Fragrance comparison

Ustad vs Basala

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

Updated 14 Nov 2026 408 ratings analysed

Ustad

Nabeel

3.5917 votes

Rank #47,171 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Basala

Shiseido

4.38391 votes

Rank #25,844 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Basala takes 4 of 5 categories.

Ustad
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.
Basala
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Ustad1/5

Basala4/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

UstadNabeel

BasalaShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.59/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 44%Had 6%Want 50%

4.38/ 5 · 391 votes

Have 50%Had 50%Want 0%

Category winnerBasalaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

41%Like

24%Ok

18%Dislike

0%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

55%Love

37%Like

1%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

391 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate65

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityBasala

SillageBasala

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value69

¤ Price value52

Category winnerUstadBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

mossy77%

lavender69%

herbal61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

amber69%

herbal61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both aromatic, fresh spicy and herbal

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotLemonBasil

Heart

LavenderCinnamonGeraniumArtemisiaClary SageYlang-Ylang

Base

OakmossMuskCumin

Top

LavenderClary SageBasilRosemaryFruity NotesArtemisiaGreen NotesBergamot

Heart

CarawayRoseCinnamonFirCarnationJasmine

Base

LeatherLabdanumCedarOakmossAmberPatchouliMuskCoconut

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Basil, Lavender and Cinnamon. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer44

Fall100

Winter89

Day100

Night100

Spring52

Summer22

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men85

Unisex15

Women0

Men84

Unisex13

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#47,171

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#25,844

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBasalaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Nabeel Ustad delivers a classical aromatic fougere profile that balances sharp green herbs with warm spices. Bergamot and basil spark the opening, before settling into a soapy lavender and geranium heart. A dry down of cumin, oakmoss, and clean musk makes it a traditional scent for active daytime wear in warm weather.

Reviews →

Shiseido Basala hits the skin with a sharp, bracing rush of green rosemary, clary sage, and bitter artemisia. It is a dry, red-hued chypre from the early nineties that completely bypasses the clean, aquatic trends of its era. As the initial herbal blast simmers down, a warm wave of cinnamon and carnation emerges, brin…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

PrometheuNecalliWINNER vs

Bruno ImperialAnfar LondonRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Super CedarByredoRUNNER-UP vs

NorthMendittorosaWINNER

1 person compared this today

BohemeSegreti di LuccaRUNNER-UP vs

Soir de LuneSisleyWINNER

1 person compared this today

Orange FlowerOscar de la RentaRUNNER-UP vs

Ti AmoRoja DoveWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Ustad or Basala?

Basala takes 4 of 5 categories. Ustad is rated 3.59/5 from 17 votes; Basala is rated 4.38/5 from 391 votes. Choose Ustad for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose Basala for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Ustad or Basala?

Basala lasts longest (Basala 77/100, Ustad 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ustad or Basala?

Basala projects furthest (Basala 71/100, Ustad 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ustad and Basala smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and herbal accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Basil, Lavender and Cinnamon.

Is Ustad or Basala better for summer or winter?

Ustad suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ustad and Basala?

Ustad has top notes of Bergamot, Lemon and Basil, heart notes of Lavender, Cinnamon, Geranium and Artemisia, a base of Oakmoss, Musk and Cumin. Basala has top notes of Lavender, Clary Sage, Basil and Rosemary, heart notes of Caraway, Rose, Cinnamon and Fir, a base of Leather, Labdanum, Cedar and Oakmoss.