Why Not a Fougère vs Essencial Elixir
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
31%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Essencial Elixir takes 6 of 7 categories.
Why Not a FougèreChoose it for a aromatic and herbal character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Essencial ElixirChoose it for a powdery and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Why Not a Fougère1/7
Essencial Elixir6/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Essencial Elixir
- Community sentiment
- Essencial Elixir
- Longevity
- Essencial Elixir
- Sillage & projection
- Essencial Elixir
- Value for money
- Essencial Elixir
- Versatility
- Why Not a Fougère
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Essencial Elixir
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Why Not a FougèreMark BuxtonEssencial ElixirNaturaWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.74/ 5 · 31 votes
Have 28%Had 3%Want 69%
4.17/ 5 · 780 votes
Have 82%Had 18%Want 0%
Category winnerEssencial ElixirRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate19%Love
52%Like
16%Ok
10%Dislike
3%Hate
31 votes
60%Love
28%Like
7%Ok
4%Dislike
1%Hate
774 votes
Category winnerEssencial ElixirMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityEssencial Elixir
SillageEssencial Elixir
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerEssencial ElixirBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by botharomatic100%
herbal92%
fresh spicy84%
floral77%
citrus69%
woody61%
powdery69%
citrus61%
woody53%
warm spicy30%
Scent match31%Clearly different · both citrus and woody
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15 to 30 minutes
Cedar NeedlesPink PepperBergamotAngelicaPearMandarin Orange
Heart2 to 3 hours
ChamomileGeraniumLavenderVioletSageMagnolia
Base3 to 4 hours
PatchouliNarcissusOsmanthusTonka BeanMusk
Top
CardamomBlack PepperPink PepperMandarin OrangeGrapefruitLemonCassisSage
Heart
LeatherLavenderVioletGeranium
Base
CognacVanillaBenzoinSandalwoodCedarMuskVetiverPatchouli
InformationalShared notesPink Pepper, Mandarin Orange, Geranium and Lavender. Durations are only published for Why Not a Fougère, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring73
Summer73
Fall100
Winter45
Day100
Night57
Spring37
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerWhy Not a FougèreMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#38,828
PerfumerDavid Chieze
Launched—
Reviews3
Overall rank#24,131
PerfumerVerônica Kato
Launched2017
Reviews2
Category winnerEssencial ElixirHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotWhy Not a Fougère by Mark Buxton presents an unconventional, modern twist on traditional barbershop perfumery. The fragrance opens with an invigorating burst of bergamot, mandarin orange, and crisp cedar needles, brightened by spicy pink pepper, angelica, and juicy pear. As the scent settles, a soothing heart emerges …
Reviews →Natura Essencial Elixir is a woody masculine fragrance defined by a complex fusion of cognac, leather, and aromatic spices. Launched in 2017, this scent relies on a robust foundation of patchouli and cedar to deliver a grounded, sophisticated profile. It thrives in autumn and winter, serving as a reliable companion fo…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
Recent comparisons
Head-to-head activity from live history
Very ValentinoValentinoRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
Sonia RykielSonia RykielWINNER
Poseidon VictoriaInstituto EspañolRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
Guipure & SilkJeanne ArthesWINNER
♛
Mrs. Sultan's Elixir 56The Dua BrandWINNER
vs
ZafafiAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP
1 person compared this today
Mrs. Sultan's Elixir 56The Dua BrandWINNER
vs
ZafafiAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP
PontevecchioNobile 1942RUNNER-UP
vs
♛
Exceptional Florence BridgeThe Dua BrandWINNER
Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Why Not a Fougère or Essencial Elixir?
Essencial Elixir takes 6 of 7 categories. Why Not a Fougère is rated 3.74/5 from 31 votes; Essencial Elixir is rated 4.17/5 from 780 votes. Choose Why Not a Fougère for a aromatic and herbal character. Wins on versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Essencial Elixir for a powdery and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Why Not a Fougère or Essencial Elixir?
Essencial Elixir lasts longest (Essencial Elixir 73/100, Why Not a Fougère 65/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Why Not a Fougère or Essencial Elixir?
Essencial Elixir projects furthest (Essencial Elixir 62/100, Why Not a Fougère 50/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Why Not a Fougère and Essencial Elixir smell similar?
Clearly different: a 31% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Pink Pepper, Mandarin Orange, Geranium and Lavender.
Is Why Not a Fougère or Essencial Elixir better for summer or winter?
For summer, Why Not a Fougère is the stronger pick. For winter, Essencial Elixir is the stronger pick. Why Not a Fougère suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Why Not a Fougère and Essencial Elixir?
Why Not a Fougère has top notes of Cedar Needles, Pink Pepper, Bergamot and Angelica, heart notes of Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender and Violet, a base of Patchouli, Narcissus, Osmanthus and Tonka Bean. Essencial Elixir has top notes of Cardamom, Black Pepper, Pink Pepper and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Leather, Lavender, Violet and Geranium, a base of Cognac, Vanilla, Benzoin and Sandalwood.
Popular fragrance comparisons
The matchups people have compared most on Fragranxe.
vs
Sauvage vs Bleu de Chanel
Dior · Chanel · 36 comparisons
vs
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme Rabanne for men vs Shiyaaka Shadow
Rabanne · Khadlaj Perfumes · 30 comparisons
vs
Baccarat Rouge 540 vs Khamrah
Maison Francis Kurkdjian · Lattafa Perfumes · 19 comparisons
vs
Birth of Venus vs Brioni Eau de Parfum Intense
Argos · Brioni · 17 comparisons
vs
Supremacy Not Only Intense vs Arabians Tonka
Afnan · Montale · 14 comparisons
vs
Secret De Venus Eau de Parfum vs # What Matters is Inside - Italy
Weil · Jovoy Paris · 14 comparisons