Fragrance comparison

Kenzo vs Varens Secret 1

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

Updated 26 Oct 2026 1,008 ratings analysed

3 wins

Kenzo

4.151,004 votes

Rank #24,053 White FloralWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

Varens Secret 1

Ulric de Varens

4.504 votes

Rank #54,160 White FloralAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Kenzo takes 3 of 4 categories.

Kenzo
Choose it for a white floral and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Varens Secret 1
Choose it for a white floral and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Kenzo3/4

Varens Secret 11/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Kenzo
Sillage & projection: Kenzo
Value for money: Varens Secret 1
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Kenzo

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

KenzoKenzo

Varens Secret 1Ulric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.15/ 5 · 1,004 votes

Have 38%Had 62%Want 0%

4.50/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 22%Had 17%Want 61%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

41%Love

45%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

1,004 votes

50%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityKenzo

SillageKenzo

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value52

¤ Price value63

Category winnerVarens Secret 1Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

citrus77%

fruity69%

powdery61%

white floral100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

woody77%

patchouli69%

balsamic61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both white floral, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

PeachSpicesOrange BlossomPlumMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

TuberoseSandalwoodCorianderCarawayGardeniaYlang-YlangCarnationJasmine

Base

OakmossAmberPatchouliMuskVanilla

Top15-30 mins

Mandarin OrangePeachBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

JasmineGardeniaIncense

Base6-8 hrs

AmberPatchouliSandalwood

InformationalShared notesPeach, Mandarin Orange, Sandalwood and Gardenia. Durations are only published for Varens Secret 1, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter70

Day–

Night–

Spring0

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex7

Women93

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Date 36%Party 27%Casual 22%Work 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,053

PerfumerFrancoise Caron

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#54,160

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerKenzoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Kenzo by Kenzo opens with ripe peach, dark plum, and sharp mandarin orange before settling into a dense floral heart of tuberose, gardenia, and spicy carnation. Oakmoss, patchouli, and warm sandalwood anchor the dry-down, giving this 1988 creation a grounded, earthy weight. It suits crisp spring mornings and formal au…

Reviews →

Ulric de Varens Varens Secret 1 starts with a noticeable crackle of black pepper over juicy peach and bright mandarin orange. It smells sweet, spicy, and immediately warm. Within twenty minutes, the initial fruitiness softens as creamy white gardenia and jasmine take over, wrapped in a gentle ribbon of smoky incense. …

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, Kenzo or Varens Secret 1?

Kenzo takes 3 of 4 categories. Kenzo is rated 4.15/5 from 1,004 votes; Varens Secret 1 is rated 4.50/5 from 4 votes. Choose Kenzo for a white floral and woody character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Varens Secret 1 for a white floral and amber character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Kenzo or Varens Secret 1?

Kenzo lasts longest (Kenzo 75/100, Varens Secret 1 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Kenzo or Varens Secret 1?

Kenzo projects furthest (Kenzo 70/100, Varens Secret 1 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Kenzo and Varens Secret 1 smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Peach, Mandarin Orange, Sandalwood and Gardenia.

Is Kenzo or Varens Secret 1 better for summer or winter?

Varens Secret 1 suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Kenzo and Varens Secret 1?

Kenzo has top notes of Peach, Spices, Orange Blossom and Plum, heart notes of Tuberose, Sandalwood, Coriander and Caraway, a base of Oakmoss, Amber, Patchouli and Musk. Varens Secret 1 has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Peach and Black Pepper, heart notes of Jasmine, Gardenia and Incense, a base of Amber, Patchouli and Sandalwood.