Fragrance comparison

Dark Temptation vs Sacred M

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,375 ratings analysed

Dark Temptation

AXE

3.401,371 votes

Rank #1,886 SweetVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

16%scent match

Clearly different

Sacred M

Spiritum

4.004 votes

Rank #61,962 White FloralRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Dark Temptation
Choose it for a sweet and vanilla character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Sacred M
Choose it for a white floral and rose character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, evening wear.

Dark Temptation2/4

Sacred M2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dark TemptationAXE

Sacred MSpiritum

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.40/ 5 · 1,371 votes

Have 45%Had 55%Want 0%

4.00/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 13%Had 7%Want 80%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

43%Like

6%Ok

9%Dislike

3%Hate

1,278 votes

75%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

25%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevitySacred M

SillageSacred M

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value88

¤ Price value63

Category winnerDark TemptationBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

vanilla92%

chocolate84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

cacao61%

white floral100%

rose92%

warm spicy84%

fresh77%

aromatic69%

woody61%

Scent match16%Clearly different · both warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CherryPearGingerCoriander

Heart

Red PepperSageBasil

Base

Dark ChocolateVanillaWhipped CreamAmberPatchouli

Top

BergamotPink PepperCorianderCardamomGingerPearSaffronjuniper berry

Heart

Lily of the ValleyGardeniaJasmineRoseGeraniumCedarOrrisCocoa

Base

IncenseLeatherCypriolWhite OudAmberIrisSandalwoodVanilla

InformationalShared notesPear, Ginger, Coriander and Vanilla. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring45

Summer31

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring50

Summer100

Fall50

Winter100

Day50

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men77

Unisex21

Women2

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,886

PerfumerAnn Gottlieb

Launched—

Reviews180

Overall rank#61,962

PerfumerPhilippe Paparella-Paris

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDark TemptationHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Dark Temptation by AXE opens with a surprising hit of cherry and pear before settling into a warm, gourmand heart of dark chocolate and vanilla. It is a mass-market fragrance that leans heavily on sweet, spicy notes. While it often faces stigma due to its accessibility, it offers a functional, easy-to-reach scent prof…

Reviews →

Sacred M by Spiritum brings a vibrant blend of bright spices, lush petals, and smoky woods right to the skin. It kicks off with an energizing burst of juicy pear, zesty bergamot, and crackling pink pepper, spiced up by hints of cardamom and ginger. As it settles, rich white flowers like gardenia and jasmine mix with 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, Dark Temptation or Sacred M?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Dark Temptation is rated 3.40/5 from 1,371 votes; Sacred M is rated 4.00/5 from 4 votes. Choose Dark Temptation for a sweet and vanilla character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Sacred M for a white floral and rose character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in summer, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Dark Temptation or Sacred M?

Sacred M lasts longest (Sacred M 80/100, Dark Temptation 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dark Temptation or Sacred M?

Sacred M projects furthest (Sacred M 75/100, Dark Temptation 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dark Temptation and Sacred M smell similar?

Clearly different: a 16% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy accords. Common notes include Pear, Ginger, Coriander and Vanilla.

Is Dark Temptation or Sacred M better for summer or winter?

Sacred M suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dark Temptation and Sacred M?

Dark Temptation has top notes of Cherry, Pear, Ginger and Coriander, heart notes of Red Pepper, Sage and Basil, a base of Dark Chocolate, Vanilla, Whipped Cream and Amber. Sacred M has top notes of Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Coriander and Cardamom, heart notes of Lily of the Valley, Gardenia, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Incense, Leather, Cypriol and White Oud.