Fragrance comparison

Prelude vs Ultima

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 216 ratings analysed

Prelude

Balenciaga

4.24155 votes

Rank #6,323 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Ultima

Revlon

4.5961 votes

Rank #7,058 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ultima takes 4 of 7 categories.

Prelude
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Ultima
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Prelude3/7

Ultima4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PreludeBalenciaga

UltimaRevlon

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.24/ 5 · 155 votes

Have 41%Had 20%Want 39%

4.59/ 5 · 61 votes

Have 48%Had 10%Want 42%

Category winnerUltimaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

41%Love

50%Like

1%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

155 votes

72%Love

21%Like

0%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

61 votes

Category winnerUltimaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate90

Category winners

LongevityUltima

SillagePrelude

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value60

¤ Price value57

Category winnerPreludeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

powdery84%

floral77%

sweet69%

yellow floral61%

warm spicy100%

amber92%

woody84%

balsamic77%

powdery69%

cinnamon61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both amber, warm spicy and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesOrangeBergamot

Heart

CarnationYlang-YlangCinnamonJasmineRoseOrchid

Base

Tolu BalsamBenzoinAmberCivetVanillaPatchouli

Top

SpicesAldehydesBergamotAppleFruity Notes

Heart

CinnamonCarnationPimentoRoseJasmineOrchid

Base

OpoponaxSandalwoodCivetAmberPatchouliBenzoinVanilla

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Bergamot, Carnation and Cinnamon. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring57

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring45

Summer30

Fall95

Winter100

Day42

Night100

Category winnerUltimaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex36

Women64

Men8

Unisex31

Women62

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,323

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews25

Overall rank#7,058

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews12

Category winnerPreludeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balenciaga Prelude opens with a rush of soapy, sparkling aldehydes and citrus before settling into a warm, spice-laden floral core. The heart relies on ylang-ylang and carnation, which are dusted with ground cinnamon to create a dry, textured warmth. It eventually settles into a quiet, resinous base of tolu balsam and…

Reviews →

Ultima by Revlon is a dense, spicy oriental that delivers a vintage, resinous punch. Launched in 1961, it pairs sharp aldehydes with a warm, heavy base of opoponax and sandalwood. Best suited for cold weather and evening wear, this classic fragrance provides a dramatic, opulent scent profile for those who enjoy old-sc…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Prelude or Ultima?

Ultima takes 4 of 7 categories. Prelude is rated 4.24/5 from 155 votes; Ultima is rated 4.59/5 from 61 votes. Choose Prelude for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Ultima for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Prelude or Ultima?

Ultima lasts longest (Ultima 81/100, Prelude 74/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Prelude or Ultima?

Prelude projects furthest (Prelude 70/100, Ultima 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Prelude and Ultima smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, warm spicy and powdery accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Carnation and Cinnamon.

Is Prelude or Ultima better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ultima is the stronger pick. For winter, Prelude is the stronger pick. Ultima suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Prelude and Ultima?

Prelude has top notes of Aldehydes, Orange and Bergamot, heart notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Cinnamon and Jasmine, a base of Tolu Balsam, Benzoin, Amber and Civet. Ultima has top notes of Spices, Aldehydes, Bergamot and Apple, heart notes of Cinnamon, Carnation, Pimento and Rose, a base of Opoponax, Sandalwood, Civet and Amber.