Skip to content
FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Basic Instinct vs Below Zero

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

Updated 160 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 3 categories split 1–1.

  • Basic Instinct

    Choose it for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

  • Below Zero

    Choose it for a white floral and musky character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Basic Instinct1/3
Below Zero1/3
Ratings & consensus
Not scored
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
Tie
Sillage & projection
Below Zero
Value for money
Not scored
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Basic Instinct

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
Basic InstinctVan Gils
Below ZeroAXE
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.05/ 5 · 152 votes
Have 65%Had 35%Want 0%
2.62/ 5 · 8 votes
Have 31%Had 38%Want 31%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
38%Love
43%Like
11%Ok
6%Dislike
3%Hate

152 votes

13%Love
13%Like
0%Ok
75%Dislike
0%Hate

8 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity60
〰 Sillage52
♥ Love / hate76
⏱ Longevity60
〰 Sillage63
♥ Love / hate41
Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageBelow Zero

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value81
¤ Price valueN/A
Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
ozonic100%
aquatic92%
citrus84%
woody77%
sweet69%
white floral61%
white floral100%
musky86%
citrus72%
sweet58%
animalic44%
soapy30%
Scent match41%Some overlap · both white floral, citrus and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top15-30 mins
CucumberMelonMandarin OrangeLavenderBergamotPineappleNutmeg
Heart2-4 hrs
Orange BlossomRoseVioletJasmine
Base5-7 hrs
MuskRumWoody NotesOakmossPatchouliAmberVetiver
Top
Mandarin OrangeNutmegSageLavender
Heart
Orange BlossomCedar
Base
MuskPatchouli
InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Lavender, Nutmeg and Orange Blossom. Durations are only published for Basic Instinct, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter7
Day100
Night28
Spring100
Summer50
Fall50
Winter100
Day100
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men86
Unisex12
Women3

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,773

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews17

Overall rank#72,745

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBasic InstinctHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Basic Instinct by Van Gils delivers an invigorating rush of crisp cucumber, sweet honeydew melon, and bright mandarin orange right out of the nozzle. Created in 2002 by master perfumer Pierre Bourdon, this scent captures the golden era of early two-thousands aquatic freshness with an unexpected twist. Instead of disso…

Reviews →

Below Zero by AXE is an aromatic fragrance for men, released in 2013. It centers on a crisp blend of mandarin orange, nutmeg, sage, and lavender over a foundation of cedar and musk. It functions as an everyday body spray, suitable for casual wear during warmer days when a clean, refreshing profile is preferred by the …

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Basic Instinct or Below Zero?

No clear winner: the 3 categories split 1–1. Basic Instinct is rated 4.05/5 from 152 votes; Below Zero is rated 2.62/5 from 8 votes. Choose Basic Instinct for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Below Zero for a white floral and musky character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Basic Instinct or Below Zero?

They last about the same: Basic Instinct 60/100, Below Zero 60/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Basic Instinct or Below Zero?

Below Zero projects furthest (Below Zero 63/100, Basic Instinct 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Basic Instinct and Below Zero smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, citrus and sweet accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Lavender, Nutmeg and Orange Blossom.

Is Basic Instinct or Below Zero better for summer or winter?

Basic Instinct suits daytime wear; Below Zero suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Basic Instinct and Below Zero?

Basic Instinct has top notes of Cucumber, Melon, Mandarin Orange and Lavender, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Rose, Violet and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Rum, Woody Notes and Oakmoss. Below Zero has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Nutmeg, Sage and Lavender, heart notes of Orange Blossom and Cedar, a base of Musk and Patchouli.

Add to comparison

Find a fragrance