Fragrance comparison

1881 Essentiel vs Ilham Al-Ashiq

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

Updated 21 Oct 2026 109 ratings analysed

3 wins

1881 Essentiel

Cerruti

4.0588 votes

Rank #9,085 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

52%scent match

Some overlap

Ilham Al-Ashiq

Khalis

3.9021 votes

Rank #40,686 CitrusMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

1881 Essentiel takes 3 of 5 categories.

1881 Essentiel
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Ilham Al-Ashiq
Choose it for a citrus and musky character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

1881 Essentiel3/5

Ilham Al-Ashiq2/5

Ratings & consensus: 1881 Essentiel
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Ilham Al-Ashiq
Sillage & projection: 1881 Essentiel
Value for money: Ilham Al-Ashiq
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 1881 Essentiel

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

1881 EssentielCerruti

Ilham Al-AshiqKhalis

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.05/ 5 · 88 votes

Have 48%Had 12%Want 40%

3.90/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 48%Had 13%Want 39%

Category winner1881 EssentielRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

55%Like

9%Ok

5%Dislike

2%Hate

88 votes

14%Love

71%Like

5%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityIlham Al-Ashiq

Sillage1881 Essentiel

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value76

¤ Price value81

Category winnerIlham Al-AshiqBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

woody65%

herbal53%

green42%

citrus100%

musky83%

fresh spicy65%

powdery48%

aromatic30%

Scent match52%Some overlap · both citrus, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

BergamotMandarin OrangeCitrusesGrapefruit

Heart2-3 hrs

BasilPink PepperArtemisia

Base5-7 hrs

VetiverCedarOakmoss

Notes

BergamotWhite MuskMandarin OrangeGrapefruitCitruses

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Mandarin Orange, Citruses and Grapefruit. Durations are only published for 1881 Essentiel, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall59

Winter14

Day100

Night21

Spring100

Summer25

Fall75

Winter25

Day100

Night25

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men90

Unisex10

Women0

Casual 44%Work 39%Date 10%Party 6%

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,085

PerfumerSonia Constant

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#40,686

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winner1881 EssentielHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cerruti 1881 Essentiel is a crisp citrus fragrance built around sunlit Italian groves and dry Mediterranean herbs. The opening hits with a brisk splash of bergamot, bitter grapefruit, and juicy mandarin orange. It wakes you up immediately. Within twenty minutes, the bright citrus zest softens into an aromatic core of …

Reviews →

Ilham Al-Ashiq by Khalis is a crisp, clean citrus-forward scent that balances zesty bergamot and grapefruit against a soft, persistent white musk base. It is a highly versatile, year-round fragrance that thrives in warmer climates and casual daytime settings, offering a refreshing, straightforward profile that remains…

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, 1881 Essentiel or Ilham Al-Ashiq?

1881 Essentiel takes 3 of 5 categories. 1881 Essentiel is rated 4.05/5 from 88 votes; Ilham Al-Ashiq is rated 3.90/5 from 21 votes. Choose 1881 Essentiel for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Ilham Al-Ashiq for a citrus and musky character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 1881 Essentiel or Ilham Al-Ashiq?

Ilham Al-Ashiq lasts longest (Ilham Al-Ashiq 67/100, 1881 Essentiel 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 1881 Essentiel or Ilham Al-Ashiq?

Projection is very close: 1881 Essentiel 58/100, Ilham Al-Ashiq 57/100 for sillage.

Do 1881 Essentiel and Ilham Al-Ashiq smell similar?

Some overlap: a 52% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Citruses and Grapefruit.

Is 1881 Essentiel or Ilham Al-Ashiq better for summer or winter?

1881 Essentiel suits daytime wear; Ilham Al-Ashiq suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 1881 Essentiel and Ilham Al-Ashiq?

1881 Essentiel has top notes of Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Citruses and Grapefruit, heart notes of Basil, Pink Pepper and Artemisia, a base of Vetiver, Cedar and Oakmoss. Ilham Al-Ashiq features Bergamot, White Musk, Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit and Citruses.