Fragrance comparison

Carnelian vs Rajasthan

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 34 ratings analysed

3 wins

Carnelian

Vartan Perfumes

4.3312 votes

Rank #45,685 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

Rajasthan

Mendes Perfumes

2.9522 votes

Rank #53,124 Warm SpicyTobacco

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, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Rajasthan
Choose it for a warm spicy and tobacco character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Carnelian3/5

Rajasthan2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarnelianVartan Perfumes

RajasthanMendes Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.33/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 19%Had 0%Want 81%

2.95/ 5 · 22 votes

Have 27%Had 20%Want 53%

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

36%Love

5%Like

18%Ok

0%Dislike

41%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity91

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate49

Category winners

LongevityRajasthan

SillageRajasthan

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value52

Category winnerCarnelianBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber91%

cinnamon83%

aromatic74%

floral65%

vanilla56%

warm spicy100%

tobacco90%

vanilla80%

sweet70%

amber60%

woody50%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both warm spicy, amber and vanilla

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

CardamomCinnamonBergamotLavender

Heart

Black PepperGeraniumYlang Ylang

Base

TobaccoVanillaCedarAmberPatchouliTonka BeanVetiver

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

Spring9

Summer9

Fall18

Winter100

Day30

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

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

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#45,685

PerfumerKristen Vartan

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#53,124

PerfumerChristian Provenzano

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerCarnelianHigher 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 →

Rajasthan by Mendes Perfumes opens with sharp cardamom and sweet cinnamon before settling into heavy tobacco and vanilla. Created by perfumer Christian Provenzano, this 2023 release packs a dense warm spicy wallop suited for freezing winter nights. It clings tightly to leather jackets and heavy coats.

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 Rajasthan?

Carnelian takes 3 of 5 categories. Carnelian is rated 4.33/5 from 12 votes; Rajasthan is rated 2.95/5 from 22 votes. Choose Carnelian for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Rajasthan for a warm spicy and tobacco character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Carnelian or Rajasthan?

Rajasthan lasts longest (Rajasthan 91/100, Carnelian 74/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Carnelian or Rajasthan?

Rajasthan projects furthest (Rajasthan 71/100, Carnelian 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Carnelian and Rajasthan smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, amber and vanilla accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Vetiver and Amber.

Is Carnelian or Rajasthan better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Carnelian and Rajasthan?

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. Rajasthan has top notes of Cardamom, Cinnamon, Bergamot and Lavender, heart notes of Black Pepper, Geranium and Ylang Ylang, a base of Tobacco, Vanilla, Cedar and Amber.