Fragrance comparison

Shades vs Urban Energy

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 133 ratings analysed

3 wins

Shades

Armaf

3.89128 votes

Rank #9,361 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

64%scent match

Closely related

Urban Energy

JAFRA

4.205 votes

Rank #56,222 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shades takes 3 of 4 categories.

Shades
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Urban Energy
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Shades3/4

Urban Energy1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Shades
Sillage & projection: Shades
Value for money: Urban Energy
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

ShadesArmaf

Urban EnergyJAFRA

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.89/ 5 · 128 votes

Have 73%Had 27%Want 0%

4.20/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 86%Had 14%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

23%Love

55%Like

11%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

128 votes

20%Love

80%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity43

〰 Sillage33

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityShades

SillageShades

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value75

Category winnerUrban EnergyBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

citrus77%

fruity69%

warm spicy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy90%

citrus80%

warm spicy70%

woody60%

amber50%

Scent match64%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Violet LeafBergamotPineapplePlumLimeCardamom

Heart

Cedar NeedlesRosemaryGeraniumJasmineSage

Base

CedarSandalwoodAmbergrisWhite MuskPatchouli

Top

Tonic WaterGingerBergamotLimoncelloMandarin OrangeRosemary

Heart

LavenderSageThymeCardamomGeraniumViolet Leaf

Base

IncenseAmberCedarMuskMoss

InformationalShared notesViolet Leaf, Bergamot, Cardamom and Rosemary. 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

Winter41

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer83

Fall17

Winter17

Day100

Night20

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men83

Unisex13

Women4

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,361

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews28

Overall rank#56,222

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerShadesHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Urban Energy by JAFRA is a versatile aromatic fougere for men. It opens with a zesty splash of limoncello and ginger, settling into a heart of herbal lavender and sage. The base of incense and moss provides a grounded, masculine finish. This scent performs best during spring and summer days, perfect for casual office …

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

NabroAZYARUNNER-UP vs

Mila Schön (Original)Mila SchönWINNER

1 person compared this today

Saffron AmberIlluminumRUNNER-UP vs

Septieme Sens (7e Sens)Sonia RykielWINNER

1 person compared this today

Fancy NightsJessica SimpsonRUNNER-UP vs

Nino Cerruti Pour FemmeCerrutiWINNER

3 people compared this today

Sweet DreamsHouse Of SillageWINNER vs

Safari ElixirAthoor Al AlamRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Shades or Urban Energy?

Shades takes 3 of 4 categories. Shades is rated 3.89/5 from 128 votes; Urban Energy is rated 4.20/5 from 5 votes. Choose Shades for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Urban Energy for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Shades or Urban Energy?

Shades lasts longest (Shades 59/100, Urban Energy 43/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Shades or Urban Energy?

Shades projects furthest (Shades 63/100, Urban Energy 33/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shades and Urban Energy smell similar?

Closely related: a 64% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Violet Leaf, Bergamot, Cardamom and Rosemary.

Is Shades or Urban Energy better for summer or winter?

Urban Energy suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Shades and Urban Energy?

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. Urban Energy has top notes of Tonic Water, Ginger, Bergamot and Limoncello, heart notes of Lavender, Sage, Thyme and Cardamom, a base of Incense, Amber, Cedar and Musk.