Fragrance comparison

Shem - el- Nessim vs Enigma

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 2,177 ratings analysed

Shem - el- Nessim

Grossmith

4.40334 votes

Rank #1,765 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

73%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Enigma

Roja Dove

4.241,843 votes

Rank #81 PowderyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Enigma 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.
Enigma
Choose it for a powdery and vanilla character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

Shem - el- Nessim3/7

Enigma4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Shem - el- NessimGrossmith

EnigmaRoja Dove

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.40/ 5 · 334 votes

Have 35%Had 11%Want 55%

4.24/ 5 · 1,843 votes

Have 72%Had 28%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

45%Love

36%Like

8%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

739 votes

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

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity86

〰 Sillage76

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityEnigma

SillageEnigma

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value19

¤ Price value51

Category winnerEnigmaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

woody92%

iris84%

white floral77%

floral69%

vanilla61%

powdery100%

vanilla92%

woody84%

rose77%

sweet69%

floral61%

Scent match73%Closely related · both powdery, woody and vanilla

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

PeachNeroliBergamot

Heart

RoseHeliotropeYlang-YlangJasmineGeranium

Base

VanillaOrris RootMuskAmbergrisSandalwoodPatchouli

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

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter67

Day–

Night–

Category winnerShem - el- NessimMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex44

Women55

Men5

Unisex15

Women80

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,765

PerfumerTrevor Nicholl

Launched—

Reviews57

Overall rank#81

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews327

Category winnerEnigmaHigher 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 →

Enigma is a peachy floral amber with a plush powdery texture, built around rose, heliotrope, vanilla and soft woods. It opens fruity and luminous, then quickly settles into a smooth, feminine heart that many wearers describe as classy, addictive and beautifully blended. If you enjoy elegant perfumes with a vintage-lea…

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 Enigma?

Enigma takes 4 of 7 categories. Shem - el- Nessim is rated 4.40/5 from 334 votes; Enigma is rated 4.24/5 from 1,843 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 Enigma for a powdery and vanilla character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

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

Enigma lasts longest (Enigma 86/100, Shem - el- Nessim 75/100), based on community performance votes.

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

Enigma projects furthest (Enigma 76/100, Shem - el- Nessim 69/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shem - el- Nessim and Enigma smell similar?

Closely related: a 73% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, woody and vanilla accords. Common notes include Neroli, Bergamot, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang.

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

For summer, Shem - el- Nessim is the stronger pick. For winter, Shem - el- Nessim 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 Enigma?

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. Enigma has top notes of Peach, Neroli and Bergamot, heart notes of Rose, Heliotrope, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine, a base of Vanilla, Orris Root, Musk and Ambergris.