Fragrance comparison

Higher Self vs Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,265 ratings analysed

Higher Self

TOBBA

3.297 votes

Rank #63,736 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.251,258 votes

Rank #155 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 4 of 4 categories.

Higher Self
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Best in spring.
Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Higher Self0/4

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme4/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Sillage & projection: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Value for money: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Higher SelfTOBBA

Van Cleef & Arpels pour HommeVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.29/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 9%Had 5%Want 86%

4.25/ 5 · 1,258 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

14%Like

0%Ok

14%Dislike

29%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

52%Love

33%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

1,258 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity48

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate57

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

SillageVan Cleef & Arpels pour Homme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value53

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

lavender84%

earthy77%

green69%

fresh spicy61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

earthy69%

rose61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

LavenderVetiverGreen NotesCitrusesJasmineFrankincensePatchouli

No top / heart / base split published

Top15-30 mins

LavenderJuniper BerriesBasilGreen NotesCarawaySageBergamotMarjoram

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseCarnationPatchouliVetiverClovesJasmineSpicy NotesCedar

Base8-12 hrs

LeatherOakmossMuskSandalwoodLabdanumAmberCoconut

InformationalShared notesLavender, Vetiver, Green Notes and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter0

Day–

Night–

Spring43

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day57

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men93

Unisex6

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#63,736

PerfumerJasper Li

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#155

PerfumerLouis Monnet

Launched—

Reviews201

Category winnerVan Cleef & Arpels pour HommeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Higher Self by TOBBA opens with a bright burst of citruses and green notes, introducing a clean, outdoor freshness right away. As it rests on the skin, the herbal quality of lavender takes over, grounded by earthy patchouli and a touch of frankincense. It is a quiet, dry, and slightly smoky aromatic blend. We recommen…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is a dark, uncompromising leather fragrance built around bitter herbs, velvety rose, and damp oakmoss. First launched in 1978, it opens with a bracing blast of green basil, aromatic lavender, and crisp juniper berries that immediately feels like stepping into a cold pine forest. As the he…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Sweet DreamsHouse Of SillageWINNER vs

Safari ElixirAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Higher Self or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme takes 4 of 4 categories. Higher Self is rated 3.29/5 from 7 votes; Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme is rated 4.25/5 from 1,258 votes. Choose Higher Self for a aromatic and woody character. Best in spring. Choose Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Higher Self or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme lasts longest (Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 80/100, Higher Self 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Higher Self or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme projects furthest (Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme 74/100, Higher Self 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Higher Self and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and earthy accords. Common notes include Lavender, Vetiver, Green Notes and Jasmine.

Is Higher Self or Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme better for summer or winter?

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Higher Self and Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme?

Higher Self features Lavender, Vetiver, Green Notes, Citruses and Jasmine. Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme has top notes of Lavender, Juniper Berries, Basil and Green Notes, heart notes of Rose, Carnation, Patchouli and Vetiver, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Musk and Sandalwood.