Fragrance comparison

Handsome vs Tsar

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 1,920 ratings analysed

Handsome

Paris Elysees

3.93105 votes

Rank #14,723 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

57%scent match

Closely related

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4.

Handsome
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and note pyramid duration. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Handsome4/8

Tsar4/8

Ratings & consensus: Tsar
Community sentiment: Tsar
Longevity: Handsome
Sillage & projection: Handsome
Value for money: Handsome
Versatility: Handsome
Note pyramid (duration): Tsar
Fragranxe ranking: Tsar

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

HandsomeParis Elysees

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.93/ 5 · 105 votes

Have 37%Had 24%Want 39%

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

36%Like

9%Ok

11%Dislike

5%Hate

105 votes

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

Category winnerTsarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityHandsome

SillageHandsome

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value93

¤ Price value48

Category winnerHandsomeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic86%

earthy72%

tobacco58%

mossy44%

leather30%

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

Scent match57%Closely related · both woody, aromatic and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

PineEucalyptusLavenderCoriander

Heart2 to 3 hours

CedarVetiverArtemisiaPepper

Base5 to 8 hours

TobaccoOakmossLeatherPatchouli

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

Category winnerTsarLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring62

Summer20

Fall94

Winter100

Day49

Night100

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Category winnerHandsomeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men99

Unisex0

Women1

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,723

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews9

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Handsome by Paris Elysees is an unapologetic chypre fragrance for men built around brisk forest greenery, rough woods, and dry tobacco. The opening delivers a potent burst of sharp pine needles, camphoraceous eucalyptus, clean lavender, and spicy coriander seeds. As the aromatic blast settles, a sturdy heart of dry ce…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Handsome or Tsar?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4. Handsome is rated 3.93/5 from 105 votes; Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes. Choose Handsome for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and note pyramid duration. Best in winter, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Handsome or Tsar?

They last about the same: Handsome 74/100, Tsar 72/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Handsome or Tsar?

Handsome projects furthest (Handsome 67/100, Tsar 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Handsome and Tsar smell similar?

Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and earthy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Coriander, Cedar and Vetiver.

Is Handsome or Tsar better for summer or winter?

For summer, Tsar is the stronger pick. For winter, Handsome is the stronger pick. Handsome suits evening wear; Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Handsome and Tsar?

Handsome has top notes of Pine, Eucalyptus, Lavender and Coriander, heart notes of Cedar, Vetiver, Artemisia and Pepper, a base of Tobacco, Oakmoss, Leather and Patchouli. Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli.