Fragrance comparison

Desert Oud vs Obsidian

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 11 ratings analysed

Desert Oud

Sanchez

4.676 votes

Rank #34,443 AmberMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

29%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

Obsidian

Insider Parfums

4.405 votes

Rank #38,716 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Obsidian takes 3 of 4 categories.

Desert Oud
Choose it for a amber and musky character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Obsidian
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Desert Oud1/4

Obsidian3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Obsidian
Sillage & projection: Obsidian
Value for money: Obsidian
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Desert Oud

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Desert OudSanchez

ObsidianInsider Parfums

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.67/ 5 · 6 votes

Have 18%Had 6%Want 76%

4.40/ 5 · 5 votes

Have 25%Had 0%Want 75%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

67%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

6 votes · too few to score

60%Love

20%Like

20%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity87

〰 Sillage79

♥ Love / hate92

⏱ Longevity90

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityObsidian

SillageObsidian

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value80

¤ Price value94

Category winnerObsidianBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

musky88%

oud77%

smoky65%

powdery53%

balsamic42%

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

amber77%

fresh spicy69%

powdery61%

Scent match29%Clearly different · both amber and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Incense

Heart

AgarwoodOud

Base

AmberMusk

Top

GeraniumCardamomNutmegMandarin OrangePink PepperCorianderLavender

Heart

AgarwoodVetiverIncenseOudMagnoliaVioletAmber

Base

Virginia CedarSandalwoodBenzoinMusk

InformationalShared notesIncense, Agarwood, Oud and Amber. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring25

Summer25

Fall75

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Spring33

Summer33

Fall100

Winter100

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex67

Women0

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#34,443

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#38,716

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Category winnerDesert OudHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Desert Oud by Sanchez opens with a dry, resinous burst of incense that immediately sets a smoky tone. As the top notes clear, rich agarwood and dark oud take center stage, giving the heart a dense woodiness balanced by warm amber underneath. The scent slowly shifts into a soft musk base that keeps the heavy resin from…

Reviews →

Obsidian by Insider Parfums offers a bold, woody composition designed for those who appreciate intensity. This unisex scent centers on oud and vetiver, creating a dry and spicy profile that cuts through cold air. It remains firm on the skin for hours, making it a reliable choice for autumn evenings when you need a fra…

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, Desert Oud or Obsidian?

Obsidian takes 3 of 4 categories. Desert Oud is rated 4.67/5 from 6 votes; Obsidian is rated 4.40/5 from 5 votes. Choose Desert Oud for a amber and musky character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Obsidian for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Desert Oud or Obsidian?

Obsidian lasts longest (Obsidian 90/100, Desert Oud 87/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Desert Oud or Obsidian?

Projection is very close: Obsidian 81/100, Desert Oud 79/100 for sillage.

Do Desert Oud and Obsidian smell similar?

Clearly different: a 29% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber and powdery accords. Common notes include Incense, Agarwood, Oud and Amber.

Is Desert Oud or Obsidian better for summer or winter?

Desert Oud suits evening wear; Obsidian suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Desert Oud and Obsidian?

Desert Oud has top notes of Incense, heart notes of Agarwood and Oud, a base of Amber and Musk. Obsidian has top notes of Geranium, Cardamom, Nutmeg and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Agarwood, Vetiver, Incense and Oud, a base of Virginia Cedar, Sandalwood, Benzoin and Musk.