Fragrance comparison

Carmen vs Vanilla Smoke

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 392 ratings analysed

3 wins

Carmen

Nimere Parfums

3.8138 votes

Rank #13,084 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

Vanilla Smoke

Phlur

3.50354 votes

Rank #11,383 AmberSmoky

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 ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Vanilla Smoke
Choose it for a amber and smoky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Carmen3/5

Vanilla Smoke2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarmenNimere Parfums

Vanilla SmokePhlur

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.81/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 20%Had 17%Want 63%

3.50/ 5 · 354 votes

Have 48%Had 4%Want 48%

Category winnerCarmenRating 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

35%Love

30%Like

13%Ok

18%Dislike

4%Hate

304 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

LongevityCarmen

SillageCarmen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value25

¤ Price value70

Category winnerVanilla SmokeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

leather84%

sweet77%

smoky69%

woody61%

amber100%

smoky92%

balsamic84%

vanilla77%

warm spicy69%

leather61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy and smoky

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

BirchPink PepperBergamot

Heart

VanillaCacaoTonka Bean

Base

IncensePeru BalsamAmber

InformationalShared notesBergamot 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

Spring22

Summer8

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex67

Women33

Men14

Unisex63

Women24

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,084

PerfumerNikolay Eremin

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#11,383

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews19

Category winnerVanilla SmokeHigher 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 →

Vanilla Smoke by Phlur is a resinous, smoky scent anchored by warm incense and birch. Designed for both men and women, this 2025 release leans into a sultry profile perfect for cold autumn evenings. It opens with sharp spice and settles into a deep, creamy vanilla base that hugs the skin for hours in low-temperature s…

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 Vanilla Smoke?

Carmen takes 3 of 5 categories. Carmen is rated 3.81/5 from 38 votes; Vanilla Smoke is rated 3.50/5 from 354 votes. Choose Carmen for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Vanilla Smoke for a amber and smoky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Carmen or Vanilla Smoke?

Carmen lasts longest (Carmen 83/100, Vanilla Smoke 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carmen or Vanilla Smoke?

Carmen projects furthest (Carmen 65/100, Vanilla Smoke 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carmen and Vanilla Smoke smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and smoky accords. Common notes include Bergamot and Birch.

Is Carmen or Vanilla Smoke better for summer or winter?

Carmen suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carmen and Vanilla Smoke?

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. Vanilla Smoke has top notes of Birch, Pink Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Vanilla, Cacao and Tonka Bean, a base of Incense, Peru Balsam and Amber.