Fragrance comparison

Magie Noire vs Raffinee

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 5,726 ratings analysed

4 wins

Magie Noire

Lancôme

4.085,407 votes

Rank #495 WoodyGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

Raffinee

Houbigant

4.04319 votes

Rank #23,427 Warm SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Magie Noire takes 4 of 7 categories.

Magie Noire
Choose it for a woody and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
Raffinee
Choose it for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Magie Noire4/7

Raffinee3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Magie NoireLancôme

RaffineeHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.08/ 5 · 5,407 votes

Have 57%Had 43%Want 0%

4.04/ 5 · 319 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

Category winnerMagie NoireRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

37%Like

2%Ok

16%Dislike

1%Hate

5,407 votes

40%Love

42%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

2%Hate

319 votes

Category winnerRaffineeMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityMagie Noire

SillageMagie Noire

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value53

¤ Price value59

Category winnerRaffineeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

green92%

earthy84%

aromatic77%

amber69%

warm spicy61%

warm spicy100%

floral92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

powdery69%

sweet61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GalbanumCassisCassiaHiacynthBulgarian RoseRaspberryBergamot

Heart

HoneyNarcissusCedarOrris RootYlang-YlangTuberoseJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base

OakmossSpicesCivetPatchouliIncenseMyrrhAmberVetiver

Top15-30 mins

CarnationPlumClary SageOrange BlossomBergamotRoseJasmineLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootTonka BeanMimosaTuberoseYlang-YlangHiacynthOrchidOsmanthus

Base8-12 hrs

SpicesCinnamonIncenseSandalwoodVanillaMuskCypressVetiver

InformationalShared notesHiacynth, Bulgarian Rose, Bergamot and Orris Root. Durations are only published for Raffinee, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring33

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring35

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day32

Night100

Category winnerRaffineeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex27

Women71

Men3

Unisex20

Women77

Date 38%Party 36%Casual 15%Work 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#495

PerfumerGerard Goupy, Jean-Charles Niel, Yves Tanguy

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#23,427

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerMagie NoireHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Magie Noire is a dark green chypre with moss, smoke, incense and an animalic undertow. It opens sharp and bitter, often with cassis and galbanum up front, then settles into a damp, resinous, woody drydown that many wearers find far more beautiful than the first spray. This suits shoppers who enjoy vintage-style perfum…

Reviews →

Raffinee by Houbigant is an unapologetic powerhouse from 1982 that captures the bold theatrical spirit of early eighties perfumery. The spray opens with a punchy burst of dark stewed plum, sharp clary sage, and clove-like carnation. You get a brief alcoholic sting for two minutes before the dense oils grip the skin. O…

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, Magie Noire or Raffinee?

Magie Noire takes 4 of 7 categories. Magie Noire is rated 4.08/5 from 5,407 votes; Raffinee is rated 4.04/5 from 319 votes. Choose Magie Noire for a woody and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Raffinee for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Magie Noire or Raffinee?

Magie Noire lasts longest (Magie Noire 82/100, Raffinee 78/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Magie Noire or Raffinee?

Magie Noire projects furthest (Magie Noire 74/100, Raffinee 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Magie Noire and Raffinee smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Hiacynth, Bulgarian Rose, Bergamot and Orris Root.

Is Magie Noire or Raffinee better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Magie Noire and Raffinee?

Magie Noire has top notes of Galbanum, Cassis, Cassia and Hiacynth, heart notes of Honey, Narcissus, Cedar and Orris Root, a base of Oakmoss, Spices, Civet and Patchouli. Raffinee has top notes of Carnation, Plum, Clary Sage and Orange Blossom, heart notes of Orris Root, Tonka Bean, Mimosa and Tuberose, a base of Spices, Cinnamon, Incense and Sandalwood.