Fragrance comparison

Dark vs White Widow

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 145 ratings analysed

Dark

Desigual

3.5688 votes

Rank #18,815 Warm SpicyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

White Widow

Synonyme

4.0457 votes

Rank #27,838 VanillaAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

White Widow takes 5 of 7 categories.

Dark
Choose it for a warm spicy and vanilla character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
White Widow
Choose it for a vanilla and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Dark2/7

White Widow5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DarkDesigual

White WidowSynonyme

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.56/ 5 · 88 votes

Have 57%Had 23%Want 20%

4.04/ 5 · 57 votes

Have 34%Had 7%Want 59%

Category winnerWhite WidowRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

19%Love

49%Like

2%Ok

27%Dislike

2%Hate

88 votes

49%Love

28%Like

5%Ok

12%Dislike

5%Hate

57 votes

Category winnerWhite WidowMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityWhite Widow

SillageWhite Widow

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value68

¤ Price value62

Category winnerDarkBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

vanilla92%

woody84%

sweet77%

fresh spicy69%

amber61%

vanilla100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

sweet69%

soft spicy61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both vanilla, warm spicy and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

SaffronCinnamonGingerBlack PepperNutmeg

Heart2-3 hrs

VetiverOrange BlossomPatchouliDriftwood

Base5-7 hrs

Black Vanilla HuskTonka BeanOakmossAmberTobaccoMusk

Top

TobaccoAniseNutmegCorianderBlack PepperGinger

Heart

cannabisCinnamonCarnationHeliotropeCedar

Base

VanillaTonka BeanOakmossAmberPatchouli

InformationalShared notesCinnamon, Ginger, Black Pepper and Nutmeg. Durations are only published for Dark, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring26

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day43

Night100

Spring31

Summer7

Fall100

Winter69

Day100

Night85

Category winnerWhite WidowMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men90

Unisex10

Women0

Date 31%Casual 29%Party 24%Work 16%

Men18

Unisex67

Women16

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,815

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#27,838

PerfumerMarc Daniel Heimgartner

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDarkHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Desigual Dark is a warm, spicy oriental fragrance built around cozy sweetness and kitchen spices. It wastes no time. You get a direct punch of fiery cinnamon, zesty ginger, and pungent black pepper right after spraying. Within twenty minutes, the sharp kitchen spices calm down into an earthy heart of driftwood, orange…

Reviews →

White Widow by Synonyme is a sharp, spice-heavy aromatic that swaps traditional sweetness for a gritty edge of tobacco and black pepper. It opens with a medicinal kick of anise before the heart reveals a dry cedar and herbal cannabis profile. This scent is built for the enthusiast who wants a bold, woody presence with…

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, Dark or White Widow?

White Widow takes 5 of 7 categories. Dark is rated 3.56/5 from 88 votes; White Widow is rated 4.04/5 from 57 votes. Choose Dark for a warm spicy and vanilla character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose White Widow for a vanilla and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Dark or White Widow?

White Widow lasts longest (White Widow 74/100, Dark 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dark or White Widow?

White Widow projects furthest (White Widow 66/100, Dark 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dark and White Widow smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla, warm spicy and sweet accords. Common notes include Cinnamon, Ginger, Black Pepper and Nutmeg.

Is Dark or White Widow better for summer or winter?

For summer, White Widow is the stronger pick. For winter, Dark is the stronger pick. Dark suits evening wear; White Widow suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dark and White Widow?

Dark has top notes of Saffron, Cinnamon, Ginger and Black Pepper, heart notes of Vetiver, Orange Blossom, Patchouli and Driftwood, a base of Black Vanilla Husk, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss and Amber. White Widow has top notes of Tobacco, Anise, Nutmeg and Coriander, heart notes of cannabis, Cinnamon, Carnation and Heliotrope, a base of Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss and Amber.