Fragrance comparison

Cuir de Russie vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 5 Nov 2026 1,357 ratings analysed

Cuir de Russie

Le Jardin Retrouve

4.00250 votes

Rank #7,626 WoodyViolet

Full profile Similar & dupes

22%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #25,496 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories.

Cuir de Russie
Choose it for a woody and violet character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Cuir de Russie2/7

Ivoire de Balmain5/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Ivoire de Balmain
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Ivoire de Balmain
Versatility: Cuir de Russie
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Cuir de Russie

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cuir de RussieLe Jardin Retrouve

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 250 votes

Have 31%Had 8%Want 61%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

35%Like

16%Ok

8%Dislike

2%Hate

250 votes

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value49

¤ Price value50

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

violet92%

powdery84%

amber77%

leather69%

fresh61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match22%Clearly different · both woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

AldehydesLimePetitgrainLemon

Heart2 to 3 hours

VioletStyraxViolet LeafYlang-YlangCedar

Base3 to 5 hours

LeatherOakmossPatchouliCade oilVetiverSandalwoodLabdanum

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Lemon, Ylang-Ylang and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Cuir de Russie, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring74

Summer26

Fall100

Winter81

Day100

Night74

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerCuir de RussieMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men19

Unisex58

Women23

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,626

PerfumerYuri Gutsatz

Launched—

Reviews35

Overall rank#25,496

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerCuir de RussieHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cuir de Russie by Le Jardin Retrouve offers an airy, vintage style that contrasts crisp citrus with soft leather and green floral notes. Created in 1977 by perfumer Yuri Gutsatz, it begins with sparkling aldehydes, lemon, lime, and tart petitgrain. Rather than presenting a heavy, smoky hide, the core focuses on powder…

Reviews →

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate s…

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, Cuir de Russie or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories. Cuir de Russie is rated 4.00/5 from 250 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Cuir de Russie for a woody and violet character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Cuir de Russie or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Cuir de Russie 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cuir de Russie or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Cuir de Russie 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cuir de Russie and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Clearly different: a 22% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Lemon, Ylang-Ylang and Oakmoss.

Is Cuir de Russie or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Cuir de Russie is the stronger pick. For winter, Cuir de Russie is the stronger pick. Cuir de Russie suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cuir de Russie and Ivoire de Balmain?

Cuir de Russie has top notes of Aldehydes, Lime, Petitgrain and Lemon, heart notes of Violet, Styrax, Violet Leaf and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Patchouli and Cade oil. Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense.