Fragrance comparison

Xplicit Vanilla vs Soul of Desert

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 420 ratings analysed

5 wins

Xplicit Vanilla

Mancera

4.08407 votes

Rank #3,608 WoodyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

Soul of Desert

Antonio Maretti

3.5413 votes

Rank #59,613 PowderyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Xplicit Vanilla takes 5 of 5 categories.

Xplicit Vanilla
Choose it for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Soul of Desert
Choose it for a powdery and amber character. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Xplicit Vanilla5/5

Soul of Desert0/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Xplicit VanillaMancera

Soul of DesertAntonio Maretti

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.08/ 5 · 407 votes

Have 85%Had 15%Want 0%

3.54/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 32%Had 0%Want 68%

Category winnerXplicit VanillaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

48%Love

28%Like

13%Ok

8%Dislike

4%Hate

407 votes

15%Love

62%Like

0%Ok

8%Dislike

15%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate63

Category winners

LongevityXplicit Vanilla

SillageXplicit Vanilla

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value57

¤ Price value45

Category winnerXplicit VanillaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

vanilla91%

sweet83%

warm spicy74%

amber65%

animalic56%

powdery100%

amber92%

rose84%

woody77%

vanilla69%

musky61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both woody, vanilla and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Mexican VanillaDark Chocolate

Heart2-4 hrs

Cambodian OudBrown sugarAustralian SandalwoodCedarwood

Base8-12 hrs

Tonka BeanAmberBenzoin

Top

JasminePowdery Notes

Heart

Damask RoseTonka BeanBenzoin

Base

CedarwoodMuskAmberVanilla

InformationalShared notesMexican Vanilla, Cedarwood, Tonka Bean and Amber. Durations are only published for Xplicit Vanilla, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring40

Summer17

Fall0

Winter100

Day32

Night100

Spring25

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men17

Unisex60

Women23

Date 41%Party 35%Casual 14%Work 10%

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,608

PerfumerPierre Montale

Launched—

Reviews78

Overall rank#59,613

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerXplicit VanillaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Mancera Xplicit Vanilla is a rich oriental vanilla fragrance crafted for men and women who love deep, unapologetic sweetness. Released in 2025 by perfumer Pierre Montale, this scent opens with an indulgent pairing of Mexican vanilla and bitter dark chocolate. As the initial spray settles, middle notes of Cambodian oud…

Reviews →

Soul of Desert is a powdery amber rose with a soft, vintage-leaning feel. Jasmine and rose sit over tonka, benzoin, vanilla, musk, and cedarwood, so it wears smooth, warm, and slightly creamy rather than bright or fresh. It may suit someone who likes elegant florals with a dry woody base and a gentle sweetness. Based …

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Xplicit Vanilla or Soul of Desert?

Xplicit Vanilla takes 5 of 5 categories. Xplicit Vanilla is rated 4.08/5 from 407 votes; Soul of Desert is rated 3.54/5 from 13 votes. Choose Xplicit Vanilla for a woody and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Soul of Desert for a powdery and amber character. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Xplicit Vanilla or Soul of Desert?

Xplicit Vanilla lasts longest (Xplicit Vanilla 78/100, Soul of Desert 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Xplicit Vanilla or Soul of Desert?

Xplicit Vanilla projects furthest (Xplicit Vanilla 68/100, Soul of Desert 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Xplicit Vanilla and Soul of Desert smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, vanilla and amber accords. Common notes include Mexican Vanilla, Cedarwood, Tonka Bean and Amber.

Is Xplicit Vanilla or Soul of Desert better for summer or winter?

Xplicit Vanilla suits evening wear; Soul of Desert suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Xplicit Vanilla and Soul of Desert?

Xplicit Vanilla has top notes of Mexican Vanilla and Dark Chocolate, heart notes of Cambodian Oud, Brown sugar, Australian Sandalwood and Cedarwood, a base of Tonka Bean, Amber and Benzoin. Soul of Desert has top notes of Jasmine and Powdery Notes, heart notes of Damask Rose, Tonka Bean and Benzoin, a base of Cedarwood, Musk, Amber and Vanilla.