Fragrance comparison

212 VIP Black Smiley vs Gamma

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

Updated 8 Oct 2026 130 ratings analysed

212 VIP Black Smiley

Carolina Herrera

4.43128 votes

Rank #8,709 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

57%scent match

Closely related

3 wins

Gamma

Phillippe Renoir

4.502 votes

Rank #52,465 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Gamma takes 3 of 4 categories.

212 VIP Black Smiley
Choose it for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Gamma
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.

212 VIP Black Smiley1/4

Gamma3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Gamma
Sillage & projection: Gamma
Value for money: Gamma
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

GammaPhillippe Renoir

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.43/ 5 · 128 votes

Have 86%Had 14%Want 0%

4.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 60%Had 0%Want 40%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating 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

50%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate86

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityGamma

SillageGamma

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value75

Category winnerGammaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

citrus92%

vanilla84%

fruity77%

aromatic69%

fresh61%

citrus100%

fresh spicy92%

warm spicy84%

vanilla77%

almond69%

sweet61%

Scent match57%Closely related · both fresh spicy, citrus and vanilla

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

Blood OrangeOrangeGinger

Heart

Madagascar PepperLavenderSesame

Base

Vanilla BeanAlmondSkin

InformationalShared notesBlood Orange, Ginger, Madagascar Pepper 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

Spring50

Summer50

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex9

Women5

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

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

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#52,465

PerfumerNot listed

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 →

Gamma by Phillippe Renoir opens with a sharp burst of blood orange, bitter orange, and fresh ginger. The citrus brightens the air immediately, while ginger adds a zesty kick that keeps the opening crisp and lively on skin. As the initial citrus softens after twenty minutes, Madagascar pepper, herbal lavender, and toa…

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 Gamma?

Gamma takes 3 of 4 categories. 212 VIP Black Smiley is rated 4.43/5 from 128 votes; Gamma is rated 4.50/5 from 2 votes. Choose 212 VIP Black Smiley for a fresh spicy and citrus character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Gamma for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, 212 VIP Black Smiley or Gamma?

Gamma lasts longest (Gamma 80/100, 212 VIP Black Smiley 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 212 VIP Black Smiley or Gamma?

Gamma projects furthest (Gamma 75/100, 212 VIP Black Smiley 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 212 VIP Black Smiley and Gamma smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, citrus and vanilla accords. Common notes include Blood Orange, Ginger, Madagascar Pepper and Sesame.

Is 212 VIP Black Smiley or Gamma better for summer or winter?

212 VIP Black Smiley suits evening wear; Gamma suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 212 VIP Black Smiley and Gamma?

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. Gamma has top notes of Blood Orange, Orange and Ginger, heart notes of Madagascar Pepper, Lavender and Sesame, a base of Vanilla Bean, Almond and Skin.