Skip to content
FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

Cardin vs Shocking

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

Updated 600 ratings analysed
Some overlap
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Shocking takes 4 of 7 categories.

  • Cardin

    Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter.

  • Shocking

    Choose it for a musky and powdery character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter.

Cardin3/7
Shocking4/7
Ratings & consensus
Cardin
Community sentiment
Cardin
Longevity
Shocking
Sillage & projection
Shocking
Value for money
Cardin
Versatility
Shocking
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
Shocking

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
CardinPierre Cardin
ShockingSchiaparelli
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.35/ 5 · 252 votes
Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%
3.40/ 5 · 348 votes
Have 79%Had 21%Want 0%
Category winnerCardinRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
51%Love
40%Like
3%Ok
6%Dislike
0%Hate

252 votes

57%Love
29%Like
3%Ok
11%Dislike
1%Hate

343 votes

Category winnerCardinMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity76
〰 Sillage70
♥ Love / hate84
⏱ Longevity77
〰 Sillage71
♥ Love / hate82
Category winners

LongevityShocking

SillageShocking

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value58
¤ Price value45
Category winnerCardinBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
woody100%
amber92%
musky84%
aldehydic77%
warm spicy69%
powdery61%
musky100%
powdery92%
animalic84%
honey77%
yellow floral69%
woody61%
Scent match49%Some overlap · both musky, woody and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top
AldehydesCloveCarawayBergamotCitruses
Heart
Ylang-YlangRoseJasmineOakVirginia Cedar
Base
AmberCivettaoak mossFrench labdanumSandalwoodVetiverMusk
Top
AldehydesTarragonBergamot
Heart
White HoneyNarcissusJasmineRoseYlang-Ylang
Base
CivettaMuskSandalwoodAmberClovePatchouli
InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Clove, Bergamot and Ylang-Ylang. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring42
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Spring45
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerShockingMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men3
Unisex36
Women60
Men0
Unisex34
Women66
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,362

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#1,281

PerfumerJean Carles

Launched—

Reviews105

Category winnerShockingHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Pierre Cardin's 1976 debut scent Cardin is a dry, mossy chypre that bypasses modern sugary trends. It pairs fizzy aldehydes with warm clove and a base of earthy oak moss. This fragrance is designed for individuals who appreciate retro structure, dry woods, and low-key animalic warmth during crisp autumn days.

Reviews →

Shocking by Schiaparelli is a bold oriental floral from 1937 that defines vintage glamour. It features a sharp opening of aldehydes and tarragon that settles into a rich, honeyed floral heart. The base remains warm and deeply animalic, making it a daring choice for formal evening events or cold autumn nights where you…

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

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Cardin or Shocking?

Shocking takes 4 of 7 categories. Cardin is rated 4.35/5 from 252 votes; Shocking is rated 3.40/5 from 348 votes. Choose Cardin for a woody and amber character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in winter. Choose Shocking for a musky and powdery character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Cardin or Shocking?

They last about the same: Shocking 77/100, Cardin 76/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Cardin or Shocking?

Projection is very close: Shocking 71/100, Cardin 70/100 for sillage.

Do Cardin and Shocking smell similar?

Some overlap: a 49% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share musky, woody and powdery accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Clove, Bergamot and Ylang-Ylang.

Is Cardin or Shocking better for summer or winter?

For summer, Cardin is the stronger pick. For winter, Cardin is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cardin and Shocking?

Cardin has top notes of Aldehydes, Clove, Caraway and Bergamot, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Jasmine and Oak, a base of Amber, Civetta, oak moss and French labdanum. Shocking has top notes of Aldehydes, Tarragon and Bergamot, heart notes of White Honey, Narcissus, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Civetta, Musk, Sandalwood and Amber.

Add to comparison

Find a fragrance