Fragrance comparison

Ébène vs Eau 21

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 154 ratings analysed

3 wins

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #28,008 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

58%scent match

Closely related

Eau 21

Aimee de Mars Parfums

3.6532 votes

Rank #20,143 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ébène takes 3 of 5 categories.

Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Eau 21
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Ébène3/5

Eau 212/5

Ratings & consensus: Ébène
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Ébène
Sillage & projection: Ébène
Value for money: Eau 21
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Eau 21

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ÉbènePierre Balmain

Eau 21Aimee de Mars Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

3.65/ 5 · 32 votes

Have 21%Had 21%Want 57%

Category winnerÉbèneRating 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

20%Love

60%Like

0%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityÉbène

SillageÉbène

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value52

Category winnerEau 21Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

woody100%

aromatic90%

citrus80%

fresh spicy70%

green60%

mossy50%

Scent match58%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MintAldehydesCarawayAniseArtemisiaBasilBergamotLemon

Heart

PineCarnationGeraniumPatchouliJasmineRoseCinnamon

Base

OakmossLeatherLabdanumAmberMuskTonka Bean

Top

LemonBergamotMintBasil

Heart

CedarSandalwoodOakmoss

Base

—

InformationalShared notesMint, Basil, Bergamot and Lemon. 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

Spring100

Summer100

Fall50

Winter0

Day100

Night33

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,008

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Overall rank#20,143

PerfumerValerie Demars

Launched—

Reviews9

Category winnerEau 21Higher 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 →

Eau 21 is a light, brisk citrus aromatic with a woody, mossy base. Lemon, bergamot, mint and basil give it a cool green opening, then cedar, sandalwood and oakmoss keep it clean, dry and slightly earthy. It reads as easy, natural and understated rather than bold. If you like fresh fragrances that stay close to the ski…

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 Eau 21?

Ébène takes 3 of 5 categories. Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes; Eau 21 is rated 3.65/5 from 32 votes. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Eau 21 for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ébène or Eau 21?

Ébène lasts longest (Ébène 75/100, Eau 21 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ébène or Eau 21?

Ébène projects furthest (Ébène 69/100, Eau 21 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ébène and Eau 21 smell similar?

Closely related: a 58% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Mint, Basil, Bergamot and Lemon.

Is Ébène or Eau 21 better for summer or winter?

Ébène suits evening wear; Eau 21 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ébène and Eau 21?

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. Eau 21 has top notes of Lemon, Bergamot, Mint and Basil, heart notes of Cedar, Sandalwood and Oakmoss.