Primitif vs Ivoire de Balmain
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
24%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Primitif takes 6 of 7 categories.
PrimitifChoose it for a powdery and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Ivoire de BalmainChoose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring.
Primitif6/7
Ivoire de Balmain1/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Primitif
- Community sentiment
- Primitif
- Longevity
- Ivoire de Balmain
- Sillage & projection
- Primitif
- Value for money
- Primitif
- Versatility
- Primitif
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Primitif
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
PrimitifMax FactorIvoire de BalmainPierre BalmainWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.45/ 5 · 69 votes
Have 53%Had 8%Want 39%
4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes
Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%
Category winnerPrimitifRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate54%Love
41%Like
3%Ok
3%Dislike
0%Hate
69 votes
42%Love
43%Like
2%Ok
13%Dislike
0%Hate
1,107 votes
Category winnerPrimitifMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityIvoire de Balmain
SillagePrimitif
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerPrimitifBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothpowdery100%
musky92%
iris84%
woody77%
earthy69%
animalic61%
aromatic100%
fresh spicy92%
herbal84%
woody77%
floral69%
green61%
Scent match24%Clearly different · both woody
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
AldehydesPeachBergamot
Heart
IrisJasmineBulgarian RoseYlang-YlangLily-of-the-ValleyGeranium
Base
CivetMuskOakmossOrris RootAmberVetiverSandalwoodPatchouli
Top
AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon
Heart
Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris
Base
OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean
InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Bergamot, Iris and Bulgarian Rose. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring29
Summer36
Fall100
Winter86
Day65
Night100
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter68
Day–
Night–
Category winnerPrimitifMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#5,594
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews25
Overall rank#26,448
PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy
Launched—
Reviews0
Category winnerPrimitifHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotPrimitif is a vintage floral chypre that wears soft-focus at first, then turns darker, warmer, and more carnal on skin. Reviewers repeatedly point to powdery iris, jasmine, patchouli, oakmoss, and animalic depth, with a peachy aldehydic lift up top. It suits shoppers who enjoy old-school structure, earthy moss, and a …
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, Primitif or Ivoire de Balmain?
Primitif takes 6 of 7 categories. Primitif is rated 4.45/5 from 69 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Primitif for a powdery and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, Primitif or Ivoire de Balmain?
Ivoire de Balmain lasts longest (Ivoire de Balmain 71/100, Primitif 61/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Primitif or Ivoire de Balmain?
Primitif projects furthest (Primitif 67/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Primitif and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?
Clearly different: a 24% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Iris and Bulgarian Rose.
Is Primitif or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?
For summer, Primitif is the stronger pick. For winter, Primitif is the stronger pick. Primitif suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Primitif and Ivoire de Balmain?
Primitif has top notes of Aldehydes, Peach and Bergamot, heart notes of Iris, Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Civet, Musk, Oakmoss and Orris Root. 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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