Fragrance comparison

212 VIP Black Smiley vs Red Lips

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

Updated 8 Oct 2026 198 ratings analysed

4 wins

212 VIP Black Smiley

Carolina Herrera

4.43128 votes

Rank #8,709 Fresh SpicyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

22%scent match

Clearly different

Red Lips

KKW Fragrance

3.7670 votes

Rank #30,710 White FloralMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

212 VIP Black Smiley takes 4 of 7 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.
Red Lips
Choose it for a white floral and musky character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

212 VIP Black Smiley4/7

Red Lips3/7

Ratings & consensus: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Community sentiment: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Longevity: 212 VIP Black Smiley
Sillage & projection: Red Lips
Value for money: Red Lips
Versatility: Red Lips
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

Red LipsKKW Fragrance

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.43/ 5 · 128 votes

Have 86%Had 14%Want 0%

3.76/ 5 · 70 votes

Have 75%Had 25%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

36%Love

31%Like

11%Ok

16%Dislike

6%Hate

70 votes

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

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate86

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

Longevity212 VIP Black Smiley

SillageRed Lips

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value60

Category winnerRed LipsBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

citrus92%

vanilla84%

fruity77%

aromatic69%

fresh61%

white floral100%

musky92%

floral84%

vanilla77%

aromatic69%

lactonic61%

Scent match22%Clearly different · both vanilla and 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

LotusBlood Orange

Heart

GardeniaAmbrette (Musk Mallow)Ylang-Ylang

Base

Vanilla BeanRed CedarMusk

InformationalShared notesBlood Orange and Vanilla Bean. 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

Spring100

Summer65

Fall76

Winter47

Day100

Night26

Category winnerRed LipsMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex9

Women5

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

Men5

Unisex5

Women90

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#30,710

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 →

Red Lips by KKW Fragrance offers a creamy white floral experience defined by gardenia and ylang-ylang. The scent opens with a sharp burst of blood orange before settling into a warm, musk-heavy base of vanilla bean and red cedar. It is a soft, feminine choice that wears best during casual daytime outings in the spring.

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 Red Lips?

212 VIP Black Smiley takes 4 of 7 categories. 212 VIP Black Smiley is rated 4.43/5 from 128 votes; Red Lips is rated 3.76/5 from 70 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 Red Lips for a white floral and musky character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 212 VIP Black Smiley or Red Lips?

212 VIP Black Smiley lasts longest (212 VIP Black Smiley 71/100, Red Lips 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 212 VIP Black Smiley or Red Lips?

Red Lips projects furthest (Red Lips 62/100, 212 VIP Black Smiley 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 212 VIP Black Smiley and Red Lips smell similar?

Clearly different: a 22% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla and aromatic accords. Common notes include Blood Orange and Vanilla Bean.

Is 212 VIP Black Smiley or Red Lips better for summer or winter?

For summer, Red Lips is the stronger pick. For winter, 212 VIP Black Smiley is the stronger pick. 212 VIP Black Smiley suits evening wear; Red Lips suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 212 VIP Black Smiley and Red Lips?

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. Red Lips has top notes of Lotus and Blood Orange, heart notes of Gardenia, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Vanilla Bean, Red Cedar and Musk.