Basic Black vs L'Eau du Temps
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
42%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Basic Black takes 4 of 7 categories.
Basic BlackChoose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in winter.
L'Eau du TempsChoose it for a citrus and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring.
Basic Black4/7
L'Eau du Temps2/7
- Ratings & consensus
- L'Eau du Temps
- Community sentiment
- L'Eau du Temps
- Longevity
- Basic Black
- Sillage & projection
- Tie
- Value for money
- Basic Black
- Versatility
- Basic Black
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Basic Black
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Basic BlackBill BlassL'Eau du TempsNina RicciWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.86/ 5 · 357 votes
Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%
4.02/ 5 · 82 votes
Have 54%Had 46%Want 0%
Category winnerL'Eau du TempsRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate37%Love
41%Like
4%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate
313 votes
30%Love
54%Like
4%Ok
12%Dislike
0%Hate
82 votes
Category winnerL'Eau du TempsMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityBasic Black
SillageTie
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerBasic BlackBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwarm spicy100%
woody92%
amber84%
floral77%
powdery69%
aromatic61%
citrus100%
white floral92%
warm spicy84%
floral77%
aromatic69%
musky61%
Scent match42%Some overlap · both warm spicy, floral and aromatic
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot
Heart
HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine
Base
OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax
Top
BergamotOrangeMandarin OrangeCorianderPimentoBlack Currant
Heart
CarnationTuberoseGardeniaYlang-YlangJasmine
Base
MuskWoodsy NotesAmber
InformationalShared notesCarnation, Ylang-Ylang, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring53
Summer34
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter27
Day–
Night–
Category winnerBasic BlackMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#3,732
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews71
Overall rank#17,397
PerfumerAurélien Guichard, Jean Guichard
Launched—
Reviews7
Category winnerBasic BlackHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotBasic Black by Bill Blass is a spicy, mossy floral chypre with a vintage dressed-up attitude. Reviewers often notice carnation, coriander, oakmoss, musk and honeyed florals, with an opening that can feel sharp, soapy or animalic before it settles. It suits people who enjoy bold 80s and early 90s style perfumes, powder…
Reviews →Nina Ricci L'Eau du Temps pairs tart bergamot and mandarin orange with a creamy heart of gardenia and tuberose. A quiet bite of spicy pimento cuts through the white florals before settling into clean musk. Ideal for breezy April mornings, this 2007 limited edition offers a brighter, younger spin on classic floral stru…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
Recent comparisons
Head-to-head activity from live history
Eau de BruxellesLibertin Louison Technique IndiscreteRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
Private ClubJeanne ArthesWINNER
PatchouliJouriRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
al03biehl parfumkunstwerkeWINNER
Ejaazi Intensive SilverLattafa PerfumesRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
Icon Racing RedAlfred DunhillWINNER
HermioneWild Drops ParfumsRUNNER-UP
vs
♛
CarbonIntelligentWINNER
Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Basic Black or L'Eau du Temps?
Basic Black takes 4 of 7 categories. Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes; L'Eau du Temps is rated 4.02/5 from 82 votes. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in winter. Choose L'Eau du Temps for a citrus and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, Basic Black or L'Eau du Temps?
Basic Black lasts longest (Basic Black 69/100, L'Eau du Temps 65/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Basic Black or L'Eau du Temps?
Projection is very close: Basic Black 62/100, L'Eau du Temps 62/100 for sillage.
Do Basic Black and L'Eau du Temps smell similar?
Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, floral and aromatic accords. Common notes include Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot.
Is Basic Black or L'Eau du Temps better for summer or winter?
For summer, Basic Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Basic Black is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Basic Black and L'Eau du Temps?
Basic Black has top notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Plum and Cardamom, heart notes of Honey, Coriander, Rose and Tuberose, a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli, Civet and Amber. L'Eau du Temps has top notes of Bergamot, Orange, Mandarin Orange and Coriander, heart notes of Carnation, Tuberose, Gardenia and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Musk, Woodsy Notes and Amber.
Popular fragrance comparisons
The matchups people have compared most on Fragranxe.
vs
Sauvage vs Bleu de Chanel
Dior · Chanel · 36 comparisons
vs
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme Rabanne for men vs Shiyaaka Shadow
Rabanne · Khadlaj Perfumes · 30 comparisons
vs
Baccarat Rouge 540 vs Khamrah
Maison Francis Kurkdjian · Lattafa Perfumes · 21 comparisons
vs
Birth of Venus vs Brioni Eau de Parfum Intense
Argos · Brioni · 17 comparisons
vs
Supremacy Not Only Intense vs Arabians Tonka
Afnan · Montale · 14 comparisons
vs
Secret De Venus Eau de Parfum vs # What Matters is Inside - Italy
Weil · Jovoy Paris · 14 comparisons