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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Shem vs Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

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

Updated 461 ratings analysed
Clearly different
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shem takes 4 of 5 categories.

  • Shem

    Choose it for a aromatic and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

  • Acqua di Nabeel Absolute

    Choose it for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Shem4/5
Acqua di Nabeel Absolute1/5
Ratings & consensus
Shem
Community sentiment
Not scored
Longevity
Shem
Sillage & projection
Shem
Value for money
Acqua di Nabeel Absolute
Versatility
Not scored
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Shem

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
ShemNishane
Acqua di Nabeel AbsoluteNabeel
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.06/ 5 · 447 votes
Have 46%Had 9%Want 46%
3.93/ 5 · 14 votes
Have 62%Had 4%Want 35%
Category winnerShemRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
52%Love
21%Like
13%Ok
9%Dislike
5%Hate

447 votes

43%Love
21%Like
21%Ok
14%Dislike
0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity88
〰 Sillage77
♥ Love / hate76
⏱ Longevity66
〰 Sillage61
♥ Love / hate73
Category winners

LongevityShem

SillageShem

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value23
¤ Price value81
Category winnerAcqua di Nabeel AbsoluteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
aromatic100%
rose92%
woody84%
earthy77%
leather69%
floral61%
sweet100%
citrus92%
white floral84%
warm spicy77%
aromatic69%
woody61%
Scent match22%Clearly different · both aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
Turkish RoseGeraniumCardamom
Heart
Cypriol Oil or NagarmothaOsmanthusAmber
Base
LeatherVetiverelemi
Top
Star AniseIncenseWhite FlowersSweet OrangeGrapefruitSea NotesLemonRose
Heart
Sweet NotesNeroliCoconutJasmineOudLily of the ValleySandalwoodHeliotrope
Base
MuskGuaiac WoodBenzoinOakmossVetiverCedarAmberSpun Sugar
InformationalShared notesTurkish Rose, Amber and Vetiver. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring60
Summer20
Fall97
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring70
Summer60
Fall100
Winter70
Day88
Night100
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men51
Unisex43
Women6
Men29
Unisex64
Women7
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,955

PerfumerLucas Sieuzac

Launched—

Reviews69

Overall rank#51,812

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerShemHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shem by Nishane is a heavy oriental floral fragrance built around a sharp contrast of dark Turkish rose, bitter cypriol oil, and rugged leather. Formulated as an extrait de parfum by Lucas Sieuzac, it opens with a medicinal burst of cardamom and geranium before settling into a warm base of amber, vetiver, and elemi. D…

Reviews →

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute by Nabeel is a dense oriental spicy fragrance that pairs a sharp citrus opening with warm spices. Star anise, grapefruit, and a dry incense lead into a deep heart of leather and sweet notes before settling on a heavy base of oud and vanilla. It is best suited for cold autumn evenings.

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

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Shem or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Shem takes 4 of 5 categories. Shem is rated 4.06/5 from 447 votes; Acqua di Nabeel Absolute is rated 3.93/5 from 14 votes. Choose Shem for a aromatic and rose character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter. Choose Acqua di Nabeel Absolute for a sweet and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Shem or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Shem lasts longest (Shem 88/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Shem or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Shem projects furthest (Shem 77/100, Acqua di Nabeel Absolute 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shem and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute smell similar?

Clearly different: a 22% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Turkish Rose, Amber and Vetiver.

Is Shem or Acqua di Nabeel Absolute better for summer or winter?

Acqua di Nabeel Absolute suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Shem and Acqua di Nabeel Absolute?

Shem has top notes of Turkish Rose, Geranium and Cardamom, heart notes of Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha, Osmanthus and Amber, a base of Leather, Vetiver and elemi. Acqua di Nabeel Absolute has top notes of Star Anise, Incense, White Flowers and Sweet Orange, heart notes of Sweet Notes, Neroli, Coconut and Jasmine, a base of Musk, Guaiac Wood, Benzoin and Oakmoss.

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