Fragrance comparison

In principio vs SHAMAN

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 453 ratings analysed

3 wins

In principio

Zanini

4.1317 votes

Rank #20,016 AmberFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

27%scent match

Clearly different

SHAMAN

MiN NEW YORK

3.93436 votes

Rank #7,873 OzonicAquatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

In principio takes 3 of 5 categories.

In principio
Choose it for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money.
SHAMAN
Choose it for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

In principio3/5

SHAMAN2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

In principioZanini

SHAMANMiN NEW YORK

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 0%Had 33%Want 67%

3.93/ 5 · 436 votes

Have 78%Had 22%Want 0%

Category winnerSHAMANRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

100%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

40%Love

32%Like

11%Ok

15%Dislike

2%Hate

436 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityIn principio

SillageIn principio

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value75

¤ Price value37

Category winnerIn principioBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

citrus77%

aromatic69%

balsamic61%

ozonic100%

aquatic91%

patchouli83%

woody74%

warm spicy65%

amber56%

Scent match27%Clearly different · both woody and amber

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

Tuscan CypressBitter OrangeTurkish RoseFrankincenseYlang YlangAmbergrisKumquatNutmegelemiLilyMacePalisander Rosewood

No top / heart / base split published

Top

Violet LeafCardamomMandarin

Heart

LabdanumFrankincenseRoseNutmeg

Base

PatchouliHoneyAmbergrisStyrax

InformationalShared notesTurkish Rose, Frankincense, Ambergris and Nutmeg. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

No season votes yet

Spring99

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men51

Unisex46

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#20,016

PerfumerPhilippo Zanini

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#7,873

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews24

Category winnerSHAMANHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

In principio by Zanini starts with bright, bitter citrus and dries down to a rich, meditative base of frankincense and cistus. The fragrance suits individuals seeking a contemplative, resinous aroma for cool autumn evenings. It balances citrus top notes with warm, mineral ambergris, creating a distinct option for thos…

Reviews →

SHAMAN by MiN NEW YORK opens with a crisp snap of violet leaf, chilled cardamom, and a splash of mandarin. As the top notes quiet down, the scent shifts toward resinous frankincense, labdanum, and soft rose. The base settles into patchouli, sweet honey, and salty ambergris, leaving a green yet balsamic trace on skin. …

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, In principio or SHAMAN?

In principio takes 3 of 5 categories. In principio is rated 4.13/5 from 17 votes; SHAMAN is rated 3.93/5 from 436 votes. Choose In principio for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Choose SHAMAN for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, In principio or SHAMAN?

In principio lasts longest (In principio 83/100, SHAMAN 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, In principio or SHAMAN?

In principio projects furthest (In principio 75/100, SHAMAN 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do In principio and SHAMAN smell similar?

Clearly different: a 27% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and amber accords. Common notes include Turkish Rose, Frankincense, Ambergris and Nutmeg.

What are the notes in In principio and SHAMAN?

In principio features Tuscan Cypress, Bitter Orange, Turkish Rose, Frankincense and Ylang Ylang. SHAMAN has top notes of Violet Leaf, Cardamom and Mandarin, heart notes of Labdanum, Frankincense, Rose and Nutmeg, a base of Patchouli, Honey, Ambergris and Styrax.