The Trained Nose

Shalimar Souffle de Parfum against Shalimar Souffle Intense

One number per era rather than one number overall — two fragrances can be near-identical at the opening and different things by the evening, and an average hides exactly that.

How close, and when

Across a whole wearing, Guerlain Shalimar Souffle de Parfum and Guerlain Shalimar Souffle Intense are all but the same thing. They hold the same distance from each other all the way through, rather than converging or parting as the hours pass.

100% opening · 0–1 h
99% heart · 1–3 h
98% drydown · 3–8 h
Measured across all twenty-four facets, from the notes below — not from the families on the boxes. They share 7 of 10 materials, which is worth holding beside the figures: a pair can share almost nothing and still converge, because different materials can smell of the same things.

What AKIN predicts

AKIN predicts these two are alike, and the evidence behind that is substantial.

Two signals sit on this page and are never averaged: what the note pyramids measure these two to share, and what AKIN’s resemblance graph predicts. Where they part, that is the finding rather than a fault.

The pyramids, side by side

Compared by material rather than by spelling, so a note recorded two ways is not counted as a difference.
top
both — Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin Orange
heart
both — Orange Blossom
Shalimar Souffle de Parfum only — Jasmine Sambac
Shalimar Souffle Intense only — Jasmine
base
both — Indian Vanilla, Tahitian Vanilla, White Musk
Shalimar Souffle Intense only — Benzoin