Fragrance comparison

Akatsuki Melba vs Karat

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 273 ratings analysed

4 wins

Akatsuki Melba

FOMOWA Paris

3.96138 votes

Rank #9,150 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

Karat

Maison Alhambra

3.93135 votes

Rank #6,404 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Akatsuki Melba takes 4 of 7 categories.

Akatsuki Melba
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Karat
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Akatsuki Melba4/7

Karat3/7

Ratings & consensus: Akatsuki Melba
Community sentiment: Karat
Longevity: Akatsuki Melba
Sillage & projection: Akatsuki Melba
Value for money: Karat
Versatility: Akatsuki Melba
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Karat

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Akatsuki MelbaFOMOWA Paris

KaratMaison Alhambra

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 138 votes

Have 35%Had 7%Want 59%

3.93/ 5 · 135 votes

Have 49%Had 9%Want 42%

Category winnerAkatsuki MelbaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

49%Love

25%Like

7%Ok

9%Dislike

9%Hate

138 votes

48%Love

31%Like

13%Ok

3%Dislike

5%Hate

130 votes

Category winnerKaratMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityAkatsuki Melba

SillageAkatsuki Melba

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

¤ Price value83

Category winnerKaratBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet83%

vanilla65%

aromatic48%

powdery30%

fruity100%

sweet90%

powdery80%

vanilla70%

musky60%

fresh50%

Scent match59%Closely related · both fruity, sweet and vanilla

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PeachOsmanthus

Heart

RaspberryJellyCassis

Base

Salted CaramelTahitian VanillaTonka Bean

Top

PeachPassionfruitRaspberryPearHerbal NotesCassisEarthy Notes

Heart

Lily of the Valley

Base

MuskVanillaHeliotropeSandalwoodPatchouli

InformationalShared notesPeach, Raspberry, Cassis and Tahitian Vanilla. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter74

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter28

Day–

Night–

Category winnerAkatsuki MelbaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex55

Women43

Men6

Unisex42

Women52

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,150

PerfumerCamille Leguay

Launched—

Reviews15

Overall rank#6,404

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews21

Category winnerKaratHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Akatsuki Melba opens with bright peach nectar and floral osmanthus before sinking into a sugary raspberry jelly heart. As the fruit notes settle, Tahitian vanilla and salted caramel bring a warm, chewy sweetness to the dry down. It suits cool spring mornings and cozy sweater evenings for gourmand lovers.

Reviews →

Karat by Maison Alhambra is a bright, fruity-floral fragrance that centers on a realistic peach and passionfruit accord. It performs best in hot, humid weather and offers a sweet, airy scent profile that avoids being heavy or cloying. This versatile creation suits both men and women who enjoy fresh, optimistic, and up…

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, Akatsuki Melba or Karat?

Akatsuki Melba takes 4 of 7 categories. Akatsuki Melba is rated 3.96/5 from 138 votes; Karat is rated 3.93/5 from 135 votes. Choose Akatsuki Melba for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Karat for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Akatsuki Melba or Karat?

Akatsuki Melba lasts longest (Akatsuki Melba 79/100, Karat 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Akatsuki Melba or Karat?

Akatsuki Melba projects furthest (Akatsuki Melba 69/100, Karat 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Akatsuki Melba and Karat smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, sweet and vanilla accords. Common notes include Peach, Raspberry, Cassis and Tahitian Vanilla.

Is Akatsuki Melba or Karat better for summer or winter?

For summer, Akatsuki Melba is the stronger pick. For winter, Akatsuki Melba is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Akatsuki Melba and Karat?

Akatsuki Melba has top notes of Peach and Osmanthus, heart notes of Raspberry, Jelly and Cassis, a base of Salted Caramel, Tahitian Vanilla and Tonka Bean. Karat has top notes of Peach, Passionfruit, Raspberry and Pear, heart notes of Lily of the Valley, a base of Musk, Vanilla, Heliotrope and Sandalwood.