Fragrance comparison

Lutece vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 1,275 ratings analysed

Lutece

Houbigant

3.99168 votes

Rank #25,550 WoodyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #23,332 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories.

Lutece
Choose it for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, 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.

Lutece2/7

Ivoire de Balmain5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

LuteceHoubigant

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.99/ 5 · 168 votes

Have 52%Had 48%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

35%Love

46%Like

3%Ok

14%Dislike

2%Hate

168 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

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityIvoire de Balmain

SillageLutece

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value73

¤ Price value50

Category winnerLuteceBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

vanilla92%

aromatic84%

powdery77%

fresh69%

floral61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both aromatic, woody and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Brazilian RosewoodAldehydesGeraniumMandarin Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootPeonyVetiverRosemaryLily-of-the-ValleyCedar

Base6-8 hrs

Tonka BeanHeliotropeMuskCinnamonVanilla

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Orris Root, Vetiver and Tonka Bean. Durations are only published for Lutece, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring61

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night92

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex5

Women95

Casual 36%Work 28%Date 23%Party 13%

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,550

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#23,332

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Houbigant Lutece is a powdery oriental floral that wraps retro warmth in a surprisingly airy, cosmetic cloud. The fragrance opens with brisk aldehydes and sharp Brazilian rosewood before mellowing into powdery orris root, sweet peony, and a hint of green rosemary. As hours pass, creamy vanilla, almond-scented heliotro…

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, Lutece or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 5 of 7 categories. Lutece is rated 3.99/5 from 168 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Lutece for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, 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, Lutece or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Lutece 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Lutece or Ivoire de Balmain?

Projection is very close: Lutece 65/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100 for sillage.

Do Lutece and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and floral accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Orris Root, Vetiver and Tonka Bean.

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

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

What are the notes in Lutece and Ivoire de Balmain?

Lutece has top notes of Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Geranium and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Orris Root, Peony, Vetiver and Rosemary, a base of Tonka Bean, Heliotrope, Musk and Cinnamon. 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.