Fragrance comparison

Shem - el- Nessim vs Bijan

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 1,362 ratings analysed

Shem - el- Nessim

Grossmith

4.40334 votes

Rank #1,765 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Bijan

4.011,028 votes

Rank #599 White FloralAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Bijan takes 4 of 7 categories.

Shem - el- Nessim
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Bijan
Choose it for a white floral and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.

Shem - el- Nessim3/7

Bijan4/7

Ratings & consensus: Shem - el- Nessim
Community sentiment: Shem - el- Nessim
Longevity: Bijan
Sillage & projection: Bijan
Value for money: Bijan
Versatility: Shem - el- Nessim
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Bijan

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Shem - el- NessimGrossmith

BijanBijan

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.40/ 5 · 334 votes

Have 35%Had 11%Want 55%

4.01/ 5 · 1,028 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerShem - el- NessimRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

27%Like

5%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

334 votes

40%Love

39%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

898 votes

Category winnerShem - el- NessimMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityBijan

SillageBijan

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value19

¤ Price value74

Category winnerBijanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

woody92%

iris84%

white floral77%

floral69%

vanilla61%

white floral100%

amber92%

woody84%

powdery77%

floral69%

sweet61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both powdery, white floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

NeroliBergamot

Heart3 to 5 hours

Orris RootYlang-YlangJasmineGeraniumRose

Base6 to 8 hours

HeliotropeSandalwoodPatchouliCedarMuskVanilla

Top

Ylang-YlangOrange BlossomNarcissusNeroliBergamotBasil

Heart

HoneyTuberoseCarnationJasmineBulgarian RoseOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley

Base

BenzoinSandalwoodAmberMuskTonka BeanVanillaHeliotropeOakmoss

InformationalShared notesNeroli, Bergamot, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang. Durations are only published for Shem - el- Nessim, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring65

Summer39

Fall100

Winter84

Day100

Night100

Spring48

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerShem - el- NessimMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex44

Women55

Men0

Unisex15

Women85

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,765

PerfumerTrevor Nicholl

Launched—

Reviews57

Overall rank#599

PerfumerPeter Bohm

Launched—

Reviews222

Category winnerBijanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shem - el- Nessim opens with a brisk splash of bergamot and neroli before revealing a dense heart of powdery orris root, rose, and ylang-ylang. The scent feels like stepping into a classic boudoir from the early twentieth century, where cosmetic powders and fresh blossoms mingle on polished wood. As the initial bright…

Reviews →

Bijan by Bijan is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women. Bijan was launched in 1986. The nose behind this fragrance is Peter Bohm. Top notes are Ylang-Ylang, Orange Blossom, Narcissus, Neroli, Bergamot and Basil; middle notes are Honey, Tuberose, Carnation, Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose, Orris Root and Lily-of-the-Valley; b…

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, Shem - el- Nessim or Bijan?

Bijan takes 4 of 7 categories. Shem - el- Nessim is rated 4.40/5 from 334 votes; Bijan is rated 4.01/5 from 1,028 votes. Choose Shem - el- Nessim for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Bijan for a white floral and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Shem - el- Nessim or Bijan?

They last about the same: Bijan 77/100, Shem - el- Nessim 75/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Shem - el- Nessim or Bijan?

Bijan projects furthest (Bijan 72/100, Shem - el- Nessim 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shem - el- Nessim and Bijan smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, white floral and woody accords. Common notes include Neroli, Bergamot, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Shem - el- Nessim or Bijan better for summer or winter?

For summer, Shem - el- Nessim is the stronger pick. For winter, Bijan is the stronger pick. Shem - el- Nessim suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Shem - el- Nessim and Bijan?

Shem - el- Nessim has top notes of Neroli and Bergamot, heart notes of Orris Root, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Geranium, a base of Heliotrope, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Cedar. Bijan has top notes of Ylang-Ylang, Orange Blossom, Narcissus and Neroli, heart notes of Honey, Tuberose, Carnation and Jasmine, a base of Benzoin, Sandalwood, Amber and Musk.