Fragrance comparison

Arlesienne vs Risala Special Blend

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 428 ratings analysed

Arlesienne

L'Occitane en Provence

4.04416 votes

Rank #7,528 RoseViolet

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Risala Special Blend

Risala

4.0812 votes

Rank #47,720 FloralWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Risala Special Blend takes 3 of 5 categories.

Arlesienne
Choose it for a rose and violet character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Risala Special Blend
Choose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Arlesienne2/5

Risala Special Blend3/5

Ratings & consensus: Arlesienne
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Risala Special Blend
Sillage & projection: Risala Special Blend
Value for money: Risala Special Blend
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Arlesienne

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ArlesienneL'Occitane en Provence

Risala Special BlendRisala

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 416 votes

Have 62%Had 38%Want 0%

4.08/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 31%Had 4%Want 65%

Category winnerArlesienneRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

31%Love

54%Like

4%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

416 votes

33%Love

58%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

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityRisala Special Blend

SillageRisala Special Blend

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value52

¤ Price value89

Category winnerRisala Special BlendBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

rose100%

violet92%

powdery84%

woody77%

floral69%

warm spicy61%

floral100%

white floral92%

powdery84%

woody77%

fruity69%

sweet61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both floral, powdery and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Mandarin OrangeSaffron

Heart2-4 hrs

Grasse RoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base5-7 hrs

VioletSandalwoodTonka BeanWhite Woods

Top

RaspberryLily-of-the-ValleyThymeMandarin OrangeBergamotMagnoliaSaffronLilac

Heart

JasminePeachYlang YlangTuberoseOlibanumVioletBulgarian RoseCarnation

Base

LeatherIrisAmberSandalwoodMuskWoody NotesVanillaClove

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Saffron, Lily-of-the-Valley and Violet. Durations are only published for Arlesienne, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter31

Day100

Night37

Spring100

Summer14

Fall100

Winter71

Day25

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex3

Women97

Casual 35%Work 31%Date 25%Party 9%

Men29

Unisex43

Women29

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,528

PerfumerKarine Dubreuil-Sereni

Launched—

Reviews38

Overall rank#47,720

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerArlesienneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Occitane Arlesienne is a crisp, powdery floral Eau de Toilette built around honeyed Grasse rose, soft violet, and sparkling mandarin orange. It starts with a zesty burst of citrus peel and bittersweet saffron before mellowing into dewy garden petals and clean sandalwood. The scent feels airy yet comforting. It never…

Reviews →

Risala Special Blend opens like a bright floral-fruity blend, with raspberry and citrus quickly meeting a dense bouquet of white florals, rose, and soft powder. As it settles, the scent turns warmer and smoother, bringing in leather, amber, sandalwood, and vanilla. It reads unisex with a slightly dressy feel, and it m…

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, Arlesienne or Risala Special Blend?

Risala Special Blend takes 3 of 5 categories. Arlesienne is rated 4.04/5 from 416 votes; Risala Special Blend is rated 4.08/5 from 12 votes. Choose Arlesienne for a rose and violet character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Risala Special Blend for a floral and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Arlesienne or Risala Special Blend?

Risala Special Blend lasts longest (Risala Special Blend 71/100, Arlesienne 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Arlesienne or Risala Special Blend?

Risala Special Blend projects furthest (Risala Special Blend 64/100, Arlesienne 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Arlesienne and Risala Special Blend smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, powdery and woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Saffron, Lily-of-the-Valley and Violet.

Is Arlesienne or Risala Special Blend better for summer or winter?

Arlesienne suits daytime wear; Risala Special Blend suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Arlesienne and Risala Special Blend?

Arlesienne has top notes of Mandarin Orange and Saffron, heart notes of Grasse Rose and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Violet, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and White Woods. Risala Special Blend has top notes of Raspberry, Lily-of-the-Valley, Thyme and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Jasmine, Peach, Ylang Ylang and Tuberose, a base of Leather, Iris, Amber and Sandalwood.