Fragrance comparison

Candelicious vs Scarlet Sands

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 65 ratings analysed

Candelicious

Risala

4.1429 votes

Rank #48,383 SweetFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Scarlet Sands

Ex Nihilo

4.2836 votes

Rank #13,717 White FloralCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Scarlet Sands takes 4 of 7 categories.

Candelicious
Choose it for a sweet and fruity character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Scarlet Sands
Choose it for a white floral and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Candelicious3/7

Scarlet Sands4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CandeliciousRisala

Scarlet SandsEx Nihilo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 29 votes

Have 42%Had 3%Want 55%

4.28/ 5 · 36 votes

Have 88%Had 12%Want 0%

Category winnerScarlet SandsRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

45%Like

10%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

29 votes

64%Love

14%Like

11%Ok

8%Dislike

3%Hate

36 votes

Category winnerCandeliciousMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevityScarlet Sands

SillageScarlet Sands

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value86

¤ Price value24

Category winnerCandeliciousBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

fruity86%

vanilla72%

floral58%

powdery44%

citrus30%

white floral100%

citrus92%

sweet84%

amber77%

fruity69%

oud61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both sweet, fruity and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

FreesiaNectarine blossomLemonApple

Heart

SugarRed BerriesMarshmallowStrawberryOrange BlossomWhipped CreamCoconut

Base

RaspberryVanillaMuskAmber

Top15-30 mins

RaspberryMandarin

Heart2-4 hrs

Orange BlossomJasmineFreesia

Base6-10+ hrs

AmberAkigalawoodVanilla

InformationalShared notesFreesia, Orange Blossom, Raspberry and Vanilla. Durations are only published for Scarlet Sands, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer91

Fall64

Winter64

Day100

Night78

Spring100

Summer60

Fall87

Winter60

Day100

Night67

Category winnerCandeliciousMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men7

Unisex41

Women52

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#48,383

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#13,717

PerfumerJordi Fernández

Launched—

Reviews13

Category winnerScarlet SandsHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Candelicious is a sweet fruity gourmand built around berries, marshmallow, whipped cream and vanilla, with a light citrus-fruity opening from lemon, apple and nectarine blossom. It reads playful, sugary and distinctly feminine. On skin, it is likely to suit shoppers who enjoy creamy candy-like scents more than dry woo…

Reviews →

Scarlet Sands by Ex Nihilo opens with a bright splash of ripe raspberry and juicy mandarin, creating a sweet, sunlit introduction that feels playful yet polished. As the initial fruitiness settles on your skin, a lush bouquet of orange blossom, clean freesia, and jasmine unfolds with creamy floral warmth. The base anc…

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, Candelicious or Scarlet Sands?

Scarlet Sands takes 4 of 7 categories. Candelicious is rated 4.14/5 from 29 votes; Scarlet Sands is rated 4.28/5 from 36 votes. Choose Candelicious for a sweet and fruity character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Scarlet Sands for a white floral and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Candelicious or Scarlet Sands?

Scarlet Sands lasts longest (Scarlet Sands 74/100, Candelicious 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Candelicious or Scarlet Sands?

Scarlet Sands projects furthest (Scarlet Sands 59/100, Candelicious 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Candelicious and Scarlet Sands smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet, fruity and citrus accords. Common notes include Freesia, Orange Blossom, Raspberry and Vanilla.

Is Candelicious or Scarlet Sands better for summer or winter?

For summer, Candelicious is the stronger pick. For winter, Candelicious is the stronger pick. Candelicious suits daytime wear; Scarlet Sands suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Candelicious and Scarlet Sands?

Candelicious has top notes of Freesia, Nectarine blossom, Lemon and Apple, heart notes of Sugar, Red Berries, Marshmallow and Strawberry, a base of Raspberry, Vanilla, Musk and Amber. Scarlet Sands has top notes of Raspberry and Mandarin, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Jasmine and Freesia, a base of Amber, Akigalawood and Vanilla.