Pretexte vs Ivoire de Balmain
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
32%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Pretexte takes 7 of 7 categories.
PretexteChoose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Ivoire de BalmainChoose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Best in spring.
Pretexte7/7
Ivoire de Balmain0/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Pretexte
- Community sentiment
- Pretexte
- Longevity
- Pretexte
- Sillage & projection
- Pretexte
- Value for money
- Pretexte
- Versatility
- Pretexte
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Pretexte
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
PretexteLanvinIvoire de BalmainPierre BalmainWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.51/ 5 · 49 votes
Have 44%Had 6%Want 50%
4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes
Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%
Category winnerPretexteRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate68%Love
29%Like
0%Ok
3%Dislike
0%Hate
34 votes
42%Love
43%Like
2%Ok
13%Dislike
0%Hate
1,107 votes
Category winnerPretexteMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityPretexte
SillagePretexte
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerPretexteBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwoody100%
amber92%
leather84%
animalic77%
floral69%
aldehydic61%
aromatic100%
fresh spicy92%
herbal84%
woody77%
floral69%
green61%
Scent match32%Clearly different · both woody and floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
AldehydesNarcissusBergamot
Heart
OpoponaxRoseCarnationIrisHawthornHay
Base
CivetLeatherOakmossCastoreumTonka BeanSandalwoodPalisander RosewoodPatchouli
Top
AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon
Heart
Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris
Base
OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean
InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Narcissus, Bergamot and Rose. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring20
Summer0
Fall100
Winter80
Day40
Night100
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter68
Day–
Night–
Category winnerPretexteMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#12,145
PerfumerAndre Fraysse
Launched—
Reviews5
Overall rank#26,448
PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy
Launched—
Reviews0
Category winnerPretexteHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotPretexte by Lanvin is a bold oriental floral from 1937, defined by its complex leathery and animalic character. This scent opens with bright aldehydes and narcissus, shifting into a deep, dark heart of opoponax and hay. It remains a legendary piece of vintage perfumery for those who appreciate woody, resinous composit…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Pretexte or Ivoire de Balmain?
Pretexte takes 7 of 7 categories. Pretexte is rated 4.51/5 from 49 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Pretexte for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, Pretexte or Ivoire de Balmain?
Pretexte lasts longest (Pretexte 79/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Pretexte or Ivoire de Balmain?
Pretexte projects furthest (Pretexte 69/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Pretexte and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?
Clearly different: a 32% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and floral accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Narcissus, Bergamot and Rose.
Is Pretexte or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?
For summer, Pretexte is the stronger pick. For winter, Pretexte is the stronger pick. Pretexte suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Pretexte and Ivoire de Balmain?
Pretexte has top notes of Aldehydes, Narcissus and Bergamot, heart notes of Opoponax, Rose, Carnation and Iris, a base of Civet, Leather, Oakmoss and Castoreum. 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.
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