Fragrance comparison

Nostos vs Nikos

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 136 ratings analysed

5 wins

Nostos

L'Erbolario

4.0728 votes

Rank #20,717 MarineSalty

Full profile Similar & dupes

58%scent match

Closely related

Nikos

Sikelia

3.64108 votes

Rank #10,139 SaltyMarine

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Nostos takes 5 of 7 categories.

Nostos
Choose it for a marine and salty character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Nikos
Choose it for a salty and marine character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Nostos5/7

Nikos2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

NostosL'Erbolario

NikosSikelia

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.07/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 14%Had 18%Want 68%

3.64/ 5 · 108 votes

Have 14%Had 7%Want 79%

Category winnerNostosRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

29%Love

61%Like

0%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

28 votes

24%Love

41%Like

11%Ok

22%Dislike

3%Hate

37 votes

Category winnerNostosMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityNostos

SillageNostos

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value88

¤ Price value69

Category winnerNostosBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

marine100%

salty77%

aromatic53%

aquatic30%

salty100%

marine88%

aromatic77%

amber65%

citrus53%

animalic42%

Scent match58%Closely related · both marine, salty and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Sea waterSalt

No top / heart / base split published

Top

SaltBergamotPine

Heart

SageAldehydesIris

Base

Sea waterAmbergrisResins

InformationalShared notesSea water and Salt. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer100

Fall17

Winter22

Day100

Night22

Spring67

Summer100

Fall24

Winter5

Day100

Night41

Category winnerNikosMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men13

Unisex74

Women13

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,717

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Overall rank#10,139

PerfumerFulvio Ciccolo

Launched—

Reviews28

Category winnerNikosHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Erbolario Nostos hits the nose with direct sea water and harsh salt crystals right from the initial spray. This Italian creation bypasses the synthetic melon notes common in mass market nineties aquatics. Instead, it relies on a raw aromatic structure that feels like walking along a storm-swept coastal bluff. Marine…

Reviews →

Nikos is a saline marine scent built around the smell of sea water rather than a glossy shower-gel fresh profile. It opens with sharp salt, bergamot and pine, then settles into airy aromatics, a slightly soapy aldehydic lift, and a warmer ambergris-resin base. It may suit buyers who want an unusual coastal fragrance f…

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, Nostos or Nikos?

Nostos takes 5 of 7 categories. Nostos is rated 4.07/5 from 28 votes; Nikos is rated 3.64/5 from 108 votes. Choose Nostos for a marine and salty character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Nikos for a salty and marine character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Nostos or Nikos?

Nostos lasts longest (Nostos 80/100, Nikos 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Nostos or Nikos?

Nostos projects furthest (Nostos 68/100, Nikos 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Nostos and Nikos smell similar?

Closely related: a 58% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share marine, salty and aromatic accords. Common notes include Sea water and Salt.

Is Nostos or Nikos better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Nostos and Nikos?

Nostos features Sea water and Salt. Nikos has top notes of Salt, Bergamot and Pine, heart notes of Sage, Aldehydes and Iris, a base of Sea water, Ambergris and Resins.