Fragrance comparison

Steel Grey vs Cardamome

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 43 ratings analysed

Steel Grey

Zara

3.8327 votes

Rank #17,055 CitrusMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

62%scent match

Closely related

3 wins

Cardamome

Adopt Parfums

4.1916 votes

Rank #31,759 Warm SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Cardamome takes 3 of 5 categories.

Steel Grey
Choose it for a citrus and musky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Cardamome
Choose it for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Steel Grey2/5

Cardamome3/5

Ratings & consensus: Cardamome
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Cardamome
Sillage & projection: Cardamome
Value for money: Steel Grey
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Steel Grey

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Steel GreyZara

CardamomeAdopt Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.83/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 55%Had 26%Want 19%

4.19/ 5 · 16 votes

Have 47%Had 19%Want 34%

Category winnerCardamomeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

25%Love

31%Like

38%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

16 votes · too few to score

25%Love

69%Like

6%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

16 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage79

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityCardamome

SillageCardamome

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value89

¤ Price value78

Category winnerSteel GreyBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

musky86%

warm spicy72%

aromatic58%

powdery44%

fresh spicy30%

warm spicy100%

fresh spicy90%

citrus80%

aromatic70%

cinnamon60%

powdery50%

Scent match62%Closely related · both citrus, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Bergamot

Heart

Cardamom

Base

Musk

Top

CardamomBergamotTangerine

Heart

NutmegCinnamon

Base

AmberMusk

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Cardamom and Musk. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer89

Fall78

Winter44

Day100

Night63

Spring13

Summer25

Fall100

Winter88

Day100

Night63

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men82

Unisex9

Women9

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,055

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews11

Overall rank#31,759

PerfumerDominique Monlun

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerSteel GreyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Steel Grey is a clean, cardamom-led Zara scent with a brief citrus lift up top and a soft musky base underneath. It reads fresh, lightly spicy, and easy to wear rather than complex. On skin, it usually suits spring and summer best, especially daytime use. If you like simple, crisp fragrances with a smooth spicy edge a…

Reviews →

Cardamome by Adopt Parfums is a fragrance for men. The nose behind this fragrance is Dominique Monlun. Top notes are Cardamom, Bergamot and Tangerine; middle notes are Nutmeg and Cinnamon; base notes are Amber and Musk.

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, Steel Grey or Cardamome?

Cardamome takes 3 of 5 categories. Steel Grey is rated 3.83/5 from 27 votes; Cardamome is rated 4.19/5 from 16 votes. Choose Steel Grey for a citrus and musky character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Cardamome for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Steel Grey or Cardamome?

Cardamome lasts longest (Cardamome 71/100, Steel Grey 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Steel Grey or Cardamome?

Cardamome projects furthest (Cardamome 79/100, Steel Grey 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Steel Grey and Cardamome smell similar?

Closely related: a 62% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Cardamom and Musk.

Is Steel Grey or Cardamome better for summer or winter?

Steel Grey suits daytime wear; Cardamome suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Steel Grey and Cardamome?

Steel Grey has top notes of Bergamot, heart notes of Cardamom, a base of Musk. Cardamome has top notes of Cardamom, Bergamot and Tangerine, heart notes of Nutmeg and Cinnamon, a base of Amber and Musk.