Basic Black vs M3
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
19%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Basic Black takes 3 of 4 categories.
Basic BlackChoose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
M3Choose it for a citrus and musky character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Basic Black3/4
M31/4
- Ratings & consensus
- Not scored
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- M3
- Sillage & projection
- Basic Black
- Value for money
- Basic Black
- Versatility
- Not scored
- 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 BlassM3Michael CincoWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.86/ 5 · 357 votes
Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%
3.00/ 5 · 1 votes
Have 29%Had 0%Want 71%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate37%Love
41%Like
4%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate
313 votes
0%Love
0%Like
100%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
1 vote · too few to score
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityM3
SillageBasic Black
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%
musky90%
tuberose80%
fresh spicy70%
powdery60%
fruity50%
Scent match19%Clearly different · both powdery
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot
Heart
HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine
Base
OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax
Top
BergamotPeachMandarin Orange
Heart
TuberoseRoseIndian Jasmine
Base
White MuskAmberVirginia Cedar
InformationalShared notesPeach, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Rose. 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
Summer50
Fall50
Winter50
Day100
Night50
Category winnerNot enough dataMost 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#71,914
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
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 →M3 is a bright floral that opens with bergamot, mandarin, and a soft peach accent before tuberose, rose, and jasmine take over. The dry-down shifts into white musk, amber, and cedar, giving it a cleaner, slightly powdery finish. It reads feminine first, polished, and easy to wear if you like florals with a fresh citru…
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.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Basic Black or M3?
Basic Black takes 3 of 4 categories. Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes; M3 is rated 3.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose M3 for a citrus and musky character. Wins on longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Basic Black or M3?
They last about the same: M3 70/100, Basic Black 69/100 for longevity in community votes.
Which projects more, Basic Black or M3?
Basic Black projects furthest (Basic Black 62/100, M3 50/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Basic Black and M3 smell similar?
Clearly different: a 19% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery accords. Common notes include Peach, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Rose.
Is Basic Black or M3 better for summer or winter?
M3 suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Basic Black and M3?
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. M3 has top notes of Bergamot, Peach and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Tuberose, Rose and Indian Jasmine, a base of White Musk, Amber and Virginia Cedar.
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