Fragrance comparison

Aromatics Elixir vs Kouros

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 15,199 ratings analysed

4 wins

Aromatics Elixir

Clinique

3.796,615 votes

Rank #26,602 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

Kouros

Yves Saint Laurent

3.618,584 votes

Rank #1,447 MuskyAnimalic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Aromatics Elixir takes 4 of 7 categories.

Aromatics Elixir
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Kouros
Choose it for a musky and animalic character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Aromatics Elixir4/7

Kouros2/7

Ratings & consensus: Aromatics Elixir
Community sentiment: Aromatics Elixir
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Kouros
Value for money: Aromatics Elixir
Versatility: Aromatics Elixir
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Kouros

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Aromatics ElixirClinique

KourosYves Saint Laurent

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.79/ 5 · 6,615 votes

Have 55%Had 22%Want 24%

3.61/ 5 · 8,584 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerAromatics ElixirRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

30%Like

3%Ok

23%Dislike

4%Hate

6,615 votes

40%Love

23%Like

4%Ok

23%Dislike

9%Hate

8,584 votes

Category winnerAromatics ElixirMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage77

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage79

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageKouros

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value65

¤ Price value58

Category winnerAromatics ElixirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

earthy84%

warm spicy77%

herbal69%

mossy61%

musky100%

animalic92%

aromatic84%

powdery77%

earthy69%

leather61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both aromatic and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

ChamomileAldehydesClary SageCorianderGeraniumLemon VerbenaBrazilian RosewoodBergamot

Heart3 to 4 hours

CarnationRoseYlang-YlangOrris RootJasmineTuberoseOrange Blossom

Base8 to 10+ hours

OakmossPatchouliIncenseVetiverSandalwoodMusk

Top

AldehydesCorianderClary SageArtemisiaBergamot

Heart

PatchouliCarnationVetiverJasmineGeraniumOrris RootCinnamonLavender

Base

CivetMuskHoneyLeatherOakmossAmberTonka BeanVanilla

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Clary Sage, Coriander and Geranium. Durations are only published for Aromatics Elixir, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring43

Summer31

Fall100

Winter97

Day94

Night100

Spring57

Summer36

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerAromatics ElixirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex45

Women52

Men92

Unisex6

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,602

PerfumerBernard Chant

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#1,447

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews209

Category winnerKourosHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Clinique Aromatics Elixir is a powerhouse chypre fragrance built on herbal bitterness, powdery florals, and dark forest woods. The scent opens with a sharp burst of chamomile, lemon verbena, and soapy aldehydes, creating an intensely crisp, herbal atmosphere. As the brisk opening settles, a dense floral core of carnat…

Reviews →

Yves Saint Laurent Kouros is a legendary aromatic fougere that balances squeaky clean freshness with a warm, gritty punch. Built around a striking contrast between fizzy aldehydes, sweet golden honey, and a notorious civet musk base, it smells like stepping out of a steaming hot shower after scrubbing with classic her…

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, Aromatics Elixir or Kouros?

Aromatics Elixir takes 4 of 7 categories. Aromatics Elixir is rated 3.79/5 from 6,615 votes; Kouros is rated 3.61/5 from 8,584 votes. Choose Aromatics Elixir for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Kouros for a musky and animalic character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Aromatics Elixir or Kouros?

They last about the same: Aromatics Elixir 85/100, Kouros 85/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Aromatics Elixir or Kouros?

Projection is very close: Kouros 79/100, Aromatics Elixir 77/100 for sillage.

Do Aromatics Elixir and Kouros smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and earthy accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Clary Sage, Coriander and Geranium.

Is Aromatics Elixir or Kouros better for summer or winter?

For summer, Kouros is the stronger pick. For winter, Kouros is the stronger pick. Aromatics Elixir suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Aromatics Elixir and Kouros?

Aromatics Elixir has top notes of Chamomile, Aldehydes, Clary Sage and Coriander, heart notes of Carnation, Rose, Ylang-Ylang and Orris Root, a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli, Incense and Vetiver. Kouros has top notes of Aldehydes, Coriander, Clary Sage and Artemisia, heart notes of Patchouli, Carnation, Vetiver and Jasmine, a base of Civet, Musk, Honey and Leather.