Fragrance comparison

Balafre Vert vs Chanson Noire

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

Updated 20 Oct 2026 25 ratings analysed

3 wins

Balafre Vert

Lancôme

4.1811 votes

Rank #46,449 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

Chanson Noire

Sylhouette Parfums

3.4314 votes

Rank #22,798 SmokyLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Balafre Vert takes 3 of 5 categories.

Balafre Vert
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, evening wear.
Chanson Noire
Choose it for a smoky and leather character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Balafre Vert3/5

Chanson Noire2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Balafre VertLancôme

Chanson NoireSylhouette Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.18/ 5 · 11 votes

Have 27%Had 8%Want 64%

3.43/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 5%Had 2%Want 92%

Category winnerBalafre VertRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

55%Love

27%Like

9%Ok

0%Dislike

9%Hate

11 votes · too few to score

36%Love

14%Like

21%Ok

14%Dislike

14%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage82

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

LongevityBalafre Vert

SillageBalafre Vert

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value58

Category winnerChanson NoireBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody88%

fresh spicy77%

earthy65%

green53%

mossy42%

smoky100%

leather86%

aromatic72%

woody58%

animalic44%

earthy30%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LavenderGreen NotesCypressBergamotNeroli

Heart

Pine TreeGeraniumSageFernCedarCloves

Base

OakmossVetiverLeatherMuskAmber

Notes

SmokeLeatherAbsintheVetiverNarcissusLavenderSageGeranium

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesLavender, Geranium, Sage and Vetiver. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer50

Fall100

Winter100

Day75

Night100

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter67

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men89

Unisex11

Women0

Men33

Unisex67

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#46,449

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#22,798

PerfumerSy Truong

Launched—

Reviews7

Category winnerChanson NoireHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balafre Vert is an old-school green chypre with a sharp aromatic opening, piney herbs in the heart, and a dry mossy leather base. It leans brisk, woody, and earthy rather than soft or sweet. If you enjoy classic masculine scents with oakmoss, vetiver, and a slightly rugged forest feel, this is the part that stands out…

Reviews →

Chanson Noire opens with a sharp, intoxicating rush of absinthe paired with dark, rustic leather. This woody aromatic creation by Sy Truong moves into a complex heart of sage and vetiver, settling into a smoky, damp, earthy profile. It is a bold, mood-heavy scent designed for those who enjoy challenging, dark, and unc…

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, Balafre Vert or Chanson Noire?

Balafre Vert takes 3 of 5 categories. Balafre Vert is rated 4.18/5 from 11 votes; Chanson Noire is rated 3.43/5 from 14 votes. Choose Balafre Vert for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Chanson Noire for a smoky and leather character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Balafre Vert or Chanson Noire?

They last about the same: Balafre Vert 82/100, Chanson Noire 80/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Balafre Vert or Chanson Noire?

Balafre Vert projects furthest (Balafre Vert 82/100, Chanson Noire 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Balafre Vert and Chanson Noire smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and earthy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Geranium, Sage and Vetiver.

Is Balafre Vert or Chanson Noire better for summer or winter?

Balafre Vert suits evening wear; Chanson Noire suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balafre Vert and Chanson Noire?

Balafre Vert has top notes of Lavender, Green Notes, Cypress and Bergamot, heart notes of Pine Tree, Geranium, Sage and Fern, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Leather and Musk. Chanson Noire features Smoke, Leather, Absinthe, Vetiver and Narcissus.