Fragrance comparison

Challenge Re/Fresh vs Carmen

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

Updated 17 Oct 2026 249 ratings analysed

Challenge Re/Fresh

Lacoste Fragrances

3.67211 votes

Rank #15,299 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Carmen

Nimere Parfums

3.8138 votes

Rank #11,934 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Carmen takes 3 of 5 categories.

Challenge Re/Fresh
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in spring.
Carmen
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Challenge Re/Fresh2/5

Carmen3/5

Ratings & consensus: Challenge Re/Fresh
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Carmen
Sillage & projection: Carmen
Value for money: Challenge Re/Fresh
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Carmen

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Challenge Re/FreshLacoste Fragrances

CarmenNimere Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 211 votes

Have 38%Had 46%Want 17%

3.81/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 20%Had 17%Want 63%

Category winnerChallenge Re/FreshRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

17%Love

57%Like

3%Ok

22%Dislike

0%Hate

211 votes

32%Love

41%Like

5%Ok

23%Dislike

0%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityCarmen

SillageCarmen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value25

Category winnerChallenge Re/FreshBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

warm spicy84%

woody77%

leather69%

smoky61%

amber100%

warm spicy92%

leather84%

sweet77%

smoky69%

woody61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both warm spicy, leather and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BirchCardamom

Heart

OreganoRosemary

Base

Tolu BalsamPatchouli

Top

CardamomSpicy NotesBergamot

Heart

PearYlang-YlangJasmineRose

Base

Tolu BalsamBirchCastoreumOakmossMyrrhTobaccoBenzoinLabdanum

InformationalShared notesBirch, Cardamom and Tolu Balsam. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter12

Day–

Night–

Spring13

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day100

Night57

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men92

Unisex8

Women0

Men0

Unisex67

Women33

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#15,299

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews14

Overall rank#11,934

PerfumerNikolay Eremin

Launched—

Reviews18

Category winnerCarmenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Lacoste Challenge Re/Fresh opens with a sharp burst of birch bark and green cardamom, creating a crisp, cooling sensation that instantly cuts through warm weather. As the initial spray settles, herbal notes of oregano and rosemary take over, giving the heart a dry, kitchen-spice sharpness rather than a synthetic citru…

Reviews →

Carmen by Nimere Parfums creates an intense, resinous portrait of a dramatic scent. It opens with sharp cardamom and spicy notes, settling into a dark, complex base of tobacco, tolu balsam, and birch. Designed for those who appreciate bold, character-driven fragrances, it thrives in cool autumn weather when you want 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, Challenge Re/Fresh or Carmen?

Carmen takes 3 of 5 categories. Challenge Re/Fresh is rated 3.67/5 from 211 votes; Carmen is rated 3.81/5 from 38 votes. Choose Challenge Re/Fresh for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in spring. Choose Carmen for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Challenge Re/Fresh or Carmen?

Carmen lasts longest (Carmen 83/100, Challenge Re/Fresh 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Challenge Re/Fresh or Carmen?

Carmen projects furthest (Carmen 65/100, Challenge Re/Fresh 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Challenge Re/Fresh and Carmen smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, leather and woody accords. Common notes include Birch, Cardamom and Tolu Balsam.

Is Challenge Re/Fresh or Carmen better for summer or winter?

Carmen suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Challenge Re/Fresh and Carmen?

Challenge Re/Fresh has top notes of Birch and Cardamom, heart notes of Oregano and Rosemary, a base of Tolu Balsam and Patchouli. Carmen has top notes of Cardamom, Spicy Notes and Bergamot, heart notes of Pear, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Tolu Balsam, Birch, Castoreum and Oakmoss.