Fragrance comparison

Spectacular vs Ylang 49

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

Updated 5 Nov 2026 1,421 ratings analysed

6 wins

Spectacular

Joan Collins

4.09118 votes

Rank #6,520 AmberWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

32%scent match

Clearly different

Ylang 49

Le Labo

3.851,303 votes

Rank #1,706 WoodyEarthy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Spectacular takes 6 of 8 categories.

Spectacular
Choose it for a amber and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.
Ylang 49
Choose it for a woody and earthy character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Spectacular6/8

Ylang 492/8

Ratings & consensus: Spectacular
Community sentiment: Spectacular
Longevity: Spectacular
Sillage & projection: Spectacular
Value for money: Spectacular
Versatility: Ylang 49
Note pyramid (duration): Spectacular
Fragranxe ranking: Ylang 49

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

SpectacularJoan Collins

Ylang 49Le Labo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.09/ 5 · 118 votes

Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%

3.85/ 5 · 1,303 votes

Have 40%Had 13%Want 47%

Category winnerSpectacularRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

47%Like

4%Ok

5%Dislike

5%Hate

118 votes

38%Love

32%Like

12%Ok

14%Dislike

4%Hate

1,303 votes

Category winnerSpectacularMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity81

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate71

Category winners

LongevitySpectacular

SillageSpectacular

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value74

¤ Price value29

Category winnerSpectacularBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

white floral92%

woody84%

animalic77%

powdery69%

musky61%

woody100%

earthy92%

patchouli84%

yellow floral77%

mossy69%

white floral61%

Scent match32%Clearly different · both woody and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

GardeniaAldehydesPeachBergamotGreen Notes

Heart3-4 hrs

TuberoseNarcissusJasmineBenzoinYlang-YlangSandalwoodOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetMuskIncenseLeatherAmberPatchouliStyraxVetiver

Notes

PatchouliYlang-YlangOakmossTahitian GardeniaVetiverBenzoinSandalwood

No top / heart / base split published

Category winnerSpectacularLongest dry-down: 8-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer41

Fall0

Winter94

Day78

Night100

Spring88

Summer50

Fall100

Winter64

Day100

Night80

Category winnerYlang 49Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex17

Women79

Men7

Unisex41

Women51

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,520

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews35

Overall rank#1,706

PerfumerFrank Voelkl

Launched—

Reviews185

Category winnerYlang 49Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Joan Collins Spectacular smells like unapologetic 1980s theatrical glamor captured inside a glass flacon. The first spray explodes with crisp green aldehydes and ripe peach before rich gardenia takes over the room. It does not whisper. Warm honeyed tuberose and earthy oakmoss quickly join the party, anchored by a deep…

Reviews →

Ylang 49 by Le Labo is a rich floral chypre centered on lush flowers and deep forest earth. The fragrance opens with an immediate burst of creamy ylang-ylang and ripe Tahitian gardenia, delivering a heady floral punch. Beneath the floral surface, the scent turns dark and grounding. Heavy patchouli and crisp oakmoss fo…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Spectacular or Ylang 49?

Spectacular takes 6 of 8 categories. Spectacular is rated 4.09/5 from 118 votes; Ylang 49 is rated 3.85/5 from 1,303 votes. Choose Spectacular for a amber and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Ylang 49 for a woody and earthy character. Wins on versatility and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Spectacular or Ylang 49?

Spectacular lasts longest (Spectacular 81/100, Ylang 49 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Spectacular or Ylang 49?

Spectacular projects furthest (Spectacular 72/100, Ylang 49 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Spectacular and Ylang 49 smell similar?

Clearly different: a 32% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and white floral accords. Common notes include Gardenia, Benzoin, Ylang-Ylang and Sandalwood.

Is Spectacular or Ylang 49 better for summer or winter?

For summer, Ylang 49 is the stronger pick. For winter, Spectacular is the stronger pick. Spectacular suits evening wear; Ylang 49 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Spectacular and Ylang 49?

Spectacular has top notes of Gardenia, Aldehydes, Peach and Bergamot, heart notes of Tuberose, Narcissus, Jasmine and Benzoin, a base of Civet, Musk, Incense and Leather. Ylang 49 features Patchouli, Ylang-Ylang, Oakmoss, Tahitian Gardenia and Vetiver.