Fragrance comparison

From The Ashes vs The Secret Absolu

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 146 ratings analysed

3 wins

From The Ashes

The Dua Brand

4.754 votes

Rank #34,139 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

The Secret Absolu

Antonio Banderas

3.94142 votes

Rank #14,322 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

From The Ashes takes 3 of 4 categories.

From The Ashes
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
The Secret Absolu
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

From The Ashes3/4

The Secret Absolu1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: From The Ashes
Sillage & projection: From The Ashes
Value for money: From The Ashes
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: The Secret Absolu

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

From The AshesThe Dua Brand

The Secret AbsoluAntonio Banderas

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.75/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 71%Had 0%Want 29%

3.94/ 5 · 142 votes

Have 60%Had 7%Want 33%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

75%Love

25%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

22%Love

57%Like

15%Ok

5%Dislike

1%Hate

142 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity100

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate94

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityFrom The Ashes

SillageFrom The Ashes

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value73

Category winnerFrom The AshesBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

leather84%

musky77%

sweet69%

warm spicy61%

warm spicy100%

amber92%

fresh spicy84%

fruity77%

fresh69%

aromatic61%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both amber and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Mexican chocolateCanadian balsamWoodsy NotesTonka BeanBlackberryLeatherCognacAmberSuedeMusk

No top / heart / base split published

Top

Green AppleCardamomGingerBergamot

Heart

LavenderSaffronViolet Leaf

Base

AmberCognacSuedeLabdanum

InformationalShared notesCognac, Amber and Suede. Durations are only published for From The Ashes, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring33

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day33

Night100

Spring69

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men91

Unisex8

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#34,139

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#14,322

PerfumerHonorine Blanc, Ilias Ermenidis

Launched—

Reviews7

Category winnerThe Secret AbsoluHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

From The Ashes by The Dua Brand is a dense leather fragrance built around dark fruits, boozy warmth, and resinous woods. The scent opens with a distinct splash of boozy cognac alongside tart blackberry and soft suede leather. As it settles, rich Mexican chocolate brings a bittersweet depth that balances against Canadi…

Reviews →

The Secret Absolu is a sweet amber-spicy men’s scent with apple, cardamom and ginger up top, then lavender, saffron and a soft suede-cognac base. It usually reads warm, easy to like, and clearly budget-friendly. Reviews suggest solid projection for the price, with moderate longevity overall. If you enjoy smooth sweet …

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, From The Ashes or The Secret Absolu?

From The Ashes takes 3 of 4 categories. From The Ashes is rated 4.75/5 from 4 votes; The Secret Absolu is rated 3.94/5 from 142 votes. Choose From The Ashes for a amber and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose The Secret Absolu for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, From The Ashes or The Secret Absolu?

From The Ashes lasts longest (From The Ashes 100/100, The Secret Absolu 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, From The Ashes or The Secret Absolu?

From The Ashes projects furthest (From The Ashes 75/100, The Secret Absolu 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Do From The Ashes and The Secret Absolu smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Cognac, Amber and Suede.

Is From The Ashes or The Secret Absolu better for summer or winter?

From The Ashes suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in From The Ashes and The Secret Absolu?

From The Ashes features Mexican chocolate, Canadian balsam, Woodsy Notes, Tonka Bean and Blackberry. The Secret Absolu has top notes of Green Apple, Cardamom, Ginger and Bergamot, heart notes of Lavender, Saffron and Violet Leaf, a base of Amber, Cognac, Suede and Labdanum.