Fragrance comparison

Suave vs Van Gils I

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

Updated 8 Nov 2026 137 ratings analysed

Suave

Parfums Vintage

3.7850 votes

Rank #18,288 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

72%scent match

Closely related

6 wins

Van Gils I

Van Gils

4.1087 votes

Rank #7,829 AromaticWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Van Gils I takes 6 of 8 categories.

Suave
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.
Van Gils I
Choose it for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Suave2/8

Van Gils I6/8

Ratings & consensus: Van Gils I
Community sentiment: Van Gils I
Longevity: Suave
Sillage & projection: Suave
Value for money: Van Gils I
Versatility: Van Gils I
Note pyramid (duration): Van Gils I
Fragranxe ranking: Van Gils I

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

SuaveParfums Vintage

Van Gils IVan Gils

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.78/ 5 · 50 votes

Have 39%Had 8%Want 53%

4.10/ 5 · 87 votes

Have 81%Had 19%Want 0%

Category winnerVan Gils IRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

36%Love

34%Like

2%Ok

28%Dislike

0%Hate

50 votes

41%Love

43%Like

6%Ok

6%Dislike

5%Hate

87 votes

Category winnerVan Gils IMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate70

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevitySuave

SillageSuave

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value83

Category winnerVan Gils IBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

fresh spicy77%

powdery69%

lavender61%

aromatic100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

fresh spicy77%

powdery69%

floral61%

Scent match72%Closely related · both aromatic, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

CardamomLavenderBergamot

Heart2 to 4 hours

CedarIrisCarawayPatchouli

Base4 to 7 hours

VetiverAmbergrisMusk

Top15-30 mins

CardamomPlum BlossomPink PepperBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

AllspiceLavenderIrisPatchouli

Base6-8 hrs

VetiverTonka BeanMuskVanillaSandalwood

Category winnerVan Gils ILongest dry-down: 6-8 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring68

Summer16

Fall100

Winter84

Day53

Night100

Spring69

Summer19

Fall100

Winter96

Day95

Night100

Category winnerVan Gils IMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men77

Unisex23

Women0

Men96

Unisex2

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#18,288

PerfumerDamien Stammers

Launched—

Reviews13

Overall rank#7,829

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews19

Category winnerVan Gils IHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Suave by Parfums Vintage is a woody aromatic fragrance built around a prominent core of aromatic spice, crisp woods, and soft florals. It opens with an unmistakable kick of bittersweet cardamom paired with clean lavender and a splash of bright bergamot. As the opening settles, dry cedar joins powdery iris, caraway see…

Reviews →

Van Gils I opens with a bright spark of bergamot, sweet plum blossom, and a kick of cracked cardamom that quickly settles into a smooth, inviting warmth. At its center, powdered iris and fresh lavender mingle with earthy patchouli and allspice berries, giving the fragrance a clean yet cozy personality reminiscent of a…

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, Suave or Van Gils I?

Van Gils I takes 6 of 8 categories. Suave is rated 3.78/5 from 50 votes; Van Gils I is rated 4.10/5 from 87 votes. Choose Suave for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Van Gils I for a aromatic and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Suave or Van Gils I?

Suave lasts longest (Suave 72/100, Van Gils I 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Suave or Van Gils I?

Suave projects furthest (Suave 67/100, Van Gils I 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Suave and Van Gils I smell similar?

Closely related: a 72% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Lavender, Bergamot and Iris.

Is Suave or Van Gils I better for summer or winter?

For summer, Van Gils I is the stronger pick. For winter, Van Gils I is the stronger pick. Suave suits evening wear; Van Gils I suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Suave and Van Gils I?

Suave has top notes of Cardamom, Lavender and Bergamot, heart notes of Cedar, Iris, Caraway and Patchouli, a base of Vetiver, Ambergris and Musk. Van Gils I has top notes of Cardamom, Plum Blossom, Pink Pepper and Bergamot, heart notes of Allspice, Lavender, Iris and Patchouli, a base of Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Musk and Vanilla.