Fragrance comparison

KLĒA vs The Empress

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 82 ratings analysed

5 wins

KLĒA

House of Brandt

3.8651 votes

Rank #35,879 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

31%scent match

Clearly different

The Empress

Alchemist Perfumery

3.3531 votes

Rank #47,641 CitrusWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

KLĒA takes 5 of 7 categories.

KLĒA
Choose it for a woody and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.
The Empress
Choose it for a citrus and white floral character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

KLĒA5/7

The Empress2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

KLĒAHouse of Brandt

The EmpressAlchemist Perfumery

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.86/ 5 · 51 votes

Have 30%Had 7%Want 63%

3.35/ 5 · 31 votes

Have 48%Had 15%Want 36%

Category winnerKLĒARating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

31%Love

35%Like

24%Ok

8%Dislike

2%Hate

51 votes

10%Love

45%Like

26%Ok

10%Dislike

10%Hate

31 votes

Category winnerKLĒAMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity37

〰 Sillage34

♥ Love / hate59

Category winners

LongevityKLĒA

SillageKLĒA

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value48

¤ Price value81

Category winnerThe EmpressBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

citrus90%

green80%

floral70%

herbal60%

musky50%

citrus100%

white floral90%

floral80%

aquatic70%

fresh60%

animalic50%

Scent match31%Clearly different · both citrus and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Olive LeafBergamotMandarin Orange

Heart2-3 hrs

MagnoliaWater LilyJasmineSea Salt

Base5-7 hrs

Egyptian MuskPapyrusAmberTonka BeanCedarwood

Top

Lemon PeelPink GrapefruitMandarin Orange

Heart

Water LilyWhite FlowersSea Salt

Base

White MuskAmbergrisWoody Notes

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Water Lily and Sea Salt. Durations are only published for KLĒA, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring64

Summer100

Fall25

Winter4

Day100

Night32

Spring92

Summer100

Fall83

Winter50

Day100

Night42

Category winnerThe EmpressMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex14

Women83

Casual 39%Work 32%Date 20%Party 9%

Men0

Unisex9

Women91

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#35,879

PerfumerJulie Pluchet

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#47,641

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerKLĒAHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

KLĒA by House of Brandt is a refreshing floral aquatic fragrance built around sun-drenched Mediterranean elements. The opening delivers an invigorating splash of crisp olive leaf, sparkling Italian bergamot, and sweet mandarin orange that instantly clears the mind. As the bright citrus settles, a radiant floral heart …

Reviews →

The Empress is a bright, clean citrus floral with a seaside twist. It opens on zesty lemon peel, pink grapefruit and mandarin, then shifts into watery white florals and a salty, airy note that reads like skin after a day near the water. It stays soft and musky with an ambergris-woody finish, wearing close and easy. A …

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, KLĒA or The Empress?

KLĒA takes 5 of 7 categories. KLĒA is rated 3.86/5 from 51 votes; The Empress is rated 3.35/5 from 31 votes. Choose KLĒA for a woody and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose The Empress for a citrus and white floral character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, KLĒA or The Empress?

KLĒA lasts longest (KLĒA 59/100, The Empress 37/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, KLĒA or The Empress?

KLĒA projects furthest (KLĒA 53/100, The Empress 34/100), based on community performance votes.

Do KLĒA and The Empress smell similar?

Clearly different: a 31% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and floral accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Water Lily and Sea Salt.

Is KLĒA or The Empress better for summer or winter?

For summer, KLĒA is the stronger pick. For winter, The Empress is the stronger pick. KLĒA suits daytime wear; The Empress suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in KLĒA and The Empress?

KLĒA has top notes of Olive Leaf, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Magnolia, Water Lily, Jasmine and Sea Salt, a base of Egyptian Musk, Papyrus, Amber and Tonka Bean. The Empress has top notes of Lemon Peel, Pink Grapefruit and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Water Lily, White Flowers and Sea Salt, a base of White Musk, Ambergris and Woody Notes.