Fragrance comparison

Carmen vs Labdanum 18

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

Updated 5 Nov 2026 1,589 ratings analysed

Carmen

Nimere Parfums

3.8138 votes

Rank #12,689 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Labdanum 18

Le Labo

3.951,551 votes

Rank #1,903 MuskyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Labdanum 18 takes 3 of 5 categories.

Carmen
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Labdanum 18
Choose it for a musky and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Carmen2/5

Labdanum 183/5

Ratings & consensus: Labdanum 18
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Carmen
Sillage & projection: Carmen
Value for money: Labdanum 18
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Labdanum 18

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarmenNimere Parfums

Labdanum 18Le Labo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 20%Had 17%Want 63%

3.95/ 5 · 1,551 votes

Have 37%Had 12%Want 52%

Category winnerLabdanum 18Rating 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

38%Love

36%Like

11%Ok

13%Dislike

2%Hate

1,551 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityCarmen

SillageCarmen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value25

¤ Price value27

Category winnerLabdanum 18Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

leather84%

sweet77%

smoky69%

woody61%

musky100%

amber92%

woody84%

vanilla77%

leather69%

animalic61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both amber, 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

Notes

French labdanumVanillaCivettaMuskCastoreumResinsTonka BeanGurjan balsamBirchPatchouliCinnamon

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesBirch, Castoreum and Labdanum. Durations are only published for Labdanum 18, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring13

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day100

Night57

Spring40

Summer22

Fall100

Winter92

Day99

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex67

Women33

Men12

Unisex62

Women26

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#12,689

PerfumerNikolay Eremin

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#1,903

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerLabdanum 18Higher 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 →

Labdanum 18 by Le Labo is an amber, musky scent built around a soft and powdery warmth. Rather than projecting an aggressive, dark leather aroma, it hugs close to the skin with sweet vanilla, balsamic resins, and cozy musk. Notes of French labdanum, cinnamon, and gurjan balsam provide a rich, golden center, while hint…

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, Carmen or Labdanum 18?

Labdanum 18 takes 3 of 5 categories. Carmen is rated 3.81/5 from 38 votes; Labdanum 18 is rated 3.95/5 from 1,551 votes. Choose Carmen for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Labdanum 18 for a musky and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Carmen or Labdanum 18?

Carmen lasts longest (Carmen 83/100, Labdanum 18 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carmen or Labdanum 18?

Carmen projects furthest (Carmen 65/100, Labdanum 18 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carmen and Labdanum 18 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, leather and woody accords. Common notes include Birch, Castoreum and Labdanum.

Is Carmen or Labdanum 18 better for summer or winter?

Carmen suits daytime wear; Labdanum 18 suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carmen and Labdanum 18?

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. Labdanum 18 features French labdanum, Vanilla, Civetta, Musk and Castoreum.