Fragrance comparison

Red Santal vs Imagine

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

Updated 9 Oct 2026 141 ratings analysed

Red Santal

Abel

3.57110 votes

Rank #13,712 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

19%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Imagine

Jean Louis Vermeil

4.0331 votes

Rank #42,910 FruityWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Imagine takes 6 of 7 categories.

Red Santal
Choose it for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Imagine
Choose it for a fruity and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Red Santal1/7

Imagine6/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Red SantalAbel

ImagineJean Louis Vermeil

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.57/ 5 · 110 votes

Have 44%Had 22%Want 35%

4.03/ 5 · 31 votes

Have 40%Had 23%Want 38%

Category winnerImagineRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

27%Love

32%Like

17%Ok

20%Dislike

4%Hate

81 votes

42%Love

32%Like

13%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

31 votes

Category winnerImagineMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate66

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityImagine

SillageImagine

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value37

¤ Price value50

Category winnerImagineBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy86%

woody72%

aromatic58%

citrus44%

powdery30%

fruity100%

woody92%

mossy84%

earthy77%

sweet69%

amber61%

Scent match19%Clearly different · both woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

ClovesBlack and Pink Pepper

Heart

GingerThymeBergamot

Base

SandalwoodAustralian Sandalwood

Top

Black CurrantPineappleRaspberryPeachGrapefruitThymeAppleBergamot

Heart

RoseLilyClovesYlang-YlangHoneysuckleJasmineOrange Blossom

Base

OakmossAmberSandalwoodPatchouli

InformationalShared notesCloves, Thyme, Bergamot and Sandalwood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring68

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring33

Summer17

Fall100

Winter83

Day100

Night83

Category winnerImagineMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men34

Unisex62

Women3

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,712

PerfumerIsaac Sinclair

Launched—

Reviews25

Overall rank#42,910

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerRed SantalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Red Santal is a close-wearing, spice-forward sandalwood that reads more like an aromatherapy blend than a glossy designer woody. It opens peppery and clove-heavy, then warms into ginger, herbs and a soft, slightly powdery sandalwood dry-down. If you want a subtle, naturalistic spice cabinet scent with a clean, soapy e…

Reviews →

Imagine by Jean Louis Vermeil brings back the bold, fruity green spirit of 1989. It opens with sharp black currant and tart pineapple before settling into a deep base of oakmoss and patchouli. This fragrance suits collectors who love complex, vintage woody florals that perform well in cool autumn weather.

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, Red Santal or Imagine?

Imagine takes 6 of 7 categories. Red Santal is rated 3.57/5 from 110 votes; Imagine is rated 4.03/5 from 31 votes. Choose Red Santal for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Imagine for a fruity and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Red Santal or Imagine?

Imagine lasts longest (Imagine 73/100, Red Santal 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Red Santal or Imagine?

Imagine projects furthest (Imagine 71/100, Red Santal 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Red Santal and Imagine smell similar?

Clearly different: a 19% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Cloves, Thyme, Bergamot and Sandalwood.

Is Red Santal or Imagine better for summer or winter?

For summer, Imagine is the stronger pick. For winter, Red Santal is the stronger pick. Imagine suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Red Santal and Imagine?

Red Santal has top notes of Cloves and Black and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Ginger, Thyme and Bergamot, a base of Sandalwood and Australian Sandalwood. Imagine has top notes of Black Currant, Pineapple, Raspberry and Peach, heart notes of Rose, Lily, Cloves and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Oakmoss, Amber, Sandalwood and Patchouli.