Fragrance comparison

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute vs Refocus

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 73 ratings analysed

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

Nabeel

3.9314 votes

Rank #51,258 SweetCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

14%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

Refocus

M.INT

3.0459 votes

Rank #31,276 MuskyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Refocus takes 3 of 5 categories.

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Refocus
Choose it for a musky and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute2/5

Refocus3/5

Ratings & consensus: Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Refocus
Sillage & projection: Refocus
Value for money: Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Refocus

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Acqua di Nabeel AbsoluteNabeel

RefocusM.INT

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.93/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 62%Had 4%Want 35%

3.04/ 5 · 59 votes

Have 37%Had 24%Want 39%

Category winnerAcqua di Nabeel AbsoluteRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

21%Like

21%Ok

14%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

33%Love

17%Like

4%Ok

31%Dislike

15%Hate

48 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate55

Category winners

LongevityRefocus

SillageRefocus

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value45

Category winnerAcqua di Nabeel AbsoluteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

citrus92%

white floral84%

warm spicy77%

aromatic69%

woody61%

musky100%

amber92%

aldehydic84%

woody77%

powdery69%

balsamic61%

Scent match14%Clearly different · both woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Star AniseIncenseWhite FlowersSweet OrangeGrapefruitSea NotesLemonRose

Heart

Sweet NotesNeroliCoconutJasmineOudLily of the ValleySandalwoodHeliotrope

Base

MuskGuaiac WoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverCedarAmberSpun Sugar

Top

AldehydesIncense

Heart

PatchouliGuaiac WoodCedar

Base

MuskLabdanumSuedeSandalwood

InformationalShared notesIncense, Sandalwood, Musk and Guaiac Wood. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring70

Summer60

Fall100

Winter70

Day88

Night100

Spring50

Summer43

Fall100

Winter86

Day83

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men29

Unisex64

Women7

Men58

Unisex37

Women5

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#51,258

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#31,276

PerfumerFabrice Pellegrin

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerRefocusHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute by Nabeel is a dense oriental spicy fragrance that pairs a sharp citrus opening with warm spices. Star anise, grapefruit, and a dry incense lead into a deep heart of leather and sweet notes before settling on a heavy base of oud and vanilla. It is best suited for cold autumn evenings.

Reviews →

Refocus by M.INT is a woody, aldehydic fragrance that bridges the gap between cold, metallic air and deep, resinous woods. Launched in 2016 by Fabrice Pellegrin, this scent focuses on a juxtaposition of bright, sharp aldehydes and a smoky, persistent incense base. It is a striking, unisex choice for those who prefer i…

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, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute or Refocus?

Refocus takes 3 of 5 categories. Acqua di Nabeel Absolute is rated 3.93/5 from 14 votes; Refocus is rated 3.04/5 from 59 votes. Choose Acqua di Nabeel Absolute for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Refocus for a musky and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute or Refocus?

Refocus lasts longest (Refocus 72/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute or Refocus?

Projection is very close: Refocus 62/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 61/100 for sillage.

Do Acqua di Nabeel Absolute and Refocus smell similar?

Clearly different: a 14% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Incense, Sandalwood, Musk and Guaiac Wood.

Is Acqua di Nabeel Absolute or Refocus better for summer or winter?

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute suits evening wear; Refocus suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Acqua di Nabeel Absolute and Refocus?

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute has top notes of Star Anise, Incense, White Flowers and Sweet Orange, heart notes of Sweet Notes, Neroli, Coconut and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Guaiac Wood, Benzoin and Oakmoss. Refocus has top notes of Aldehydes and Incense, heart notes of Patchouli, Guaiac Wood and Cedar, a base of Musk, Labdanum, Suede and Sandalwood.