Fragrance comparison

Shanghai vs Sex and the City Sunset

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 19 ratings analysed

2 wins

Shanghai

Marks & Spencer

3.754 votes

Rank #56,191 AmberVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

Sex and the City Sunset

Sex and the City

3.8015 votes

Rank #43,707 SweetFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shanghai takes 2 of 3 categories.

Shanghai
Choose it for a amber and vanilla character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Sex and the City Sunset
Choose it for a sweet and floral character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Shanghai2/3

Sex and the City Sunset1/3

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Shanghai
Sillage & projection: Shanghai
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Sex and the City Sunset

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ShanghaiMarks & Spencer

Sex and the City SunsetSex and the City

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.75/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 9%Had 9%Want 83%

3.80/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 37%Had 23%Want 40%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

75%Like

25%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

27%Love

53%Like

0%Ok

13%Dislike

7%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityShanghai

SillageShanghai

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

vanilla88%

sweet77%

powdery65%

fruity53%

musky42%

sweet100%

floral92%

amber84%

fruity77%

vanilla69%

citrus61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both amber, sweet and vanilla

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

Blood Orange

Heart1 to 2 hours

ApricotFreesia

Base2 to 4 hours

AmberTonka BeanMusk

Top

Blood OrangeGreen AppleViolet LeavesFreesia

Heart

Vanilla OrchidLily-of-the-ValleySugarPlum

Base

Tonka BeanMuskAmberBenzoin

InformationalShared notesBlood Orange, Freesia, Amber and Tonka Bean. Durations are only published for Shanghai, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring14

Summer14

Fall100

Winter71

Day100

Night80

Spring38

Summer38

Fall100

Winter50

Day38

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#56,191

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#43,707

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerSex and the City SunsetHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shanghai by Marks & Spencer offers a gentle introduction to warm resinous scents for women. The opening brings a crisp burst of blood orange, which quickly softens into a heart of juicy apricot and clean freesia. As the fragrance settles, a base of smooth amber, tonka bean, and musk creates a cozy, sweet aura that sta…

Reviews →

Launched in 2012, Sex and the City Sunset captures the warm, late afternoon glow of New York. The composition opens with a bright burst of blood orange and green apple. It quickly transitions into a sweet heart of plum and sugar. A cozy foundation of musk and tonka bean hugs the skin, making it a comforting choice for…

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, Shanghai or Sex and the City Sunset?

Shanghai takes 2 of 3 categories. Shanghai is rated 3.75/5 from 4 votes; Sex and the City Sunset is rated 3.80/5 from 15 votes. Choose Shanghai for a amber and vanilla character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Sex and the City Sunset for a sweet and floral character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Shanghai or Sex and the City Sunset?

Shanghai lasts longest (Shanghai 67/100, Sex and the City Sunset 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Shanghai or Sex and the City Sunset?

Shanghai projects furthest (Shanghai 75/100, Sex and the City Sunset 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shanghai and Sex and the City Sunset smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, sweet and vanilla accords. Common notes include Blood Orange, Freesia, Amber and Tonka Bean.

Is Shanghai or Sex and the City Sunset better for summer or winter?

Shanghai suits daytime wear; Sex and the City Sunset suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Shanghai and Sex and the City Sunset?

Shanghai has top notes of Blood Orange, heart notes of Apricot and Freesia, a base of Amber, Tonka Bean and Musk. Sex and the City Sunset has top notes of Blood Orange, Green Apple, Violet Leaves and Freesia, heart notes of Vanilla Orchid, Lily-of-the-Valley, Sugar and Plum, a base of Tonka Bean, Musk, Amber and Benzoin.