Fragrance comparison

Alive vs Unforgivable Black

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 92 ratings analysed

Alive

American Eagle

4.5812 votes

Rank #43,144 AromaticWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Unforgivable Black

Sean John

3.6880 votes

Rank #12,101 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Unforgivable Black takes 3 of 5 categories.

Alive
Choose it for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Unforgivable Black
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, day or night wear.

Alive2/5

Unforgivable Black3/5

Ratings & consensus: Alive
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Unforgivable Black
Sillage & projection: Unforgivable Black
Value for money: Alive
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Unforgivable Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AliveAmerican Eagle

Unforgivable BlackSean John

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.58/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 9%Had 65%Want 26%

3.68/ 5 · 80 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerAliveRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

75%Love

17%Like

0%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

39%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

16%Dislike

1%Hate

75 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate90

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityUnforgivable Black

SillageUnforgivable Black

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value60

Category winnerAliveBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

warm spicy92%

citrus84%

fresh spicy77%

white floral69%

green61%

citrus100%

aromatic90%

woody80%

fresh spicy70%

rum60%

warm spicy50%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both aromatic, citrus and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GrapefruitTangerineBergamotBasilCardamomGreen LeavesAniseWatery Notes

Heart

GeraniumRoseLilyClary SageJasmineCloves

Base

PatchouliSandalwoodAmberMusk

Top

Green MandarinGrapefruitTangerineSicilian LemonBergamotPearCardamomLavender

Heart

IrisBasilClary SageRosemary

Base

Coconut RumCashmere WoodAmberAustralian SandalwoodTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Tangerine, Bergamot and Basil. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer100

Fall100

Winter40

Day100

Night50

Spring94

Summer100

Fall75

Winter100

Day100

Night95

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

Men86

Unisex14

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#43,144

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#12,101

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews17

Category winnerUnforgivable BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Alive by American Eagle is a classic Aromatic Fougere that opens with a bright burst of grapefruit and tangerine. This 2001 release settles into a woody, aromatic heart with notes of geranium and clary sage. It is a versatile choice for casual day wear, especially during warmer spring or summer months when you want so…

Reviews →

Unforgivable Black by Sean John is a woody aromatic fragrance built around a core of coconut rum and dry woods. It opens with a bright blast of green mandarin and grapefruit before settling into a warmer, more mysterious base. Best suited for evening wear or casual nights out, it offers a distinct profile that sits co…

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, Alive or Unforgivable Black?

Unforgivable Black takes 3 of 5 categories. Alive is rated 4.58/5 from 12 votes; Unforgivable Black is rated 3.68/5 from 80 votes. Choose Alive for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Unforgivable Black for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Alive or Unforgivable Black?

Unforgivable Black lasts longest (Unforgivable Black 67/100, Alive 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Alive or Unforgivable Black?

Unforgivable Black projects furthest (Unforgivable Black 67/100, Alive 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Alive and Unforgivable Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, citrus and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Tangerine, Bergamot and Basil.

Is Alive or Unforgivable Black better for summer or winter?

Alive suits daytime wear; Unforgivable Black suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Alive and Unforgivable Black?

Alive has top notes of Grapefruit, Tangerine, Bergamot and Basil, heart notes of Geranium, Rose, Lily and Clary Sage, a base of Patchouli, Sandalwood, Amber and Musk. Unforgivable Black has top notes of Green Mandarin, Grapefruit, Tangerine and Sicilian Lemon, heart notes of Iris, Basil, Clary Sage and Rosemary, a base of Coconut Rum, Cashmere Wood, Amber and Australian Sandalwood.