Fragrance comparison

Autoportrait vs Carbone de Balmain

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,510 ratings analysed

Autoportrait

Olfactive Studio

3.98915 votes

Rank #4,549 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Carbone de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.32595 votes

Rank #26,475 AmberAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Carbone de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories.

Autoportrait
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Carbone de Balmain
Choose it for a amber and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Autoportrait2/7

Carbone de Balmain5/7

Ratings & consensus: Carbone de Balmain
Community sentiment: Carbone de Balmain
Longevity: Carbone de Balmain
Sillage & projection: Carbone de Balmain
Value for money: Carbone de Balmain
Versatility: Autoportrait
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Autoportrait

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

AutoportraitOlfactive Studio

Carbone de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 915 votes

Have 67%Had 33%Want 0%

4.32/ 5 · 595 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

Category winnerCarbone de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

52%Like

8%Ok

10%Dislike

1%Hate

915 votes

51%Love

39%Like

2%Ok

7%Dislike

1%Hate

595 votes

Category winnerCarbone de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityCarbone de Balmain

SillageCarbone de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value53

Category winnerCarbone de BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

amber84%

balsamic77%

earthy69%

citrus61%

amber100%

aromatic92%

balsamic84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

woody61%

Scent match61%Closely related · both aromatic, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

elemiBergamot

Heart

BenzoinIncenseMusk

Base

Virginia CedarVetiveroak moss

Notes

elemiIncenseblack figBourbon PepperBenzoinVetiverViolet LeafIvyMusk

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared noteselemi, Benzoin, Incense and Musk. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer52

Fall0

Winter77

Day–

Night–

Spring71

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerAutoportraitMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men42

Unisex51

Women7

Men84

Unisex10

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,549

PerfumerNathalie Lorson

Launched—

Reviews73

Overall rank#26,475

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAutoportraitHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Autoportrait by Olfactive Studio opens with a quiet flash of bergamot and the pine-like resinous warmth of elemi. It quickly settles into a dry cedarwood and vetiver combination that hugs the skin. The addition of incense and soft musk creates a woody, paper-like texture. It feels private and calm rather than loud or …

Reviews →

Carbone de Balmain is a dark, woody-spicy fragrance that centers on the smell of graphite and cold incense. It fits well into professional settings or crisp autumn evenings, offering a sharp, intellectual profile that stands out from typical crowd-pleasing scents. This is a scent for those who prefer mystery over swee…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Autoportrait or Carbone de Balmain?

Carbone de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories. Autoportrait is rated 3.98/5 from 915 votes; Carbone de Balmain is rated 4.32/5 from 595 votes. Choose Autoportrait for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Carbone de Balmain for a amber and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Autoportrait or Carbone de Balmain?

Carbone de Balmain lasts longest (Carbone de Balmain 67/100, Autoportrait 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Autoportrait or Carbone de Balmain?

Carbone de Balmain projects furthest (Carbone de Balmain 60/100, Autoportrait 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Autoportrait and Carbone de Balmain smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, amber and woody accords. Common notes include elemi, Benzoin, Incense and Musk.

Is Autoportrait or Carbone de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Autoportrait is the stronger pick. For winter, Carbone de Balmain is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Autoportrait and Carbone de Balmain?

Autoportrait has top notes of elemi and Bergamot, heart notes of Benzoin, Incense and Musk, a base of Virginia Cedar, Vetiver and oak moss. Carbone de Balmain features elemi, Incense, black fig, Bourbon Pepper and Benzoin.