Fragrance comparison

'Ilm vs Luxe Absolu

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 199 ratings analysed

5 wins

'Ilm

Xerjoff

4.25169 votes

Rank #5,677 OudWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

Luxe Absolu

Navitus Parfums

3.3730 votes

Rank #24,927 WoodyOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

'Ilm takes 5 of 7 categories.

'Ilm
Choose it for a oud and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Luxe Absolu
Choose it for a woody and oud character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

'Ilm5/7

Luxe Absolu2/7

Ratings & consensus: 'Ilm
Community sentiment: 'Ilm
Longevity: 'Ilm
Sillage & projection: 'Ilm
Value for money: Luxe Absolu
Versatility: Luxe Absolu
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 'Ilm

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

'IlmXerjoff

Luxe AbsoluNavitus Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 169 votes

Have 41%Had 8%Want 51%

3.37/ 5 · 30 votes

Have 23%Had 13%Want 64%

Category winner'IlmRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

66%Love

12%Like

11%Ok

4%Dislike

7%Hate

169 votes

23%Love

23%Like

30%Ok

13%Dislike

10%Hate

30 votes

Category winner'IlmMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate59

Category winners

Longevity'Ilm

Sillage'Ilm

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value54

Category winnerLuxe AbsoluBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

oud100%

woody83%

animalic65%

amber48%

mossy30%

woody100%

oud92%

leather84%

warm spicy77%

vanilla69%

rose61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both oud and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Laotian OudGurjan balsamAustralian Sandalwood

Heart

AmbergrisOakmossAtlas Cedar

Base

Amber

Top

SaffronIndian Ginger

Heart

Turkish RoseItalian Orris Root

Base

Laotian OudMadagascar VanillaAmberLeatherOakmossSandalwood

InformationalShared notesLaotian Oud, Oakmoss and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer33

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring57

Summer29

Fall100

Winter100

Day21

Night100

Category winnerLuxe AbsoluMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men74

Unisex25

Women1

Men29

Unisex53

Women18

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#5,677

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews22

Overall rank#24,927

PerfumerJorge Lee

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winner'IlmHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

'Ilm by Xerjoff focuses almost entirely on unvarnished Laotian oud, opening with a sharp, medicinal pop of Gurjan balsam and Australian Sandalwood. It hits skin with an oily, slightly gasoline-like punch before revealing its deep resinous core. Within thirty minutes, Atlas Cedar and salty ambergris smooth the edges i…

Reviews →

Navitus Parfums Luxe Absolu opens with a sharp burst of Indian ginger and pungent saffron before heavy Laotian oud takes over the core. Perfumer Jorge Lee builds the composition on a dense foundation of dark leather, earthy oakmoss, and Madagascar vanilla. A quiet layer of Turkish rose and Italian orris root lingers i…

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, 'Ilm or Luxe Absolu?

'Ilm takes 5 of 7 categories. 'Ilm is rated 4.25/5 from 169 votes; Luxe Absolu is rated 3.37/5 from 30 votes. Choose 'Ilm for a oud and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Luxe Absolu for a woody and oud character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, 'Ilm or Luxe Absolu?

'Ilm lasts longest ('Ilm 81/100, Luxe Absolu 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 'Ilm or Luxe Absolu?

'Ilm projects furthest ('Ilm 70/100, Luxe Absolu 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 'Ilm and Luxe Absolu smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share oud and woody accords. Common notes include Laotian Oud, Oakmoss and Amber.

Is 'Ilm or Luxe Absolu better for summer or winter?

For summer, 'Ilm is the stronger pick. For winter, 'Ilm is the stronger pick. Luxe Absolu suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 'Ilm and Luxe Absolu?

'Ilm has top notes of Laotian Oud, Gurjan balsam and Australian Sandalwood, heart notes of Ambergris, Oakmoss and Atlas Cedar, a base of Amber. Luxe Absolu has top notes of Saffron and Indian Ginger, heart notes of Turkish Rose and Italian Orris Root, a base of Laotian Oud, Madagascar Vanilla, Amber and Leather.