How We Score: Methodology
Every score on Fragranote comes from a fixed, published set of criteria applied the same way to every fragrance in the database — never one reviewer’s impression on one particular day. This page explains exactly how each number is built, and what it does and does not tell you, so you can decide how much to trust it.
Performance Scores (1–10)
Every fragrance is rated on four independent metrics, each on a 1–10 scale:
- Longevity — how long the scent remains detectable on skin.
- Sillage — how far the scent projects from the wearer.
- Versatility — how many occasions and seasons the fragrance suits.
- Value — performance relative to price paid.
Each score is assigned by analysing the fragrance itself — its note structure, concentration and material composition — alongside the aggregate of a large body of independent wearer-reported experiences, rather than one person’s skin chemistry on one occasion. Where reported experiences diverge, we weight the consensus rather than the loudest opinion.
To be explicit about what this is: it is a structured research and analysis process, not a laboratory measurement. We do not claim to have worn and stopwatch-timed every bottle under controlled conditions. That is precisely why we score on a comparative 1–10 scale and describe general tendencies, rather than promising an exact number of hours on your skin. The scores are most useful for comparing fragrances against each other — which is what the whole database is built to let you do.
Climate Zone Scores
Most fragrance reviews ignore the single biggest variable in how a scent actually wears: weather. Fragranote scores every fragrance separately across five climate zones — Extreme Heat, Hot & Humid, Warm & Dry, Mild, and Cold — based on how each fragrance’s note structure, concentration, and reported real-world performance behave as temperature and humidity change. A heavy oriental that performs beautifully in a cold-weather evening can turn cloying in Gulf summer humidity; a light aquatic that vanishes in heat can be perfect for a mild spring day. The climate score is designed to catch exactly that mismatch before you buy.
On each fragrance page we also state why a climate score lands where it does, pointing to the specific notes in that composition driving the result — volatile citrus and aldehydes that flash off in heat, or resins and woods that hold their shape in it.
Clone & Similarity Matching
Our Clone Finder uses a weighted similarity engine that compares fragrances on their note composition (top, heart, and base notes) and scent accords, producing a percentage match rather than a marketing claim of “smells identical.” A higher percentage means more structural overlap in the actual notes used — it is not a guarantee of an identical wear experience, since concentration, quality of raw materials, and individual skin chemistry all still matter.
Pricing
Prices are researched from real retail listings, shown as a range to reflect normal market variation, and can be viewed in USD, EUR, GBP, PKR, AED, INR, or SAR using the currency switcher in the site header. Currency conversion rates refresh daily. We do not accept payment from brands or retailers to influence a score, ranking, or review.
What We Won’t Publish
A fragrance page is only allowed into Google’s index once all five of these data groups are complete: notes (top, heart and base), the four performance scores, climate scores, pricing, and scent accords. Records that fall short stay searchable inside our own tools but are kept out of the index and out of our sitemap, rather than published as thin, templated placeholders. We would rather have fewer complete pages than more incomplete ones.
This bar is enforced automatically, not by memory — the check runs on every page load, so an incomplete record cannot quietly slip into the index.
Corrections
Fragrance formulas change, prices move, and we make mistakes. If you spot an error on any page, let us know and we will review and correct it.