Fragrance comparison

18K vs So Varens

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 65 ratings analysed

6 wins

18K

Al-Jazeera Perfumes

4.2238 votes

Rank #11,459 RoseFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

86%scent match

Very similar

So Varens

Ulric de Varens

3.7027 votes

Rank #44,761 FloralMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

18K takes 6 of 7 categories.

18K
Choose it for a rose and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.
So Varens
Choose it for a floral and musky character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

18K6/7

So Varens1/7

Ratings & consensus: 18K
Community sentiment: 18K
Longevity: 18K
Sillage & projection: 18K
Value for money: So Varens
Versatility: 18K
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 18K

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

18KAl-Jazeera Perfumes

So VarensUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.22/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 48%Had 11%Want 41%

3.70/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 43%Had 27%Want 30%

Category winner18KRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

55%Love

42%Like

0%Ok

3%Dislike

0%Hate

33 votes

15%Love

59%Like

7%Ok

19%Dislike

0%Hate

27 votes

Category winner18KMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

Longevity18K

Sillage18K

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value27

¤ Price value50

Category winnerSo VarensBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

rose100%

floral83%

musky65%

powdery48%

violet30%

floral100%

musky83%

rose65%

powdery48%

animalic30%

Scent match86%Very similar · both floral, rose and musky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

RoseMuskFloral NotesViolet

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

RoseMuskFloral Notes

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesRose, Musk and Floral Notes. Durations are only published for So Varens, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer82

Fall73

Winter91

Day88

Night100

Spring56

Summer11

Fall100

Winter78

Day100

Night41

Category winner18KMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men60

Unisex20

Women20

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Casual 42%Work 36%Date 16%Party 6%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#11,459

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#44,761

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winner18KHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

18K by Al-Jazeera Perfumes is a Floral fragrance for women and men. 18K was launched in 2014.

Reviews →

So Varens by Ulric de Varens is an understated floral woody musk built around soft rose petals, powdery notes, and clean musk warmth. The first spray releases a bright flash of pale rose alongside crisp green floral notes. Give it two minutes. The early sharpness quickly softens into a cozy cosmetic veil anchored by s…

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, 18K or So Varens?

18K takes 6 of 7 categories. 18K is rated 4.22/5 from 38 votes; So Varens is rated 3.70/5 from 27 votes. Choose 18K for a rose and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose So Varens for a floral and musky character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 18K or So Varens?

18K lasts longest (18K 85/100, So Varens 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 18K or So Varens?

18K projects furthest (18K 81/100, So Varens 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 18K and So Varens smell similar?

Very similar: a 86% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, rose and musky accords. Common notes include Rose, Musk and Floral Notes.

Is 18K or So Varens better for summer or winter?

For summer, 18K is the stronger pick. For winter, 18K is the stronger pick. 18K suits evening wear; So Varens suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.