Fragrance comparison

Basala vs Ustad

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 408 ratings analysed

4 wins

Basala

Shiseido

4.38391 votes

Rank #25,844 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

Ustad

Nabeel

3.5917 votes

Rank #47,171 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Basala takes 4 of 5 categories.

Basala
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.
Ustad
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Basala4/5

Ustad1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BasalaShiseido

UstadNabeel

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.38/ 5 · 391 votes

Have 50%Had 50%Want 0%

3.59/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 44%Had 6%Want 50%

Category winnerBasalaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

55%Love

37%Like

1%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

391 votes

18%Love

41%Like

24%Ok

18%Dislike

0%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityBasala

SillageBasala

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value52

¤ Price value69

Category winnerUstadBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

herbal61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

mossy77%

lavender69%

herbal61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and herbal

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

LavenderClary SageBasilRosemaryFruity NotesArtemisiaGreen NotesBergamot

Heart

CarawayRoseCinnamonFirCarnationJasmine

Base

LeatherLabdanumCedarOakmossAmberPatchouliMuskCoconut

Top

BergamotLemonBasil

Heart

LavenderCinnamonGeraniumArtemisiaClary SageYlang-Ylang

Base

OakmossMuskCumin

InformationalShared notesLavender, Clary Sage, Basil and Artemisia. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer22

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer44

Fall100

Winter89

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men84

Unisex13

Women3

Men85

Unisex15

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,844

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#47,171

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerBasalaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shiseido Basala hits the skin with a sharp, bracing rush of green rosemary, clary sage, and bitter artemisia. It is a dry, red-hued chypre from the early nineties that completely bypasses the clean, aquatic trends of its era. As the initial herbal blast simmers down, a warm wave of cinnamon and carnation emerges, brin…

Reviews →

Nabeel Ustad delivers a classical aromatic fougere profile that balances sharp green herbs with warm spices. Bergamot and basil spark the opening, before settling into a soapy lavender and geranium heart. A dry down of cumin, oakmoss, and clean musk makes it a traditional scent for active daytime wear in warm weather.

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, Basala or Ustad?

Basala takes 4 of 5 categories. Basala is rated 4.38/5 from 391 votes; Ustad is rated 3.59/5 from 17 votes. Choose Basala for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Ustad for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Basala or Ustad?

Basala lasts longest (Basala 77/100, Ustad 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Basala or Ustad?

Basala projects furthest (Basala 71/100, Ustad 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Basala and Ustad smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and herbal accords. Common notes include Lavender, Clary Sage, Basil and Artemisia.

Is Basala or Ustad better for summer or winter?

Ustad suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Basala and Ustad?

Basala has top notes of Lavender, Clary Sage, Basil and Rosemary, heart notes of Caraway, Rose, Cinnamon and Fir, a base of Leather, Labdanum, Cedar and Oakmoss. Ustad has top notes of Bergamot, Lemon and Basil, heart notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, Geranium and Artemisia, a base of Oakmoss, Musk and Cumin.