Fragrance comparison

212 VIP Black Smiley vs CH L'Eau 2017

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 613 ratings analysed

7 wins

212 VIP Black Smiley

Carolina Herrera

4.43128 votes

Rank #8,608 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

CH L'Eau 2017

Carolina Herrera

3.81485 votes

Rank #13,713 CitrusFresh

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

212 VIP Black Smiley takes 7 of 8 categories.

212 VIP Black Smiley
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
CH L'Eau 2017
Choose it for a citrus and fresh character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

212 VIP Black Smiley7/8

CH L'Eau 20171/8

Ratings & consensus: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Community sentiment: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Longevity: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Sillage & projection: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Value for money: CH L'Eau 2017
Versatility: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Note pyramid (duration): 212 VIP Black Smiley
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

CH L'Eau 2017Carolina Herrera

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.43/ 5 · 128 votes

Have 86%Had 14%Want 0%

3.81/ 5 · 485 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

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

28%Love

44%Like

10%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

485 votes

Category winner212 VIP Black SmileyMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate86

⏱ Longevity63

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

Longevity212 VIP Black Smiley

Sillage212 VIP Black Smiley

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value48

Category winnerCH L'Eau 2017Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

citrus92%

vanilla84%

fruity77%

aromatic69%

fresh61%

citrus100%

fresh90%

fresh spicy80%

aromatic70%

woody60%

warm spicy50%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both citrus, fresh spicy and fresh

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

Top20-30 mins

LemonBlood OrangeTunisian NeroliRed PepperGuatemalan Cardamom

Heart2-4 hrs

TeaGingerMateOrange BlossomRose

Base5-7 hrs

Atlas CedarHaitian VetiverMuskPatchouliCashmere Wood

Category winner212 VIP Black SmileyLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day63

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter22

Day100

Night33

Category winner212 VIP Black SmileyMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex9

Women5

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

Men4

Unisex39

Women56

Casual 41%Work 34%Date 15%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,608

PerfumerCarlos Benaïm, Juliette Karagueuzoglou

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#13,713

PerfumerOlivier Cresp

Launched—

Reviews12

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 →

CH L'Eau 2017 by Carolina Herrera kicks off with a sharp, wake-up call of zesty lemon and sweet blood orange. The citrus crackles immediately. For the first two minutes, a quick flash of alcohol clears out before golden neroli petals and crushed Guatemalan cardamom rush to the front. As the initial sharpness calms, a …

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 CH L'Eau 2017?

212 VIP Black Smiley takes 7 of 8 categories. 212 VIP Black Smiley is rated 4.43/5 from 128 votes; CH L'Eau 2017 is rated 3.81/5 from 485 votes. Choose 212 VIP Black Smiley for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose CH L'Eau 2017 for a citrus and fresh character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 212 VIP Black Smiley or CH L'Eau 2017?

212 VIP Black Smiley lasts longest (212 VIP Black Smiley 71/100, CH L'Eau 2017 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 212 VIP Black Smiley or CH L'Eau 2017?

Projection is very close: 212 VIP Black Smiley 57/100, CH L'Eau 2017 56/100 for sillage.

Do 212 VIP Black Smiley and CH L'Eau 2017 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, fresh spicy and fresh accords. Common notes include Blood Orange, Tunisian Neroli and Ginger.

Is 212 VIP Black Smiley or CH L'Eau 2017 better for summer or winter?

For summer, 212 VIP Black Smiley is the stronger pick. For winter, 212 VIP Black Smiley is the stronger pick. 212 VIP Black Smiley suits evening wear; CH L'Eau 2017 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 212 VIP Black Smiley and CH L'Eau 2017?

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. CH L'Eau 2017 has top notes of Lemon, Blood Orange, Tunisian Neroli and Red Pepper, heart notes of Tea, Ginger, Mate and Orange Blossom, a base of Atlas Cedar, Haitian Vetiver, Musk and Patchouli.