Fragrance comparison

Isa vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 1,967 ratings analysed

Isa

Ulric de Varens

3.64860 votes

Rank #12,400 Fresh SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #24,050 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories.

Isa
Choose it for a fresh spicy and floral character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Isa3/7

Ivoire de Balmain4/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Ivoire de Balmain
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Isa
Versatility: Isa
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Isa

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

IsaUlric de Varens

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.64/ 5 · 860 votes

Have 53%Had 47%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating 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

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate66

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value82

¤ Price value50

Category winnerIsaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

floral83%

powdery65%

rose48%

amber30%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both fresh spicy and floral

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

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesGalbanum, Nutmeg, Rose and Ylang-Ylang. Durations are only published for Isa, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter77

Day100

Night39

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerIsaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex6

Women93

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

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#12,400

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews20

Overall rank#24,050

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

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 →

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate s…

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 Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories. Isa is rated 3.64/5 from 860 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Isa for a fresh spicy and floral character. Wins on value for money, versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Isa or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Isa 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Isa or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain projects furthest (Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Isa 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Isa and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and floral accords. Common notes include Galbanum, Nutmeg, Rose and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Isa or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Isa and Ivoire de Balmain?

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. Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense.