Fragrance comparison

Illusion vs Sud Est

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 35 ratings analysed

Illusion

Denim

3.6712 votes

Rank #46,702 HerbalAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Sud Est

Romeo Gigli

4.2623 votes

Rank #34,026 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Sud Est takes 4 of 5 categories.

Illusion
Choose it for a herbal and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Sud Est
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Illusion1/5

Sud Est4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

IllusionDenim

Sud EstRomeo Gigli

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 37%Had 17%Want 47%

4.26/ 5 · 23 votes

Have 49%Had 12%Want 39%

Category winnerSud EstRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

17%Love

50%Like

25%Ok

0%Dislike

8%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

43%Love

43%Like

9%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

23 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate82

Category winners

LongevitySud Est

SillageSud Est

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value70

¤ Price value56

Category winnerIllusionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

herbal100%

aromatic86%

fresh spicy72%

woody58%

powdery44%

bitter30%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy83%

woody65%

herbal48%

green30%

Scent match59%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and herbal

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

ArtemisiaThymeBasil

Heart2-3 hrs

SandalwoodRussian Leather

Base4-6 hrs

White MuskSiam BenzoinAmbergris

Top

BasilHyacinthBergamotJasmine

Heart

ThymeBay LeafRosemaryCorianderArtemisiaCinnamon

Base

Woody NotesBalsam FirMusk

InformationalShared notesArtemisia, Thyme and Basil. Durations are only published for Illusion, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer80

Fall60

Winter100

Day100

Night35

Spring100

Summer44

Fall100

Winter44

Day100

Night86

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

Casual 40%Work 35%Date 15%Party 10%

Men89

Unisex11

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#46,702

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#34,026

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerSud EstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Denim Illusion is a crisp, bitter-green oriental fougere that cuts through morning air with sharp aromatic bite. The first blast delivers a potent dose of bitter artemisia, crushed garden thyme, and peppery basil. It smells like crushed Mediterranean herbs steeped in cold well water. Within twenty minutes, the sharp h…

Reviews →

Sud Est by Romeo Gigli is a Aromatic Green fragrance for men. Sud Est was launched in 1995. Top notes are Basil, Hyacinth, Bergamot and Jasmine; middle notes are Thyme, Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Coriander, Artemisia and Cinnamon; base notes are Woody Notes, Balsam Fir and Musk.

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, Illusion or Sud Est?

Sud Est takes 4 of 5 categories. Illusion is rated 3.67/5 from 12 votes; Sud Est is rated 4.26/5 from 23 votes. Choose Illusion for a herbal and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Sud Est for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Illusion or Sud Est?

Sud Est lasts longest (Sud Est 62/100, Illusion 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Illusion or Sud Est?

Sud Est projects furthest (Sud Est 61/100, Illusion 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Illusion and Sud Est smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and herbal accords. Common notes include Artemisia, Thyme and Basil.

Is Illusion or Sud Est better for summer or winter?

Illusion suits daytime wear; Sud Est suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Illusion and Sud Est?

Illusion has top notes of Artemisia, Thyme and Basil, heart notes of Sandalwood and Russian Leather, a base of White Musk, Siam Benzoin and Ambergris. Sud Est has top notes of Basil, Hyacinth, Bergamot and Jasmine, heart notes of Thyme, Bay Leaf, Rosemary and Coriander, a base of Woody Notes, Balsam Fir and Musk.