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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Spiky Muse vs Black Diamond

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

Updated 625 ratings analysed
Clearly different
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Diamond takes 3 of 4 categories.

  • Spiky Muse

    Choose it for a rose and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

  • Black Diamond

    Choose it for a leather and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Spiky Muse1/4
Black Diamond3/4
Ratings & consensus
Not scored
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
Black Diamond
Sillage & projection
Black Diamond
Value for money
Black Diamond
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Spiky Muse

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
Spiky MuseEx Nihilo
Black DiamondZaraya
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
3.81/ 5 · 622 votes
Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%
5.00/ 5 · 3 votes
Have 25%Had 0%Want 75%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
36%Love
30%Like
19%Ok
11%Dislike
4%Hate

622 votes

100%Love
0%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity73
〰 Sillage64
♥ Love / hate70
⏱ Longevity90
〰 Sillage81
♥ Love / hate100
Category winners

LongevityBlack Diamond

SillageBlack Diamond

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value29
¤ Price value92
Category winnerBlack DiamondBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
rose100%
woody92%
citrus84%
oud77%
sweet69%
fruity61%
leather100%
warm spicy91%
animalic83%
cinnamon74%
musky65%
woody56%
Scent match19%Clearly different · both woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top15-30 mins
BergamotPink PepperStrawberry
Heart2-4 hrs
RosePistachio
Base6-8+ hrs
AkigalawoodAmbrofix™CedarwoodTonka Bean
Top
CinnamonSaffronBergamot
Heart
AkigalawoodOsmanthusRose
Base
LeatherMuskPatchouliCedarwood
InformationalShared notesBergamot, Rose, Akigalawood and Cedarwood. Durations are only published for Spiky Muse, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring100
Summer79
Fall0
Winter18
Day100
Night33
Spring100
Summer100
Fall100
Winter100
Day50
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men1
Unisex17
Women82
Men25
Unisex75
Women0
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,161

PerfumerLouise Turner

Launched—

Reviews62

Overall rank#43,857

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerSpiky MuseHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Spiky Muse by Ex Nihilo turns the traditional floral genre on its head by pairing fresh, dewy rose petals with a sharp burst of upcycled strawberry and sparkling pink pepper. The opening feels crunchy and bright, almost like biting into a firm, underripe berry sprinkled with citrus zest. As the fragrance settles onto …

Reviews →

Black Diamond by Zaraya opens with sharp cinnamon, warm saffron, and bright bergamot before settling into a heavy heart of akigalawood, dark leather, and earthy patchouli. Soft osmanthus and subtle rose quiet the aggressive spice, giving the dry woody base a light apricot and floral texture. Built for crisp autumn eve…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Spiky Muse or Black Diamond?

Black Diamond takes 3 of 4 categories. Spiky Muse is rated 3.81/5 from 622 votes; Black Diamond is rated 5.00/5 from 3 votes. Choose Spiky Muse for a rose and woody character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Black Diamond for a leather and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Spiky Muse or Black Diamond?

Black Diamond lasts longest (Black Diamond 90/100, Spiky Muse 73/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Spiky Muse or Black Diamond?

Black Diamond projects furthest (Black Diamond 81/100, Spiky Muse 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Spiky Muse and Black Diamond smell similar?

Clearly different: a 19% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Rose, Akigalawood and Cedarwood.

Is Spiky Muse or Black Diamond better for summer or winter?

Spiky Muse suits daytime wear; Black Diamond suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Spiky Muse and Black Diamond?

Spiky Muse has top notes of Bergamot, Pink Pepper and Strawberry, heart notes of Rose and Pistachio, a base of Akigalawood, Ambrofix™, Cedarwood and Tonka Bean. Black Diamond has top notes of Cinnamon, Saffron and Bergamot, heart notes of Akigalawood, Osmanthus and Rose, a base of Leather, Musk, Patchouli and Cedarwood.

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