Fragrance comparison

Bahar vs Shamsi

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

Updated 10 Oct 2026 470 ratings analysed

4 wins

Bahar

The Spirit of Dubai

4.30445 votes

Rank #23,076 CitrusFresh

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

Shamsi

Nabeel

4.2425 votes

Rank #29,863 FruityCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bahar takes 4 of 7 categories.

Bahar
Choose it for a citrus and fresh character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Shamsi
Choose it for a fruity and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Bahar4/7

Shamsi3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BaharThe Spirit of Dubai

ShamsiNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.30/ 5 · 445 votes

Have 40%Had 9%Want 51%

4.24/ 5 · 25 votes

Have 35%Had 5%Want 60%

Category winnerBaharRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

21%Like

9%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

445 votes

48%Love

32%Like

16%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

25 votes

Category winnerShamsiMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity84

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate82

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityBahar

SillageBahar

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value32

¤ Price value80

Category winnerShamsiBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

fresh92%

woody84%

aquatic77%

aromatic69%

ozonic61%

fruity100%

citrus90%

sweet80%

powdery70%

woody60%

tropical50%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both citrus and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Sea NotesCitrusesOzonic notesWatery NotesBitter OrangeSpicy NotesGingerLime

Heart

SpicesSandalwoodViolet LeafLotusCyclamenCedarVanillaJasmine

Base

Precious WoodsAmberMuskVetiverAgarwood (Oud)PatchouliImmortelle

Top

LitchiStrawberryVineBlack CurrantGrapefruitPlumBergamot

Heart

RoseIrisMagnoliaJasmineGeranium

Base

AmberSandalwoodVanillaMuskMossTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesSandalwood, Vanilla, Jasmine and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter30

Day–

Night–

Spring76

Summer100

Fall41

Winter24

Day100

Night60

Category winnerShamsiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men47

Unisex47

Women6

Men4

Unisex57

Women39

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#23,076

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#29,863

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBaharHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Bahar opens with an intense blast of salty sea notes, bitter orange, and sour lime. The ozonic freshness strikes cold and almost medicinal at first spray before settling into a dense core of cardamom, violet leaf, and sandalwood. As the hours pass, dark agarwood and amber push through the watery surface. Designed for …

Reviews →

Shamsi by Nabeel delivers a bright burst of summer fruits anchored by a warm base. It opens with sweet litchi and tart black currant before settling into a powdery iris heart. The scent is designed for warm days and casual outdoor settings, offering a unisex profile that feels breezy yet substantial.

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, Bahar or Shamsi?

Bahar takes 4 of 7 categories. Bahar is rated 4.30/5 from 445 votes; Shamsi is rated 4.24/5 from 25 votes. Choose Bahar for a citrus and fresh character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Shamsi for a fruity and citrus character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Bahar or Shamsi?

Bahar lasts longest (Bahar 84/100, Shamsi 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Bahar or Shamsi?

Bahar projects furthest (Bahar 75/100, Shamsi 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Bahar and Shamsi smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and woody accords. Common notes include Sandalwood, Vanilla, Jasmine and Amber.

Is Bahar or Shamsi better for summer or winter?

For summer, Shamsi is the stronger pick. For winter, Bahar is the stronger pick. Shamsi suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Bahar and Shamsi?

Bahar has top notes of Sea Notes, Citruses, Ozonic notes and Watery Notes, heart notes of Spices, Sandalwood, Violet Leaf and Lotus, a base of Precious Woods, Amber, Musk and Vetiver. Shamsi has top notes of Litchi, Strawberry, Vine and Black Currant, heart notes of Rose, Iris, Magnolia and Jasmine, a base of Amber, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Musk.