Fragrance comparison

Ébène vs Illusion

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 134 ratings analysed

4 wins

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #25,690 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

Illusion

Denim

3.6712 votes

Rank #46,702 HerbalAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ébène takes 4 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.
Illusion
Choose it for a herbal and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Ébène4/5

Illusion1/5

Ratings & consensus: Ébène
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Ébène
Sillage & projection: Ébène
Value for money: Illusion
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

IllusionDenim

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

3.67/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 37%Had 17%Want 47%

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

17%Love

50%Like

25%Ok

0%Dislike

8%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityÉbène

SillageÉbène

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value70

Category winnerIllusionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

herbal100%

aromatic86%

fresh spicy72%

woody58%

powdery44%

bitter30%

Scent match38%Some overlap · 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

Top15-30 mins

ArtemisiaThymeBasil

Heart2-3 hrs

SandalwoodRussian Leather

Base4-6 hrs

White MuskSiam BenzoinAmbergris

InformationalShared notesArtemisia and Basil. Durations are only published for Illusion, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring71

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day80

Night100

Spring100

Summer80

Fall60

Winter100

Day100

Night35

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

Casual 40%Work 35%Date 15%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,690

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Overall rank#46,702

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

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 →

Denim Illusion is a crisp, bitter-green oriental fougere that cuts through morning air with sharp aromatic bite. The first blast delivers a potent dose of bitter artemisia, crushed garden thyme, and peppery basil. It smells like crushed Mediterranean herbs steeped in cold well water. Within twenty minutes, the sharp h…

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, Ébène or Illusion?

Ébène takes 4 of 5 categories. Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes; Illusion is rated 3.67/5 from 12 votes. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Illusion for a herbal and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ébène or Illusion?

Ébène lasts longest (Ébène 75/100, Illusion 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ébène or Illusion?

Ébène projects furthest (Ébène 69/100, Illusion 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ébène and Illusion smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Artemisia and Basil.

Is Ébène or Illusion better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Ébène and Illusion?

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. Illusion has top notes of Artemisia, Thyme and Basil, heart notes of Sandalwood and Russian Leather, a base of White Musk, Siam Benzoin and Ambergris.