Fragrance comparison

Closeness vs Red Hoba

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 452 ratings analysed

4 wins

Closeness

Pleasing

4.1353 votes

Rank #18,181 PowderyMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Red Hoba

Xerjoff

3.75399 votes

Rank #7,194 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Closeness takes 4 of 7 categories.

Closeness
Choose it for a powdery and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Red Hoba
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Closeness4/7

Red Hoba3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ClosenessPleasing

Red HobaXerjoff

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 53 votes

Have 24%Had 3%Want 73%

3.75/ 5 · 399 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerClosenessRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

36%Like

11%Ok

2%Dislike

6%Hate

53 votes

38%Love

29%Like

7%Ok

23%Dislike

4%Hate

399 votes

Category winnerClosenessMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity58

〰 Sillage43

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage73

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityRed Hoba

SillageRed Hoba

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value40

¤ Price value27

Category winnerClosenessBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

musky86%

soft spicy72%

woody58%

iris44%

earthy30%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

musky84%

amber77%

powdery69%

smoky61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both musky, powdery and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Pink PepperCardamom

Heart

CarrotOrrisBamboo

Base

MuskPapyrusCashmeranSalt

Top

CardamomCinnamonBergamot

Heart

PatchouliIncenseOrrisJasmine

Base

Guaiac WoodCashmeranMuskPapyrusLabdanumCastoreum

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Orris, Musk and Papyrus. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer44

Fall100

Winter94

Day71

Night100

Spring52

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerClosenessMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men14

Unisex69

Women17

Men27

Unisex58

Women15

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,181

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#7,194

PerfumerChris Maurice

Launched—

Reviews40

Category winnerRed HobaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Closeness by Pleasing lands on the skin like clean linen warming up in the sun. This woody spicy blend starts with a distinct pinch of pink pepper and cold cardamom, which prevents it from smelling like a basic clean laundry spray. As it sits, a damp bamboo accord pairs with the rooty texture of orris, giving the blen…

Reviews →

Red Hoba opens with a sharp burst of cardamom, cinnamon, and sour bergamot that can catch you off guard. It quickly thickens on skin into dark incense, dry papyrus, and smoky guaiac wood. Designed for cold November nights and tailored winter coats, this unisex perfume demands a light touch on the sprayer.

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, Closeness or Red Hoba?

Closeness takes 4 of 7 categories. Closeness is rated 4.13/5 from 53 votes; Red Hoba is rated 3.75/5 from 399 votes. Choose Closeness for a powdery and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Red Hoba for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Closeness or Red Hoba?

Red Hoba lasts longest (Red Hoba 79/100, Closeness 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Closeness or Red Hoba?

Red Hoba projects furthest (Red Hoba 73/100, Closeness 43/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Closeness and Red Hoba smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share musky, powdery and woody accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Orris, Musk and Papyrus.

Is Closeness or Red Hoba better for summer or winter?

For summer, Closeness is the stronger pick. For winter, Red Hoba is the stronger pick. Closeness suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Closeness and Red Hoba?

Closeness has top notes of Pink Pepper and Cardamom, heart notes of Carrot, Orris and Bamboo, a base of Musk, Papyrus, Cashmeran and Salt. Red Hoba has top notes of Cardamom, Cinnamon and Bergamot, heart notes of Patchouli, Incense, Orris and Jasmine, a base of Guaiac Wood, Cashmeran, Musk and Papyrus.