Fragrance comparison

Eau Illuminee vs Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

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

Updated 23 Oct 2026 1,329 ratings analysed

Eau Illuminee

Parfums DelRae

3.4871 votes

Rank #22,726 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.251,258 votes

Rank #156 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 6 of 7 categories.

Eau Illuminee
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Eau Illuminee1/7

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme6/7

Ratings & consensus: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Community sentiment: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Longevity: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Sillage & projection: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Eau Illuminee
Note pyramid (duration): Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Fragranxe ranking: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Eau IllumineeParfums DelRae

Van Cleef & Arpels pour HommeVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.48/ 5 · 71 votes

Have 50%Had 20%Want 30%

4.25/ 5 · 1,258 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

21%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

35%Dislike

0%Hate

71 votes

52%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

1,258 votes

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate62

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

SillageVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value53

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

aromatic91%

green83%

lavender74%

citrus65%

herbal56%

aromatic100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

earthy69%

rose61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both aromatic and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

BergamotBasilGreen Notes

Heart2-3 hrs

LavenderOrris

Base6-8 hrs

OakmossLabdanumTonka Bean

Top15-30 mins

LavenderJuniper BerriesBasilGreen NotesCarawaySageBergamotMarjoram

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseCarnationPatchouliVetiverClovesJasmineSpicy NotesCedar

Base8-12 hrs

LeatherOakmossMuskSandalwoodLabdanumAmberCoconut

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeLongest dry-down: 8-12 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer86

Fall43

Winter29

Day100

Night32

Spring43

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day47

Night100

Category winnerEau IllumineeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Casual 39%Work 34%Date 17%Party 10%

Men93

Unisex6

Women1

Date 38%Work 28%Casual 19%Party 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#22,726

PerfumerMichel Roudnitska

Launched—

Reviews11

Overall rank#156

PerfumerLouis Monnet

Launched—

Reviews201

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Eau Illuminee cuts through the air like chilled herbal tonic. The fragrance opens with a sharp burst of bitter bergamot rind and crushed garden basil leaves. It awakens your senses instantly. Within ten minutes, clean French lavender and powdery orris root take over the core, smoothing away the raw herbal bite. The ba…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is a dark, uncompromising leather fragrance built around bitter herbs, velvety rose, and damp oakmoss. First launched in 1978, it opens with a bracing blast of green basil, aromatic lavender, and crisp juniper berries that immediately feels like stepping into a cold pine forest. As the he…

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, Eau Illuminee or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 6 of 7 categories. Eau Illuminee is rated 3.48/5 from 71 votes; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is rated 4.25/5 from 1,258 votes. Choose Eau Illuminee for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Eau Illuminee or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

They last about the same: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 80/100, Eau Illuminee 79/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Eau Illuminee or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Projection is very close: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 74/100, Eau Illuminee 72/100 for sillage.

Do Eau Illuminee and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Basil, Green Notes and Lavender.

Is Eau Illuminee or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme better for summer or winter?

For summer, Eau Illuminee is the stronger pick. For winter, Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is the stronger pick. Eau Illuminee suits daytime wear; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Eau Illuminee and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Eau Illuminee has top notes of Bergamot, Basil and Green Notes, heart notes of Lavender and Orris, a base of Oakmoss, Labdanum and Tonka Bean. Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme has top notes of Lavender, Juniper Berries, Basil and Green Notes, heart notes of Rose, Carnation, Patchouli and Vetiver, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Musk and Sandalwood.