Fragrance comparison

Patchouli Citrus vs Varens Secret 1

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

Updated 26 Oct 2026 123 ratings analysed

Patchouli Citrus

The 7 Virtues

3.42119 votes

Rank #16,433 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

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?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

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

Patchouli Citrus2/4

Varens Secret 12/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Patchouli CitrusThe 7 Virtues

Varens Secret 1Ulric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.42/ 5 · 119 votes

Have 68%Had 32%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

20%Love

33%Like

23%Ok

18%Dislike

7%Hate

119 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

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate61

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityPatchouli Citrus

SillageVarens Secret 1

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value53

¤ Price value63

Category winnerVarens Secret 1Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

fresh spicy92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

earthy69%

fruity61%

white floral100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

woody77%

patchouli69%

balsamic61%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotMandarin OrangePeachCassisBlack Pepper

Heart

Rose GeraniumPeonyJasmine

Base

MossPatchouliCedarAmberSandalwood

Top15-30 mins

Mandarin OrangePeachBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

JasmineGardeniaIncense

Base6-8 hrs

AmberPatchouliSandalwood

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Peach, Black Pepper and Jasmine. 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

Summer89

Fall55

Winter25

Day–

Night–

Spring0

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

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#16,433

PerfumerJulie Pluchet

Launched—

Reviews17

Overall rank#54,160

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerPatchouli CitrusHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Patchouli Citrus opens brighter than it dries down, with bergamot and mandarin giving a clean lift before peony, geranium and jasmine pull it into a more floral, slightly old-fashioned direction. The patchouli sits close to the heart of the fragrance, adding earthy spice and softness rather than a dark, heavy base. Th…

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, Patchouli Citrus or Varens Secret 1?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Patchouli Citrus is rated 3.42/5 from 119 votes; Varens Secret 1 is rated 4.50/5 from 4 votes. Choose Patchouli Citrus for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose Varens Secret 1 for a white floral and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Patchouli Citrus or Varens Secret 1?

They last about the same: Patchouli Citrus 61/100, Varens Secret 1 60/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Patchouli Citrus or Varens Secret 1?

Varens Secret 1 projects furthest (Varens Secret 1 55/100, Patchouli Citrus 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Patchouli Citrus and Varens Secret 1 smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Peach, Black Pepper and Jasmine.

Is Patchouli Citrus 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 Patchouli Citrus and Varens Secret 1?

Patchouli Citrus has top notes of Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Peach and Cassis, heart notes of Rose Geranium, Peony and Jasmine, a base of Moss, Patchouli, Cedar and Amber. 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.