Fragrance comparison

Shanghai Shades vs Mila Schön (Original)

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 68 ratings analysed

Shanghai Shades

Destino Paris

4.388 votes

Rank #21,658 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

19%scent match

Clearly different

Mila Schön (Original)

Mila Schön

4.3260 votes

Rank #26,975 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Shanghai Shades
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Mila Schön (Original)
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Shanghai Shades2/4

Mila Schön (Original)2/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Mila Schön (Original)
Sillage & projection: Mila Schön (Original)
Value for money: Shanghai Shades
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Shanghai Shades

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Shanghai ShadesDestino Paris

Mila Schön (Original)Mila Schön

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.38/ 5 · 8 votes

Have 28%Had 5%Want 67%

4.32/ 5 · 60 votes

Have 42%Had 18%Want 40%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

63%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

8 votes · too few to score

60%Love

23%Like

8%Ok

5%Dislike

3%Hate

60 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityMila Schön (Original)

SillageMila Schön (Original)

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value85

¤ Price value63

Category winnerShanghai ShadesBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

powdery84%

citrus77%

amber69%

white floral61%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

floral84%

fruity77%

powdery69%

mossy61%

Scent match19%Clearly different · both powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

VioletRoseAmbergrisBergamotJasminePatchouliCorianderBlack PepperVanilla

No top / heart / base split published

Top

PeachBig StrawberryBergamotCorianderNeroliMandarinPlumGalbanum

Heart

CarnationCloveRoseJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyYlang YlangVioletBlackcurrant

Base

oak mossMuskSandalwoodPatchouliStyraxAmbergrisCastoreumCivet

InformationalShared notesViolet, Rose, Ambergris and Bergamot. Durations are only published for Shanghai Shades, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring57

Summer43

Fall100

Winter86

Day71

Night100

Spring59

Summer29

Fall100

Winter65

Day83

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men56

Unisex11

Women33

Date 32%Work 26%Casual 23%Party 20%

Men8

Unisex50

Women42

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#21,658

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#26,975

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerShanghai ShadesHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shanghai Shades by Destino Paris opens with a burst of bright bergamot and cracked black pepper before settling into an earthy, semi-sweet floral core. Violet takes center stage here, lending a clean, powdery texture that balances against velvety rose and rich vanilla. The spice from coriander gives the fragrance an e…

Reviews →

Mila Schön (Original) is a bold 1981 oriental woody fragrance with ripe peach and strawberry over spicy florals, moss, musk, woods and resin. It has a vintage shape, but the fruit and carnation-clove warmth keep it lively rather than dusty. Expect a rich, spicy, mossy scent with noticeable presence. It is best for peo…

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, Shanghai Shades or Mila Schön (Original)?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Shanghai Shades is rated 4.38/5 from 8 votes; Mila Schön (Original) is rated 4.32/5 from 60 votes. Choose Shanghai Shades for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Mila Schön (Original) for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Shanghai Shades or Mila Schön (Original)?

Mila Schön (Original) lasts longest (Mila Schön (Original) 78/100, Shanghai Shades 74/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Shanghai Shades or Mila Schön (Original)?

Mila Schön (Original) projects furthest (Mila Schön (Original) 72/100, Shanghai Shades 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shanghai Shades and Mila Schön (Original) smell similar?

Clearly different: a 19% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery accords. Common notes include Violet, Rose, Ambergris and Bergamot.

Is Shanghai Shades or Mila Schön (Original) better for summer or winter?

Shanghai Shades suits evening wear; Mila Schön (Original) suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Shanghai Shades and Mila Schön (Original)?

Shanghai Shades features Violet, Rose, Ambergris, Bergamot and Jasmine. Mila Schön (Original) has top notes of Peach, Big Strawberry, Bergamot and Coriander, heart notes of Carnation, Clove, Rose and Jasmine, a base of oak moss, Musk, Sandalwood and Patchouli.