Fragrance comparison

Shem - el- Nessim vs Enigma Parfum d'Or

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 382 ratings analysed

Shem - el- Nessim

Grossmith

4.40334 votes

Rank #1,765 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

62%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Enigma Parfum d'Or

Roja Dove

4.4048 votes

Rank #24,352 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Enigma Parfum d'Or takes 4 of 7 categories.

Shem - el- Nessim
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Enigma Parfum d'Or
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Shem - el- Nessim2/7

Enigma Parfum d'Or4/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Shem - el- NessimGrossmith

Enigma Parfum d'OrRoja Dove

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.40/ 5 · 334 votes

Have 35%Had 11%Want 55%

4.40/ 5 · 48 votes

Have 24%Had 8%Want 68%

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

60%Love

29%Like

2%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

48 votes

Category winnerEnigma Parfum d'OrMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageEnigma Parfum d'Or

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value19

¤ Price value25

Category winnerEnigma Parfum d'OrBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

woody92%

iris84%

white floral77%

floral69%

vanilla61%

powdery100%

woody92%

rose84%

musky77%

amber69%

floral61%

Scent match62%Closely related · both powdery, woody and floral

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

Bergamot

Heart

PeachRoseHeliotropeYlang-YlangJasmineGeraniumNeroli

Base

MuskAmbergrisOrris RootSandalwoodPatchouliVanilla Absolute

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

Spring93

Summer60

Fall100

Winter60

Day100

Night100

Category winnerEnigma Parfum d'OrMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex44

Women55

Men7

Unisex29

Women64

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,765

PerfumerTrevor Nicholl

Launched—

Reviews57

Overall rank#24,352

PerfumerRoja Dove

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerShem - el- NessimHigher 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 Parfum d'Or opens with a brief lift of bergamot, then settles into a creamy, powdery rose with peach, heliotrope and soft musky warmth. It feels polished, feminine and easy to wear, with a smooth floral texture rather than a sharp or sugary one. On skin, the musk, ambergris, sandalwood and orris give it a plush…

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 Parfum d'Or?

Enigma Parfum d'Or takes 4 of 7 categories. Shem - el- Nessim is rated 4.40/5 from 334 votes; Enigma Parfum d'Or is rated 4.40/5 from 48 votes. Choose Shem - el- Nessim for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Enigma Parfum d'Or for a powdery and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Shem - el- Nessim or Enigma Parfum d'Or?

They last about the same: Shem - el- Nessim 75/100, Enigma Parfum d'Or 75/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Shem - el- Nessim or Enigma Parfum d'Or?

Projection is very close: Enigma Parfum d'Or 70/100, Shem - el- Nessim 69/100 for sillage.

Do Shem - el- Nessim and Enigma Parfum d'Or smell similar?

Closely related: a 62% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, woody and floral accords. Common notes include Neroli, Bergamot, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Shem - el- Nessim or Enigma Parfum d'Or better for summer or winter?

For summer, Enigma Parfum d'Or is the stronger pick. For winter, Shem - el- Nessim is the stronger pick. Shem - el- Nessim suits day or night wear; Enigma Parfum d'Or suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Shem - el- Nessim and Enigma Parfum d'Or?

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 Parfum d'Or has top notes of Bergamot, heart notes of Peach, Rose, Heliotrope and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Musk, Ambergris, Orris Root and Sandalwood.