Fragrance comparison

L'Air du Temps vs Presence

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 6,603 ratings analysed

L'Air du Temps

Nina Ricci

3.716,548 votes

Rank #2,902 Warm SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

6 wins

Presence

Houbigant

4.1555 votes

Rank #27,761 MossyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Presence takes 6 of 7 categories.

L'Air du Temps
Choose it for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Presence
Choose it for a mossy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

L'Air du Temps1/7

Presence6/7

Ratings & consensus: Presence
Community sentiment: Presence
Longevity: Presence
Sillage & projection: Presence
Value for money: Presence
Versatility: Presence
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: L'Air du Temps

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

L'Air du TempsNina Ricci

PresenceHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.71/ 5 · 6,548 votes

Have 54%Had 46%Want 0%

4.15/ 5 · 55 votes

Have 44%Had 11%Want 45%

Category winnerPresenceRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

41%Like

4%Ok

25%Dislike

1%Hate

6,548 votes

42%Love

44%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

55 votes

Category winnerPresenceMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityPresence

SillagePresence

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value64

Category winnerPresenceBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

floral92%

woody84%

powdery77%

white floral69%

aromatic61%

mossy100%

floral92%

earthy84%

woody77%

fresh69%

fruity61%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

CarnationAldehydesRoseNeroliBrazilian RosewoodPeachBergamot

Heart

ClovesGardeniaJasmineYlang-YlangVioletOrris RootRosemaryOrchid

Base

SpicesIrisOakmossMuskSandalwoodBenzoinAmberVetiver

Top15-30 mins

AppleAldehydesNeroliLemonBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

OrrisHeliotropeCarnationJasmine

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossMuskCedarVetiverSpicesAmbergrisPatchouliSandalwood

InformationalShared notesCarnation, Aldehydes, Neroli and Bergamot. Durations are only published for Presence, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter42

Day–

Night–

Spring79

Summer50

Fall100

Winter71

Day100

Night64

Category winnerPresenceMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex10

Women89

Men7

Unisex20

Women73

Work 41%Casual 28%Date 21%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,902

PerfumerFrancis Fabron

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#27,761

PerfumerRaymond Kling

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerL'Air du TempsHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci centers on a sharp, spicy carnation surrounded by crisp aldehydes and green gardenia. Bergamot brightens the initial spray, while clove, iris, and sandalwood create a clean, powdery finish. It wears light on spring mornings, offering a dry soapy feel that suits formal daytime wear and clea…

Reviews →

Houbigant Presence is a crisp, historic chypre built on striking contrasts. The first spray releases a brisk wash of tart green apple, fizzy aldehydes, and sharp lemon zest. Give it ten minutes. The top burns off rapidly to reveal a velvety, dry heart of earthy orris root and spicy carnation blossoms. It smells like v…

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, L'Air du Temps or Presence?

Presence takes 6 of 7 categories. L'Air du Temps is rated 3.71/5 from 6,548 votes; Presence is rated 4.15/5 from 55 votes. Choose L'Air du Temps for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Presence for a mossy and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, L'Air du Temps or Presence?

They last about the same: Presence 68/100, L'Air du Temps 66/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, L'Air du Temps or Presence?

Presence projects furthest (Presence 62/100, L'Air du Temps 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do L'Air du Temps and Presence smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral and woody accords. Common notes include Carnation, Aldehydes, Neroli and Bergamot.

Is L'Air du Temps or Presence better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in L'Air du Temps and Presence?

L'Air du Temps has top notes of Carnation, Aldehydes, Rose and Neroli, heart notes of Cloves, Gardenia, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Spices, Iris, Oakmoss and Musk. Presence has top notes of Apple, Aldehydes, Neroli and Lemon, heart notes of Orris, Heliotrope, Carnation and Jasmine, a base of Oakmoss, Musk, Cedar and Vetiver.