Fragrance comparison

Fakhama vs Holy Stick

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 375 ratings analysed

6 wins

Fakhama

The Spirit of Dubai

4.35196 votes

Rank #24,653 Warm SpicyFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

Holy Stick

Chapel Factory

4.04179 votes

Rank #33,214 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Fakhama takes 6 of 7 categories.

Fakhama
Choose it for a warm spicy and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Holy Stick
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Fakhama6/7

Holy Stick1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

FakhamaThe Spirit of Dubai

Holy StickChapel Factory

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.35/ 5 · 196 votes

Have 34%Had 7%Want 58%

4.04/ 5 · 179 votes

Have 22%Had 5%Want 73%

Category winnerFakhamaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

62%Love

22%Like

10%Ok

3%Dislike

4%Hate

196 votes

40%Love

34%Like

18%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

179 votes

Category winnerFakhamaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity88

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityFakhama

SillageFakhama

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value31

¤ Price value57

Category winnerHoly StickBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

fruity92%

amber84%

sweet77%

animalic69%

woody61%

warm spicy100%

amber88%

woody77%

aromatic65%

balsamic53%

smoky42%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both warm spicy, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Dried FruitsTurkish RoseBulgarian RoseAgarwood (Oud)Damask RoseFruity NotesSpicy NotesSweet Orange

Heart

RoseBenzoinSaffronVanillaSandalwoodCorianderPatchouliVetiver

Base

Animal notesSpun SugarCivetIncenseAmberCastoreumLeatherMoss

Top15-30 mins

ClovesCardamomelemi

Heart2-3 hrs

IncenseCedarPetitgrain

Base4-6+ hrs

Palo SantoBenzoinAmberPatchouliGuaiac Wood

InformationalShared notesBenzoin, Patchouli, Incense and Amber. Durations are only published for Holy Stick, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring72

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring46

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day89

Night100

Category winnerFakhamaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men30

Unisex59

Women10

Men11

Unisex72

Women17

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,653

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#33,214

PerfumerAnais Biguine

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerFakhamaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Fakhama opens with dark Turkish rose, dried fruits, and a sharp touch of cardamom before settling into benzoin, agarwood, and coffee. As it warms on skin, animalic civet and amber create a dense, resinous profile built for cold evening air. It feels heavy, rich, and unabashedly traditional.

Reviews →

Holy Stick by Chapel Factory captures the quiet ritual of burning sacred wood. The cardamom hits immediately. A brisk flare of elemi and crushed cloves provides an energetic, peppery lift before the scent mellows into dry cedar and smoky incense. Palo Santo anchors the base with its signature creamy, minty warmth, sup…

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, Fakhama or Holy Stick?

Fakhama takes 6 of 7 categories. Fakhama is rated 4.35/5 from 196 votes; Holy Stick is rated 4.04/5 from 179 votes. Choose Fakhama for a warm spicy and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Holy Stick for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Fakhama or Holy Stick?

Fakhama lasts longest (Fakhama 88/100, Holy Stick 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Fakhama or Holy Stick?

Fakhama projects furthest (Fakhama 78/100, Holy Stick 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Fakhama and Holy Stick smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, amber and woody accords. Common notes include Benzoin, Patchouli, Incense and Amber.

Is Fakhama or Holy Stick better for summer or winter?

For summer, Fakhama is the stronger pick. For winter, Fakhama is the stronger pick. Holy Stick suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Fakhama and Holy Stick?

Fakhama has top notes of Dried Fruits, Turkish Rose, Bulgarian Rose and Agarwood (Oud), heart notes of Rose, Benzoin, Saffron and Vanilla, a base of Animal notes, Spun Sugar, Civet and Incense. Holy Stick has top notes of Cloves, Cardamom and elemi, heart notes of Incense, Cedar and Petitgrain, a base of Palo Santo, Benzoin, Amber and Patchouli.