Fragrance comparison

Around Midnight vs Al Bashiq Sama

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 83 ratings analysed

4 wins

Around Midnight

Mark Buxton

4.1771 votes

Rank #20,553 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

47%scent match

Some overlap

Al Bashiq Sama

Nabeel

3.6712 votes

Rank #46,223 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Around Midnight takes 4 of 5 categories.

Around Midnight
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Al Bashiq Sama
Choose it for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Around Midnight4/5

Al Bashiq Sama1/5

Ratings & consensus: Around Midnight
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Around Midnight
Sillage & projection: Al Bashiq Sama
Value for money: Around Midnight
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Around Midnight

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Around MidnightMark Buxton

Al Bashiq SamaNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.17/ 5 · 71 votes

Have 30%Had 14%Want 56%

3.67/ 5 · 12 votes

Have 36%Had 18%Want 46%

Category winnerAround MidnightRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

42%Like

6%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

71 votes

17%Love

42%Like

33%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

12 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityAround Midnight

SillageAl Bashiq Sama

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value66

Category winnerAround MidnightBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

herbal77%

aromatic69%

warm spicy61%

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy92%

fruity84%

sweet77%

amber69%

woody61%

Scent match47%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

PepperChamomileGeranium

Heart1 to 2 hours

Jasmine

Base3 to 5 hours

French labdanumCedarStyraxPatchouli

Top

PineapplePepperBergamotSaffronCloveTimur

Heart

Cashmere MuskRaspberryGeraniumMay Rose

Base

PatchouliVanillaStyraxMuskOudGuaiac WoodAmbergrisBlonde Woods

InformationalShared notesPepper, Geranium, Styrax and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Around Midnight, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring27

Summer20

Fall80

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Spring100

Summer29

Fall86

Winter57

Day100

Night86

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men75

Unisex25

Women0

Men57

Unisex43

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,553

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#46,223

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerAround MidnightHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Around Midnight by Mark Buxton is a dry, resinous oriental fougere centered on smoky woods and herbal warmth. The scent opens with a sharp burst of black pepper and aromatic chamomile, balanced by the crisp greenery of geranium. As the initial spice settles, a quiet jasmine note softens the heart before shifting into …

Reviews →

Al Bashiq Sama by Nabeel delivers a punchy twist on the traditional Middle Eastern profile. A bright splash of pineapple and sharp black pepper opens the experience, cutting through a dense base of warm saffron and dark guaiac wood. It is a dry, textured fragrance built for cool spring days when you want a fruity scen…

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, Around Midnight or Al Bashiq Sama?

Around Midnight takes 4 of 5 categories. Around Midnight is rated 4.17/5 from 71 votes; Al Bashiq Sama is rated 3.67/5 from 12 votes. Choose Around Midnight for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Al Bashiq Sama for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Around Midnight or Al Bashiq Sama?

They last about the same: Around Midnight 67/100, Al Bashiq Sama 66/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Around Midnight or Al Bashiq Sama?

Projection is very close: Al Bashiq Sama 61/100, Around Midnight 59/100 for sillage.

Do Around Midnight and Al Bashiq Sama smell similar?

Some overlap: a 47% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, amber and woody accords. Common notes include Pepper, Geranium, Styrax and Patchouli.

Is Around Midnight or Al Bashiq Sama better for summer or winter?

Around Midnight suits evening wear; Al Bashiq Sama suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Around Midnight and Al Bashiq Sama?

Around Midnight has top notes of Pepper, Chamomile and Geranium, heart notes of Jasmine, a base of French labdanum, Cedar, Styrax and Patchouli. Al Bashiq Sama has top notes of Pineapple, Pepper, Bergamot and Saffron, heart notes of Cashmere Musk, Raspberry, Geranium and May Rose, a base of Patchouli, Vanilla, Styrax and Musk.