Fragrance comparison

Norell vs Raffinee

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 705 ratings analysed

5 wins

Norell

4.17386 votes

Rank #1,850 AromaticGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

Raffinee

Houbigant

4.04319 votes

Rank #23,427 Warm SpicyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Norell takes 5 of 7 categories.

Norell
Choose it for a aromatic and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Raffinee
Choose it for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Norell5/7

Raffinee1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

NorellNorell

RaffineeHoubigant

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.17/ 5 · 386 votes

Have 69%Had 31%Want 0%

4.04/ 5 · 319 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

Category winnerNorellRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

41%Like

1%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

386 votes

40%Love

42%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

2%Hate

319 votes

Category winnerNorellMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityRaffinee

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value59

Category winnerNorellBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

green92%

floral84%

warm spicy77%

yellow floral69%

woody61%

warm spicy100%

floral92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

powdery69%

sweet61%

Scent match55%Closely related · both aromatic, warm spicy and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

NarcissusGalbanumHiacynthLavenderBergamotLemonMandarin Orange

Heart

CarnationArum LilyCorianderRoseMimosaIrisGardeniaYlang-Ylang

Base

OakmossVetiverMyrrhMuskAmberCedarSandalwoodVanilla

Top15-30 mins

CarnationPlumClary SageOrange BlossomBergamotRoseJasmineLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Orris RootTonka BeanMimosaTuberoseYlang-YlangHiacynthOrchidOsmanthus

Base8-12 hrs

SpicesCinnamonIncenseSandalwoodVanillaMuskCypressVetiver

InformationalShared notesHiacynth, Bergamot, Lemon and Carnation. Durations are only published for Raffinee, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring79

Summer55

Fall100

Winter72

Day100

Night77

Spring35

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day32

Night100

Category winnerNorellMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex30

Women70

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#1,850

PerfumerJosephine Catapano

Launched—

Reviews89

Overall rank#23,427

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerNorellHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Norell by Norell, composed by Josephine Catapano in 1968, opens with an unmistakable snap of bitter galbanum and hyacinth. Lemon and bergamot provide a bright citrus flash, but green resin dominates the immediate atmosphere. As the sharp top notes soften, a complex heart of clove-spiced carnation, narcissus, ylang-yla…

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, Norell or Raffinee?

Norell takes 5 of 7 categories. Norell is rated 4.17/5 from 386 votes; Raffinee is rated 4.04/5 from 319 votes. Choose Norell for a aromatic and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Raffinee for a warm spicy and floral character. Wins on longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Norell or Raffinee?

They last about the same: Raffinee 78/100, Norell 76/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Norell or Raffinee?

Projection is very close: Norell 68/100, Raffinee 68/100 for sillage.

Do Norell and Raffinee smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, warm spicy and floral accords. Common notes include Hiacynth, Bergamot, Lemon and Carnation.

Is Norell or Raffinee better for summer or winter?

For summer, Norell is the stronger pick. For winter, Raffinee is the stronger pick. Norell suits daytime wear; Raffinee suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Norell and Raffinee?

Norell has top notes of Narcissus, Galbanum, Hiacynth and Lavender, heart notes of Carnation, Arum Lily, Coriander and Rose, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Myrrh and Musk. 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.