Fragrance comparison

8 THE CHALLENGER vs Cirrus

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 29 ratings analysed

3 wins

8 THE CHALLENGER

hOUSE OF hELIOS

4.254 votes

Rank #55,723 GreenSmoky

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

Cirrus

Soma Parfums

3.8025 votes

Rank #35,743 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

8 THE CHALLENGER takes 3 of 4 categories.

8 THE CHALLENGER
Choose it for a green and smoky character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Cirrus
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

8 THE CHALLENGER3/4

Cirrus1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: 8 THE CHALLENGER
Sillage & projection: 8 THE CHALLENGER
Value for money: 8 THE CHALLENGER
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Cirrus

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

8 THE CHALLENGERhOUSE OF hELIOS

CirrusSoma Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 11%Had 0%Want 89%

3.80/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 33%Had 13%Want 54%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

25%Like

25%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

44%Love

24%Like

12%Ok

8%Dislike

12%Hate

25 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

Longevity8 THE CHALLENGER

Sillage8 THE CHALLENGER

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value45

Category winner8 THE CHALLENGERBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

green100%

smoky92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

ozonic69%

aquatic61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

iris84%

lavender77%

musky69%

earthy61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

RhubarbPink PepperBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

Violet LeavesCardamomFlowersSageHerbal Notes

Base7-10 hrs

SmokeLeatherOrrisSandalwoodWoodsy Notes

Top

LavenderBlack CurrantSageBergamotCardamom

Heart

OrrisPink PepperPatchouli

Base

MuskVetiverAmberVanilla

InformationalShared notesPink Pepper, Bergamot, Cardamom and Sage. Durations are only published for 8 THE CHALLENGER, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring33

Summer33

Fall100

Winter67

Day86

Night100

Spring100

Summer100

Fall89

Winter22

Day100

Night50

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

Work 32%Date 29%Casual 22%Party 17%

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#55,723

PerfumerFrank Voelkl

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#35,743

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerCirrusHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

8 THE CHALLENGER by hOUSE OF hELIOS delivers a crisp, smoky leather profile anchored by green herbs and tart fruit. The opening hits fast with sour rhubarb, cracked pink pepper, and brisk bergamot. Within fifteen minutes, wet violet leaves and crushed garden sage cut across the initial brightness, introducing a cool, …

Reviews →

Cirrus by Soma Parfums combines crisp bergamot and herbaceous lavender with a dark slice of black currant in the opening. As it sits on skin, powdery orris and pink pepper bring a clean, soapy texture before drying down into warm musk, vetiver, and subtle vanilla. It suits cool spring mornings and professional office …

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, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Cirrus?

8 THE CHALLENGER takes 3 of 4 categories. 8 THE CHALLENGER is rated 4.25/5 from 4 votes; Cirrus is rated 3.80/5 from 25 votes. Choose 8 THE CHALLENGER for a green and smoky character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Cirrus for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Cirrus?

8 THE CHALLENGER lasts longest (8 THE CHALLENGER 80/100, Cirrus 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 8 THE CHALLENGER or Cirrus?

8 THE CHALLENGER projects furthest (8 THE CHALLENGER 75/100, Cirrus 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 8 THE CHALLENGER and Cirrus smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Pink Pepper, Bergamot, Cardamom and Sage.

Is 8 THE CHALLENGER or Cirrus better for summer or winter?

8 THE CHALLENGER suits evening wear; Cirrus suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 8 THE CHALLENGER and Cirrus?

8 THE CHALLENGER has top notes of Rhubarb, Pink Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Violet Leaves, Cardamom, Flowers and Sage, a base of Smoke, Leather, Orris and Sandalwood. Cirrus has top notes of Lavender, Black Currant, Sage and Bergamot, heart notes of Orris, Pink Pepper and Patchouli, a base of Musk, Vetiver, Amber and Vanilla.