Fragrance comparison

Charles of the Ritz vs Raffinee

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 386 ratings analysed

5 wins

Charles of the Ritz

4.3967 votes

Rank #28,970 AmberFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

Raffinee

Houbigant

4.04319 votes

Rank #26,534 Warm SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Charles of the Ritz takes 5 of 8 categories.

Charles of the Ritz
Choose it for a amber and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Raffinee
Choose it for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on note pyramid duration and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Charles of the Ritz5/8

Raffinee2/8

Ratings & consensus: Charles of the Ritz
Community sentiment: Charles of the Ritz
Longevity: Charles of the Ritz
Sillage & projection: Charles of the Ritz
Value for money: Tie
Versatility: Charles of the Ritz
Note pyramid (duration): Raffinee
Fragranxe ranking: Raffinee

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Charles of the RitzCharles of the Ritz

RaffineeHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.39/ 5 · 67 votes

Have 22%Had 35%Want 43%

4.04/ 5 · 319 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

Category winnerCharles of the RitzRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

57%Love

34%Like

3%Ok

3%Dislike

3%Hate

67 votes

40%Love

42%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

2%Hate

319 votes

Category winnerCharles of the RitzMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityCharles of the Ritz

SillageCharles of the Ritz

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

floral92%

woody84%

white floral77%

warm spicy69%

powdery61%

warm spicy100%

floral92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

powdery69%

sweet61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both floral, warm spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotOrange BlossomPineappleLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Ylang-YlangRoseTuberoseCarnationOrris RootJasmineLilac

Base8-12 hrs

AmberVanillaMuskBenzoinCinnamonLabdanumVetiverCedar

Top15-30 mins

CarnationPlumClary SageOrange BlossomBergamotRoseJasmineLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootTonka BeanMimosaTuberoseYlang-YlangHiacynthOrchidOsmanthus

Base8-12 hrs

SpicesCinnamonIncenseSandalwoodVanillaMuskCypressVetiver

Category winnerRaffineeLongest dry-down: 8-12 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring72

Summer56

Fall100

Winter100

Day56

Night100

Spring35

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day32

Night100

Category winnerCharles of the RitzMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex8

Women92

Date 34%Party 29%Casual 20%Work 17%

Men3

Unisex20

Women77

Date 38%Party 36%Casual 15%Work 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,970

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#26,534

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerRaffineeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Charles of the Ritz hits the air with a bold spark of fizzy aldehydes, tart lemon, and sweet orange blossom before melting into a golden pool of amber. The carnation adds an unmistakable peppery bite. It smells opulent, warm, and deeply nostalgic without leaning stale. You will smell spicy ylang-ylang, powdery orris r…

Reviews →

Raffinee by Houbigant is an unapologetic powerhouse from 1982 that captures the bold theatrical spirit of early eighties perfumery. The spray opens with a punchy burst of dark stewed plum, sharp clary sage, and clove-like carnation. You get a brief alcoholic sting for two minutes before the dense oils grip the skin. O…

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, Charles of the Ritz or Raffinee?

Charles of the Ritz takes 5 of 8 categories. Charles of the Ritz is rated 4.39/5 from 67 votes; Raffinee is rated 4.04/5 from 319 votes. Choose Charles of the Ritz for a amber and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Raffinee for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on note pyramid duration and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Charles of the Ritz or Raffinee?

They last about the same: Charles of the Ritz 79/100, Raffinee 78/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Charles of the Ritz or Raffinee?

Charles of the Ritz projects furthest (Charles of the Ritz 75/100, Raffinee 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Charles of the Ritz and Raffinee smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Lemon and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Charles of the Ritz or Raffinee better for summer or winter?

For summer, Charles of the Ritz is the stronger pick. For winter, Charles of the Ritz is the stronger pick. Charles of the Ritz suits evening wear; Raffinee suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Charles of the Ritz and Raffinee?

Charles of the Ritz has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Orange Blossom and Pineapple, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Tuberose and Carnation, a base of Amber, Vanilla, Musk and Benzoin. Raffinee has top notes of Carnation, Plum, Clary Sage and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Orris Root, Tonka Bean, Mimosa and Tuberose, a base of Spices, Cinnamon, Incense and Sandalwood.