Fragrance comparison

Basic Instinct vs Graffiti

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 210 ratings analysed

4 wins

Basic Instinct

Van Gils

4.05152 votes

Rank #9,822 OzonicAquatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

Graffiti

Roberto Capucci

3.9458 votes

Rank #21,928 FruityGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Basic Instinct takes 4 of 7 categories.

Basic Instinct
Choose it for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Graffiti
Choose it for a fruity and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Basic Instinct4/7

Graffiti3/7

Ratings & consensus: Basic Instinct
Community sentiment: Basic Instinct
Longevity: Graffiti
Sillage & projection: Graffiti
Value for money: Basic Instinct
Versatility: Graffiti
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

GraffitiRoberto Capucci

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.05/ 5 · 152 votes

Have 65%Had 35%Want 0%

3.94/ 5 · 58 votes

Have 52%Had 18%Want 30%

Category winnerBasic InstinctRating 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

40%Love

40%Like

6%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

52 votes

Category winnerBasic InstinctMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityGraffiti

SillageGraffiti

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value50

Category winnerBasic InstinctBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

ozonic100%

aquatic92%

citrus84%

woody77%

sweet69%

white floral61%

fruity100%

green92%

fresh84%

sweet77%

aldehydic69%

tropical61%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both 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

Green NotesAldehydesWild StrawberryPapayaAppleGreen TeaPineappleMelon

Heart

VioletNutmegJasmineRose

Base

OakmossPatchouli

InformationalShared notesMelon, Pineapple, Nutmeg and Rose. 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

Summer86

Fall86

Winter14

Day100

Night42

Category winnerGraffitiMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men86

Unisex12

Women3

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,822

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews17

Overall rank#21,928

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

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 →

Graffiti by Roberto Capucci is a vintage chypre that captures the spirit of 1963. It opens with a bright burst of aldehydes, apple, and wild strawberry, eventually settling into a grounded base of oakmoss and patchouli. It is an ideal pick for collectors of mid-century florals who enjoy a sophisticated, green-leaning …

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

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Sweet DreamsHouse Of SillageWINNER vs

Safari ElixirAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Basic Instinct or Graffiti?

Basic Instinct takes 4 of 7 categories. Basic Instinct is rated 4.05/5 from 152 votes; Graffiti is rated 3.94/5 from 58 votes. Choose Basic Instinct for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Graffiti for a fruity and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Basic Instinct or Graffiti?

Graffiti lasts longest (Graffiti 68/100, Basic Instinct 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Basic Instinct or Graffiti?

Graffiti projects furthest (Graffiti 57/100, Basic Instinct 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Basic Instinct and Graffiti smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share sweet accords. Common notes include Melon, Pineapple, Nutmeg and Rose.

Is Basic Instinct or Graffiti better for summer or winter?

For summer, Graffiti is the stronger pick. For winter, Graffiti is the stronger pick. Basic Instinct suits daytime wear; Graffiti suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Basic Instinct and Graffiti?

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. Graffiti has top notes of Green Notes, Aldehydes, Wild Strawberry and Papaya, heart notes of Violet, Nutmeg, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Oakmoss and Patchouli.