Fragrance comparison

Defy Eau de Parfum vs Pélargonium

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 980 ratings analysed

Defy Eau de Parfum

Calvin Klein

3.71496 votes

Rank #29,402 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

60%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Pélargonium

Aedes de Venustas

3.91484 votes

Rank #4,713 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Pélargonium takes 5 of 7 categories.

Defy Eau de Parfum
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Pélargonium
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Defy Eau de Parfum2/7

Pélargonium5/7

Ratings & consensus: Pélargonium
Community sentiment: Pélargonium
Longevity: Pélargonium
Sillage & projection: Pélargonium
Value for money: Defy Eau de Parfum
Versatility: Defy Eau de Parfum
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Pélargonium

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Defy Eau de ParfumCalvin Klein

PélargoniumAedes de Venustas

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.71/ 5 · 496 votes

Have 63%Had 14%Want 23%

3.91/ 5 · 484 votes

Have 33%Had 17%Want 50%

Category winnerPélargoniumRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

23%Love

44%Like

19%Ok

9%Dislike

4%Hate

496 votes

34%Love

45%Like

11%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

340 votes

Category winnerPélargoniumMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityPélargonium

SillagePélargonium

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value45

Category winnerDefy Eau de ParfumBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic92%

fresh spicy84%

woody77%

leather69%

earthy61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy88%

woody77%

citrus65%

warm spicy53%

earthy42%

Scent match60%Closely related · both aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

Mandarin OrangeBlack Pepper

Heart2 to 3 hours

Saffiano LeatherSuede

Base2 to 3 hours

Haitian Vetiver

Top

BergamotClary SageCardamomBlack PepperMandarin OrangeSichuan Pepper

Heart

African GeraniumElemi resinOrris RootCarrot Seeds

Base

VetiverMossGuaiac WoodMuskCedar

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Black Pepper and Haitian Vetiver. Durations are only published for Defy Eau de Parfum, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring94

Summer60

Fall100

Winter82

Day100

Night94

Spring100

Summer67

Fall0

Winter29

Day–

Night–

Category winnerDefy Eau de ParfumMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men96

Unisex2

Women2

Men23

Unisex65

Women12

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#29,402

PerfumerPascal Gaurin

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#4,713

PerfumerNathalie Feisthauer

Launched—

Reviews42

Category winnerPélargoniumHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Calvin Klein Defy Eau de Parfum delivers a crisp, modern mix of bright citrus, spicy warmth, and smooth leather. The scent starts with juicy mandarin orange sharpened by black pepper, giving off a clean kick right away. As it settles, saffiano leather and soft suede take over the middle, creating a refined texture tha…

Reviews →

Pélargonium by Aedes de Venustas is a Floral Woody Musk fragrance for women and men. Pélargonium was launched in 2017. The nose behind this fragrance is Nathalie Feisthauer. Top notes are Bergamot, Clary Sage, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Mandarin Orange and Sichuan Pepper; middle notes are African Geranium, Elemi resin, O…

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, Defy Eau de Parfum or Pélargonium?

Pélargonium takes 5 of 7 categories. Defy Eau de Parfum is rated 3.71/5 from 496 votes; Pélargonium is rated 3.91/5 from 484 votes. Choose Defy Eau de Parfum for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Pélargonium for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Defy Eau de Parfum or Pélargonium?

Pélargonium lasts longest (Pélargonium 73/100, Defy Eau de Parfum 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Defy Eau de Parfum or Pélargonium?

Pélargonium projects furthest (Pélargonium 65/100, Defy Eau de Parfum 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Defy Eau de Parfum and Pélargonium smell similar?

Closely related: a 60% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, fresh spicy and citrus accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Black Pepper and Haitian Vetiver.

Is Defy Eau de Parfum or Pélargonium better for summer or winter?

For summer, Pélargonium is the stronger pick. For winter, Defy Eau de Parfum is the stronger pick. Defy Eau de Parfum suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Defy Eau de Parfum and Pélargonium?

Defy Eau de Parfum has top notes of Mandarin Orange and Black Pepper, heart notes of Saffiano Leather and Suede, a base of Haitian Vetiver. Pélargonium has top notes of Bergamot, Clary Sage, Cardamom and Black Pepper, heart notes of African Geranium, Elemi resin, Orris Root and Carrot Seeds, a base of Vetiver, Moss, Guaiac Wood and Musk.