Ruby Wood vs Dark Desire
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
22%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Ruby Wood takes 6 of 8 categories.
Ruby WoodChoose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Dark DesireChoose it for a amber and powdery character. Wins on sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in winter, evening wear.
Ruby Wood6/8
Dark Desire2/8
- Ratings & consensus
- Ruby Wood
- Community sentiment
- Ruby Wood
- Longevity
- Ruby Wood
- Sillage & projection
- Dark Desire
- Value for money
- Ruby Wood
- Versatility
- Ruby Wood
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Dark Desire
- Fragranxe ranking
- Ruby Wood
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Ruby WoodExaltatumDark DesireParfums d'ElmarWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.36/ 5 · 50 votes
Have 22%Had 8%Want 70%
4.21/ 5 · 58 votes
Have 35%Had 8%Want 57%
Category winnerRuby WoodRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate54%Love
34%Like
8%Ok
2%Dislike
2%Hate
50 votes
67%Love
10%Like
5%Ok
10%Dislike
7%Hate
58 votes
Category winnerRuby WoodMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityRuby Wood
SillageDark Desire
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerRuby WoodBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothfruity100%
sweet92%
rose84%
aromatic77%
warm spicy69%
woody61%
amber100%
powdery92%
fresh spicy84%
oud77%
woody69%
warm spicy61%
Scent match22%Clearly different · both warm spicy and woody
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop20-30 mins
Rose PetalsRed BerriesPink PepperCorianderTangerineCassisCardamom
Heart2-4 hrs
Bulgarian RoseRaspberryGeraniumOlibanumPatchouliIndian JasmineVioletCoffee
Base7-10 hrs
Agarwood (Oud)SandalwoodMuskMyrrhLabdanum
Top15-30 mins
CarrotWormwoodOrange BlossomCardamomYellow Mandarin
Heart2-4 hrs
CuminVioletBulgarian RoseMyrrhCinnamon
Base8-12+ hrs
Agarwood (Oud)AmberOlibanumTonka BeanCivetPatchouliCastoreumVirginia Cedar
Category winnerDark DesireLongest dry-down: 8-12+ hrs
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring65
Summer30
Fall100
Winter95
Day100
Night93
Spring68
Summer25
Fall0
Winter100
Day41
Night100
Category winnerRuby WoodMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#9,120
PerfumerEglija Vaitkevice
Launched—
Reviews13
Overall rank#14,575
PerfumerMark Buxton
Launched—
Reviews8
Category winnerRuby WoodHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotRuby Wood by Exaltatum is an artisanal fragrance that pairs tart wild fruits with velvety floral notes and warm forest resins. The scent opens with a lively splash of red berries, tangy cassis, and crushed rose petals spiced with pink pepper and coriander. Within an hour, rich Bulgarian rose and ripe raspberry emerge …
Reviews →Dark Desire by Parfums d'Elmar hits the skin with immediate presence. A vivid burst of yellow mandarin, bitter wormwood, and earthy carrot root quickly cuts through the air. Within minutes, cardamom and warm cinnamon generate a dense, radiant heat. The heart reveals powdery violet petals paired with dark Bulgarian ros…
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, Ruby Wood or Dark Desire?
Ruby Wood takes 6 of 8 categories. Ruby Wood is rated 4.36/5 from 50 votes; Dark Desire is rated 4.21/5 from 58 votes. Choose Ruby Wood for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Dark Desire for a amber and powdery character. Wins on sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in winter, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Ruby Wood or Dark Desire?
They last about the same: Ruby Wood 81/100, Dark Desire 79/100 for longevity in community votes.
Which projects more, Ruby Wood or Dark Desire?
Projection is very close: Dark Desire 66/100, Ruby Wood 64/100 for sillage.
Do Ruby Wood and Dark Desire smell similar?
Clearly different: a 22% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Bulgarian Rose, Olibanum and Patchouli.
Is Ruby Wood or Dark Desire better for summer or winter?
For summer, Ruby Wood is the stronger pick. For winter, Dark Desire is the stronger pick. Ruby Wood suits day or night wear; Dark Desire suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Ruby Wood and Dark Desire?
Ruby Wood has top notes of Rose Petals, Red Berries, Pink Pepper and Coriander, heart notes of Bulgarian Rose, Raspberry, Geranium and Olibanum, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood, Musk and Myrrh. Dark Desire has top notes of Carrot, Wormwood, Orange Blossom and Cardamom, heart notes of Cumin, Violet, Bulgarian Rose and Myrrh, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Amber, Olibanum and Tonka Bean.
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