Fragrance comparison

Ivoire de Balmain vs Opera

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,738 ratings analysed

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #26,630 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

31%scent match

Clearly different

4 wins

Opera

Sospiro Perfumes

4.03631 votes

Rank #2,714 WoodySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Opera takes 4 of 7 categories.

Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring.
Opera
Choose it for a woody and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Ivoire de Balmain3/7

Opera4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

OperaSospiro Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

4.03/ 5 · 631 votes

Have 67%Had 33%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

46%Love

32%Like

4%Ok

16%Dislike

2%Hate

631 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityOpera

SillageOpera

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value34

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

woody100%

sweet92%

fresh spicy84%

yellow floral77%

fruity69%

animalic61%

Scent match31%Clearly different · both woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

Top15-30 mins

Fruity NotesTurkish Rose

Heart2-4 hrs

NutmegYlang-YlangAmbergrisLeather

Base8-12+ hrs

PatchouliVanillaMuskVetiverVirginian Cedar

InformationalShared notesNutmeg, Turkish Rose, Ylang-Ylang and Vetiver. Durations are only published for Opera, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Spring67

Summer48

Fall0

Winter100

Day53

Night100

Category winnerOperaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

Men9

Unisex40

Women51

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,630

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#2,714

PerfumerChris Maurice

Launched—

Reviews36

Category winnerOperaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Opera by Sospiro Perfumes is a lush, head-turning blend of sweet spiced fruits, velvety rose, and rich woods. Right out of the atomizer, it hits with a burst of dark candied berries and Turkish rose, quickly supported by creamy ylang-ylang and warm nutmeg. As the scent settles, smooth leather, earthy patchouli, and Vi…

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, Ivoire de Balmain or Opera?

Opera takes 4 of 7 categories. Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes; Opera is rated 4.03/5 from 631 votes. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring. Choose Opera for a woody and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Ivoire de Balmain or Opera?

Opera lasts longest (Opera 81/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ivoire de Balmain or Opera?

Opera projects furthest (Opera 78/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ivoire de Balmain and Opera smell similar?

Clearly different: a 31% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Nutmeg, Turkish Rose, Ylang-Ylang and Vetiver.

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

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

What are the notes in Ivoire de Balmain and Opera?

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. Opera has top notes of Fruity Notes and Turkish Rose, heart notes of Nutmeg, Ylang-Ylang, Ambergris and Leather, a base of Patchouli, Vanilla, Musk and Vetiver.