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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Carbon vs Black Suede

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

Updated 873 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Suede takes 4 of 7 categories.

  • Carbon

    Choose it for a woody and powdery character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

  • Black Suede

    Choose it for a musky and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

Carbon1/7
Black Suede4/7
Ratings & consensus
Black Suede
Community sentiment
Black Suede
Longevity
Tie
Sillage & projection
Tie
Value for money
Black Suede
Versatility
Black Suede
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Carbon

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
CarbonAjmal
Black SuedeAvon
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
3.68/ 5 · 313 votes
Have 52%Had 24%Want 24%
3.88/ 5 · 560 votes
Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%
Category winnerBlack SuedeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
22%Love
54%Like
8%Ok
16%Dislike
1%Hate

284 votes

26%Love
51%Like
8%Ok
12%Dislike
2%Hate

560 votes

Category winnerBlack SuedeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity62
〰 Sillage55
♥ Love / hate70
⏱ Longevity62
〰 Sillage55
♥ Love / hate72
Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value74
¤ Price value88
Category winnerBlack SuedeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
woody100%
powdery92%
warm spicy84%
violet77%
lavender69%
citrus61%
musky100%
amber92%
powdery84%
woody77%
warm spicy69%
fresh spicy61%
Scent match38%Some overlap · both woody, powdery and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
LavenderCitruses
Heart
VioletClove
Base
Woodsy NotesMuskPatchouli
Top
NutmegAldehydesCarnationCorianderGreen NotesBergamot
Heart
CloveOrrisLeatherVetiverRoseLavenderHeliotropeThyme
Base
MuskAmberWoodsy NotesOakmossCivetSuedeOpoponaxAnise
InformationalShared notesLavender, Clove, Woodsy Notes and Musk. 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
Summer0
Fall0
Winter39
Day–
Night–
Spring42
Summer25
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerBlack SuedeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men82
Unisex16
Women2
Men84
Unisex12
Women5
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#16,362

PerfumerNazir Ajmal

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#27,904

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerCarbonHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ajmal Carbon is a woody, powdery scent that opens with clean lavender and a quick squeeze of citrus, then moves into a violet heart warmed by clove. The dry down leans musky, woody and a little earthy from patchouli. It reads classic and put together rather than loud, with a smooth, slightly spicy finish that suits ev…

Reviews →

Avon Black Suede opens with a sharp burst of soapy aldehydes, spicy nutmeg, and crisp carnation. Within fifteen minutes, the initial brightness settles into a darker heart of warm clove, aromatic lavender, and herbal thyme. The dry down hugs the skin with powdery amber, mossy oakmoss, and soft suede musk. It sits warm…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Carbon or Black Suede?

Black Suede takes 4 of 7 categories. Carbon is rated 3.68/5 from 313 votes; Black Suede is rated 3.88/5 from 560 votes. Choose Carbon for a woody and powdery character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Black Suede for a musky and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Carbon or Black Suede?

They last about the same: Carbon 62/100, Black Suede 62/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Carbon or Black Suede?

Projection is very close: Carbon 55/100, Black Suede 55/100 for sillage.

Do Carbon and Black Suede smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, powdery and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Clove, Woodsy Notes and Musk.

Is Carbon or Black Suede better for summer or winter?

For summer, Black Suede is the stronger pick. For winter, Black Suede is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carbon and Black Suede?

Carbon has top notes of Lavender and Citruses, heart notes of Violet and Clove, a base of Woodsy Notes, Musk and Patchouli. Black Suede has top notes of Nutmeg, Aldehydes, Carnation and Coriander, heart notes of Clove, Orris, Leather and Vetiver, a base of Musk, Amber, Woodsy Notes and Oakmoss.

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