Fragrance comparison

212 VIP Black Smiley vs A Day at the Barbers

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

Updated 8 Oct 2026 144 ratings analysed

212 VIP Black Smiley

Carolina Herrera

4.43128 votes

Rank #8,709 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

12%scent match

Clearly different

A Day at the Barbers

Aromas de Salazar

3.1216 votes

Rank #60,681 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2.

212 VIP Black Smiley
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
A Day at the Barbers
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

212 VIP Black Smiley2/5

A Day at the Barbers2/5

Ratings & consensus: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: A Day at the Barbers
Value for money: A Day at the Barbers
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 212 VIP Black Smiley

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

212 VIP Black SmileyCarolina Herrera

A Day at the BarbersAromas de Salazar

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.43/ 5 · 128 votes

Have 86%Had 14%Want 0%

3.12/ 5 · 16 votes

Have 25%Had 3%Want 72%

Category winner212 VIP Black SmileyRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

63%Love

25%Like

7%Ok

4%Dislike

2%Hate

128 votes

31%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

13%Dislike

31%Hate

16 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate86

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate53

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageA Day at the Barbers

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value50

Category winnerA Day at the BarbersBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

citrus92%

vanilla84%

fruity77%

aromatic69%

fresh61%

amber100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

powdery77%

warm spicy69%

musky61%

Scent match12%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Blood OrangeTunisian NeroliGinger

Heart2-4 hrs

Madagascar PepperSesameLavender Extract

Base6-8+ hrs

Vanilla BeanSkinSweet Almond

Top

Violet LeafCalabrian bergamotBlood OrangeNutmeg

Heart

VioletLavenderBay LeafCinnamonHeliotropeCardamom

Base

OakmossSesameHyraxBlack SpruceTobaccoMyrrhTonka BeanIndonesian Patchouli Leaf

InformationalShared notesBlood Orange and Sesame. Durations are only published for 212 VIP Black Smiley, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day63

Night100

Spring75

Summer38

Fall88

Winter100

Day60

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex9

Women5

Party 36%Date 27%Casual 24%Work 13%

Men79

Unisex14

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,709

PerfumerCarlos Benaïm, Juliette Karagueuzoglou

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#60,681

PerfumerMichael Salazar

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winner212 VIP Black SmileyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Black Smiley kicks off with a vivid splash of blood orange and spicy ginger. It is bright. The first five minutes deliver a zesty punch before settling into roasted sesame and aromatic lavender. That contrast catches you off guard. Carlos Benaïm and Juliette Karagueuzoglou built this fragrance…

Reviews →

A Day at the Barbers pairs bright Calabrian bergamot and blood orange with earthy bay leaf, French lavender, and smoky tobacco. Michael Salazar overlays traditional barbershop aromatics with raw hyrax and dark oakmoss. The result smells like a retro shave parlor filled with warm pipe smoke, spicy cardamom, and rich la…

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, 212 VIP Black Smiley or A Day at the Barbers?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2. 212 VIP Black Smiley is rated 4.43/5 from 128 votes; A Day at the Barbers is rated 3.12/5 from 16 votes. Choose 212 VIP Black Smiley for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose A Day at the Barbers for a amber and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, 212 VIP Black Smiley or A Day at the Barbers?

They last about the same: 212 VIP Black Smiley 71/100, A Day at the Barbers 71/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, 212 VIP Black Smiley or A Day at the Barbers?

A Day at the Barbers projects furthest (A Day at the Barbers 63/100, 212 VIP Black Smiley 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 212 VIP Black Smiley and A Day at the Barbers smell similar?

Clearly different: a 12% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Blood Orange and Sesame.

Is 212 VIP Black Smiley or A Day at the Barbers better for summer or winter?

212 VIP Black Smiley suits evening wear; A Day at the Barbers suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 212 VIP Black Smiley and A Day at the Barbers?

212 VIP Black Smiley has top notes of Blood Orange, Tunisian Neroli and Ginger, heart notes of Madagascar Pepper, Sesame and Lavender Extract, a base of Vanilla Bean, Skin and Sweet Almond. A Day at the Barbers has top notes of Violet Leaf, Calabrian bergamot, Blood Orange and Nutmeg, heart notes of Violet, Lavender, Bay Leaf and Cinnamon, a base of Oakmoss, Sesame, Hyrax and Black Spruce.