Fragrance comparison

Cereus No.12 vs Black Star

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 1,092 ratings analysed

Cereus No.12

Cereus

4.2516 votes

Rank #20,683 FruityVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Black Star

Avril Lavigne

3.351,076 votes

Rank #3,271 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Star takes 3 of 5 categories.

Cereus No.12
Choose it for a fruity and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Black Star
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Cereus No.122/5

Black Star3/5

Ratings & consensus: Cereus No.12
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Black Star
Sillage & projection: Black Star
Value for money: Cereus No.12
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Star

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cereus No.12Cereus

Black StarAvril Lavigne

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 16 votes

Have 30%Had 13%Want 57%

3.35/ 5 · 1,076 votes

Have 38%Had 62%Want 0%

Category winnerCereus No.12Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

56%Like

0%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

16 votes · too few to score

30%Love

48%Like

2%Ok

19%Dislike

0%Hate

984 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevityBlack Star

SillageBlack Star

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value69

Category winnerCereus No.12Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

vanilla90%

floral80%

ozonic70%

woody60%

aquatic50%

fruity100%

sweet92%

floral84%

vanilla77%

chocolate69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both fruity, vanilla and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Black CurrantWatermelon

Heart2-3 hrs

Peach Blossom

Base4-6 hrs

VanilleBrazilian Rosewood

Top

Black CurrantPearMango

Heart

HibiscusJasmineLotus

Base

Mexican chocolateVanilleSandalwoodMusk

InformationalShared notesBlack Currant and Vanille. Durations are only published for Cereus No.12, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer100

Fall20

Winter0

Day100

Night26

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter86

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Casual 42%Work 35%Date 16%Party 7%

Men0

Unisex3

Women97

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,683

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#3,271

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews173

Category winnerBlack StarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cereus No.12 delivers a crisp, refreshing splash of watermelon and tart black currant right from the first spray. The opening feels bright and dewy before melting into tender peach blossom petals at the heart. It never turns sickly sweet. Instead, a clean base of dry vanilla and polished Brazilian rosewood provides a …

Reviews →

Black Star by Avril Lavigne opens with a vibrant burst of black currant, pear, and mango, creating a sugary, fruit-forward profile. As it develops, notes of pink hibiscus and lotus add a floral character before settling into a base of dark Mexican chocolate and creamy vanilla. It is a bold, sweet scent designed for ca…

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, Cereus No.12 or Black Star?

Black Star takes 3 of 5 categories. Cereus No.12 is rated 4.25/5 from 16 votes; Black Star is rated 3.35/5 from 1,076 votes. Choose Cereus No.12 for a fruity and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Black Star for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Cereus No.12 or Black Star?

Black Star lasts longest (Black Star 57/100, Cereus No.12 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cereus No.12 or Black Star?

Projection is very close: Black Star 47/100, Cereus No.12 46/100 for sillage.

Do Cereus No.12 and Black Star smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, vanilla and floral accords. Common notes include Black Currant and Vanille.

Is Cereus No.12 or Black Star better for summer or winter?

Cereus No.12 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cereus No.12 and Black Star?

Cereus No.12 has top notes of Black Currant and Watermelon, heart notes of Peach Blossom, a base of Vanille and Brazilian Rosewood. Black Star has top notes of Black Currant, Pear and Mango, heart notes of Hibiscus, Jasmine and Lotus, a base of Mexican chocolate, Vanille, Sandalwood and Musk.