Fragrance comparison

Quintessence vs Ultima II

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 47 ratings analysed

Quintessence

TRNP

4.1926 votes

Rank #21,221 CitrusYellow Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

Ultima II

Charles Revson

4.4821 votes

Rank #47,014 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2.

Quintessence
Choose it for a citrus and yellow floral character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Ultima II
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Quintessence2/5

Ultima II2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

QuintessenceTRNP

Ultima IICharles Revson

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.19/ 5 · 26 votes

Have 46%Had 9%Want 46%

4.48/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 22%Had 37%Want 40%

Category winnerUltima IIRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

62%Love

19%Like

0%Ok

15%Dislike

4%Hate

26 votes

48%Love

52%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate87

Category winners

LongevityQuintessence

SillageUltima II

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value56

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

yellow floral92%

woody84%

white floral77%

aromatic69%

powdery61%

aromatic100%

woody92%

citrus84%

fresh spicy77%

ozonic69%

white floral61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both citrus, woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotLemonClary SageMandarin Orange

Heart

Madagascar Ylang-YlangJasmineDamask RoseMimosa

Base

Orris RootPatchouliSandalwood

Top15-30 mins

Clary SageViolet LeafMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

JasmineLaurels

Base5-7 hrs

Woody NotesPatchouli

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Clary Sage, Mandarin Orange and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Ultima II, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer33

Fall67

Winter33

Day100

Night50

Spring88

Summer75

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night50

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex40

Women60

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

Work 42%Casual 35%Date 15%Party 8%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#21,221

PerfumerTeone Reinthal

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#47,014

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerQuintessenceHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Quintessence opens with a sharp burst of bergamot, lemon, and herbal clary sage before revealing a dense floral centerpiece of jasmine grandiflorum, damask rose, and ylang-ylang. As the initial brightness fades, soapy orris root and earthy patchouli merge with creamy sandalwood. Built using natural botanical essences,…

Reviews →

Ultima II by Charles Revson is a brisk green floral that immediately cuts through warm air with snapped violet leaf, bitter bergamot, and earthy clary sage. It was introduced in 1967 as a modern cosmetic companion for women seeking a sharper, more botanical alternative to heavy powdery bouquets. The fragrance opens wi…

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, Quintessence or Ultima II?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2. Quintessence is rated 4.19/5 from 26 votes; Ultima II is rated 4.48/5 from 21 votes. Choose Quintessence for a citrus and yellow floral character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Ultima II for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Quintessence or Ultima II?

Quintessence lasts longest (Quintessence 67/100, Ultima II 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Quintessence or Ultima II?

Ultima II projects furthest (Ultima II 59/100, Quintessence 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Quintessence and Ultima II smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Clary Sage, Mandarin Orange and Jasmine.

Is Quintessence or Ultima II better for summer or winter?

Quintessence suits daytime wear; Ultima II suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Quintessence and Ultima II?

Quintessence has top notes of Bergamot, Lemon, Clary Sage and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Madagascar Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Damask Rose and Mimosa, a base of Orris Root, Patchouli and Sandalwood. Ultima II has top notes of Clary Sage, Violet Leaf, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot, heart notes of Jasmine and Laurels, a base of Woody Notes and Patchouli.