Fragrance comparison

Paris vs Shem - el- Nessim

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 6,063 ratings analysed

Paris

Yves Saint Laurent

3.885,729 votes

Rank #1,155 PowderyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Shem - el- Nessim

Grossmith

4.40334 votes

Rank #1,765 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shem - el- Nessim takes 5 of 7 categories.

Paris
Choose it for a powdery and floral character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Shem - el- Nessim
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Paris2/7

Shem - el- Nessim5/7

Ratings & consensus: Shem - el- Nessim
Community sentiment: Shem - el- Nessim
Longevity: Shem - el- Nessim
Sillage & projection: Shem - el- Nessim
Value for money: Paris
Versatility: Shem - el- Nessim
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Paris

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ParisYves Saint Laurent

Shem - el- NessimGrossmith

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.88/ 5 · 5,729 votes

Have 50%Had 50%Want 0%

4.40/ 5 · 334 votes

Have 35%Had 11%Want 55%

Category winnerShem - el- NessimRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

34%Love

42%Like

4%Ok

20%Dislike

1%Hate

5,729 votes

60%Love

27%Like

5%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

334 votes

Category winnerShem - el- NessimMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityShem - el- Nessim

SillageShem - el- Nessim

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value49

¤ Price value19

Category winnerParisBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

floral92%

rose84%

violet77%

yellow floral69%

green61%

powdery100%

woody92%

iris84%

white floral77%

floral69%

vanilla61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both powdery and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

RoseMimosaHiacynthGeraniumGreen NotesOrange BlossomNasturtiumHawthorn

Heart

VioletLilyYlang-YlangLime BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineOrris Root

Base

IrisHeliotropeMuskSandalwoodOakmossAmberCedar

Top15 to 30 minutes

NeroliBergamot

Heart3 to 5 hours

Orris RootYlang-YlangJasmineGeraniumRose

Base6 to 8 hours

HeliotropeSandalwoodPatchouliCedarMuskVanilla

InformationalShared notesRose, Geranium, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Shem - el- Nessim, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter45

Day–

Night–

Spring65

Summer39

Fall100

Winter84

Day100

Night100

Category winnerShem - el- NessimMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex7

Women93

Men1

Unisex44

Women55

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,155

PerfumerSophia Grojsman

Launched—

Reviews204

Overall rank#1,765

PerfumerTrevor Nicholl

Launched—

Reviews57

Category winnerParisHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Yves Saint Laurent Paris is a cheerful, romantic floral centered around bright pink rose, powdery violet, and honeyed mimosa. Created in 1983, it bursts open with a lush garden medley of fresh geranium, hyacinth, and green leaves before settling into a warm cosmetic powder heart. As it warms on the skin, soft iris, cr…

Reviews →

Shem - el- Nessim opens with a brisk splash of bergamot and neroli before revealing a dense heart of powdery orris root, rose, and ylang-ylang. The scent feels like stepping into a classic boudoir from the early twentieth century, where cosmetic powders and fresh blossoms mingle on polished wood. As the initial bright…

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, Paris or Shem - el- Nessim?

Shem - el- Nessim takes 5 of 7 categories. Paris is rated 3.88/5 from 5,729 votes; Shem - el- Nessim is rated 4.40/5 from 334 votes. Choose Paris for a powdery and floral character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Shem - el- Nessim for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Paris or Shem - el- Nessim?

They last about the same: Shem - el- Nessim 75/100, Paris 73/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Paris or Shem - el- Nessim?

Projection is very close: Shem - el- Nessim 69/100, Paris 67/100 for sillage.

Do Paris and Shem - el- Nessim smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery and floral accords. Common notes include Rose, Geranium, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine.

Is Paris or Shem - el- Nessim better for summer or winter?

For summer, Shem - el- Nessim is the stronger pick. For winter, Shem - el- Nessim is the stronger pick. Shem - el- Nessim suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Paris and Shem - el- Nessim?

Paris has top notes of Rose, Mimosa, Hiacynth and Geranium, heart notes of Violet, Lily, Ylang-Ylang and Lime Blossom, a base of Iris, Heliotrope, Musk and Sandalwood. Shem - el- Nessim has top notes of Neroli and Bergamot, heart notes of Orris Root, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Geranium, a base of Heliotrope, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Cedar.