Fragrance comparison

Heresy vs Shanghai Lily

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 1,472 ratings analysed

Heresy

Chapel Factory

3.96148 votes

Rank #36,144 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Shanghai Lily

Tom Ford

4.221,324 votes

Rank #24,668 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shanghai Lily takes 5 of 7 categories.

Heresy
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Shanghai Lily
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Heresy2/7

Shanghai Lily5/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

HeresyChapel Factory

Shanghai LilyTom Ford

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 148 votes

Have 19%Had 4%Want 77%

4.22/ 5 · 1,324 votes

Have 75%Had 25%Want 0%

Category winnerShanghai LilyRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

32%Love

42%Like

20%Ok

4%Dislike

3%Hate

148 votes

48%Love

37%Like

4%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

1,324 votes

Category winnerShanghai LilyMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity52

〰 Sillage40

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityShanghai Lily

SillageShanghai Lily

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value60

¤ Price value36

Category winnerHeresyBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy92%

amber84%

smoky77%

fresh spicy69%

balsamic61%

warm spicy100%

amber92%

floral84%

woody77%

smoky69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both warm spicy, woody and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

IncenseBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

Violet LeafSandalwoodCedar

Base5-7 hrs

Guaiac WoodVetiverPatchouli

Notes

ClovesFloral NotesSpicy NotesIncenseBlack PepperPink PepperVanillaTuberoseBenzoinOlibanumJasmineCashmere Wood

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesIncense and Black Pepper. Durations are only published for Heresy, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring84

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day89

Night100

Spring62

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerHeresyMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men18

Unisex70

Women11

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#36,144

PerfumerAnais Biguine

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#24,668

PerfumerAntoine Maisondieu

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerShanghai LilyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Chapel Factory Heresy strips away gothic drama to deliver a serene, clean incense perfume built for real life. It begins with a brisk snap of black pepper and cool frankincense resin that mimics stone chapel corridors. Within twenty minutes, the initial bite softens into smooth cedar shavings and creamy sandalwood. Vi…

Reviews →

Shanghai Lily opens with a sharp burst of bitter orange and cracked black pepper before settling into a dense, spiced floral heart. Cloves and pink pepper dominate the early stages, creating a dry, warm heat that prevents the jasmine and tuberose from becoming overly sweet. As it sits on the skin, the floral elements …

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, Heresy or Shanghai Lily?

Shanghai Lily takes 5 of 7 categories. Heresy is rated 3.96/5 from 148 votes; Shanghai Lily is rated 4.22/5 from 1,324 votes. Choose Heresy for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Shanghai Lily for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Heresy or Shanghai Lily?

Shanghai Lily lasts longest (Shanghai Lily 73/100, Heresy 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Heresy or Shanghai Lily?

Shanghai Lily projects furthest (Shanghai Lily 66/100, Heresy 40/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Heresy and Shanghai Lily smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and amber accords. Common notes include Incense and Black Pepper.

Is Heresy or Shanghai Lily better for summer or winter?

For summer, Heresy is the stronger pick. For winter, Heresy is the stronger pick. Heresy suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Heresy and Shanghai Lily?

Heresy has top notes of Incense and Black Pepper, heart notes of Violet Leaf, Sandalwood and Cedar, a base of Guaiac Wood, Vetiver and Patchouli. Shanghai Lily features Cloves, Floral Notes, Spicy Notes, Incense and Black Pepper.