Fragrance comparison

Carmine vs Outcast Blue

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 249 ratings analysed

Carmine

House of Matriarch

3.9030 votes

Rank #40,071 FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Outcast Blue

Ex Nihilo

4.05219 votes

Rank #8,026 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Outcast Blue takes 5 of 8 categories.

Carmine
Choose it for a floral and sweet character. Wins on value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear.
Outcast Blue
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Carmine2/8

Outcast Blue5/8

Ratings & consensus: Outcast Blue
Community sentiment: Outcast Blue
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Outcast Blue
Value for money: Carmine
Versatility: Outcast Blue
Note pyramid (duration): Carmine
Fragranxe ranking: Outcast Blue

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarmineHouse of Matriarch

Outcast BlueEx Nihilo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.90/ 5 · 30 votes

Have 9%Had 4%Want 87%

4.05/ 5 · 219 votes

Have 76%Had 24%Want 0%

Category winnerOutcast BlueRating 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

41%Love

34%Like

15%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

219 votes

Category winnerOutcast BlueMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageOutcast Blue

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value33

Category winnerCarmineBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

sweet92%

aromatic84%

warm spicy77%

woody69%

balsamic61%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

tobacco84%

earthy77%

mossy69%

aromatic61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and aromatic

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

Top15-30 mins

SaffronBlack PepperPink Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

CedarLily-of-the-Valley

Base6-8+ hrs

TobaccoVetiverOakmossSandalwoodPatchouli

Category winnerCarmineLongest dry-down: 8-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring13

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day54

Night100

Spring73

Summer27

Fall100

Winter88

Day100

Night82

Category winnerOutcast BlueMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

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

Men79

Unisex20

Women2

Work 33%Casual 27%Date 24%Party 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#40,071

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#8,026

PerfumerJordi Fernández

Launched—

Reviews17

Category winnerOutcast BlueHigher 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 →

Ex Nihilo Outcast Blue opens with an immediate crackle of black pepper and warm saffron, giving off a dry, spicy warmth that feels sharp and modern. Within minutes, the spicy top settles into an earthy heart of dry cedar and clean lily of the valley, steering the scent away from heavy sweetness toward a crisp, woody p…

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 Outcast Blue?

Outcast Blue takes 5 of 8 categories. Carmine is rated 3.90/5 from 30 votes; Outcast Blue is rated 4.05/5 from 219 votes. Choose Carmine for a floral and sweet character. Wins on value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Outcast Blue for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Carmine or Outcast Blue?

They last about the same: Carmine 74/100, Outcast Blue 74/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Carmine or Outcast Blue?

Projection is very close: Outcast Blue 61/100, Carmine 60/100 for sillage.

Do Carmine and Outcast Blue smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Black Pepper, Sandalwood, Tobacco and Oakmoss.

Is Carmine or Outcast Blue better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Carmine and Outcast Blue?

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. Outcast Blue has top notes of Saffron, Black Pepper and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Cedar and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Tobacco, Vetiver, Oakmoss and Sandalwood.