Fragrance comparison

Tsar vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 2,922 ratings analysed

5 wins

Tsar

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.191,815 votes

Rank #750 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #26,450 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Tsar takes 5 of 7 categories.

Tsar
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

Tsar5/7

Ivoire de Balmain2/7

Ratings & consensus: Tsar
Community sentiment: Tsar
Longevity: Tsar
Sillage & projection: Ivoire de Balmain
Value for money: Ivoire de Balmain
Versatility: Tsar
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Tsar

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

TsarVan Cleef & Arpels

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.19/ 5 · 1,815 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerTsarRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

45%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,815 votes

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerTsarMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate80

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityTsar

SillageIvoire de Balmain

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value48

¤ Price value50

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody90%

fresh spicy80%

green70%

earthy60%

mossy50%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match55%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesLavenderArtemisiaRosemaryBergamotCorianderCinnamonNeroli

Heart2-4 hrs

Pine TreeJuniper BerriesCarnationTarragonGeraniumCarawayJasmineRose

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossLeatherCedarPatchouliVetiverSandalwoodMuskAmber

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesArtemisia, Bergamot, Carnation and Rose. Durations are only published for Tsar, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring91

Summer51

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night73

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTsarMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men94

Unisex5

Women1

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#750

PerfumerPhilippe Bousseton

Launched—

Reviews204

Overall rank#26,450

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerTsarHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar is a quintessential green aromatic cologne that captures the crisp air of a dense pine forest. It opens with an invigorating rush of cool lavender, bitter artemisia, and crushed rosemary, creating the sensation of walking through morning woodland dew. As the scent settles, aromatic juniper berr…

Reviews →

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate s…

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, Tsar or Ivoire de Balmain?

Tsar takes 5 of 7 categories. Tsar is rated 4.19/5 from 1,815 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Tsar for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Tsar or Ivoire de Balmain?

They last about the same: Tsar 72/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Tsar or Ivoire de Balmain?

Projection is very close: Ivoire de Balmain 64/100, Tsar 62/100 for sillage.

Do Tsar and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Artemisia, Bergamot, Carnation and Rose.

Is Tsar or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Tsar is the stronger pick. For winter, Tsar is the stronger pick. Tsar suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Tsar and Ivoire de Balmain?

Tsar has top notes of Green Notes, Lavender, Artemisia and Rosemary, heart notes of Pine Tree, Juniper Berries, Carnation and Tarragon, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Cedar and Patchouli. Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense.