Fragrance comparison

Dark Shadows vs Dubai Black Sapphire

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 104 ratings analysed

Dark Shadows

Panthenol EXTRA

3.577 votes

Rank #52,302 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

44%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Dubai Black Sapphire

Bond No 9

3.5097 votes

Rank #16,119 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Dubai Black Sapphire takes 3 of 4 categories.

Dark Shadows
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Dubai Black Sapphire
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Dark Shadows1/4

Dubai Black Sapphire3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Dubai Black Sapphire
Sillage & projection: Dubai Black Sapphire
Value for money: Dark Shadows
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Dubai Black Sapphire

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dark ShadowsPanthenol EXTRA

Dubai Black SapphireBond No 9

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.57/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 33%Had 8%Want 58%

3.50/ 5 · 97 votes

Have 71%Had 29%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

14%Love

57%Like

0%Ok

29%Dislike

0%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

43%Love

15%Like

8%Ok

20%Dislike

13%Hate

84 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate64

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage77

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityDubai Black Sapphire

SillageDubai Black Sapphire

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value81

¤ Price value18

Category winnerDark ShadowsBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

fresh spicy84%

vanilla77%

aromatic69%

metallic61%

amber100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

powdery77%

rose69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match44%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Neroli

Heart2-4 hrs

SaffronPepper

Base6-8 hrs

Tonka BeanCedarwoodSandalwoodMusk

Top

SaffronBeeswaxHoneyNeroli

Heart

Gurjan balsamTurkish RoseCedarPepper

Base

Tolu BalsamSiam BenzoinSandalwoodVetiver

InformationalShared notesNeroli, Saffron, Pepper and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Dark Shadows, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day79

Night100

Spring18

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men80

Unisex20

Women0

Casual 36%Work 30%Date 22%Party 13%

Men45

Unisex45

Women10

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#52,302

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#16,119

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews6

Category winnerDubai Black SapphireHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Dark Shadows by Panthenol EXTRA brings an intriguing contrast between crisp citrus and brooding warmth. The opening sparks with sharp neroli. That fleeting floral freshness quickly yields to a dry rush of black pepper and bittersweet saffron. It feels brisk. Soon, the fragrance pivots into its true identity as a warm …

Reviews →

Dubai Black Sapphire is a dense amber floral with saffron, honeyed wax, rose, and balsamic woods at the core. It opens rich and spicy, then settles into a powdery, resinous dry-down with sandalwood and vetiver underneath. This suits cold weather, evening wear, and anyone who enjoys opulent Middle Eastern inspired styl…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Dark Shadows or Dubai Black Sapphire?

Dubai Black Sapphire takes 3 of 4 categories. Dark Shadows is rated 3.57/5 from 7 votes; Dubai Black Sapphire is rated 3.50/5 from 97 votes. Choose Dark Shadows for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Dubai Black Sapphire for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Dark Shadows or Dubai Black Sapphire?

Dubai Black Sapphire lasts longest (Dubai Black Sapphire 83/100, Dark Shadows 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dark Shadows or Dubai Black Sapphire?

Dubai Black Sapphire projects furthest (Dubai Black Sapphire 77/100, Dark Shadows 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dark Shadows and Dubai Black Sapphire smell similar?

Some overlap: a 44% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Neroli, Saffron, Pepper and Sandalwood.

Is Dark Shadows or Dubai Black Sapphire better for summer or winter?

Dark Shadows suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dark Shadows and Dubai Black Sapphire?

Dark Shadows has top notes of Neroli, heart notes of Saffron and Pepper, a base of Tonka Bean, Cedarwood, Sandalwood and Musk. Dubai Black Sapphire has top notes of Saffron, Beeswax, Honey and Neroli, heart notes of Gurjan balsam, Turkish Rose, Cedar and Pepper, a base of Tolu Balsam, Siam Benzoin, Sandalwood and Vetiver.