Fragrance comparison

Black Citrus vs Paradox

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 619 ratings analysed

Black Citrus

Vilhelm Parfumerie

3.59593 votes

Rank #35,836 AromaticCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

7 wins

Paradox

West World

4.8126 votes

Rank #25,603 PowderyViolet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Paradox takes 7 of 7 categories.

Black Citrus
Choose it for a aromatic and citrus character. Best in spring.
Paradox
Choose it for a powdery and violet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.

Black Citrus0/7

Paradox7/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black CitrusVilhelm Parfumerie

ParadoxWest World

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.59/ 5 · 593 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

4.81/ 5 · 26 votes

Have 46%Had 1%Want 53%

Category winnerParadoxRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

22%Love

37%Like

21%Ok

16%Dislike

3%Hate

593 votes

81%Love

19%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

26 votes

Category winnerParadoxMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate95

Category winners

LongevityParadox

SillageParadox

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value31

¤ Price value67

Category winnerParadoxBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

citrus92%

leather84%

woody77%

fresh spicy69%

smoky61%

powdery100%

violet92%

woody84%

iris77%

fresh spicy69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Calabrian bergamotCardamom

Heart

MateViolet

Base

BirchPatchouli

Top

NeroliBlack PepperCardamomCarrot Seeds

Heart

IrisVioletGeraniumMate

Base

CedarAmberSandalwoodPatchouli

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Mate, Violet and Patchouli. 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

Summer93

Fall0

Winter40

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer76

Fall95

Winter100

Day91

Night100

Category winnerParadoxMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men46

Unisex44

Women10

Men82

Unisex18

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#35,836

PerfumerJérôme Epinette

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#25,603

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerParadoxHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Citrus opens with a sharp burst of Calabrian bergamot and a cold crack of black cardamom. It is a wet, mineral, and almost industrial start. As it warms on the skin, a dry violet leaf note and green mate tea emerge to temper the initial sourness. The scent eventually settles into a stark, smoky base of birch tar…

Reviews →

Paradox opens with neroli, black pepper and cardamom, then settles into a powdery iris and violet heart over smooth woods, amber and patchouli. It reads clean, spiced and slightly earthy rather than overly sweet. On skin, it often comes across as a modern woody floral with a masculine tilt. If you enjoy the polished i…

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, Black Citrus or Paradox?

Paradox takes 7 of 7 categories. Black Citrus is rated 3.59/5 from 593 votes; Paradox is rated 4.81/5 from 26 votes. Choose Black Citrus for a aromatic and citrus character. Best in spring. Choose Paradox for a powdery and violet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Citrus or Paradox?

Paradox lasts longest (Paradox 70/100, Black Citrus 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Citrus or Paradox?

Paradox projects furthest (Paradox 61/100, Black Citrus 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Citrus and Paradox smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Mate, Violet and Patchouli.

Is Black Citrus or Paradox better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Black Citrus and Paradox?

Black Citrus has top notes of Calabrian bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of Mate and Violet, a base of Birch and Patchouli. Paradox has top notes of Neroli, Black Pepper, Cardamom and Carrot Seeds, heart notes of Iris, Violet, Geranium and Mate, a base of Cedar, Amber, Sandalwood and Patchouli.