Fragrance comparison

Amethyst vs Carnelian

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

Updated 17 Oct 2026 171 ratings analysed

4 wins

Amethyst

Boadicea the Victorious

4.26159 votes

Rank #6,942 Warm SpicyCinnamon

Full profile Similar & dupes

65%scent match

Closely related

Carnelian

Vartan Perfumes

4.3312 votes

Rank #45,987 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Amethyst takes 4 of 5 categories.

Amethyst
Choose it for a warm spicy and cinnamon character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Carnelian
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Amethyst4/5

Carnelian1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AmethystBoadicea the Victorious

CarnelianVartan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.26/ 5 · 159 votes

Have 32%Had 11%Want 58%

4.33/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 19%Had 0%Want 81%

Category winnerAmethystRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

57%Love

25%Like

10%Ok

4%Dislike

4%Hate

159 votes

58%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

8%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityAmethyst

SillageAmethyst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value22

¤ Price value100

Category winnerCarnelianBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

cinnamon90%

amber80%

vanilla70%

fresh spicy60%

leather50%

warm spicy100%

amber91%

cinnamon83%

aromatic74%

floral65%

vanilla56%

Scent match65%Closely related · both warm spicy, cinnamon and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CinnamonBlack Pepper

Heart

Amber

Base

VanillaLeather

Top15-30 mins

CinnamonBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

CarnationWhite TobaccoVetiver

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberVanillaTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesCinnamon, Black Pepper, Amber and Vanilla. Durations are only published for Carnelian, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring46

Summer17

Fall100

Winter97

Day100

Night–

Spring20

Summer20

Fall100

Winter100

Day44

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men31

Unisex47

Women22

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Date 35%Casual 28%Party 23%Work 15%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,942

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews15

Overall rank#45,987

PerfumerKristen Vartan

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAmethystHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Amethyst opens with a sharp flash of black pepper before a thick wave of cinnamon takes over. As the initial heat settles, dark resinous amber fills the middle space, giving the scent a heavy, cozy weight suitable for freezing November nights or crisp autumn evenings. The dry down turns distinctly smooth as creamy van…

Reviews →

Carnelian by Vartan Perfumes hits the skin with a vibrant rush of fiery cinnamon and cracked black pepper. The initial kick is dry and bristly, but it calms within minutes into a clove-like carnation heart wrapped in pale, leafy white tobacco. As the hours tick by, golden amber, creamy vanilla, and roasted tonka bean …

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, Amethyst or Carnelian?

Amethyst takes 4 of 5 categories. Amethyst is rated 4.26/5 from 159 votes; Carnelian is rated 4.33/5 from 12 votes. Choose Amethyst for a warm spicy and cinnamon character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Carnelian for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Amethyst or Carnelian?

Amethyst lasts longest (Amethyst 77/100, Carnelian 74/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Amethyst or Carnelian?

Projection is very close: Amethyst 68/100, Carnelian 66/100 for sillage.

Do Amethyst and Carnelian smell similar?

Closely related: a 65% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, cinnamon and amber accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Amber and Vanilla.

Is Amethyst or Carnelian better for summer or winter?

Amethyst suits daytime wear; Carnelian suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Amethyst and Carnelian?

Amethyst has top notes of Cinnamon and Black Pepper, heart notes of Amber, a base of Vanilla and Leather. Carnelian has top notes of Cinnamon and Black Pepper, heart notes of Carnation, White Tobacco and Vetiver, a base of Amber, Vanilla and Tonka Bean.