Fragrance comparison

Isa vs Black Magic

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 938 ratings analysed

Isa

Ulric de Varens

3.64860 votes

Rank #12,400 Fresh SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

Black Magic

Parfums Genty

3.5178 votes

Rank #25,367 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

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

Isa
Choose it for a fresh spicy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Black Magic
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Isa4/8

Black Magic4/8

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

IsaUlric de Varens

Black MagicParfums Genty

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.64/ 5 · 860 votes

Have 53%Had 47%Want 0%

3.51/ 5 · 78 votes

Have 46%Had 23%Want 31%

Category winnerIsaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

22%Love

48%Like

6%Ok

23%Dislike

2%Hate

860 votes

12%Love

54%Like

14%Ok

15%Dislike

5%Hate

78 votes

Category winnerBlack MagicMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate66

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate63

Category winners

LongevityIsa

SillageBlack Magic

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value82

¤ Price value77

Category winnerIsaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

floral83%

powdery65%

rose48%

amber30%

fresh spicy100%

woody92%

earthy84%

aromatic77%

mossy69%

patchouli61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

GeraniumGalbanumMandarin Orange

Heart2-3 hrs

NutmegRoseYlang-Ylang

Base4-6 hrs

LabdanumSandalwoodMusk

Top15-30 mins

GeraniumGalbanumMandarin Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

Black CurrantRoseYlang-YlangJasmine

Base6-8 hrs

OakmossPatchouliNutmeg

Category winnerBlack MagicLongest dry-down: 6-8 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter77

Day100

Night39

Spring24

Summer12

Fall100

Winter76

Day39

Night100

Category winnerBlack MagicMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex6

Women93

Casual 47%Work 35%Date 12%Party 6%

Men0

Unisex32

Women68

Date 38%Casual 24%Party 22%Work 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#12,400

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews20

Overall rank#25,367

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerIsaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Isa by Ulric de Varens is a comforting retro perfume that channels clean luxury bath soap with a spicy twist. The spray opens brisk and medicinal with bitter green galbanum, herbal geranium, and sweet mandarin orange peel. Give the solvent a moment to clear. Within minutes, the heart settles into a cozy pairing of dry…

Reviews →

Black Magic by Parfums Genty opens with an intense, bracing shock of bitter galbanum, peppery geranium, and a quick flash of tart mandarin orange. It does not apologize for its sharp edges. The initial solvent lift burns off within three minutes, revealing a brooding, forest-like floral heart of dark red rose, creamy …

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, Isa or Black Magic?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4. Isa is rated 3.64/5 from 860 votes; Black Magic is rated 3.51/5 from 78 votes. Choose Isa for a fresh spicy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Black Magic for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Isa or Black Magic?

Isa lasts longest (Isa 67/100, Black Magic 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Isa or Black Magic?

Projection is very close: Black Magic 62/100, Isa 61/100 for sillage.

Do Isa and Black Magic smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Geranium, Galbanum, Mandarin Orange and Nutmeg.

Is Isa or Black Magic better for summer or winter?

For summer, Black Magic is the stronger pick. For winter, Isa is the stronger pick. Isa suits daytime wear; Black Magic suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Isa and Black Magic?

Isa has top notes of Geranium, Galbanum and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Nutmeg, Rose and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Labdanum, Sandalwood and Musk. Black Magic has top notes of Geranium, Galbanum and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Black Currant, Rose, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine, a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli and Nutmeg.