Fragrance comparison

Kemi vs 'Ilm

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 349 ratings analysed

Kemi

Xerjoff

3.89180 votes

Rank #7,403 WoodyOud

Full profile Similar & dupes

62%scent match

Closely related

7 wins

'Ilm

Xerjoff

4.25169 votes

Rank #5,677 OudWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

'Ilm takes 7 of 7 categories.

Kemi
Choose it for a woody and oud character. Best in winter.
'Ilm
Choose it for a oud and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Kemi0/7

'Ilm7/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

KemiXerjoff

'IlmXerjoff

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.89/ 5 · 180 votes

Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%

4.25/ 5 · 169 votes

Have 41%Had 8%Want 51%

Category winner'IlmRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

51%Love

20%Like

9%Ok

7%Dislike

13%Hate

180 votes

66%Love

12%Like

11%Ok

4%Dislike

7%Hate

169 votes

Category winner'IlmMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

Longevity'Ilm

Sillage'Ilm

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value33

¤ Price value38

Category winner'IlmBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

oud90%

animalic80%

musky70%

leather60%

powdery50%

oud100%

woody83%

animalic65%

amber48%

mossy30%

Scent match62%Closely related · both oud, woody and animalic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Laotian OudAtlas Cedar

Heart

CastoreumCivetGurjan balsam

Base

Madagascar VanillaAustralian Sandalwood

Top

Laotian OudGurjan balsamAustralian Sandalwood

Heart

AmbergrisOakmossAtlas Cedar

Base

Amber

InformationalShared notesLaotian Oud, Atlas Cedar, Gurjan balsam and Australian Sandalwood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring58

Summer20

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring52

Summer33

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winner'IlmMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men54

Unisex39

Women7

Men74

Unisex25

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#7,403

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews31

Overall rank#5,677

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews22

Category winner'IlmHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Kemi by Xerjoff opens with a sharp burst of Laotian oud paired with dry Atlas cedar, creating a dark, woody resinous punch on initial spray. Underneath the strong initial woods, animalic notes of castoreum and civet quickly push through alongside balsamic gurjan balsam, giving the scent a raw, funky edge that turns he…

Reviews →

'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 →

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, Kemi or 'Ilm?

'Ilm takes 7 of 7 categories. Kemi is rated 3.89/5 from 180 votes; 'Ilm is rated 4.25/5 from 169 votes. Choose Kemi for a woody and oud character. Best in winter. Choose 'Ilm for a oud and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Kemi or 'Ilm?

They last about the same: 'Ilm 81/100, Kemi 80/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Kemi or 'Ilm?

'Ilm projects furthest ('Ilm 70/100, Kemi 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Kemi and 'Ilm smell similar?

Closely related: a 62% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share oud, woody and animalic accords. Common notes include Laotian Oud, Atlas Cedar, Gurjan balsam and Australian Sandalwood.

Is Kemi or 'Ilm better for summer or winter?

For summer, 'Ilm is the stronger pick. For winter, Kemi is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Kemi and 'Ilm?

Kemi has top notes of Laotian Oud and Atlas Cedar, heart notes of Castoreum, Civet and Gurjan balsam, a base of Madagascar Vanilla and Australian Sandalwood. 'Ilm has top notes of Laotian Oud, Gurjan balsam and Australian Sandalwood, heart notes of Ambergris, Oakmoss and Atlas Cedar, a base of Amber.