Fragrance comparison

Hero vs Shanghai

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 24 ratings analysed

2 wins

Hero

Prince Matchabelli

3.9122 votes

Rank #23,497 WoodyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

Shanghai

Lentheric

4.502 votes

Rank #51,573 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Hero takes 2 of 3 categories.

Hero
Choose it for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Shanghai
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear.

Hero2/3

Shanghai1/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

HeroPrince Matchabelli

ShanghaiLentheric

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 22 votes

Have 33%Had 28%Want 39%

4.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 83%Had 0%Want 17%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

27%Love

55%Like

0%Ok

18%Dislike

0%Hate

22 votes · too few to score

50%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity42

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ LongevityN/A

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityNo data

SillageHero

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value84

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

fresh spicy92%

aromatic84%

powdery77%

warm spicy69%

citrus61%

warm spicy100%

amber92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

fresh spicy69%

floral61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

SandalwoodVanillaFir ResinBergamotLavenderGeraniumOakmossSpicesCedarGreen NotesCitrusMusk

No top / heart / base split published

Top15-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotCinnamonHyacinthCloveVerbenaLavender

Heart2-4 hrs

Bulgarian RoseFrankincenseCarnationGeraniumJasmineSpices

Base6-8+ hrs

SandalwoodCedarwoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverAmberMyrrhTonka

Category winnerShanghaiLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall91

Winter45

Day100

Night17

Spring0

Summer0

Fall100

Winter0

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men91

Unisex9

Women0

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#23,497

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews9

Overall rank#51,573

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerHeroHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Hero by Prince Matchabelli delivers an uncomplicated, clean profile anchored in classic barbershop freshness. Released in 1988, it opens with bright bergamot and brisk citrus paired with fresh green notes and soft lavender. As the initial brightness settles, the heart brings forward geranium, subtle spices, and a powd…

Reviews →

Shanghai by Lentheric is an early twentieth-century oriental floral built on spicy heat and deep resins. It kicks off with a sharp snap of clove, cinnamon, and soapy aldehydes before smoothing out into rich Bulgarian rose and peppery carnation. The base runs dark and slow. Myrrh, frankincense, and aged oakmoss give th…

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, Hero or Shanghai?

Hero takes 2 of 3 categories. Hero is rated 3.91/5 from 22 votes; Shanghai is rated 4.50/5 from 2 votes. Choose Hero for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Shanghai for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which projects more, Hero or Shanghai?

Hero projects furthest (Hero 57/100, Shanghai 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Hero and Shanghai smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Sandalwood, Bergamot, Lavender and Geranium.

Is Hero or Shanghai better for summer or winter?

Hero suits daytime wear; Shanghai suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Hero and Shanghai?

Hero features Sandalwood, Vanilla, Fir Resin, Bergamot and Lavender. Shanghai has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Cinnamon and Hyacinth, heart notes of Bulgarian Rose, Frankincense, Carnation and Geranium, a base of Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Benzoin and Oakmoss.