Fragrance comparison

Helios vs A*Men

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

Updated 13 Nov 2026 10,661 ratings analysed

Helios

Risala

4.147 votes

Rank #54,228 VanillaSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

A*Men

Mugler

4.0210,654 votes

Rank #738 Warm SpicySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

A*Men takes 3 of 4 categories.

Helios
Choose it for a vanilla and sweet character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
A*Men
Choose it for a warm spicy and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Helios1/4

A*Men3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: A*Men
Sillage & projection: A*Men
Value for money: Helios
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: A*Men

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

HeliosRisala

A*MenMugler

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 44%Had 0%Want 56%

4.02/ 5 · 10,654 votes

Have 73%Had 28%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

57%Love

14%Like

14%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

47%Love

29%Like

3%Ok

18%Dislike

2%Hate

10,654 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage45

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityA*Men

SillageA*Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value57

Category winnerHeliosBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

sweet92%

aromatic84%

amber77%

green69%

honey61%

warm spicy100%

sweet92%

caramel84%

vanilla77%

coffee69%

woody61%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both sweet and vanilla

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

MintLavender

Heart

VanillaBenzoin

Base

TobaccoHoneyTonka Bean

Top20-30 mins

LavenderMintFruity and Spicy NotesCorianderGreen NotesBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

CaramelPatchouliHoneyMilkCedarJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base8-12+ hrs

CoffeeVanillaTonka BeanBenzoinAmberSandalwoodMusk

InformationalShared notesMint, Lavender, Vanilla and Benzoin. Durations are only published for A*Men, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring57

Summer14

Fall100

Winter100

Day29

Night100

Spring21

Summer11

Fall69

Winter100

Day44

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men79

Unisex19

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#54,228

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#738

PerfumerJacques Huclier

Launched—

Reviews209

Category winnerA*MenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Helios by Risala is a sweet aromatic tobacco scent with a cool mint and lavender opening, then a warmer core of vanilla and benzoin. It settles into honeyed tonka and soft tobacco, giving it a cozy, night-friendly feel. It reads clearly masculine and better suited to cooler weather. If you like smooth vanilla-tobacco …

Reviews →

Mugler A*Men is a legendary collision of cool aromatic herbs and dark sugary warmth. The first spray punches hard. Crisp peppermint and sharp lavender cut through the air with a brisk, almost metallic bite. Give it ten minutes. Once the initial shock settles, thick toasted caramel, earthy patchouli, and bitter roasted…

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, Helios or A*Men?

A*Men takes 3 of 4 categories. Helios is rated 4.14/5 from 7 votes; A*Men is rated 4.02/5 from 10,654 votes. Choose Helios for a vanilla and sweet character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose A*Men for a warm spicy and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Helios or A*Men?

A*Men lasts longest (A*Men 85/100, Helios 73/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Helios or A*Men?

A*Men projects furthest (A*Men 78/100, Helios 45/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Helios and A*Men smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet and vanilla accords. Common notes include Mint, Lavender, Vanilla and Benzoin.

Is Helios or A*Men better for summer or winter?

Helios suits evening wear; A*Men suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Helios and A*Men?

Helios has top notes of Mint and Lavender, heart notes of Vanilla and Benzoin, a base of Tobacco, Honey and Tonka Bean. A*Men has top notes of Lavender, Mint, Fruity and Spicy Notes and Coriander, heart notes of Caramel, Patchouli, Honey and Milk, a base of Coffee, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Benzoin.