Ambrette de Noir vs Forbidden Elixir
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
43%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Ambrette de Noir takes 5 of 7 categories.
Ambrette de NoirChoose it for a vanilla and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Forbidden ElixirChoose it for a citrus and musky character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Ambrette de Noir5/7
Forbidden Elixir2/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Ambrette de Noir
- Community sentiment
- Ambrette de Noir
- Longevity
- Ambrette de Noir
- Sillage & projection
- Ambrette de Noir
- Value for money
- Forbidden Elixir
- Versatility
- Forbidden Elixir
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Ambrette de Noir
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Ambrette de NoirAerinForbidden ElixirSly John's LabWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.87/ 5 · 292 votes
Have 27%Had 8%Want 66%
3.60/ 5 · 25 votes
Have 36%Had 21%Want 43%
Category winnerAmbrette de NoirRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate38%Love
33%Like
16%Ok
10%Dislike
3%Hate
198 votes
28%Love
28%Like
24%Ok
16%Dislike
4%Hate
25 votes
Category winnerAmbrette de NoirMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityAmbrette de Noir
SillageAmbrette de Noir
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerForbidden ElixirBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothvanilla100%
floral92%
musky84%
amber77%
white floral69%
sweet61%
citrus100%
musky88%
white floral77%
aromatic65%
amber53%
floral42%
Scent match43%Some overlap · both musky, white floral and floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
RoseFreesia
Heart
Orange BlossomJasminePeony
Base
Ambrette (Musk Mallow)Tonka BeanBourbon VanillaAmbroxanCedar
Top15-30 mins
BergamotAmbrette (Musk Mallow)Lemon
Heart2-4 hrs
Orange Blossom
Base6-8+ hrs
MuscenoneAmbroxanPatchouli
InformationalShared notesOrange Blossom, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Ambroxan. Durations are only published for Forbidden Elixir, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring53
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring100
Summer100
Fall86
Winter14
Day100
Night43
Category winnerForbidden ElixirMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#4,836
PerfumerOlivier Cresp
Launched—
Reviews64
Overall rank#49,190
PerfumerAne Ayo
Launched—
Reviews1
Category winnerAmbrette de NoirHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotAmbrette de Noir is a soft, musky vanilla floral with a polished, cosy feel. Rose and freesia brighten the opening, then orange blossom and peony fold into ambrette, tonka and bourbon vanilla, giving it a fluffy, powdery warmth. It usually reads feminine, smooth and autumn-friendly, with enough cedar and ambroxan to k…
Reviews →Forbidden Elixir by Sly John's Lab bursts open with a bright splash of tart lemon and juicy bergamot, instantly giving off the clean feeling of sunshine hitting chilled citrus peel. Within twenty minutes, a sweet, sunny orange blossom emerges to smooth away any sharp edges, blending into the vegetal warmth of ambrette…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Ambrette de Noir or Forbidden Elixir?
Ambrette de Noir takes 5 of 7 categories. Ambrette de Noir is rated 3.87/5 from 292 votes; Forbidden Elixir is rated 3.60/5 from 25 votes. Choose Ambrette de Noir for a vanilla and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Forbidden Elixir for a citrus and musky character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Ambrette de Noir or Forbidden Elixir?
Ambrette de Noir lasts longest (Ambrette de Noir 72/100, Forbidden Elixir 56/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Ambrette de Noir or Forbidden Elixir?
Ambrette de Noir projects furthest (Ambrette de Noir 60/100, Forbidden Elixir 43/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Ambrette de Noir and Forbidden Elixir smell similar?
Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share musky, white floral and floral accords. Common notes include Orange Blossom, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Ambroxan.
Is Ambrette de Noir or Forbidden Elixir better for summer or winter?
For summer, Forbidden Elixir is the stronger pick. For winter, Ambrette de Noir is the stronger pick. Forbidden Elixir suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Ambrette de Noir and Forbidden Elixir?
Ambrette de Noir has top notes of Rose and Freesia, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Jasmine and Peony, a base of Ambrette (Musk Mallow), Tonka Bean, Bourbon Vanilla and Ambroxan. Forbidden Elixir has top notes of Bergamot, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Lemon, heart notes of Orange Blossom, a base of Muscenone, Ambroxan and Patchouli.
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