Fragrance comparison

Van Cleef vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 2,342 ratings analysed

Van Cleef

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.121,235 votes

Rank #721 AromaticSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #26,448 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories.

Van Cleef
Choose it for a aromatic and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring.

Van Cleef3/7

Ivoire de Balmain4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Van CleefVan Cleef & Arpels

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.12/ 5 · 1,235 votes

Have 62%Had 38%Want 0%

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

43%Love

41%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

1,235 votes

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityVan Cleef

SillageVan Cleef

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value50

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

sweet92%

fresh spicy84%

balsamic77%

vanilla69%

green61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and green

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

MarigoldGalbanumNeroliRaspberryBergamot

Heart3-4 hrs

GeraniumOrange BlossomJasmineRose

Base8-10+ hrs

Tonka BeanVanillaSandalwoodCedarMusk

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesMarigold, Galbanum, Bergamot and Rose. Durations are only published for Van Cleef, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring32

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day75

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex12

Women88

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#721

PerfumerPascal Giraux

Launched—

Reviews104

Overall rank#26,448

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerVan CleefHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Van Cleef by Van Cleef & Arpels delivers a bold, golden warmth reminiscent of classic 1990s perfumery. The fragrance opens with an intriguing herbal splash of bitter galbanum and marigold petals, brightened by tart raspberry and sunny bergamot. As the initial sharp green bite softens, a generous bouquet of spicy geran…

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, Van Cleef or Ivoire de Balmain?

Ivoire de Balmain takes 4 of 7 categories. Van Cleef is rated 4.12/5 from 1,235 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Van Cleef for a aromatic and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Van Cleef or Ivoire de Balmain?

Van Cleef lasts longest (Van Cleef 79/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Van Cleef or Ivoire de Balmain?

Van Cleef projects furthest (Van Cleef 72/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Van Cleef and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and green accords. Common notes include Marigold, Galbanum, Bergamot and Rose.

Is Van Cleef or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Van Cleef is the stronger pick. For winter, Van Cleef is the stronger pick. Van Cleef suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Van Cleef and Ivoire de Balmain?

Van Cleef has top notes of Marigold, Galbanum, Neroli and Raspberry, heart notes of Geranium, Orange Blossom, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Sandalwood 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.