Fragrance comparison

Ébène vs Phileas

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 378 ratings analysed

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #27,855 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

64%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Phileas

Nina Ricci

4.42256 votes

Rank #3,896 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Phileas takes 4 of 7 categories.

Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.
Phileas
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring.

Ébène3/7

Phileas4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ÉbènePierre Balmain

PhileasNina Ricci

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

4.42/ 5 · 256 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerPhileasRating 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

54%Love

39%Like

1%Ok

4%Dislike

1%Hate

256 votes

Category winnerPhileasMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityÉbène

SillageÉbène

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value55

Category winnerPhileasBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

earthy77%

warm spicy69%

green61%

Scent match64%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

Juniper BerriesAldehydesGreen NotesBergamotLemon

Heart

Pine Tree NeedlesCarnationCarawayVetiverPatchouliCinnamonCedarJasmine

Base

OakmossLeatherTobaccoAmberMuskLabdanum

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Caraway, 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

Summer0

Fall0

Winter91

Day–

Night–

Category winnerÉbèneMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

Men85

Unisex12

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,855

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Overall rank#3,896

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews26

Category winnerPhileasHigher 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 →

Phileas by Nina Ricci opens with a sharp burst of juniper berries, bitter bergamot, and crisp green aldehydes. As the initial citrus sparkle settles, a dense heart of pine tree needles, earthy vetiver, caraway, and spicy carnation takes over. The dry down drops into a dark vintage base of oakmoss, smoky leather, dry t…

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 Phileas?

Phileas takes 4 of 7 categories. Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes; Phileas is rated 4.42/5 from 256 votes. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Phileas for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Ébène or Phileas?

They last about the same: Ébène 75/100, Phileas 74/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Ébène or Phileas?

Ébène projects furthest (Ébène 69/100, Phileas 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ébène and Phileas smell similar?

Closely related: a 64% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Caraway, Bergamot and Lemon.

Is Ébène or Phileas better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ébène is the stronger pick. For winter, Ébène is the stronger pick. Ébène suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ébène and Phileas?

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. Phileas has top notes of Juniper Berries, Aldehydes, Green Notes and Bergamot, heart notes of Pine Tree Needles, Carnation, Caraway and Vetiver, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Tobacco and Amber.