Fragrance comparison

Forbidden vs Semazen

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 146 ratings analysed

Forbidden

House of Matriarch

4.15113 votes

Rank #28,728 EarthyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Semazen

Seven Gates

4.0933 votes

Rank #12,663 AromaticWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Semazen takes 4 of 7 categories.

Forbidden
Choose it for a earthy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Semazen
Choose it for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Forbidden3/7

Semazen4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ForbiddenHouse of Matriarch

SemazenSeven Gates

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.15/ 5 · 113 votes

Have 17%Had 5%Want 78%

4.09/ 5 · 33 votes

Have 19%Had 6%Want 76%

Category winnerForbiddenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

33%Like

4%Ok

12%Dislike

3%Hate

113 votes

55%Love

21%Like

12%Ok

3%Dislike

9%Hate

33 votes

Category winnerForbiddenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevitySemazen

SillageSemazen

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value46

¤ Price value44

Category winnerForbiddenBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

earthy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

tuberose77%

white floral69%

green61%

aromatic100%

warm spicy88%

woody77%

bitter65%

lavender53%

fresh spicy42%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

WormwoodcannabisAbsintheLantana leaves

Heart3-4 hrs

TuberoseBoletus edulisCypriol Oil or NagarmothaPapyrusTurnera Diffusa (Damiana)Pepper

Base8-10+ hrs

Soil TincturePrecious WoodsLeather

Top

AbsintheLavenderCardamomWormwoodCinnamon

Heart

Guaiac WoodMintPatchouliCedar

Base

Tonka BeanAmberLeatherPapyrus

InformationalShared notesWormwood, Absinthe, Papyrus and Leather. Durations are only published for Forbidden, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer28

Fall100

Winter64

Day90

Night100

Spring63

Summer38

Fall100

Winter94

Day50

Night100

Category winnerSemazenMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men12

Unisex59

Women29

Casual 38%Date 32%Work 17%Party 13%

Men36

Unisex59

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,728

PerfumerChristi Meshell

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#12,663

PerfumerEmilie Bouge

Launched—

Reviews11

Category winnerSemazenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Forbidden by House of Matriarch smells like walking into a shadowed forest after heavy rain while carrying crushed green herbs and sweet white flowers. The opening strikes with a sharp bitter burst of wormwood, absinthe, and aromatic cannabis leaves. Give it ten minutes. The initial sting calms quickly as creamy tuber…

Reviews →

Semazen by Seven Gates delivers a dark, aromatic experience built around a core of bitter absinthe and dry woods. The fragrance suits individuals seeking a mystical, herbaceous scent that stands out in cold weather. It balances fresh lavender with a warm, resinous dry-down, making it a distinct choice for crisp autumn…

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, Forbidden or Semazen?

Semazen takes 4 of 7 categories. Forbidden is rated 4.15/5 from 113 votes; Semazen is rated 4.09/5 from 33 votes. Choose Forbidden for a earthy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Semazen for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Forbidden or Semazen?

Semazen lasts longest (Semazen 83/100, Forbidden 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Forbidden or Semazen?

Semazen projects furthest (Semazen 72/100, Forbidden 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Forbidden and Semazen smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Wormwood, Absinthe, Papyrus and Leather.

Is Forbidden or Semazen better for summer or winter?

For summer, Semazen is the stronger pick. For winter, Semazen is the stronger pick. Forbidden suits evening wear; Semazen suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Forbidden and Semazen?

Forbidden has top notes of Wormwood, cannabis, Absinthe and Lantana leaves, heart notes of Tuberose, Boletus edulis, Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha and Papyrus, a base of Soil Tincture, Precious Woods and Leather. Semazen has top notes of Absinthe, Lavender, Cardamom and Wormwood, heart notes of Guaiac Wood, Mint, Patchouli and Cedar, a base of Tonka Bean, Amber, Leather and Papyrus.