Fragrance comparison

Obsession vs Kenzo

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 11,113 ratings analysed

Obsession

Calvin Klein

3.7310,109 votes

Rank #28,944 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

Kenzo

4.151,004 votes

Rank #25,092 White FloralWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3.

Obsession
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Kenzo
Choose it for a white floral and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Obsession3/7

Kenzo3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

ObsessionCalvin Klein

KenzoKenzo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.73/ 5 · 10,109 votes

Have 53%Had 30%Want 17%

4.15/ 5 · 1,004 votes

Have 38%Had 62%Want 0%

Category winnerKenzoRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

34%Love

34%Like

5%Ok

24%Dislike

3%Hate

10,109 votes

41%Love

45%Like

3%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

1,004 votes

Category winnerKenzoMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityObsession

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value74

¤ Price value52

Category winnerObsessionBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

woody84%

powdery77%

aromatic69%

musky61%

white floral100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

citrus77%

fruity69%

powdery61%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top30 to 45 minutes

VanillaBasilBergamotMandarin OrangeGreen NotesPeachLemon

Heart3 to 5 hours

SpicesSandalwoodCorianderOakmossCedarOrange BlossomJasmineRose

Base6 to 10 hours

AmberIncenseCivetMuskVetiver

Top

PeachSpicesOrange BlossomPlumMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

TuberoseSandalwoodCorianderCarawayGardeniaYlang-YlangCarnationJasmine

Base

OakmossAmberPatchouliMuskVanilla

InformationalShared notesVanilla, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Peach. Durations are only published for Obsession, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring21

Summer16

Fall94

Winter100

Day51

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter70

Day–

Night–

Category winnerObsessionMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men8

Unisex47

Women45

Men0

Unisex7

Women93

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#28,944

PerfumerJean Guichard

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#25,092

PerfumerFrancoise Caron

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerKenzoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Obsession by Calvin Klein is an unapologetic oriental spicy fragrance built around rich amber, warm spices, and smoky resins. The scent opens with a surprising flash of green notes, bitter bergamot, and sweet peach, laced immediately with aromatic basil and smooth vanilla. As the citrus settles, a dense core of corian…

Reviews →

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 →

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, Obsession or Kenzo?

No clear winner: the 7 categories split 3–3. Obsession is rated 3.73/5 from 10,109 votes; Kenzo is rated 4.15/5 from 1,004 votes. Choose Obsession for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Kenzo for a white floral and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Obsession or Kenzo?

Obsession lasts longest (Obsession 78/100, Kenzo 75/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Obsession or Kenzo?

Projection is very close: Obsession 70/100, Kenzo 70/100 for sillage.

Do Obsession and Kenzo smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and powdery accords. Common notes include Vanilla, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Peach.

Is Obsession or Kenzo better for summer or winter?

For summer, Obsession is the stronger pick. For winter, Obsession is the stronger pick. Obsession suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Obsession and Kenzo?

Obsession has top notes of Vanilla, Basil, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Spices, Sandalwood, Coriander and Oakmoss, a base of Amber, Incense, Civet and Musk. 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.