Fragrance comparison

Balafre Brun vs Hotis

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 133 ratings analysed

5 wins

Balafre Brun

Lancôme

4.2056 votes

Rank #9,318 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

Hotis

Once

3.8077 votes

Rank #14,358 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Balafre Brun takes 5 of 7 categories.

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

Balafre Brun5/7

Hotis2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Balafre BrunLancôme

HotisOnce

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.20/ 5 · 56 votes

Have 34%Had 21%Want 45%

3.80/ 5 · 77 votes

Have 50%Had 16%Want 34%

Category winnerBalafre BrunRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

23%Like

13%Ok

17%Dislike

0%Hate

30 votes

37%Love

41%Like

10%Ok

8%Dislike

3%Hate

59 votes

Category winnerHotisMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityBalafre Brun

SillageBalafre Brun

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value29

¤ Price value77

Category winnerHotisBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

tobacco84%

citrus77%

mossy69%

earthy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

rose77%

green69%

soft spicy61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ChamomileLavenderBergamotLemon

Heart

Pine needlesTobaccoClovesLeatherNeroli

Base

OakmossCedarVetiverSandalwoodAmber

Top

Juniper BerriesPink PepperMate

Heart

RoseTeaClovesNeroli

Base

CedarTobaccoAmberLabdanumSandalwood

InformationalShared notesTobacco, Cloves, Neroli and Cedar. 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

Summer29

Fall100

Winter79

Day69

Night100

Spring100

Summer53

Fall78

Winter28

Day100

Night59

Category winnerBalafre BrunMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men52

Unisex42

Women6

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,318

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#14,358

PerfumerSoizic Beaucourt

Launched—

Reviews9

Category winnerBalafre BrunHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balafre Brun is an old-school woody chypre with a dark, leafy opening, aromatic herbs, and a dry tobacco-moss base. It starts sharp and earthy, then settles into something more barbershop-like, with lavender, woods, and a worn leather feel. This suits buyers who enjoy vintage masculine perfumery, especially in cooler …

Reviews →

Hotis by Once is a woody aromatic fragrance designed for daily wear. It opens with bright juniper berries and pink pepper before revealing a heart of tea, mate, and rose. This versatile composition settles into a grounding base of cedar and tobacco, making it a compelling choice for crisp spring mornings and relaxed o…

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, Balafre Brun or Hotis?

Balafre Brun takes 5 of 7 categories. Balafre Brun is rated 4.20/5 from 56 votes; Hotis is rated 3.80/5 from 77 votes. Choose Balafre Brun for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Hotis for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Balafre Brun or Hotis?

Balafre Brun lasts longest (Balafre Brun 76/100, Hotis 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Balafre Brun or Hotis?

Balafre Brun projects furthest (Balafre Brun 64/100, Hotis 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Balafre Brun and Hotis smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Tobacco, Cloves, Neroli and Cedar.

Is Balafre Brun or Hotis better for summer or winter?

For summer, Hotis is the stronger pick. For winter, Balafre Brun is the stronger pick. Balafre Brun suits evening wear; Hotis suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balafre Brun and Hotis?

Balafre Brun has top notes of Chamomile, Lavender, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Pine needles, Tobacco, Cloves and Leather, a base of Oakmoss, Cedar, Vetiver and Sandalwood. Hotis has top notes of Juniper Berries, Pink Pepper and Mate, heart notes of Rose, Tea, Cloves and Neroli, a base of Cedar, Tobacco, Amber and Labdanum.