Emotion vs Secret Source
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
39%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Secret Source takes 5 of 7 categories.
EmotionChoose it for a woody and fruity character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring.
Secret SourceChoose it for a woody and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Emotion2/7
Secret Source5/7
- Ratings & consensus
- Secret Source
- Community sentiment
- Secret Source
- Longevity
- Secret Source
- Sillage & projection
- Secret Source
- Value for money
- Emotion
- Versatility
- Emotion
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Secret Source
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
EmotionPierre CardinSecret SourceThe Woods CollectionWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.81/ 5 · 119 votes
Have 41%Had 59%Want 0%
3.88/ 5 · 77 votes
Have 34%Had 14%Want 53%
Category winnerSecret SourceRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate22%Love
56%Like
3%Ok
19%Dislike
0%Hate
119 votes
29%Love
47%Like
12%Ok
10%Dislike
3%Hate
77 votes
Category winnerSecret SourceMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevitySecret Source
SillageSecret Source
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerEmotionBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwoody100%
fruity92%
floral84%
aromatic77%
fresh spicy69%
patchouli61%
woody100%
floral92%
warm spicy84%
sweet77%
vanilla69%
powdery61%
Scent match39%Some overlap · both woody and floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
Black CurrantJuniperLitchi
Heart
OrchidLotusJasmine
Base
Woodsy NotesPatchouliAmber
Top
Black CurrantGardeniaJasmineLemonMandarin OrangeBergamot
Heart
OrchidFruitsSpicy NotesLotus
Base
VanillaVetiverIncensePatchouliDark ChocolateSandalwoodAmber
InformationalShared notesBlack Currant, Orchid, Lotus and Jasmine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter65
Day–
Night–
Spring47
Summer0
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerEmotionMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#33,312
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#31,673
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Category winnerSecret SourceHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotEmotion by Pierre Cardin offers a quiet, clean breeze of black currant and wet florals that sits close to the skin. Released in 2005, it avoids the sugar-heavy trend of its era, opting instead for a dry, mossy woods finish. It suits women looking for an understated daytime scent for the office or casual weekend wear.
Reviews →Secret Source opens with a sharp burst of bergamot, gardenia, and dark currant before settling into dense orchid and warm spices. As the hours pass, heavy patchouli and bitter dark chocolate merge with smoldering incense and vanilla along the base. It feels thick, mysterious, and moody, tailored for chilly November ev…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Emotion or Secret Source?
Secret Source takes 5 of 7 categories. Emotion is rated 3.81/5 from 119 votes; Secret Source is rated 3.88/5 from 77 votes. Choose Emotion for a woody and fruity character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring. Choose Secret Source for a woody and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, Emotion or Secret Source?
They last about the same: Secret Source 70/100, Emotion 68/100 for longevity in community votes.
Which projects more, Emotion or Secret Source?
Secret Source projects furthest (Secret Source 68/100, Emotion 62/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Emotion and Secret Source smell similar?
Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and floral accords. Common notes include Black Currant, Orchid, Lotus and Jasmine.
Is Emotion or Secret Source better for summer or winter?
For summer, Emotion is the stronger pick. For winter, Secret Source is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Emotion and Secret Source?
Emotion has top notes of Black Currant, Juniper and Litchi, heart notes of Orchid, Lotus and Jasmine, a base of Woodsy Notes, Patchouli and Amber. Secret Source has top notes of Black Currant, Gardenia, Jasmine and Lemon, heart notes of Orchid, Fruits, Spicy Notes and Lotus, a base of Vanilla, Vetiver, Incense and Patchouli.
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