Fragrance comparison

Escape vs Talisman

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 3,724 ratings analysed

4 wins

Escape

Calvin Klein

3.693,303 votes

Rank #25,925 AromaticFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

43%scent match

Some overlap

Talisman

Balenciaga

4.05421 votes

Rank #3,825 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Escape takes 4 of 7 categories.

Escape
Choose it for a aromatic and fruity character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Talisman
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Escape4/7

Talisman3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

EscapeCalvin Klein

TalismanBalenciaga

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.69/ 5 · 3,303 votes

Have 43%Had 39%Want 18%

4.05/ 5 · 421 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerTalismanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

28%Love

41%Like

5%Ok

23%Dislike

2%Hate

3,303 votes

40%Love

41%Like

2%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

421 votes

Category winnerTalismanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate67

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityEscape

SillageEscape

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value70

¤ Price value54

Category winnerEscapeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

fruity92%

floral84%

herbal77%

sweet69%

fresh spicy61%

fruity100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match43%Some overlap · both fruity, floral and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top1 to 2 hours

MelonChamomileMarigoldApricotHiacynthOakmossAppleCoriander

Heart3 to 4 hours

PeachLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationRoseJasmineCloves

Base5 to 8 hours

MuskSandalwoodAmberVetiverCedarVanilla

Top

Dried FruitsRumAldehydesPineapplePeachOsmanthusMandarin OrangeHiacynth

Heart

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineRoseIrisCyclamenFreesiaLily-of-the-Valley

Base

BeeswaxLeatherCaramelSandalwoodVanillaTonka BeanPatchouliAmber

InformationalShared notesHiacynth, Peach, Lily-of-the-Valley and Carnation. Durations are only published for Escape, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer89

Fall99

Winter57

Day100

Night57

Spring42

Summer30

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerEscapeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men3

Unisex18

Women79

Men2

Unisex15

Women83

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,925

PerfumerClaude Dir

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#3,825

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews41

Category winnerTalismanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Escape by Calvin Klein is an assertive floral aquatic scent defined by juicy melon, bitter chamomile, and earthy marigold up front. Created in 1991, it captures an unmistakable early nineties character that feels lush, breezy, and unapologetically bold. As the initial burst settles, crisp peach, lily-of-the-valley, an…

Reviews →

Talisman by Balenciaga opens with a dense pour of rum and dried fruits, immediately signaling a departure from standard clean florality. The initial warmth feels thick and sticky, cutting through cool autumn air with a syrupy weight. As the scent settles, ylang-ylang and carnation introduce a spicy, classic floral tex…

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, Escape or Talisman?

Escape takes 4 of 7 categories. Escape is rated 3.69/5 from 3,303 votes; Talisman is rated 4.05/5 from 421 votes. Choose Escape for a aromatic and fruity character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Talisman for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Escape or Talisman?

They last about the same: Escape 76/100, Talisman 74/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Escape or Talisman?

Projection is very close: Escape 69/100, Talisman 68/100 for sillage.

Do Escape and Talisman smell similar?

Some overlap: a 43% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, floral and sweet accords. Common notes include Hiacynth, Peach, Lily-of-the-Valley and Carnation.

Is Escape or Talisman better for summer or winter?

For summer, Escape is the stronger pick. For winter, Talisman is the stronger pick. Escape suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Escape and Talisman?

Escape has top notes of Melon, Chamomile, Marigold and Apricot, heart notes of Peach, Lily-of-the-Valley, Carnation and Rose, a base of Musk, Sandalwood, Amber and Vetiver. Talisman has top notes of Dried Fruits, Rum, Aldehydes and Pineapple, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Beeswax, Leather, Caramel and Sandalwood.