Fragrance comparison

Bucephalus XII vs Shades Blue

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 143 ratings analysed

5 wins

Bucephalus XII

Armaf

3.8938 votes

Rank #17,020 MuskyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

Shades Blue

Armaf

3.67105 votes

Rank #14,000 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bucephalus XII takes 5 of 7 categories.

Bucephalus XII
Choose it for a musky and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Shades Blue
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Bucephalus XII5/7

Shades Blue2/7

Ratings & consensus: Bucephalus XII
Community sentiment: Bucephalus XII
Longevity: Bucephalus XII
Sillage & projection: Bucephalus XII
Value for money: Shades Blue
Versatility: Bucephalus XII
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Shades Blue

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Bucephalus XIIArmaf

Shades BlueArmaf

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.89/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 39%Had 5%Want 57%

3.67/ 5 · 105 votes

Have 56%Had 19%Want 25%

Category winnerBucephalus XIIRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

29%Like

13%Ok

8%Dislike

8%Hate

38 votes

29%Love

35%Like

20%Ok

7%Dislike

10%Hate

105 votes

Category winnerBucephalus XIIMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityBucephalus XII

SillageBucephalus XII

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value68

¤ Price value84

Category winnerShades BlueBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

musky100%

woody91%

powdery83%

amber74%

citrus65%

earthy56%

woody100%

aromatic90%

fresh spicy80%

citrus70%

warm spicy60%

earthy50%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both woody, citrus and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

LemonOrange BlossomMint

Heart

SpicesPepperGingerNutmeg

Base

MuskAmberSandalwoodPatchouliVetiver

Top

GrapefruitCardamomBergamotLemon

Heart

GingerPineRosemaryNutmegMint

Base

VetiverSpicesPatchouliCedarSandalwood

InformationalShared notesLemon, Mint, Spices and Ginger. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring88

Summer63

Fall100

Winter92

Day100

Night91

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter35

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBucephalus XIIMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men82

Unisex16

Women3

Men86

Unisex13

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,020

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Overall rank#14,000

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews22

Category winnerShades BlueHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Armaf Bucephalus XII opens with a bright burst of mint and lemon, backed by sweet orange blossom. As the initial freshness subsides, ginger and black pepper take over, creating a spicy warmth on the skin. The final phase settles into a dense, sweet base of amber, patchouli, and sandalwood that projects an aroma remini…

Reviews →

Armaf Shades Blue hits the skin with a sharp blast of sour lemon and bitter grapefruit, a bracing wake-up call that feels clean and highly synthetic. Within ten minutes, the initial citric bite relaxes as herbaceous rosemary and cooling mint emerge, backed by a dry pine note that adds a resinous, forest-like quality. …

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Bucephalus XII or Shades Blue?

Bucephalus XII takes 5 of 7 categories. Bucephalus XII is rated 3.89/5 from 38 votes; Shades Blue is rated 3.67/5 from 105 votes. Choose Bucephalus XII for a musky and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Shades Blue for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Bucephalus XII or Shades Blue?

Bucephalus XII lasts longest (Bucephalus XII 72/100, Shades Blue 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Bucephalus XII or Shades Blue?

Bucephalus XII projects furthest (Bucephalus XII 64/100, Shades Blue 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Bucephalus XII and Shades Blue smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, citrus and earthy accords. Common notes include Lemon, Mint, Spices and Ginger.

Is Bucephalus XII or Shades Blue better for summer or winter?

For summer, Bucephalus XII is the stronger pick. For winter, Bucephalus XII is the stronger pick. Bucephalus XII suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Bucephalus XII and Shades Blue?

Bucephalus XII has top notes of Lemon, Orange Blossom and Mint, heart notes of Spices, Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg, a base of Musk, Amber, Sandalwood and Patchouli. Shades Blue has top notes of Grapefruit, Cardamom, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Ginger, Pine, Rosemary and Nutmeg, a base of Vetiver, Spices, Patchouli and Cedar.