Fragrance comparison

Carmine vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 1,137 ratings analysed

Carmine

House of Matriarch

3.9030 votes

Rank #40,071 FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #23,405 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories.

Carmine
Choose it for a floral and sweet character. Wins on longevity and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring.

Carmine2/7

Ivoire de Balmain5/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Carmine
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Ivoire de Balmain
Versatility: Carmine
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Ivoire de Balmain

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarmineHouse of Matriarch

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.90/ 5 · 30 votes

Have 9%Had 4%Want 87%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

37%Love

43%Like

0%Ok

13%Dislike

7%Hate

30 votes

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityCarmine

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value50

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

sweet92%

aromatic84%

warm spicy77%

woody69%

balsamic61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both aromatic, floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

MarigoldPandanusWoody Notes

Heart2-4 hrs

ChampacaArtemisiaBlack Pepper

Base8-10+ hrs

Masala ChaiPebblesSandalwoodTobaccoAmberTonka BeanOakmossVetiver

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesMarigold, Artemisia, Sandalwood and Tonka Bean. Durations are only published for Carmine, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring13

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day54

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerCarmineMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

Date 39%Casual 29%Party 19%Work 13%

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#40,071

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#23,405

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Carmine by House of Matriarch opens with a bold flare of bitter marigold and pungent green kewra, cutting through the air before settling into something remarkably deep. Within minutes, the golden floral sweetness of champaca takes hold, spiced by crushed black pepper and a savory swirl of hot masala chai. The base re…

Reviews →

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate 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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Carmine or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories. Carmine is rated 3.90/5 from 30 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Carmine for a floral and sweet character. Wins on longevity and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Carmine or Ivoire de Balmain?

Carmine lasts longest (Carmine 74/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carmine or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Carmine 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carmine and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, floral and woody accords. Common notes include Marigold, Artemisia, Sandalwood and Tonka Bean.

Is Carmine or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Carmine is the stronger pick. For winter, Carmine is the stronger pick. Carmine suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carmine and Ivoire de Balmain?

Carmine has top notes of Marigold, Pandanus and Woody Notes, heart notes of Champaca, Artemisia and Black Pepper, a base of Masala Chai, Pebbles, Sandalwood and Tobacco. Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense.