Fragrance comparison

Musk #9 vs Shades

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

Updated 31 Oct 2026 131 ratings analysed

Musk #9

Demeter Fragrance

3.673 votes

Rank #65,652 PowderyMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

24%scent match

Clearly different

2 wins

Shades

Armaf

3.89128 votes

Rank #8,910 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shades takes 2 of 3 categories.

Musk #9
Choose it for a powdery and musky character. Wins on longevity.
Shades
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Musk #91/3

Shades2/3

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Musk #9
Sillage & projection: Shades
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Shades

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Musk #9Demeter Fragrance

ShadesArmaf

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 3 votes

Have 20%Had 8%Want 71%

3.89/ 5 · 128 votes

Have 73%Had 27%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

33%Dislike

0%Hate

3 votes · too few to score

23%Love

55%Like

11%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

128 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity100

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityMusk #9

SillageShades

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value69

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

musky83%

citrus65%

white floral48%

fresh spicy30%

woody100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

citrus77%

fruity69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match24%Clearly different · both citrus and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

LimeBergamot

Heart1.5-2.5 hrs

Jasmine

Base3-5 hrs

White MuskPowdery Notes

Top

Violet LeafBergamotPineapplePlumLimeCardamom

Heart

Cedar NeedlesRosemaryGeraniumJasmineSage

Base

CedarSandalwoodAmbergrisWhite MuskPatchouli

InformationalShared notesLime, Bergamot, Jasmine and White Musk. Durations are only published for Musk #9, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring–

Summer–

Fall–

Winter–

Day–

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter41

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

Men83

Unisex13

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#65,652

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#8,910

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews28

Category winnerShadesHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Demeter Musk #9 delivers a crisp, clean twist on classic musks. It starts sharp. A brisk blast of zesty lime and sunlit bergamot cuts through the air before settling down fast. The initial punch softens within fifteen minutes. As the tart citrus edges fade, a gentle petal-fresh jasmine steps forward, lending a breezy …

Reviews →

Armaf Shades opens with a sharp burst of lime and bergamot, combined with a green streak of violet leaf and a sweet touch of pineapple. This initial citrus blast quickly transitions into a classic clean aftershave vibe. The heart reveals herbal sage and geranium, which add a dry, masculine texture. On the skin, the d…

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, Musk #9 or Shades?

Shades takes 2 of 3 categories. Musk #9 is rated 3.67/5 from 3 votes; Shades is rated 3.89/5 from 128 votes. Choose Musk #9 for a powdery and musky character. Wins on longevity. Choose Shades for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Musk #9 or Shades?

Musk #9 lasts longest (Musk #9 100/100, Shades 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Musk #9 or Shades?

Shades projects furthest (Shades 63/100, Musk #9 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Musk #9 and Shades smell similar?

Clearly different: a 24% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Lime, Bergamot, Jasmine and White Musk.

Is Musk #9 or Shades better for summer or winter?

Musk #9 suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Musk #9 and Shades?

Musk #9 has top notes of Lime and Bergamot, heart notes of Jasmine, a base of White Musk and Powdery Notes. Shades has top notes of Violet Leaf, Bergamot, Pineapple and Plum, heart notes of Cedar Needles, Rosemary, Geranium and Jasmine, a base of Cedar, Sandalwood, Ambergris and White Musk.