Fragrance comparison

V.O. Version Originale vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 1,166 ratings analysed

6 wins

V.O. Version Originale

Jean-Marc Sinan

4.2759 votes

Rank #8,904 WoodyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

53%scent match

Some overlap

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #26,630 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

V.O. Version Originale takes 6 of 7 categories.

V.O. Version Originale
Choose it for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring.

V.O. Version Originale6/7

Ivoire de Balmain1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

V.O. Version OriginaleJean-Marc Sinan

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.27/ 5 · 59 votes

Have 43%Had 17%Want 41%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

31%Like

0%Ok

12%Dislike

2%Hate

59 votes

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerV.O. Version OriginaleMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityV.O. Version Originale

SillageV.O. Version Originale

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value50

Category winnerV.O. Version OriginaleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

fresh spicy92%

aromatic84%

white floral77%

warm spicy69%

floral61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match53%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LavenderGeraniumNeroliLemonTangerine

Heart

JasmineRoseCarnationPepperYlang-YlangLily-of-the-Valley

Base

Woody NotesMuskTonka BeanCedarSandalwood

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesLemon, Rose, Carnation and Pepper. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer24

Fall76

Winter100

Day33

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerV.O. Version OriginaleMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#8,904

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews13

Overall rank#26,630

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerV.O. Version OriginaleHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

V.O. Version Originale by Jean-Marc Sinan opens with a sharp burst of citrus and lavender, driven by black pepper and an unapologetically bitter geranium. It is an authentic 1984 powerhouse that does not apologize for its volume. As it settles onto skin, spicy carnation and ylang-ylang emerge alongside a dusty, floral…

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, V.O. Version Originale or Ivoire de Balmain?

V.O. Version Originale takes 6 of 7 categories. V.O. Version Originale is rated 4.27/5 from 59 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose V.O. Version Originale for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, V.O. Version Originale or Ivoire de Balmain?

V.O. Version Originale lasts longest (V.O. Version Originale 82/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, V.O. Version Originale or Ivoire de Balmain?

V.O. Version Originale projects furthest (V.O. Version Originale 76/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do V.O. Version Originale and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Some overlap: a 53% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Lemon, Rose, Carnation and Pepper.

Is V.O. Version Originale or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, V.O. Version Originale is the stronger pick. For winter, V.O. Version Originale is the stronger pick. V.O. Version Originale suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in V.O. Version Originale and Ivoire de Balmain?

V.O. Version Originale has top notes of Lavender, Geranium, Neroli and Lemon, heart notes of Jasmine, Rose, Carnation and Pepper, a base of Woody Notes, Musk, Tonka Bean and Cedar. 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.