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AfnanEau de Parfum · EST. 2020

9PM

Afnan 9PM became a viral hit for its addictive sweet-aromatic profile — apple and cinnamon over a creamy tonka-vanilla base. An affordable evening crowd-pleaser with broad appeal.

NOSE: UndisclosedRELEASED: 2020RETAIL: $28 - $42
The Quick Answer

9PM opens on Apple and Lavender, moves through Cinnamon and Orange Blossom, and dries down to Tonka Bean and Vanilla. At $28 - $42 it is which makes it an easy budget pick, with long lasting (8h - 10h) on skin. Sample before you commit — it is loud and polarising rather than crowd-safe.

ADEGBE ANALYSIS SCORES

8.6
Expert
8.2
Longevity
8.0
Sillage
7.6
Versatility
10.0
Value

Scores are AdeGbe's editorial analysis based on composition, concentration and community-reported performance — not a single personal wear test.

Approx. $0.28/mlBased on the lowest street price ($28) over an assumed 100ml bottle for this concentration.

OLFACTORY PYRAMID BREAKDOWN

TOP NOTESFirst impression · 15–30 min
  • Apple
  • Lavender
  • Bergamot
HEART NOTESCore character · 2–4 hours
  • Cinnamon
  • Orange Blossom
  • Violet
BASE NOTESDry-down · 6–24+ hours
  • Tonka Bean
  • Vanilla
  • Amber
  • Cedar

EXPERT ANALYSIS — COMPOSITION & PERFORMANCE

AG
AdeGbe Fragrance Research Team Data-Driven Analysis
Olfactory composition & performance assessment
Updated Autumn 2026Eau de ParfumMethodology: note-pyramid analysis + community performance data + AdeGbe scoring model

9PM is Afnan's 2020 eau de parfum from perfumer Undisclosed. Our analysis examines its three-phase structure, its longevity and projection profile, and the occasions it serves best.

The Opening

It opens on Apple, Lavender, Bergamot, a bright citrus and juicy fruit introduction that sets expectations before the heart emerges.

The Heart

As the top notes settle, the heart turns bright citrus and floral, built around Cinnamon, Orange Blossom, Violet. This is where the fragrance reveals its true personality, roughly two to four hours in.

The Dry-Down

The dry-down anchors on a dry woods and golden amber base of Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Amber, the phase that clings closest to skin and lasts longest.

Projected Performance Timeline
Hour 1
Apple and Lavender opening. Strong, room-filling projection.
Hour 4
Cinnamon and Orange Blossom heart fully developed. Still projecting clearly.
Hour 8
Tonka Bean and Vanilla base emerges. Performance holding well.
Hour 11
Soft base notes still detectable close to skin.
Longevity
8.2/10
Sillage
8/10
Blind Buy
LOW RISK
Final Score
9/10

Who Should Buy 9PM

9PM leans masculine but is wearable by anyone who enjoys the style. Its season vector points strongest to autumn, and its day/night balance makes it best suited to evening wear and going out. If you gravitate toward bright citrus and juicy fruit compositions and want strong longevity, it belongs on your shortlist.

One Honest Warning

No major red flags in the composition, but fragrance is personal — skin chemistry can shift the balance of notes, so a sample wear is always wiser than a blind purchase at this price.

Analysis based on composition, community-aggregated performance data, and the AdeGbe scoring model.A human skin-test review is added as our team tests each fragrance.

PERFORMANCE INDEX & SUITABILITY VECTORS

LONGEVITY FACTORLong Lasting (8h - 10h)
Weak (1h)Moderate (4-6h)Beast (24h+)
SILLAGE / PROJECTIONStrong Projection
IntimateModerateEnormous
DAY · NIGHT SUITABILITY
DAY
35%
NIGHT
65%
GENDER INDEXMasculine Leaning
FEMININEUNISEXMASCULINE
SEASON SUITABILITY VECTOR
SPRING 🌸25%
SUMMER ☀️15%
AUTUMN 🍂35%
WINTER ❄️25%

PROJECTED PERFORMANCE TIMELINE

Projected from this fragrance's concentration, note structure and reported longevity — an analysis, not a single personal wear test.

Hour 1
Top burst

Apple and Lavender lead the opening before the volatile top notes burn off.

Projection: Strong
Hour 4
Heart in bloom

Cinnamon and Orange Blossom take over as the core character of the fragrance.

Projection: Strong
Hour 8
Early dry-down

Tonka Bean and Vanilla anchor the scent close to the skin.

Projection: Moderate
Hour 12
Base residue

A skin-scent of Tonka Bean and Vanilla is what typically remains by now.

Projection: Skin-close

Wear It

  • Autumn / Fall (35% seasonal fit)
  • Spring (25% seasonal fit)
  • Winter (25% seasonal fit)
  • Evenings, dinners and going out

Skip It

  • Summer — it underperforms here (15%)
  • Enclosed offices, lifts and meeting rooms
  • Go easy: 1–2 sprays is plenty
  • Hot daytime errands — it can read too heavy

Blind-Buy Risk

37/100SAMPLE FIRST
Risk factors
  • Strongly sweet/gourmand — can read as cloying to some wearers
In its favour
  • Dense sweetness is love-it-or-hate-it and can fatigue the wearer over a long day.

INGREDIENT SAFETY SNAPSHOT

Linalool / Limonene

Common EU-declarable allergens; can oxidise and irritate sensitive skin.

Coumarin

IFRA-restricted; coumarin sources carry a general pregnancy-caution flag.

Cinnamal / Hexyl Cinnamal / Eugenol

Spice aldehydes are EU-declarable and among the more common skin sensitisers.

Benzyl Benzoate (fixative)

Generally well-tolerated base/fixative materials with low sensitiser risk.

This snapshot is based on the published note list, not a full INCI ingredient breakdown. Always check the box for the official allergen declaration and patch-test if you have sensitive skin. See full ingredient-safety guides →

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does Afnan 9PM smell like?
9PM is a sweet aromatic with juicy apple and lavender up top, a cinnamon-floral heart, and a creamy vanilla-tonka base. It is warm, sweet, and easy to wear, leaning toward evening use.
Is Afnan 9PM a clone of a designer fragrance?
It is inspired by the popular sweet boozy-vanilla designer style rather than being a direct one-to-one clone. It carves out its own apple-forward identity within that genre.
Is 9PM worth the price?
Very much so. For around $28 to $42 it offers strong projection, good longevity, and a genuinely complimented sweet profile, making it one of the standout budget releases of recent years.
Can I wear 9PM to the office?
Be careful. 9PM projects strongly (strong projection), so in an enclosed office it can easily overwhelm colleagues. If you must wear it to work, limit yourself to one light spray on clothing and avoid reapplying. For shared indoor spaces, a softer fragrance is the more considerate choice.
Is 9PM good for summer?
Not really. 9PM scores only 15% for summer — heat tends to amplify its Tonka Bean and Vanilla base and push it toward cloying. It performs far better in autumn, so save it for cooler months and reach for something lighter when it is hot.
How many sprays of 9PM should I use?
Go light. Because 9PM projects at a strong projection level, one to two sprays is plenty for most settings — one on the chest and one on a wrist. Three or more can quickly become overwhelming indoors. With longevity in the long lasting (8h - 10h) range, even a small application carries you through the day.
Is 9PM safe for sensitive skin?
9PM is an alcohol-based eau de parfum and its note list includes materials such as Apple, Lavender and Bergamot, some of which fall under EU-declarable allergen rules (for example linalool, limonene or coumarin depending on the notes). That does not make it unsafe — most wearers have no reaction — but if your skin is reactive, spray onto clothing or patch-test on the inner arm first. This guidance is based on the published note list, not a full INCI breakdown.

INTERACTIVE FRAGRANCE TOOLS

Personalised calculators and scanners specific to 9PM.

INTERACTIVE FRAGRANCE TOOLS

Personalised calculators and scanners specific to 9PM.

TOP DUPES & AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVES

Looking for a more affordable scent in the same family as 9PM? Use our free Dupe Finder to match it against thousands of fragrances by note similarity.

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ADEGBEDRAFTING 3D PERSPECTIVE...
N° ENC-20209PMANTI-GRAVITY CONTAINER VISUAL
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