Forbidden 1 vs Labdanum 18
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
21%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Forbidden 1 takes 3 of 5 categories.
Forbidden 1Choose it for a warm spicy and powdery character. Wins on longevity, value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear.
Labdanum 18Choose it for a musky and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Forbidden 13/5
Labdanum 181/5
- Ratings & consensus
- Not scored
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Forbidden 1
- Sillage & projection
- Tie
- Value for money
- Forbidden 1
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Forbidden 1
- Fragranxe ranking
- Labdanum 18
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Forbidden 1The Dua BrandLabdanum 18Le LaboWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.83/ 5 · 6 votes
Have 58%Had 0%Want 42%
3.95/ 5 · 1,551 votes
Have 37%Had 12%Want 52%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate83%Love
17%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
6 votes · too few to score
38%Love
36%Like
11%Ok
13%Dislike
2%Hate
1,551 votes
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityForbidden 1
SillageTie
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerForbidden 1Best value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwarm spicy100%
powdery92%
amber84%
sweet77%
vanilla69%
yellow floral61%
musky100%
amber92%
woody84%
vanilla77%
leather69%
animalic61%
Scent match21%Clearly different · both amber and vanilla
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedNotes
Ylang-YlangSaffronJasmineSuedeTolu BalsamTonka BeanOrris RootClovesOudSandalwoodCivetCopaiba balm
No top / heart / base split published
Notes
French labdanumVanillaCivettaMuskCastoreumResinsTonka BeanGurjan balsamBirchPatchouliCinnamon
No top / heart / base split published
Category winnerForbidden 1Longest dry-down: 6 to 8 hours
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring0
Summer0
Fall100
Winter100
Day–
Night100
Spring40
Summer22
Fall100
Winter92
Day99
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#34,823
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews1
Overall rank#1,903
PerfumerMaurice Roucel
Launched—
Reviews204
Category winnerLabdanum 18Higher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotForbidden 1 by The Dua Brand is an oriental woody extrait de parfum built around warm spices, resins, and florals. It opens with an immediate contrast between bright lemon and bergamot and a dense base of saffron, cloves, and cinnamon. As the initial citrus settles, a rich floral heart of jasmine, ylang-ylang, and pow…
Reviews →Labdanum 18 by Le Labo is an amber, musky scent built around a soft and powdery warmth. Rather than projecting an aggressive, dark leather aroma, it hugs close to the skin with sweet vanilla, balsamic resins, and cozy musk. Notes of French labdanum, cinnamon, and gurjan balsam provide a rich, golden center, while hint…
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.
Guided comparison
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Forbidden 1 or Labdanum 18?
Forbidden 1 takes 3 of 5 categories. Forbidden 1 is rated 4.83/5 from 6 votes; Labdanum 18 is rated 3.95/5 from 1,551 votes. Choose Forbidden 1 for a warm spicy and powdery character. Wins on longevity, value for money and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Labdanum 18 for a musky and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Which lasts longer, Forbidden 1 or Labdanum 18?
Forbidden 1 lasts longest (Forbidden 1 73/100, Labdanum 18 69/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Forbidden 1 or Labdanum 18?
Projection is very close: Forbidden 1 58/100, Labdanum 18 58/100 for sillage.
Do Forbidden 1 and Labdanum 18 smell similar?
Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber and vanilla accords. Common notes include Tonka Bean.
Is Forbidden 1 or Labdanum 18 better for summer or winter?
Forbidden 1 suits evening wear; Labdanum 18 suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Forbidden 1 and Labdanum 18?
Forbidden 1 features Ylang-Ylang, Saffron, Jasmine, Suede and Tolu Balsam. Labdanum 18 features French labdanum, Vanilla, Civetta, Musk and Castoreum.
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