Fragrance comparison

Carnelian vs Cuir Magnifique

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 50 ratings analysed

3 wins

Carnelian

Vartan Perfumes

4.3312 votes

Rank #45,883 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

Cuir Magnifique

Noble Royale

3.7938 votes

Rank #29,345 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Carnelian takes 3 of 5 categories.

Carnelian
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Cuir Magnifique
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Carnelian3/5

Cuir Magnifique2/5

Ratings & consensus: Carnelian
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Carnelian
Sillage & projection: Cuir Magnifique
Value for money: Carnelian
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Cuir Magnifique

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarnelianVartan Perfumes

Cuir MagnifiqueNoble Royale

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.33/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 19%Had 0%Want 81%

3.79/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 30%Had 19%Want 51%

Category winnerCarnelianRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

58%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

8%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

32%Love

37%Like

16%Ok

11%Dislike

5%Hate

38 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityCarnelian

SillageCuir Magnifique

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value41

Category winnerCarnelianBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber91%

cinnamon83%

aromatic74%

floral65%

vanilla56%

aromatic100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

powdery77%

citrus69%

leather61%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

CinnamonBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

CarnationWhite TobaccoVetiver

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberVanillaTonka Bean

Top

elemiLemonBergamotViolet LeafArtemisiaNutmegBlack Pepper

Heart

Orris RootJasmineNard Himalayan (Jatamansi)CinnamonFreesiaLily-of-the-ValleyLavender

Base

LeatherVetiverSandalwoodCedarVanillaTonka BeanMuskAmber

InformationalShared notesCinnamon, Black Pepper, Vetiver and Amber. Durations are only published for Carnelian, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring20

Summer20

Fall100

Winter100

Day44

Night100

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night38

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Date 35%Casual 28%Party 23%Work 15%

Men31

Unisex54

Women15

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#45,883

PerfumerKristen Vartan

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#29,345

PerfumerPhilippe Paparella-Paris

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerCuir MagnifiqueHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Carnelian by Vartan Perfumes hits the skin with a vibrant rush of fiery cinnamon and cracked black pepper. The initial kick is dry and bristly, but it calms within minutes into a clove-like carnation heart wrapped in pale, leafy white tobacco. As the hours tick by, golden amber, creamy vanilla, and roasted tonka bean …

Reviews →

Philippe Paparella-Paris constructed Cuir Magnifique around a soft leather accord rather than a harsh tannery note. It opens with bright lemon, resinous elemi, and a distinct cucumber-fresh violet leaf. Rather than leaning immediately into dense smoke or heavy birch tar, the heart introduces spike lavender and powdery…

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, Carnelian or Cuir Magnifique?

Carnelian takes 3 of 5 categories. Carnelian is rated 4.33/5 from 12 votes; Cuir Magnifique is rated 3.79/5 from 38 votes. Choose Carnelian for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Cuir Magnifique for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Carnelian or Cuir Magnifique?

Carnelian lasts longest (Carnelian 74/100, Cuir Magnifique 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carnelian or Cuir Magnifique?

Cuir Magnifique projects furthest (Cuir Magnifique 70/100, Carnelian 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carnelian and Cuir Magnifique smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Vetiver and Amber.

Is Carnelian or Cuir Magnifique better for summer or winter?

Carnelian suits evening wear; Cuir Magnifique suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carnelian and Cuir Magnifique?

Carnelian has top notes of Cinnamon and Black Pepper, heart notes of Carnation, White Tobacco and Vetiver, a base of Amber, Vanilla and Tonka Bean. Cuir Magnifique has top notes of elemi, Lemon, Bergamot and Violet Leaf, heart notes of Orris Root, Jasmine, Nard Himalayan (Jatamansi) and Cinnamon, a base of Leather, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Cedar.