Fragrance comparison

Charm vs Promise

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 48 ratings analysed

Charm

Journal

3.9519 votes

Rank #53,019 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

73%scent match

Closely related

3 wins

Promise

Journal

4.2129 votes

Rank #45,949 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Promise takes 3 of 5 categories.

Charm
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Promise
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Charm2/5

Promise3/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CharmJournal

PromiseJournal

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.95/ 5 · 19 votes

Have 56%Had 2%Want 42%

4.21/ 5 · 29 votes

Have 62%Had 9%Want 28%

Category winnerPromiseRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

37%Love

26%Like

32%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

19 votes · too few to score

48%Love

31%Like

17%Ok

0%Dislike

3%Hate

29 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityCharm

SillageCharm

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value52

¤ Price value60

Category winnerPromiseBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic86%

fresh spicy72%

woody58%

earthy44%

green30%

citrus100%

fresh spicy83%

aromatic65%

oud48%

woody30%

Scent match73%Closely related · both citrus, fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LimeKaffir LimeLemon VerbenaBergamot

Heart

VetiverBay Leaf

Base

Agarwood (Oud)BenzoinSaffronOlibanum

Top

Pink GrapefruitLimePomelo

Heart

Vetiver

Base

Agarwood (Oud)BenzoinSaffronOlibanum

InformationalShared notesLime, Vetiver, Agarwood (Oud) and Benzoin. 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

Summer91

Fall55

Winter27

Day100

Night45

Spring80

Summer100

Fall40

Winter40

Day100

Night36

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men57

Unisex36

Women7

Men20

Unisex55

Women25

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#53,019

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#45,949

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerPromiseHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Charm by Journal pairs bright Thai citrus with a warm, resinous base. Opening with a sharp fizz of kaffir lime and lemon verbena, the scent settles into a dry vetiver heart before revealing a rich foundation of agarwood and benzoin. It works exceptionally well in warm weather, offering a refreshing citrus burst that t…

Reviews →

Promise by Journal hits the skin with a vibrant splash of pomelo and pink grapefruit. The sharp citrus opening slowly cools into a grassy, earthy vetiver heart, before resting on a warm base of benzoin and quiet saffron. It suits casual daytime wear in warm weather, offering a clean feel with a resinous undertone.

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Charm or Promise?

Promise takes 3 of 5 categories. Charm is rated 3.95/5 from 19 votes; Promise is rated 4.21/5 from 29 votes. Choose Charm for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Promise for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Charm or Promise?

Charm lasts longest (Charm 67/100, Promise 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Charm or Promise?

Charm projects furthest (Charm 57/100, Promise 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Charm and Promise smell similar?

Closely related: a 73% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Lime, Vetiver, Agarwood (Oud) and Benzoin.

Is Charm or Promise better for summer or winter?

Charm suits daytime wear; Promise suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Charm and Promise?

Charm has top notes of Lime, Kaffir Lime, Lemon Verbena and Bergamot, heart notes of Vetiver and Bay Leaf, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Benzoin, Saffron and Olibanum. Promise has top notes of Pink Grapefruit, Lime and Pomelo, heart notes of Vetiver, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Benzoin, Saffron and Olibanum.