%

rose69%

woody61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both white floral, green and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

HoneysuckleGalbanumPeach

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootRoseLily

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberBenzoinMuskVanilleVetiverPatchouliVirginia CedarSandalwood

Top

HiacynthGalbanumGardeniaBergamotPeach

Heart

Lily-of-the-ValleyOrris RootRoseLilyJasmine

Base

OakmossLeatherVetiverMuskSandalwoodAmber

InformationalShared notesGalbanum, Peach, Orris Root and Rose. Durations are only published for Universe, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring70

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night68

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter38

Day–

Night–

Category winnerUniverseMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex18

Women82

Men3

Unisex21

Women77

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#10,532

PerfumerSophie Labbé

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#29,738

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerUniverseHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Iceberg Universe is an understated vintage amber floral that feels surprisingly modern on skin. Created by perfumer Sophie Labbé in 1997, it opens with a curious clash of crisp green galbanum and sweet honeysuckle before settling into velvety white peach. The heart turns delicately powdery through orris root and gentl…

Reviews →

Murasaki opens with a sharp, cold snap of green galbanum and hyacinth, mimicking wet spring earth and crushed stems. As it warms on skin, the initial crispness softens, revealing a powdery heart of lily-of-the-valley and rose. The base settles into a dry oakmoss and soft leather that lingers quietly. It suits collecto…

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, Universe or Murasaki?

Universe takes 5 of 7 categories. Universe is rated 4.08/5 from 107 votes; Murasaki is rated 4.09/5 from 237 votes. Choose Universe for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Murasaki for a white floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Universe or Murasaki?

Universe lasts longest (Universe 71/100, Murasaki 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Universe or Murasaki?

Projection is very close: Universe 60/100, Murasaki 58/100 for sillage.

Do Universe and Murasaki smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, green and woody accords. Common notes include Galbanum, Peach, Orris Root and Rose.

Is Universe or Murasaki better for summer or winter?

For summer, Universe is the stronger pick. For winter, Universe is the stronger pick. Universe suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Universe and Murasaki?

Universe has top notes of Honeysuckle, Galbanum and Peach, heart notes of Orris Root, Rose and Lily, a base of Amber, Benzoin, Musk and Vanille. Murasaki has top notes of Hiacynth, Galbanum, Gardenia and Bergamot, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Orris Root, Rose and Lily, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Vetiver and Musk.