Fragrance comparison

Alchemy vs Carpe Diem

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 464 ratings analysed

Alchemy

Cuarzo The Circle · 2014

4.1315 votes

Rank #44,136 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Carpe Diem

O Boticário · 2000

4.21449 votes

Rank #10,363 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Carpe Diem takes 3 of 5 categories.

Alchemy
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Carpe Diem
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Alchemy2/5

Carpe Diem3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AlchemyCuarzo The Circle

Carpe DiemO Boticário

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 40%Had 8%Want 53%

4.21/ 5 · 449 votes

Have 21%Had 79%Want 0%

Category winnerCarpe DiemRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

20%Like

7%Ok

0%Dislike

13%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

41%Love

47%Like

3%Ok

9%Dislike

0%Hate

280 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity92

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityAlchemy

SillageAlchemy

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value61

Category winnerCarpe DiemBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

rose84%

woody77%

amber69%

warm spicy61%

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

citrus84%

warm spicy77%

green69%

lavender61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GeraniumCorianderLavenderNutmegPink PepperCardamomMandarin Orange

Heart

RoseAgarwood (Oud)AmberVetiverSandalwoodMagnoliaVioletPeach

Base

CedarBenzoinMusk

Top

LavenderMintBergamotMandarin OrangeLemon

Heart

GingerGeraniumNutmegCardamom

Base

SandalwoodVioletAmberMuskVetyver

InformationalShared notesGeranium, Lavender, Nutmeg and Cardamom. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring25

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day67

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter24

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men67

Unisex30

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#44,136

PerfumerRamón Béjar

Launched2014

Reviews0

Overall rank#10,363

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2000

Reviews10

Category winnerCarpe DiemHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Alchemy by Cuarzo The Circle is a rich woody perfume built around an engaging contrast of zesty spices and deep resinous woods. It opens with an invigorating burst of fresh lavender, crushed coriander seeds, and pink pepper before gently revealing a heart of velvety rose, agarwood oud, and creamy sandalwood. As the fr…

Reviews →

Carpe Diem by O Boticário is a bright, energizing everyday cologne built around zesty citrus and crisp garden herbs. The scent opens with a burst of tart lemon, fresh mandarin orange, and cool mint, creating an immediate sensation like splashing cold citrus water on your face on a hot morning. As it settles on skin, s…

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, Alchemy or Carpe Diem?

Carpe Diem takes 3 of 5 categories. Alchemy is rated 4.13/5 from 15 votes; Carpe Diem is rated 4.21/5 from 449 votes. Choose Alchemy for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Carpe Diem for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Alchemy or Carpe Diem?

Alchemy lasts longest (Alchemy 92/100, Carpe Diem 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Alchemy or Carpe Diem?

Alchemy projects furthest (Alchemy 75/100, Carpe Diem 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Alchemy and Carpe Diem smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Geranium, Lavender, Nutmeg and Cardamom.

Is Alchemy or Carpe Diem better for summer or winter?

Alchemy suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Alchemy and Carpe Diem?

Alchemy has top notes of Geranium, Coriander, Lavender and Nutmeg, heart notes of Rose, Agarwood (Oud), Amber and Vetiver, a base of Cedar, Benzoin and Musk. Carpe Diem has top notes of Lavender, Mint, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Ginger, Geranium, Nutmeg and Cardamom, a base of Sandalwood, Violet, Amber and Musk.