Fragrance comparison

Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla vs Red African

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 52 ratings analysed

Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla

Mar e Sol

4.1513 votes

Rank #21,461 VanillaCaramel

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Red African

Al Haramain Perfumes

4.5439 votes

Rank #12,468 Fresh SpicyCaramel

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Red African takes 4 of 5 categories.

Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla
Choose it for a vanilla and caramel character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Red African
Choose it for a fresh spicy and caramel character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla1/5

Red African4/5

Ratings & consensus: Red African
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Red African
Sillage & projection: Red African
Value for money: Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Red African

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Caramel Macadamia & VanillaMar e Sol

Red AfricanAl Haramain Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.15/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 70%Had 10%Want 20%

4.54/ 5 · 39 votes

Have 42%Had 7%Want 51%

Category winnerRed AfricanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

54%Love

15%Like

23%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

62%Love

31%Like

8%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

39 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity44

〰 Sillage45

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityRed African

SillageRed African

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value79

¤ Price value72

Category winnerCaramel Macadamia & VanillaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

caramel86%

nutty72%

sweet58%

powdery44%

balsamic30%

fresh spicy100%

caramel91%

sweet83%

vanilla74%

balsamic65%

woody56%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both caramel, vanilla and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Caramel

Heart1-2 hrs

Macadamia

Base3-4 hrs

Vanilla

Top

Brazilian Rosewood

Heart

NutmegCaramel

Base

VanillaAmbergrisMusk

InformationalShared notesCaramel and Vanilla. Durations are only published for Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring20

Summer40

Fall80

Winter100

Day100

Night57

Spring36

Summer29

Fall93

Winter100

Day100

Night71

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex27

Women73

Casual 44%Date 25%Work 17%Party 14%

Men8

Unisex46

Women46

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#21,461

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#12,468

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Category winnerRed AfricanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mar e Sol Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla delivers an immediate rush of hot caramel poured over roasted nuts. Pure bakery bliss. The macadamia heart brings a rich, savory nutty depth that prevents the sugar from turning into flat syrup. It feels deliciously warm. As the mist settles, cozy vanilla takes over with a soft, p…

Reviews →

Red African is a cosy, edible gourmand that wears like caramel vanilla drizzled over warm spice and soft woods. Several wearers describe a bakery vibe, with chocolate and coffee facets showing up on skin, especially in cooler weather. Expect a bold, sweet opening that can turn more intimate later. Some people also not…

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, Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla or Red African?

Red African takes 4 of 5 categories. Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla is rated 4.15/5 from 13 votes; Red African is rated 4.54/5 from 39 votes. Choose Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla for a vanilla and caramel character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Red African for a fresh spicy and caramel character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla or Red African?

Red African lasts longest (Red African 71/100, Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla or Red African?

Red African projects furthest (Red African 58/100, Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla 45/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla and Red African smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share caramel, vanilla and sweet accords. Common notes include Caramel and Vanilla.

Is Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla or Red African better for summer or winter?

Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla suits daytime wear; Red African suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla and Red African?

Caramel Macadamia & Vanilla has top notes of Caramel, heart notes of Macadamia, a base of Vanilla. Red African has top notes of Brazilian Rosewood, heart notes of Nutmeg and Caramel, a base of Vanilla, Ambergris and Musk.