Fragrance comparison

Vainly vs Ébène

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 123 ratings analysed

Vainly

Kilesa

4.001 votes

Rank #68,855 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

1 wins

Ébène

Pierre Balmain · 2024

4.37122 votes

Rank #28,008 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ébène takes 1 of 1 categories.

Vainly
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character.
Ébène
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Vainly0/1

Ébène1/1

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

VainlyKilesa

ÉbènePierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 50%Had 0%Want 50%

4.37/ 5 · 122 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

100%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

59%Love

30%Like

2%Ok

7%Dislike

2%Hate

122 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ LongevityN/A

〰 SillageN/A

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate84

Category winners

LongevityNo data

SillageNo data

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value45

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic92%

green84%

sweet77%

floral69%

woody61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

amber77%

green69%

mossy61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both aromatic, green and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotDavanaLemonYuzu

Heart

ChamomileJasmineRosePine

Base

ChocolateVanillaLeatherTobaccoMusk

Top

MintAldehydesCarawayAniseArtemisiaBasilBergamotLemon

Heart

PineCarnationGeraniumPatchouliJasmineRoseCinnamon

Base

OakmossLeatherLabdanumAmberMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Lemon, Jasmine and Rose. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

No season votes yet

Spring71

Summer34

Fall100

Winter94

Day80

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men88

Unisex8

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#68,855

PerfumerMatsuno Hidenori

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#28,008

PerfumerMaurice Roucel

Launched2024

Reviews0

Category winnerÉbèneHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Vainly by Kilesa is a unisex citrus aromatic fragrance with a green, gently sweet edge. Bright bergamot, lemon and yuzu lead into chamomile, jasmine, rose and pine, before chocolate, vanilla, leather, tobacco and musk add warmth underneath. It looks best suited to someone who likes unusual contrasts: fresh citrus and …

Reviews →

Ébène by Pierre Balmain delivers a dark wood experience driven by myrrh oil and deep ebony wood. Built for winter evenings in a heavy coat, this scent contrasts hot cinnamon against dry tobacco. It wears heavy and warm on the skin, offering a smoky performance that stands out in cold weather.

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

CreatorARgENTUMWINNER vs

Forget Me Not 勿忘我RECLASSIFIED RE调香室RUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

NabroAZYARUNNER-UP vs

Mila Schön (Original)Mila SchönWINNER

1 person compared this today

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Vainly or Ébène?

Ébène takes 1 of 1 categories. Vainly is rated 4.00/5 from 1 votes; Ébène is rated 4.37/5 from 122 votes. Choose Vainly for a citrus and aromatic character. Choose Ébène for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Do Vainly and Ébène smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, green and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Lemon, Jasmine and Rose.

Is Vainly or Ébène better for summer or winter?

Ébène suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Vainly and Ébène?

Vainly has top notes of Bergamot, Davana, Lemon and Yuzu, heart notes of Chamomile, Jasmine, Rose and Pine, a base of Chocolate, Vanilla, Leather and Tobacco. Ébène has top notes of Mint, Aldehydes, Caraway and Anise, heart notes of Pine, Carnation, Geranium and Patchouli, a base of Oakmoss, Leather, Labdanum and Amber.