Fragrance comparison

Act 5 vs Spectral Violet

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

Updated 21 Oct 2026 73 ratings analysed

Act 5

Pantomime

3.7851 votes

Rank #17,789 GreenAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Spectral Violet

Neil Morris

3.6422 votes

Rank #20,567 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Spectral Violet takes 3 of 5 categories.

Act 5
Choose it for a green and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Spectral Violet
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Act 52/5

Spectral Violet3/5

Ratings & consensus: Act 5
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Spectral Violet
Sillage & projection: Spectral Violet
Value for money: Spectral Violet
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Act 5

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Act 5Pantomime

Spectral VioletNeil Morris

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.78/ 5 · 51 votes

Have 27%Had 12%Want 61%

3.64/ 5 · 22 votes

Have 21%Had 13%Want 67%

Category winnerAct 5Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

35%Love

24%Like

29%Ok

8%Dislike

4%Hate

51 votes

13%Love

40%Like

7%Ok

40%Dislike

0%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate64

Category winners

LongevitySpectral Violet

SillageSpectral Violet

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value36

¤ Price value75

Category winnerSpectral VioletBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

green100%

aromatic83%

balsamic65%

bitter48%

herbal30%

powdery100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

green77%

iris69%

violet61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both green and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

GalbanumVetiver

No top / heart / base split published

Top

GalbanumLimeRaspberry

Heart

Violet

Base

Orris RootVetiverSandalwoodMuskSeaweed

InformationalShared notesGalbanum and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Act 5, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring67

Summer100

Fall56

Winter33

Day100

Night31

Spring25

Summer25

Fall75

Winter100

Day25

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men58

Unisex38

Women4

Work 39%Casual 36%Date 17%Party 8%

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,789

PerfumerFredrik Dalman

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#20,567

PerfumerNeil Morris

Launched—

Reviews29

Category winnerAct 5Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Pantomime Act 5 rethinks classic vetiver by stripping away heavy campfire smoke and muddy root mulch. The first spray releases a sharp, electric pop of raw galbanum and bitter grapefruit zest. It feels bracing. Crisp green pepper and crushed celery stems follow right behind, giving the opening a crisp, botanical snap.…

Reviews →

Spectral Violet is a sharp, powdery violet built with green bite and earthy roots. Lime, galbanum, raspberry, violet, orris, vetiver and musk give it a cool, contrast-heavy style that feels more vintage-artsy than soft or pretty. Reviews suggest it suits violet lovers who enjoy definition, dryness and texture. Samplin…

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, Act 5 or Spectral Violet?

Spectral Violet takes 3 of 5 categories. Act 5 is rated 3.78/5 from 51 votes; Spectral Violet is rated 3.64/5 from 22 votes. Choose Act 5 for a green and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Spectral Violet for a powdery and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Act 5 or Spectral Violet?

Spectral Violet lasts longest (Spectral Violet 78/100, Act 5 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Act 5 or Spectral Violet?

Spectral Violet projects furthest (Spectral Violet 65/100, Act 5 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Act 5 and Spectral Violet smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share green and aromatic accords. Common notes include Galbanum and Vetiver.

Is Act 5 or Spectral Violet better for summer or winter?

Act 5 suits daytime wear; Spectral Violet suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Act 5 and Spectral Violet?

Act 5 features Galbanum and Vetiver. Spectral Violet has top notes of Galbanum, Lime and Raspberry, heart notes of Violet, a base of Orris Root, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Musk.