Fragrance comparison

Ébène vs Bravas

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 130 ratings analysed

3 wins

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #27,812 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

69%scent match

Closely related

Bravas

Shiseido

4.508 votes

Rank #46,023 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ébène takes 3 of 4 categories.

Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Bravas
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Ébène3/4

Bravas1/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ÉbènePierre Balmain

BravasShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.50/ 5 · 8 votes

Have 35%Had 11%Want 54%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

59%Love

30%Like

2%Ok

7%Dislike

2%Hate

122 votes

50%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

8 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity33

〰 Sillage31

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityÉbène

SillageÉbène

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value50

Category winnerBravasBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

green77%

amber69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match69%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MintAldehydesCarawayAniseArtemisiaBasilBergamotLemon

Heart

PineCarnationGeraniumPatchouliJasmineRoseCinnamon

Base

OakmossLeatherLabdanumAmberMuskTonka Bean

Top

RosemaryNeroliLavenderGreen NotesClary SageFruity NotesBasilArtemisia

Heart

JasminePineRoseClovesCarawayCinnamon

Base

LabdanumOakmossLeatherAmberPatchouliMuskCoconutWhite Cedar Extract

InformationalShared notesCaraway, Artemisia, Basil and Pine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring71

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day80

Night100

Spring88

Summer100

Fall63

Winter25

Day100

Night22

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,812

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Overall rank#46,023

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerÉbèneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ébène by Pierre Balmain delivers a dark wood experience driven by myrrh oil and deep ebony wood. Built for winter evenings in a heavy coat, this scent contrasts hot cinnamon against dry tobacco. It wears heavy and warm on the skin, offering a smoky performance that stands out in cold weather.

Reviews →

Shiseido Bravas lands on skin with a bracing, vintage Japanese grooming aesthetic. The opening strikes with clean rosemary, lavender, and bergamot, bringing a crispness that feels like stepping out of a classic barbershop on a humid summer morning. As the initial brightness settles, the scent reveals a herbal heart of…

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, Ébène or Bravas?

Ébène takes 3 of 4 categories. Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes; Bravas is rated 4.50/5 from 8 votes. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Bravas for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ébène or Bravas?

Ébène lasts longest (Ébène 75/100, Bravas 33/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ébène or Bravas?

Ébène projects furthest (Ébène 69/100, Bravas 31/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ébène and Bravas smell similar?

Closely related: a 69% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Caraway, Artemisia, Basil and Pine.

Is Ébène or Bravas better for summer or winter?

Ébène suits evening wear; Bravas suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ébène and Bravas?

Ébène has top notes of Mint, Aldehydes, Caraway and Anise, heart notes of Pine, Carnation, Geranium and Patchouli, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Labdanum and Amber. Bravas has top notes of Rosemary, Neroli, Lavender and Green Notes, heart notes of Jasmine, Pine, Rose and Cloves, a base of Labdanum, Oakmoss, Leather and Amber.