Fragrance comparison

Vanilla vs Makawi

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 3,857 ratings analysed

Vanilla

Tom Ford

3.063,837 votes

Rank #41,153 VanillaAlmond

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Makawi

Paolo Gigli

3.6520 votes

Rank #44,114 SweetCherry

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Makawi takes 3 of 5 categories.

Vanilla
Choose it for a vanilla and almond character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Makawi
Choose it for a sweet and cherry character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear.

Vanilla2/5

Makawi3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

VanillaTom Ford

MakawiPaolo Gigli

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.06/ 5 · 3,837 votes

Have 78%Had 22%Want 0%

3.65/ 5 · 20 votes

Have 24%Had 10%Want 66%

Category winnerMakawiRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

26%Love

19%Like

14%Ok

17%Dislike

24%Hate

3,837 votes

30%Love

45%Like

5%Ok

0%Dislike

20%Hate

20 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate51

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate66

Category winners

LongevityVanilla

SillageMakawi

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value14

¤ Price value60

Category winnerMakawiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

almond91%

sweet83%

nutty74%

powdery65%

fruity56%

sweet100%

cherry90%

almond80%

fruity70%

nutty60%

alcohol50%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both sweet, almond and nutty

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Bitter Almond

Heart

VanillaFloral Notes

Base

Vanilla AbsoluteUltravanil™Tonka BeanSandalwood

Top15-30 mins

Sour CherryBitter AlmondLiquor

Heart2-4 hrs

PlumRoseJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

SandalwoodTonka BeanVanilla

InformationalShared notesBitter Almond, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Makawi, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer31

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring50

Summer67

Fall67

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men5

Unisex43

Women52

Men0

Unisex14

Women86

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#41,153

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#44,114

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerVanillaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Vanilla by Tom Ford marks a bold, polarizing direction for the brand's gourmand lineup. It greets you with a sharp, medicinal blast of bitter almond that feels almost like amaretto spilled on cold granite. This chilly, nutty opening soon yields to a warm, milky wave of vanilla absolute and cozy tonka bean on a quiet s…

Reviews →

Makawi by Paolo Gigli centers on a bold burst of boozy sour cherry, bitter marzipan almond, and warm liquor. It opens with an unmistakable solvent kick that softens within five minutes into spiced cherry compote. As the heart unfolds, hints of dark plum blend into sweet vanilla and smooth tonka bean. The declared rose…

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, Vanilla or Makawi?

Makawi takes 3 of 5 categories. Vanilla is rated 3.06/5 from 3,837 votes; Makawi is rated 3.65/5 from 20 votes. Choose Vanilla for a vanilla and almond character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Makawi for a sweet and cherry character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Vanilla or Makawi?

They last about the same: Vanilla 64/100, Makawi 63/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Vanilla or Makawi?

Makawi projects furthest (Makawi 64/100, Vanilla 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Vanilla and Makawi smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet, almond and nutty accords. Common notes include Bitter Almond, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood.

Is Vanilla or Makawi better for summer or winter?

Makawi suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Vanilla and Makawi?

Vanilla has top notes of Bitter Almond, heart notes of Vanilla and Floral Notes, a base of Vanilla Absolute, Ultravanil™, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood. Makawi has top notes of Sour Cherry, Bitter Almond and Liquor, heart notes of Plum, Rose and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and Vanilla.