Fragrance comparison

Aromatics Elixir vs Raffinee

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 6,934 ratings analysed

5 wins

Aromatics Elixir

Clinique

3.796,615 votes

Rank #26,602 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

Raffinee

Houbigant

4.04319 votes

Rank #26,642 Warm SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Aromatics Elixir takes 5 of 8 categories.

Aromatics Elixir
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Raffinee
Choose it for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter, evening wear.

Aromatics Elixir5/8

Raffinee2/8

Ratings & consensus: Raffinee
Community sentiment: Raffinee
Longevity: Aromatics Elixir
Sillage & projection: Aromatics Elixir
Value for money: Aromatics Elixir
Versatility: Aromatics Elixir
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Aromatics Elixir

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Aromatics ElixirClinique

RaffineeHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.79/ 5 · 6,615 votes

Have 55%Had 22%Want 24%

4.04/ 5 · 319 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

Category winnerRaffineeRating 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

42%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

2%Hate

319 votes

Category winnerRaffineeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage77

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityAromatics Elixir

SillageAromatics Elixir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value65

¤ Price value59

Category winnerAromatics ElixirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

earthy84%

warm spicy77%

herbal69%

mossy61%

warm spicy100%

floral92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

powdery69%

sweet61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both aromatic, warm spicy and woody

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

Top15-30 mins

CarnationPlumClary SageOrange BlossomBergamotRoseJasmineLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootTonka BeanMimosaTuberoseYlang-YlangHiacynthOrchidOsmanthus

Base8-12 hrs

SpicesCinnamonIncenseSandalwoodVanillaMuskCypressVetiver

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring43

Summer31

Fall100

Winter97

Day94

Night100

Spring35

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day69

Night100

Category winnerAromatics ElixirMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex45

Women52

Men3

Unisex20

Women77

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,602

PerfumerBernard Chant

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#26,642

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAromatics ElixirHigher 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 →

Raffinee by Houbigant is an unapologetic powerhouse from 1982 that captures the bold theatrical spirit of early eighties perfumery. The spray opens with a punchy burst of dark stewed plum, sharp clary sage, and clove-like carnation. You get a brief alcoholic sting for two minutes before the dense oils grip the skin. O…

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 Raffinee?

Aromatics Elixir takes 5 of 8 categories. Aromatics Elixir is rated 3.79/5 from 6,615 votes; Raffinee is rated 4.04/5 from 319 votes. Choose Aromatics Elixir for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Raffinee for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Aromatics Elixir or Raffinee?

Aromatics Elixir lasts longest (Aromatics Elixir 85/100, Raffinee 78/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Aromatics Elixir or Raffinee?

Aromatics Elixir projects furthest (Aromatics Elixir 77/100, Raffinee 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Aromatics Elixir and Raffinee smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Clary Sage, Bergamot, Carnation and Rose.

Is Aromatics Elixir or Raffinee better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Aromatics Elixir and Raffinee?

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. Raffinee has top notes of Carnation, Plum, Clary Sage and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Orris Root, Tonka Bean, Mimosa and Tuberose, a base of Spices, Cinnamon, Incense and Sandalwood.