Fragrance comparison

Compass vs Proximity

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 4 ratings analysed

2 wins

Compass

Shirley May

3.673 votes

Rank #67,951 Fresh SpicyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

Proximity

Van Heusen

2.001 votes

Rank #79,200 WoodyCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Compass takes 2 of 2 categories.

Compass
Choose it for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Proximity
Choose it for a woody and citrus character.

Compass2/2

Proximity0/2

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CompassShirley May

ProximityVan Heusen

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 20%Had 20%Want 60%

2.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 14%Had 14%Want 71%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

33%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

0%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

100%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ LongevityN/A

〰 Sillage25

♥ Love / hate25

Category winners

LongevityNo data

SillageCompass

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

warm spicy90%

aromatic80%

citrus70%

musky60%

amber50%

woody100%

citrus92%

warm spicy84%

aromatic77%

fresh spicy69%

cinnamon61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both warm spicy, fresh spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PepperMandarin OrangeBergamotCardamom

Heart

CinnamonCorianderNutmeg

Base

MuskTonka BeanAmberVetiver

Top15-25 mins

CinnamonMandarin OrangeLemonCedar

Heart2-3 hrs

TeaPepper

Base4-6 hrs

AmberPatchouliVetiver

InformationalShared notesPepper, Mandarin Orange, Cinnamon and Amber. Durations are only published for Proximity, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night100

No season votes yet

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#67,951

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#79,200

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerCompassHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shirley May Compass targets the classic masculine lane with a hit of fresh energy that transitions quickly into dry spice. It kicks off with a bright splash of mandarin orange and bergamot, backed by a sharp kick of black pepper and cardamom. The initial brightness fades within ten minutes as the middle notes of nutme…

Reviews →

Proximity by Van Heusen is a calm, woody cologne built for easy daytime wear. It opens with a splash of brisk mandarin orange and lemon, quickly grounded by dry cedar wood and a dusting of sweet cinnamon. As the initial citrus fades, the scent introduces a clean cup of steeped black tea stirred with cracked black pepp…

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, Compass or Proximity?

Compass takes 2 of 2 categories. Compass is rated 3.67/5 from 3 votes; Proximity is rated 2.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Compass for a fresh spicy and warm spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose Proximity for a woody and citrus character.

Which projects more, Compass or Proximity?

Compass projects furthest (Compass 50/100, Proximity 25/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Compass and Proximity smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, fresh spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Pepper, Mandarin Orange, Cinnamon and Amber.

Is Compass or Proximity better for summer or winter?

Compass suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Compass and Proximity?

Compass has top notes of Pepper, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of Cinnamon, Coriander and Nutmeg, a base of Musk, Tonka Bean, Amber and Vetiver. Proximity has top notes of Cinnamon, Mandarin Orange, Lemon and Cedar, heart notes of Tea and Pepper, a base of Amber, Patchouli and Vetiver.