Fragrance comparison

Ambre Topkapi vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,636 ratings analysed

Ambre Topkapi

MDCI Parfums

3.84529 votes

Rank #4,633 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #26,630 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories.

Ambre Topkapi
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring.

Ambre Topkapi2/7

Ivoire de Balmain4/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Ivoire de Balmain
Versatility: Ambre Topkapi
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Ambre Topkapi

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ambre TopkapiMDCI Parfums

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.84/ 5 · 529 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

34%Love

44%Like

10%Ok

12%Dislike

1%Hate

340 votes

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value37

¤ Price value50

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

sweet84%

lavender77%

fruity69%

fresh61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LavenderPineappleGrapefruitBergamotWormwoodMelonNutmegGinger

Heart

Lily-of-the-ValleyVioletJasmineThyme

Base

MuskAmberOakmossTeaBrazilian RosewoodLeatherPatchouliRaspberry

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Nutmeg, Musk and Oakmoss. 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

Summer68

Fall0

Winter52

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerAmbre TopkapiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men61

Unisex37

Women2

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,633

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews76

Overall rank#26,630

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAmbre TopkapiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ambre Topkapi is fresher, greener and more aromatic than its name suggests. Wearers often describe a clean lavender and grapefruit opening, with pineapple folded in smoothly rather than pushed forward, then a spicy woody base that feels polished and quietly masculine. It suits someone who likes refined fougere style f…

Reviews →

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate 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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Ambre Topkapi or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories. Ambre Topkapi is rated 3.84/5 from 529 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Ambre Topkapi for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Ambre Topkapi or Ivoire de Balmain?

They last about the same: Ambre Topkapi 71/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Ambre Topkapi or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Ambre Topkapi 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ambre Topkapi and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Nutmeg, Musk and Oakmoss.

Is Ambre Topkapi or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ambre Topkapi is the stronger pick. For winter, Ivoire de Balmain is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ambre Topkapi and Ivoire de Balmain?

Ambre Topkapi has top notes of Lavender, Pineapple, Grapefruit and Bergamot, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Violet, Jasmine and Thyme, a base of Musk, Amber, Oakmoss and Tea. Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense.