Fragrance comparison

Shanghai Shades vs Molecule

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 8 ratings analysed

3 wins

Shanghai Shades

Destino Paris

4.388 votes

Rank #21,658 Fresh SpicyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

Molecule

Vinci

—0 votes

Rank #65,420 Fresh SpicyViolet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shanghai Shades takes 3 of 4 categories.

Shanghai Shades
Choose it for a fresh spicy and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Molecule
Choose it for a fresh spicy and violet character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Shanghai Shades3/4

Molecule1/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Shanghai Shades
Sillage & projection: Shanghai Shades
Value for money: Molecule
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

MoleculeVinci

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.38/ 5 · 8 votes

Have 28%Had 5%Want 67%

—/ 5 · 0 votes

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

Not enough votes yet

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage25

♥ Love / hateN/A

Category winners

LongevityShanghai Shades

SillageShanghai Shades

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value85

¤ Price value100

Category winnerMoleculeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

aromatic92%

powdery84%

citrus77%

amber69%

white floral61%

fresh spicy100%

violet90%

powdery80%

citrus70%

iris60%

aromatic50%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both fresh spicy, powdery and citrus

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

Notes

Black PepperCorianderVioletIrisPowdery NotesMandarinOrangeGingerelemiCarrot SeedsClary Sage

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesViolet, Coriander and Black Pepper. 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

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men56

Unisex11

Women33

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

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#21,658

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#65,420

PerfumerGivaudan

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 →

Molecule by Vinci introduces a clean, powder-kissed puff of violet and cool iris right from the start. Underneath, a sharp snap of fresh ginger and black pepper cuts through the initial cosmetic softness. It is an airy, skin-hugging choice that works beautifully for quiet office settings during mild spring mornings.

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 lasts longer, Shanghai Shades or Molecule?

Shanghai Shades lasts longest (Shanghai Shades 74/100, Molecule 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Shanghai Shades or Molecule?

Shanghai Shades projects furthest (Shanghai Shades 61/100, Molecule 25/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shanghai Shades and Molecule smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy, powdery and citrus accords. Common notes include Violet, Coriander and Black Pepper.