Basic Black vs Prada
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
57%scent match
Closely related
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Prada takes 5 of 7 categories.
Basic BlackChoose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
PradaChoose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Basic Black2/7
Prada5/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Prada
- Community sentiment
- Prada
- Longevity
- Prada
- Sillage & projection
- Prada
- Value for money
- Basic Black
- Versatility
- Prada
- 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 BlassPradaPradaWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.86/ 5 · 357 votes
Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%
4.14/ 5 · 4,442 votes
Have 31%Had 11%Want 58%
Category winnerPradaRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate37%Love
41%Like
4%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate
313 votes
34%Love
52%Like
7%Ok
7%Dislike
0%Hate
29 votes
Category winnerPradaMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityPrada
SillagePrada
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%
woody100%
warm spicy92%
patchouli84%
amber77%
earthy53%
Scent match57%Closely related · both warm spicy, woody and amber
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot
Heart
HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine
Base
OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax
Top15-30 mins
BergamotMimosaBitter OrangeMandarin Orange
Heart2-4 hrs
RoseHoneyCarnationYlang-YlangJasmine
Base6-10 hrs
PatchouliMossVanillaSandalwoodAmbergrisBenzoinMusk
InformationalShared notesCarnation, Ylang-Ylang, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot. Durations are only published for Prada, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring53
Summer34
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring44
Summer50
Fall100
Winter89
Day61
Night100
Category winnerPradaMost 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#25,953
PerfumerCarlos Benaïm, Clement Gavarry, Max Gavarry
Launched2004
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 →Spray this on paper and you get an immediate blast of solvent. Give it two minutes. The alcohol lifts to reveal sharp Italian bergamot alongside bitter orange peel, cutting through the air like a cold blade. It feels bracing and brisk. Then, earthy Indonesian patchouli surfaces with serious intent, flanked by powdery …
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
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Basic Black or Prada?
Prada takes 5 of 7 categories. Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes; Prada is rated 4.14/5 from 4,442 votes. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Prada for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Which lasts longer, Basic Black or Prada?
Prada lasts longest (Prada 74/100, Basic Black 69/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Basic Black or Prada?
Prada projects furthest (Prada 65/100, Basic Black 62/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Basic Black and Prada smell similar?
Closely related: a 57% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and amber accords. Common notes include Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot.
Is Basic Black or Prada better for summer or winter?
For summer, Prada is the stronger pick. For winter, Basic Black is the stronger pick. Prada suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Basic Black and Prada?
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. Prada has top notes of Bergamot, Mimosa, Bitter Orange and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Rose, Honey, Carnation and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Patchouli, Moss, Vanilla and Sandalwood.
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