Fragrance comparison

Enigma Aoud vs Shem - el- Nessim

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 737 ratings analysed

Enigma Aoud

Roja Dove

4.25403 votes

Rank #2,189 PowderyRose

Full profile Similar & dupes

63%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Shem - el- Nessim

Grossmith

4.40334 votes

Rank #1,765 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shem - el- Nessim takes 5 of 7 categories.

Enigma Aoud
Choose it for a powdery and rose character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in spring.
Shem - el- Nessim
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Enigma Aoud2/7

Shem - el- Nessim5/7

Ratings & consensus: Shem - el- Nessim
Community sentiment: Shem - el- Nessim
Longevity: Enigma Aoud
Sillage & projection: Shem - el- Nessim
Value for money: Enigma Aoud
Versatility: Shem - el- Nessim
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Shem - el- Nessim

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Enigma AoudRoja Dove

Shem - el- NessimGrossmith

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 403 votes

Have 50%Had 12%Want 38%

4.40/ 5 · 334 votes

Have 35%Had 11%Want 55%

Category winnerShem - el- NessimRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

56%Love

24%Like

10%Ok

6%Dislike

3%Hate

255 votes

60%Love

27%Like

5%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

334 votes

Category winnerShem - el- NessimMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityEnigma Aoud

SillageShem - el- Nessim

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value36

¤ Price value19

Category winnerEnigma AoudBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

rose92%

white floral84%

fresh spicy77%

woody69%

floral61%

powdery100%

woody92%

iris84%

white floral77%

floral69%

vanilla61%

Scent match63%Closely related · both powdery, white floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Bergamot

Heart

PeachMay RoseJasmineNeroliYlang-YlangGeraniumHeliotrope

Base

Agarwood (Oud)VanillaSandalwoodOrrisMuskAmbergrisPatchouli

Top15 to 30 minutes

NeroliBergamot

Heart3 to 5 hours

Orris RootYlang-YlangJasmineGeraniumRose

Base6 to 8 hours

HeliotropeSandalwoodPatchouliCedarMuskVanilla

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Jasmine, Neroli and Ylang-Ylang. Durations are only published for Shem - el- Nessim, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer86

Fall0

Winter63

Day–

Night–

Spring65

Summer39

Fall100

Winter84

Day100

Night100

Category winnerShem - el- NessimMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex38

Women60

Men1

Unisex44

Women55

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,189

PerfumerRoja Dove

Launched—

Reviews61

Overall rank#1,765

PerfumerTrevor Nicholl

Launched—

Reviews57

Category winnerShem - el- NessimHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Enigma Aoud opens with a soft, juicy peach and rose pairing, then settles into powdery florals, creamy woods and a gentle vanilla-oud base. Despite the name, many wearers find the oud subtle rather than dominant. It suits someone who likes polished, feminine-leaning florals with a plush texture and a classic Roja sty…

Reviews →

Shem - el- Nessim opens with a brisk splash of bergamot and neroli before revealing a dense heart of powdery orris root, rose, and ylang-ylang. The scent feels like stepping into a classic boudoir from the early twentieth century, where cosmetic powders and fresh blossoms mingle on polished wood. As the initial bright…

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, Enigma Aoud or Shem - el- Nessim?

Shem - el- Nessim takes 5 of 7 categories. Enigma Aoud is rated 4.25/5 from 403 votes; Shem - el- Nessim is rated 4.40/5 from 334 votes. Choose Enigma Aoud for a powdery and rose character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in spring. Choose Shem - el- Nessim for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Enigma Aoud or Shem - el- Nessim?

They last about the same: Enigma Aoud 76/100, Shem - el- Nessim 75/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Enigma Aoud or Shem - el- Nessim?

Projection is very close: Shem - el- Nessim 69/100, Enigma Aoud 67/100 for sillage.

Do Enigma Aoud and Shem - el- Nessim smell similar?

Closely related: a 63% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, white floral and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Jasmine, Neroli and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Enigma Aoud or Shem - el- Nessim better for summer or winter?

For summer, Enigma Aoud is the stronger pick. For winter, Shem - el- Nessim is the stronger pick. Shem - el- Nessim suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Enigma Aoud and Shem - el- Nessim?

Enigma Aoud has top notes of Bergamot, heart notes of Peach, May Rose, Jasmine and Neroli, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Vanilla, Sandalwood and Orris. Shem - el- Nessim has top notes of Neroli and Bergamot, heart notes of Orris Root, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Geranium, a base of Heliotrope, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Cedar.