Fragrance comparison

Carnelian vs White Widow

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 69 ratings analysed

2 wins

Carnelian

Vartan Perfumes

4.3312 votes

Rank #45,883 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

White Widow

Synonyme

4.0457 votes

Rank #27,685 VanillaAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Carnelian takes 2 of 5 categories.

Carnelian
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
White Widow
Choose it for a vanilla and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Carnelian2/5

White Widow1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CarnelianVartan Perfumes

White WidowSynonyme

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.33/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 19%Had 0%Want 81%

4.04/ 5 · 57 votes

Have 34%Had 7%Want 59%

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

49%Love

28%Like

5%Ok

12%Dislike

5%Hate

57 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value62

Category winnerCarnelianBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber91%

cinnamon83%

aromatic74%

floral65%

vanilla56%

vanilla100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

sweet69%

soft spicy61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both warm spicy, aromatic 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

TobaccoAniseNutmegCorianderBlack PepperGinger

Heart

cannabisCinnamonCarnationHeliotropeCedar

Base

VanillaTonka BeanOakmossAmberPatchouli

InformationalShared notesCinnamon, Black Pepper, Carnation 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

Spring31

Summer7

Fall100

Winter69

Day100

Night85

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

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

Men18

Unisex67

Women16

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#45,883

PerfumerKristen Vartan

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#27,685

PerfumerMarc Daniel Heimgartner

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerWhite WidowHigher 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 →

White Widow by Synonyme is a sharp, spice-heavy aromatic that swaps traditional sweetness for a gritty edge of tobacco and black pepper. It opens with a medicinal kick of anise before the heart reveals a dry cedar and herbal cannabis profile. This scent is built for the enthusiast who wants a bold, woody presence with…

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 White Widow?

Carnelian takes 2 of 5 categories. Carnelian is rated 4.33/5 from 12 votes; White Widow is rated 4.04/5 from 57 votes. Choose Carnelian for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose White Widow for a vanilla and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Carnelian or White Widow?

They last about the same: Carnelian 74/100, White Widow 74/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Carnelian or White Widow?

Projection is very close: Carnelian 66/100, White Widow 66/100 for sillage.

Do Carnelian and White Widow smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, aromatic and vanilla accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Carnation and Amber.

Is Carnelian or White Widow better for summer or winter?

Carnelian suits evening wear; White Widow suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Carnelian and White Widow?

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. White Widow has top notes of Tobacco, Anise, Nutmeg and Coriander, heart notes of cannabis, Cinnamon, Carnation and Heliotrope, a base of Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss and Amber.