Fragrance comparison

True Red vs Shades

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 222 ratings analysed

6 wins

True Red

Marks & Spencer

4.1494 votes

Rank #13,011 SweetMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Shades

Armaf

3.89128 votes

Rank #8,910 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

True Red takes 6 of 7 categories.

True Red
Choose it for a sweet and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.
Shades
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

True Red6/7

Shades1/7

Ratings & consensus: True Red
Community sentiment: True Red
Longevity: True Red
Sillage & projection: True Red
Value for money: True Red
Versatility: True Red
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Shades

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

True RedMarks & Spencer

ShadesArmaf

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.14/ 5 · 94 votes

Have 31%Had 34%Want 35%

3.89/ 5 · 128 votes

Have 73%Had 27%Want 0%

Category winnerTrue RedRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

94 votes

23%Love

55%Like

11%Ok

9%Dislike

2%Hate

128 votes

Category winnerTrue RedMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage63

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityTrue Red

SillageTrue Red

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value80

¤ Price value69

Category winnerTrue RedBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

musky92%

fruity84%

patchouli77%

citrus69%

woody61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

citrus77%

fruity69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both woody, fruity and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20 to 30 minutes

PineappleOrange

Heart2 to 3 hours

SageJasmine

Base3 to 5 hours

PatchouliMusk

Top

Violet LeafBergamotPineapplePlumLimeCardamom

Heart

Cedar NeedlesRosemaryGeraniumJasmineSage

Base

CedarSandalwoodAmbergrisWhite MuskPatchouli

InformationalShared notesPineapple, Sage, Jasmine and Patchouli. Durations are only published for True Red, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring36

Summer19

Fall64

Winter100

Day69

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter41

Day–

Night–

Category winnerTrue RedMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men7

Unisex14

Women79

Men83

Unisex13

Women4

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,011

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews18

Overall rank#8,910

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews28

Category winnerShadesHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

True Red by Marks & Spencer is a chypre floral fragrance for women that balances vibrant fruit with a deeper earthy finish. It opens with a bright splash of juicy orange and tart pineapple, giving the introduction a lively citrus and tropical energy. As the fruit softens, the scent reveals an aromatic heart where clea…

Reviews →

Armaf Shades opens with a sharp burst of lime and bergamot, combined with a green streak of violet leaf and a sweet touch of pineapple. This initial citrus blast quickly transitions into a classic clean aftershave vibe. The heart reveals herbal sage and geranium, which add a dry, masculine texture. On the skin, the d…

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, True Red or Shades?

True Red takes 6 of 7 categories. True Red is rated 4.14/5 from 94 votes; Shades is rated 3.89/5 from 128 votes. Choose True Red for a sweet and musky character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Shades for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, True Red or Shades?

True Red lasts longest (True Red 65/100, Shades 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, True Red or Shades?

True Red projects furthest (True Red 67/100, Shades 63/100), based on community performance votes.

Do True Red and Shades smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, fruity and citrus accords. Common notes include Pineapple, Sage, Jasmine and Patchouli.

Is True Red or Shades better for summer or winter?

For summer, True Red is the stronger pick. For winter, True Red is the stronger pick. True Red suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in True Red and Shades?

True Red has top notes of Pineapple and Orange, heart notes of Sage and Jasmine, a base of Patchouli and Musk. Shades has top notes of Violet Leaf, Bergamot, Pineapple and Plum, heart notes of Cedar Needles, Rosemary, Geranium and Jasmine, a base of Cedar, Sandalwood, Ambergris and White Musk.