Fragrance comparison

Dickens in Varanasi vs Rafaelle

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

Updated 16 Oct 2026 8 ratings analysed

Dickens in Varanasi

THEN THERE

4.336 votes

Rank #46,432 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

Rafaelle

Celebon

3.002 votes

Rank #65,536 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Dickens in Varanasi
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear.
Rafaelle
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Dickens in Varanasi2/4

Rafaelle2/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Dickens in Varanasi
Sillage & projection: Rafaelle
Value for money: Rafaelle
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Dickens in Varanasi

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Dickens in VaranasiTHEN THERE

RafaelleCelebon

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.33/ 5 · 6 votes

Have 14%Had 3%Want 84%

3.00/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 17%Had 0%Want 83%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

83%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

17%Hate

6 votes · too few to score

50%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

50%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate50

Category winners

LongevityDickens in Varanasi

SillageRafaelle

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value75

Category winnerRafaelleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

balsamic77%

aromatic69%

smoky61%

citrus100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

fresh spicy77%

warm spicy69%

powdery61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

GrapefruitChamomileelemiNutmegPearGreen Apple

Heart

AmberPatchouliMagnoliaSaffronJasmineCedarCinnamon

Base

IncenseVanillaTobaccoWhite MuskVetiverSandalwoodOud

Top20-40 mins

GrapefruitBlood OrangeCitronPearBergamotLavenderRosemary

Heart2-4 hrs

Pink PepperNutmegelemiGinger

Base6-8+ hrs

CedarHaitian VetiverSandalwoodAmberwoodVanilla

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, elemi, Nutmeg and Pear. Durations are only published for Rafaelle, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter67

Day67

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night47

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men33

Unisex67

Women0

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Casual 37%Work 34%Date 18%Party 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#46,432

PerfumerAngela Ciampagna

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#65,536

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDickens in VaranasiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Dickens in Varanasi by THEN THERE opens with a sharp burst of bitter grapefruit, herbal chamomile, and spicy elemi resin. As the initial brightness settles, a heavy heart of saffron, dark patchouli, and warm cinnamon takes over on skin. The dry down anchors on smoky incense, earthy vetiver, and bitter oud lightly soft…

Reviews →

Rafaelle by Celebon hits you with bright Mediterranean sunlight. A sharp burst of tart grapefruit, crisp pear, and vibrant blood orange cuts through the air. You immediately notice a brisk chill. It feels clean and athletic without smelling like a cheap gym locker shower gel. Within twenty minutes, the initial citrus …

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, Dickens in Varanasi or Rafaelle?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Dickens in Varanasi is rated 4.33/5 from 6 votes; Rafaelle is rated 3.00/5 from 2 votes. Choose Dickens in Varanasi for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Rafaelle for a citrus and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Dickens in Varanasi or Rafaelle?

Dickens in Varanasi lasts longest (Dickens in Varanasi 85/100, Rafaelle 80/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Dickens in Varanasi or Rafaelle?

Rafaelle projects furthest (Rafaelle 75/100, Dickens in Varanasi 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Dickens in Varanasi and Rafaelle smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, elemi, Nutmeg and Pear.

Is Dickens in Varanasi or Rafaelle better for summer or winter?

Dickens in Varanasi suits evening wear; Rafaelle suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Dickens in Varanasi and Rafaelle?

Dickens in Varanasi has top notes of Grapefruit, Chamomile, elemi and Nutmeg, heart notes of Amber, Patchouli, Magnolia and Saffron, a base of Incense, Vanilla, Tobacco and White Musk. Rafaelle has top notes of Grapefruit, Blood Orange, Citron and Pear, heart notes of Pink Pepper, Nutmeg, elemi and Ginger, a base of Cedar, Haitian Vetiver, Sandalwood and Amberwood.