Fragrance comparison

Carmen vs Challenge Re/Fresh

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

Updated 17 Oct 2026 249 ratings analysed

3 wins

Carmen

Nimere Parfums

3.8138 votes

Rank #11,937 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Challenge Re/Fresh

Lacoste Fragrances

3.67211 votes

Rank #15,299 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Carmen takes 3 of 5 categories.

Carmen
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Challenge Re/Fresh
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in spring.

Carmen3/5

Challenge Re/Fresh2/5

Ratings & consensus: Challenge Re/Fresh
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Carmen
Sillage & projection: Carmen
Value for money: Challenge Re/Fresh
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Carmen

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarmenNimere Parfums

Challenge Re/FreshLacoste Fragrances

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 20%Had 17%Want 63%

3.67/ 5 · 211 votes

Have 38%Had 46%Want 17%

Category winnerChallenge Re/FreshRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

32%Love

41%Like

5%Ok

23%Dislike

0%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

17%Love

57%Like

3%Ok

22%Dislike

0%Hate

211 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityCarmen

SillageCarmen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value25

¤ Price value59

Category winnerChallenge Re/FreshBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

leather84%

sweet77%

smoky69%

woody61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

warm spicy84%

woody77%

leather69%

smoky61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both warm spicy, leather and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CardamomSpicy NotesBergamot

Heart

PearYlang-YlangJasmineRose

Base

Tolu BalsamBirchCastoreumOakmossMyrrhTobaccoBenzoinLabdanum

Top

BirchCardamom

Heart

OreganoRosemary

Base

Tolu BalsamPatchouli

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Tolu Balsam and Birch. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring13

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day100

Night57

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter12

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex67

Women33

Men92

Unisex8

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,937

PerfumerNikolay Eremin

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#15,299

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews14

Category winnerCarmenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Carmen by Nimere Parfums creates an intense, resinous portrait of a dramatic scent. It opens with sharp cardamom and spicy notes, settling into a dark, complex base of tobacco, tolu balsam, and birch. Designed for those who appreciate bold, character-driven fragrances, it thrives in cool autumn weather when you want a…

Reviews →

Lacoste Challenge Re/Fresh opens with a sharp burst of birch bark and green cardamom, creating a crisp, cooling sensation that instantly cuts through warm weather. As the initial spray settles, herbal notes of oregano and rosemary take over, giving the heart a dry, kitchen-spice sharpness rather than a synthetic citru…

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, Carmen or Challenge Re/Fresh?

Carmen takes 3 of 5 categories. Carmen is rated 3.81/5 from 38 votes; Challenge Re/Fresh is rated 3.67/5 from 211 votes. Choose Carmen for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Challenge Re/Fresh for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Carmen or Challenge Re/Fresh?

Carmen lasts longest (Carmen 83/100, Challenge Re/Fresh 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carmen or Challenge Re/Fresh?

Carmen projects furthest (Carmen 65/100, Challenge Re/Fresh 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carmen and Challenge Re/Fresh smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, leather and woody accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Tolu Balsam and Birch.

Is Carmen or Challenge Re/Fresh better for summer or winter?

Carmen suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carmen and Challenge Re/Fresh?

Carmen has top notes of Cardamom, Spicy Notes and Bergamot, heart notes of Pear, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Tolu Balsam, Birch, Castoreum and Oakmoss. Challenge Re/Fresh has top notes of Birch and Cardamom, heart notes of Oregano and Rosemary, a base of Tolu Balsam and Patchouli.