Fragrance comparison

Carnelian vs Delusion

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 67 ratings analysed

5 wins

Carnelian

Vartan Perfumes

4.3312 votes

Rank #45,883 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

Delusion

JMP Artisan Perfumes

3.9855 votes

Rank #23,897 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Carnelian takes 5 of 6 categories.

Carnelian
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Delusion
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Carnelian5/6

Delusion1/6

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarnelianVartan Perfumes

DelusionJMP Artisan Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.33/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 19%Had 0%Want 81%

3.98/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 23%Had 22%Want 54%

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

25%Love

60%Like

4%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityCarnelian

SillageCarnelian

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value56

Category winnerCarnelianBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber91%

cinnamon83%

aromatic74%

floral65%

vanilla56%

amber100%

warm spicy86%

smoky72%

balsamic58%

floral44%

woody30%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both amber, warm spicy and floral

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

Top20-30 mins

LabdanumIncenseBirch TarBlack Pepper

Heart3-4 hrs

CarnationCinnamonRoseVetiverJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberAmbergrisVanillaMusk

Category winnerCarnelianLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring20

Summer20

Fall100

Winter100

Day44

Night100

Spring46

Summer21

Fall100

Winter71

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

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

Men13

Unisex77

Women10

Date 35%Casual 28%Party 20%Work 18%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#45,883

PerfumerKristen Vartan

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#23,897

PerfumerJakub Pietrynka

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerDelusionHigher 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 →

Delusion by JMP Artisan Perfumes cuts through the cold air with intense labdanum, smoky birch tar, and charred incense. Polish perfumer Jakub Pietrynka constructed this 2020 release as a brooding amber scent that shuns mass-market candy sweetness. Do not overspray this. You get a stinging crack of black pepper right a…

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 Delusion?

Carnelian takes 5 of 6 categories. Carnelian is rated 4.33/5 from 12 votes; Delusion is rated 3.98/5 from 55 votes. Choose Carnelian for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Delusion for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Carnelian or Delusion?

Carnelian lasts longest (Carnelian 74/100, Delusion 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carnelian or Delusion?

Carnelian projects furthest (Carnelian 66/100, Delusion 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carnelian and Delusion smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and floral accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Carnation and Vetiver.

Is Carnelian or Delusion better for summer or winter?

Carnelian suits evening wear; Delusion suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carnelian and Delusion?

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. Delusion has top notes of Labdanum, Incense, Birch Tar and Black Pepper, heart notes of Carnation, Cinnamon, Rose and Vetiver, a base of Amber, Ambergris, Vanilla and Musk.