Fragrance comparison

Bois Noir vs Exotic

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 60 ratings analysed

3 wins

Bois Noir

Chanel

4.4760 votes

Rank #28,672 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Exotic

Shirley May

—0 votes

Rank #68,809 AromaticWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bois Noir takes 3 of 3 categories.

Bois Noir
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Exotic
Choose it for a aromatic and white floral character.

Bois Noir3/3

Exotic0/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Bois NoirChanel

ExoticShirley May

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.47/ 5 · 60 votes

Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%

—/ 5 · 0 votes

Have 0%Had 60%Want 40%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

70%Love

18%Like

0%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

60 votes

Not enough votes yet

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity40

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hateN/A

Category winners

LongevityBois Noir

SillageBois Noir

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value22

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

rose84%

lavender77%

floral69%

citrus61%

aromatic100%

white floral92%

citrus84%

fresh spicy77%

woody69%

herbal61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

SandalwoodRoseLavenderAmbrette (Musk Mallow)Brazilian RosewoodMandarin OrangeCorianderBourbon Vanilla

No top / heart / base split published

Top

LavenderMandarin OrangeBergamotLemon

Heart

CorianderLilyOrange BlossomJuniper BerriesBasilJasmineSageLily-of-the-Valley

Base

SandalwoodMuskAmberVetiverBrazilian Rosewood

InformationalShared notesSandalwood, Lavender, Brazilian Rosewood and Mandarin Orange. Durations are only published for Bois Noir, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring54

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day58

Night100

No season votes yet

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men78

Unisex17

Women6

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,672

PerfumerJacques Polge

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#68,809

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBois NoirHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Chanel Bois Noir is a legendary 1987 release that set the blueprint for modern woody perfumery. The scent starts with a bright flash of mandarin orange and crisp coriander before settling into a deep, velvety heart of Turkish rose and lavender. What really anchors the experience is the base. A massive dose of creamy M…

Reviews →

Exotic by Shirley May starts with a sharp, cool blast of herbal lavender mixed with bergamot and sour lemon. As it settles onto the skin, the initial crispness softens, introducing a clean floral heart dominated by lily-of-the-valley and orange blossom. Basil and coriander add a dry, peppery greenness that keeps the m…

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 lasts longer, Bois Noir or Exotic?

Bois Noir lasts longest (Bois Noir 73/100, Exotic 40/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Bois Noir or Exotic?

Bois Noir projects furthest (Bois Noir 78/100, Exotic 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Bois Noir and Exotic smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and citrus accords. Common notes include Sandalwood, Lavender, Brazilian Rosewood and Mandarin Orange.

Is Bois Noir or Exotic better for summer or winter?

Bois Noir suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Bois Noir and Exotic?

Bois Noir features Sandalwood, Rose, Lavender, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Brazilian Rosewood. Exotic has top notes of Lavender, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Coriander, Lily, Orange Blossom and Juniper Berries, a base of Sandalwood, Musk, Amber and Vetiver.