Fragrance comparison

Shem - el- Nessim vs Petale Noir

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 1,489 ratings analysed

6 wins

Shem - el- Nessim

Grossmith

4.40334 votes

Rank #1,765 PowderyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Petale Noir

Agent Provocateur

3.721,155 votes

Rank #1,878 FloralWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shem - el- Nessim takes 6 of 7 categories.

Shem - el- Nessim
Choose it for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Petale Noir
Choose it for a floral and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring.

Shem - el- Nessim6/7

Petale Noir1/7

Ratings & consensus: Shem - el- Nessim
Community sentiment: Shem - el- Nessim
Longevity: Shem - el- Nessim
Sillage & projection: Shem - el- Nessim
Value for money: Petale Noir
Versatility: Shem - el- Nessim
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

Petale NoirAgent Provocateur

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.40/ 5 · 334 votes

Have 35%Had 11%Want 55%

3.72/ 5 · 1,155 votes

Have 43%Had 25%Want 32%

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

25%Love

47%Like

4%Ok

23%Dislike

1%Hate

1,058 votes

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

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate85

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityShem - el- Nessim

SillageShem - el- Nessim

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value19

¤ Price value66

Category winnerPetale NoirBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

woody92%

iris84%

white floral77%

floral69%

vanilla61%

floral100%

woody92%

green84%

earthy77%

citrus69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both 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

MagnoliaHyacinthViolet LeafLotusMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

RoseLily-of-the-ValleyYlang-YlangNeroliHeliotropeOrris RootOsmanthus

Base

LeatherOakmossTobacco LeafPatchouliVetiverMuskGingerBenzoin

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

Winter50

Day–

Night–

Category winnerShem - el- NessimMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex44

Women55

Men1

Unisex7

Women92

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,765

PerfumerTrevor Nicholl

Launched—

Reviews57

Overall rank#1,878

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews153

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 →

Petale Noir is a green floral with a darker edge, opening in wet petals, cut stems, and airy white flowers before leather, moss, tobacco leaf, and soft woods start to show. It often feels more strange and seductive than truly black, which makes it a strong pick for anyone who likes vintage-leaning florals with texture…

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 Petale Noir?

Shem - el- Nessim takes 6 of 7 categories. Shem - el- Nessim is rated 4.40/5 from 334 votes; Petale Noir is rated 3.72/5 from 1,155 votes. Choose Shem - el- Nessim for a powdery and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Petale Noir for a floral and woody character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Shem - el- Nessim or Petale Noir?

Shem - el- Nessim lasts longest (Shem - el- Nessim 75/100, Petale Noir 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Shem - el- Nessim or Petale Noir?

Shem - el- Nessim projects furthest (Shem - el- Nessim 69/100, Petale Noir 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shem - el- Nessim and Petale Noir smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and floral accords. Common notes include Neroli, Bergamot, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Shem - el- Nessim or Petale Noir 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 Petale Noir?

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. Petale Noir has top notes of Magnolia, Hyacinth, Violet Leaf and Lotus, heart notes of Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley, Ylang-Ylang and Neroli, a base of Leather, Oakmoss, Tobacco Leaf and Patchouli.