Fragrance comparison

L'Eau du Temps vs Basic Black

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 439 ratings analysed

L'Eau du Temps

Nina Ricci

4.0282 votes

Rank #17,397 CitrusWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Basic Black

Bill Blass

3.86357 votes

Rank #3,732 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Basic Black takes 4 of 7 categories.

L'Eau du Temps
Choose it for a citrus and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring.
Basic Black
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in winter.

L'Eau du Temps2/7

Basic Black4/7

Ratings & consensus: L'Eau du Temps
Community sentiment: L'Eau du Temps
Longevity: Basic Black
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Basic Black
Versatility: Basic Black
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Basic Black

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

L'Eau du TempsNina Ricci

Basic BlackBill Blass

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.02/ 5 · 82 votes

Have 54%Had 46%Want 0%

3.86/ 5 · 357 votes

Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%

Category winnerL'Eau du TempsRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

54%Like

4%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

82 votes

37%Love

41%Like

4%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

313 votes

Category winnerL'Eau du TempsMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityBasic Black

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value48

¤ Price value78

Category winnerBasic BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

white floral92%

warm spicy84%

floral77%

aromatic69%

musky61%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

amber84%

floral77%

powdery69%

aromatic61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both warm spicy, floral and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotOrangeMandarin OrangeCorianderPimentoBlack Currant

Heart

CarnationTuberoseGardeniaYlang-YlangJasmine

Base

MuskWoodsy NotesAmber

Top

CarnationYlang-YlangPlumCardamomPeachMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

HoneyCorianderRoseTuberoseVioletJasmine

Base

OakmossPatchouliCivetAmberMuskBenzoinSandalwoodStyrax

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Mandarin Orange, Coriander and Carnation. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter27

Day–

Night–

Spring53

Summer34

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBasic BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex30

Women70

Men2

Unisex40

Women58

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#17,397

PerfumerAurélien Guichard, Jean Guichard

Launched—

Reviews7

Overall rank#3,732

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews71

Category winnerBasic BlackHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Nina Ricci L'Eau du Temps pairs tart bergamot and mandarin orange with a creamy heart of gardenia and tuberose. A quiet bite of spicy pimento cuts through the white florals before settling into clean musk. Ideal for breezy April mornings, this 2007 limited edition offers a brighter, younger spin on classic floral stru…

Reviews →

Basic Black by Bill Blass is a spicy, mossy floral chypre with a vintage dressed-up attitude. Reviewers often notice carnation, coriander, oakmoss, musk and honeyed florals, with an opening that can feel sharp, soapy or animalic before it settles. It suits people who enjoy bold 80s and early 90s style perfumes, powder…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Eau de BruxellesLibertin Louison Technique IndiscreteRUNNER-UP vs

Private ClubJeanne ArthesWINNER

1 person compared this today

PatchouliJouriRUNNER-UP vs

al03biehl parfumkunstwerkeWINNER

1 person compared this today

Ejaazi Intensive SilverLattafa PerfumesRUNNER-UP vs

Icon Racing RedAlfred DunhillWINNER

1 person compared this today

HermioneWild Drops ParfumsRUNNER-UP vs

CarbonIntelligentWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, L'Eau du Temps or Basic Black?

Basic Black takes 4 of 7 categories. L'Eau du Temps is rated 4.02/5 from 82 votes; Basic Black is rated 3.86/5 from 357 votes. Choose L'Eau du Temps for a citrus and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus and community sentiment. Best in spring. Choose Basic Black for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, L'Eau du Temps or Basic Black?

Basic Black lasts longest (Basic Black 69/100, L'Eau du Temps 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, L'Eau du Temps or Basic Black?

Projection is very close: L'Eau du Temps 62/100, Basic Black 62/100 for sillage.

Do L'Eau du Temps and Basic Black smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, floral and aromatic accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Coriander and Carnation.

Is L'Eau du Temps or Basic Black better for summer or winter?

For summer, Basic Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Basic Black is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in L'Eau du Temps and Basic Black?

L'Eau du Temps has top notes of Bergamot, Orange, Mandarin Orange and Coriander, heart notes of Carnation, Tuberose, Gardenia and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Musk, Woodsy Notes and Amber. Basic Black has top notes of Carnation, Ylang-Ylang, Plum and Cardamom, heart notes of Honey, Coriander, Rose and Tuberose, a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli, Civet and Amber.