Fragrance comparison

Pure Soap vs Talisman

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 690 ratings analysed

Pure Soap

Clean

3.88269 votes

Rank #35,435 White FloralAldehydic

Full profile Similar & dupes

13%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Talisman

Balenciaga

4.05421 votes

Rank #3,716 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Talisman takes 5 of 7 categories.

Pure Soap
Choose it for a white floral and aldehydic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Talisman
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Pure Soap2/7

Talisman5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Pure SoapClean

TalismanBalenciaga

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.88/ 5 · 269 votes

Have 45%Had 9%Want 47%

4.05/ 5 · 421 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerTalismanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

33%Like

18%Ok

10%Dislike

3%Hate

269 votes

40%Love

41%Like

2%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

421 votes

Category winnerTalismanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityTalisman

SillageTalisman

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value54

Category winnerPure SoapBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

aldehydic92%

citrus84%

musky77%

fresh69%

powdery61%

fruity100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match13%Clearly different · both powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

AldehydesMandarin OrangeHerbal Notes

Heart1 to 2 hours

LavenderJasmineCyclamen

Base2 to 4 hours

MuskOrange BlossomSandalwood

Top

Dried FruitsRumAldehydesPineapplePeachOsmanthusMandarin OrangeHiacynth

Heart

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineRoseIrisCyclamenFreesiaLily-of-the-Valley

Base

BeeswaxLeatherCaramelSandalwoodVanillaTonka BeanPatchouliAmber

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Mandarin Orange, Jasmine and Cyclamen. Durations are only published for Pure Soap, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring97

Summer100

Fall66

Winter58

Day100

Night31

Spring42

Summer30

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerPure SoapMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men5

Unisex65

Women30

Men2

Unisex15

Women83

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#35,435

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#3,716

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews41

Category winnerTalismanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Pure Soap by Clean delivers an uncomplicated, crisp aroma designed to recreate the feeling of freshly washed skin. The scent opens with a sharp burst of sparkling aldehydes, juicy mandarin orange, and dry herbal notes that instantly recall a fresh bar of white soap. As the initial brightness settles, a calm floral hea…

Reviews →

Talisman by Balenciaga opens with a dense pour of rum and dried fruits, immediately signaling a departure from standard clean florality. The initial warmth feels thick and sticky, cutting through cool autumn air with a syrupy weight. As the scent settles, ylang-ylang and carnation introduce a spicy, classic floral tex…

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, Pure Soap or Talisman?

Talisman takes 5 of 7 categories. Pure Soap is rated 3.88/5 from 269 votes; Talisman is rated 4.05/5 from 421 votes. Choose Pure Soap for a white floral and aldehydic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Talisman for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Pure Soap or Talisman?

Talisman lasts longest (Talisman 74/100, Pure Soap 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Pure Soap or Talisman?

Talisman projects furthest (Talisman 68/100, Pure Soap 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Pure Soap and Talisman smell similar?

Clearly different: a 13% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange, Jasmine and Cyclamen.

Is Pure Soap or Talisman better for summer or winter?

For summer, Pure Soap is the stronger pick. For winter, Talisman is the stronger pick. Pure Soap suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Pure Soap and Talisman?

Pure Soap has top notes of Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange and Herbal Notes, heart notes of Lavender, Jasmine and Cyclamen, a base of Musk, Orange Blossom and Sandalwood. Talisman has top notes of Dried Fruits, Rum, Aldehydes and Pineapple, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Beeswax, Leather, Caramel and Sandalwood.