Fragrance comparison

Cruel vs Second Self

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 2 ratings analysed

Cruel

Rheyms

5.001 votes

Rank #51,514 WoodyPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

23%scent match

Clearly different

2 wins

Second Self

Murillo Twins Fragrance

5.001 votes

Rank #45,454 Soft SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Second Self takes 2 of 2 categories.

Cruel
Choose it for a woody and powdery character.
Second Self
Choose it for a soft spicy and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Cruel0/2

Second Self2/2

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CruelRheyms

Second SelfMurillo Twins Fragrance

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

5.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 8%Had 0%Want 92%

5.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 20%Had 10%Want 70%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ LongevityN/A

〰 Sillage25

♥ Love / hate100

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityNo data

SillageSecond Self

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value100

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

powdery91%

floral83%

violet74%

earthy65%

iris56%

soft spicy100%

amber92%

iris84%

fruity77%

powdery69%

white floral61%

Scent match23%Clearly different · both powdery and iris

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ChinottoPearSaffronCinnamonOzonic notes

Heart

VioletAcáciaRose PetalsYlang Ylang

Base

Cashmere WoodCedarOrrisMoss

Top20-30 mins

BlackcurrantPink PepperMandarin

Heart2-4 hrs

JasmineRoseYlang Ylang

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberOrrisSugarMoss

InformationalShared notesYlang Ylang, Orris and Moss. Durations are only published for Second Self, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

No season votes yet

Spring50

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day56

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Date 36%Party 26%Casual 23%Work 15%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#51,514

PerfumerVincenzo Arpaia

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#45,454

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerSecond SelfHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cruel by Rheyms is a bold oriental floral fragrance for men and women. Launched in 2024, it centers on a complex interplay between bitter chinotto and bright pear, warmed by saffron and cinnamon. The heart adds a powdery violet and acacia dimension, while the base relies on cedar and cashmere wood for a grounding, lin…

Reviews →

Second Self by Murillo Twins Fragrance delivers a tart punch of blackcurrant and bright mandarin. A crackle of pink pepper sparks immediately. That zesty fruit quickly settles into a creamy heart of jasmine, rose, and lush ylang ylang. Once the florals rest, velvety orris and spun sugar melt into an earthy moss and go…

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, Cruel or Second Self?

Second Self takes 2 of 2 categories. Cruel is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes; Second Self is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Cruel for a woody and powdery character. Choose Second Self for a soft spicy and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which projects more, Cruel or Second Self?

Second Self projects furthest (Second Self 75/100, Cruel 25/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cruel and Second Self smell similar?

Clearly different: a 23% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery and iris accords. Common notes include Ylang Ylang, Orris and Moss.

Is Cruel or Second Self better for summer or winter?

Second Self suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cruel and Second Self?

Cruel has top notes of Chinotto, Pear, Saffron and Cinnamon, heart notes of Violet, Acácia, Rose Petals and Ylang Ylang, a base of Cashmere Wood, Cedar, Orris and Moss. Second Self has top notes of Blackcurrant, Pink Pepper and Mandarin, heart notes of Jasmine, Rose and Ylang Ylang, a base of Amber, Orris, Sugar and Moss.