Fragrance comparison

Alchemy (2018) vs Babēl

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 10 ratings analysed

2 wins

Alchemy (2018)

Aftelier

5.005 votes

Rank #32,593 AmberCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

Babēl

3.805 votes

Rank #64,378 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Alchemy (2018) takes 2 of 4 categories.

Alchemy (2018)
Choose it for a amber and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Babēl
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Alchemy (2018)2/4

Babēl1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Babēl
Sillage & projection: Alchemy (2018)
Value for money: Tie
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Alchemy (2018)

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Alchemy (2018)Aftelier

BabēlBabēl

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

5.00/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 20%Had 2%Want 78%

3.80/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 29%Had 14%Want 57%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

20%Love

60%Like

0%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate100

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityBabēl

SillageAlchemy (2018)

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

citrus92%

rose84%

woody77%

vanilla69%

yellow floral61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

earthy61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Bitter OrangeBergamotBlack Pepper

Heart

Turkish RoseYlang-YlangIndian Jasmine

Base

LabdanumBenzoinVanilla

Top

BergamotBlack PepperCardamom

Heart

GeraniumViolet LeafIrisYlang-Ylang

Base

VetiverBenzoinCedarVanillaCashmeran

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Black Pepper, Ylang-Ylang and Benzoin. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night100

Spring33

Summer0

Fall67

Winter100

Day50

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,593

PerfumerMandy Aftel

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#64,378

PerfumerAnne McClain, Babette Lepke

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAlchemy (2018)Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

A warm amber floral perfume oil built around bitter orange, ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, and a resinous vanilla base. Alchemy (2018) opens bright and slightly peppery, then settles into a soft, cozy mix of flowers, labdanum, benzoin, and vanilla. It suits anyone who enjoys artisanal, vintage-leaning perfumes with real …

Reviews →

Babēl is a multifaceted unisex fragrance that relies on a spicy and woody structure. Bergamot and black pepper create a sharp opening, while the heart introduces floral tones like violet leaf and iris. Vetiver and cashmeran ground the scent, making it suitable for cooler autumn days. It offers a balanced, aromatic pro…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Alchemy (2018) or Babēl?

Alchemy (2018) takes 2 of 4 categories. Alchemy (2018) is rated 5.00/5 from 5 votes; Babēl is rated 3.80/5 from 5 votes. Choose Alchemy (2018) for a amber and citrus character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Babēl for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Alchemy (2018) or Babēl?

Babēl lasts longest (Babēl 80/100, Alchemy (2018) 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Alchemy (2018) or Babēl?

Alchemy (2018) projects furthest (Alchemy (2018) 69/100, Babēl 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Alchemy (2018) and Babēl smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Black Pepper, Ylang-Ylang and Benzoin.

Is Alchemy (2018) or Babēl better for summer or winter?

Alchemy (2018) suits day or night wear; Babēl suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Alchemy (2018) and Babēl?

Alchemy (2018) has top notes of Bitter Orange, Bergamot and Black Pepper, heart notes of Turkish Rose, Ylang-Ylang and Indian Jasmine, a base of Labdanum, Benzoin and Vanilla. Babēl has top notes of Bergamot, Black Pepper and Cardamom, heart notes of Geranium, Violet Leaf, Iris and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Vetiver, Benzoin, Cedar and Vanilla.