Fragrance comparison

Charlie Red vs Secret Obsession

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 4,713 ratings analysed

Charlie Red

Revlon

3.551,522 votes

Rank #2,024 White FloralFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

Secret Obsession

Calvin Klein

3.643,191 votes

Rank #33,373 WoodyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3.

Charlie Red
Choose it for a white floral and floral character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Secret Obsession
Choose it for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Charlie Red3/7

Secret Obsession3/7

Ratings & consensus: Secret Obsession
Community sentiment: Charlie Red
Longevity: Tie
Sillage & projection: Secret Obsession
Value for money: Charlie Red
Versatility: Secret Obsession
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Charlie Red

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Charlie RedRevlon

Secret ObsessionCalvin Klein

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.55/ 5 · 1,522 votes

Have 55%Had 45%Want 0%

3.64/ 5 · 3,191 votes

Have 48%Had 31%Want 21%

Category winnerSecret ObsessionRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

22%Love

49%Like

7%Ok

20%Dislike

2%Hate

1,408 votes

26%Love

41%Like

4%Ok

27%Dislike

1%Hate

3,191 votes

Category winnerCharlie RedMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate66

Category winners

LongevityTie

SillageSecret Obsession

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value89

¤ Price value67

Category winnerCharlie RedBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

floral92%

sweet84%

tuberose77%

powdery69%

woody61%

woody100%

fresh spicy92%

white floral84%

fruity77%

powdery69%

amber61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both white floral, woody and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GardeniaPeachOrange BlossomPlumVioletBlack Currant

Heart

TuberoseCarnationJasmineYlang-YlangLily-of-the-ValleyOrchidRose

Base

HoneyMuskSandalwoodAmberCedar

Top30 to 45 minutes

NutmegPlumMaceRose

Heart2 to 4 hours

TuberoseJasmineOrchidYlang-YlangOrange Blossom

Base4 to 6 hours

SandalwoodAmberCashmere WoodVanillaCedarWormwoodOrris

InformationalShared notesOrange Blossom, Plum, Tuberose and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Secret Obsession, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter73

Day–

Night–

Spring25

Summer15

Fall100

Winter82

Day62

Night100

Category winnerSecret ObsessionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex13

Women87

Men3

Unisex21

Women75

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#2,024

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews241

Overall rank#33,373

PerfumerAnn Gottlieb, Calice Becker, Givaudan

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerCharlie RedHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Charlie Red by Revlon is a bold oriental floral fragrance built around a prominent tuberose heart. Launched in 1993, this perfume creates a strong white floral presence with sweet, powdery, and woody undertones. It performs best during cool spring days or casual evening outings, offering a memorable, distinct profile …

Reviews →

Secret Obsession by Calvin Klein is a warm, woody floral fragrance defined by dark fruit, pungent spices, and creamy white florals. The scent opens with a sharp burst of plum, mace, and nutmeg, offering a dry and boozy warmth right from the start. As it settles, lush tuberose, jasmine, and orange blossom soften the in…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Charlie Red or Secret Obsession?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3. Charlie Red is rated 3.55/5 from 1,522 votes; Secret Obsession is rated 3.64/5 from 3,191 votes. Choose Charlie Red for a white floral and floral character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Secret Obsession for a woody and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Charlie Red or Secret Obsession?

They last about the same: Charlie Red 65/100, Secret Obsession 65/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Charlie Red or Secret Obsession?

Projection is very close: Secret Obsession 61/100, Charlie Red 60/100 for sillage.

Do Charlie Red and Secret Obsession smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, woody and powdery accords. Common notes include Orange Blossom, Plum, Tuberose and Jasmine.

Is Charlie Red or Secret Obsession better for summer or winter?

For summer, Secret Obsession is the stronger pick. For winter, Secret Obsession is the stronger pick. Secret Obsession suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Charlie Red and Secret Obsession?

Charlie Red has top notes of Gardenia, Peach, Orange Blossom and Plum, heart notes of Tuberose, Carnation, Jasmine and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Honey, Musk, Sandalwood and Amber. Secret Obsession has top notes of Nutmeg, Plum, Mace and Rose, heart notes of Tuberose, Jasmine, Orchid and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Sandalwood, Amber, Cashmere Wood and Vanilla.