Fragrance comparison

Encounter Fresh vs Paris Sao Paulo

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 495 ratings analysed

Encounter Fresh

Calvin Klein

3.67221 votes

Rank #32,777 CitrusWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Paris Sao Paulo

Carven

4.22274 votes

Rank #6,429 Warm SpicyVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Paris Sao Paulo takes 5 of 7 categories.

Encounter Fresh
Choose it for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Paris Sao Paulo
Choose it for a warm spicy and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Encounter Fresh2/7

Paris Sao Paulo5/7

Ratings & consensus: Paris Sao Paulo
Community sentiment: Paris Sao Paulo
Longevity: Paris Sao Paulo
Sillage & projection: Paris Sao Paulo
Value for money: Encounter Fresh
Versatility: Encounter Fresh
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Paris Sao Paulo

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Encounter FreshCalvin Klein

Paris Sao PauloCarven

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.67/ 5 · 221 votes

Have 52%Had 23%Want 25%

4.22/ 5 · 274 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

Category winnerParis Sao PauloRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

13%Love

60%Like

10%Ok

17%Dislike

0%Hate

221 votes

41%Love

47%Like

6%Ok

6%Dislike

0%Hate

274 votes

Category winnerParis Sao PauloMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage48

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityParis Sao Paulo

SillageParis Sao Paulo

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value62

¤ Price value45

Category winnerEncounter FreshBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

aromatic77%

rum69%

fresh spicy61%

warm spicy100%

vanilla91%

cinnamon83%

rum74%

sweet65%

amber56%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both warm spicy and rum

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

MojitoBergamot

Heart1 to 2 hours

RumCardamomLavender

Base2 to 4 hours

SandalwoodPatchouliLabdanum

Top

CinnamonRumBergamot

Heart

CardamomLabdanumOrange Blossom

Base

VanillaTonka BeanPatchouli

InformationalShared notesBergamot, Rum, Cardamom and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Encounter Fresh, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring76

Summer100

Fall29

Winter19

Day100

Night25

Spring35

Summer16

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerEncounter FreshMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men71

Unisex29

Women0

Men2

Unisex49

Women49

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,777

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#6,429

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews15

Category winnerParis Sao PauloHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Encounter Fresh by Calvin Klein offers an easygoing, aromatic take on warm-weather grooming. It opens with an uplifting splash of bergamot paired with a crisp mojito accord, delivering an instant citrus and green freshness. As the initial brightness settles, the scent reveals a smooth heart of rum, spicy cardamom, and…

Reviews →

Carven Paris Sao Paulo opens with a potent surge of dark rum and warm cinnamon spice, brightened briefly by a flicker of bergamot. As the initial booze settles, aromatic cardamom and rich resinous labdanum take over the heart, creating a dry, spicy warmth on skin. The long dry-down relies on sweet vanilla, tonka bean,…

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, Encounter Fresh or Paris Sao Paulo?

Paris Sao Paulo takes 5 of 7 categories. Encounter Fresh is rated 3.67/5 from 221 votes; Paris Sao Paulo is rated 4.22/5 from 274 votes. Choose Encounter Fresh for a citrus and warm spicy character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Paris Sao Paulo for a warm spicy and vanilla character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Encounter Fresh or Paris Sao Paulo?

Paris Sao Paulo lasts longest (Paris Sao Paulo 70/100, Encounter Fresh 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Encounter Fresh or Paris Sao Paulo?

Paris Sao Paulo projects furthest (Paris Sao Paulo 68/100, Encounter Fresh 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Encounter Fresh and Paris Sao Paulo smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and rum accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Rum, Cardamom and Patchouli.

Is Encounter Fresh or Paris Sao Paulo better for summer or winter?

For summer, Encounter Fresh is the stronger pick. For winter, Paris Sao Paulo is the stronger pick. Encounter Fresh suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Encounter Fresh and Paris Sao Paulo?

Encounter Fresh has top notes of Mojito and Bergamot, heart notes of Rum, Cardamom and Lavender, a base of Sandalwood, Patchouli and Labdanum. Paris Sao Paulo has top notes of Cinnamon, Rum and Bergamot, heart notes of Cardamom, Labdanum and Orange Blossom, a base of Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Patchouli.