Fragrance comparison

Quintessence (2020) vs Secret Dreams

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 71 ratings analysed

Quintessence (2020)

Manos Gerakinis

3.8643 votes

Rank #26,550 Warm SpicyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Secret Dreams

Anna Zworykina Perfumes

4.1428 votes

Rank #45,817 Warm SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Secret Dreams takes 4 of 7 categories.

Quintessence (2020)
Choose it for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear.
Secret Dreams
Choose it for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Quintessence (2020)3/7

Secret Dreams4/7

Ratings & consensus: Secret Dreams
Community sentiment: Secret Dreams
Longevity: Secret Dreams
Sillage & projection: Quintessence (2020)
Value for money: Quintessence (2020)
Versatility: Secret Dreams
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Quintessence (2020)

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Quintessence (2020)Manos Gerakinis

Secret DreamsAnna Zworykina Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.86/ 5 · 43 votes

Have 33%Had 9%Want 58%

4.14/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 18%Had 13%Want 69%

Category winnerSecret DreamsRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

37%Love

35%Like

12%Ok

9%Dislike

7%Hate

43 votes

46%Love

32%Like

11%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

28 votes

Category winnerSecret DreamsMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity65

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevitySecret Dreams

SillageQuintessence (2020)

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value43

¤ Price value38

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

amber92%

woody84%

patchouli77%

vanilla69%

fresh spicy61%

warm spicy100%

fresh spicy92%

woody84%

tobacco77%

sweet69%

aromatic61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both warm spicy, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

SaffronClovesBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

PatchouliWormwoodAgarwood (Oud)Cedar

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberVanillaBenzoin

Notes

TobaccoMyrrhCastoreumCuminImmortelleJuniperBlack PepperTuberoseGingerSaffronClovesCinnamon

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesSaffron, Cloves and Black Pepper. Durations are only published for Quintessence (2020), so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring45

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day69

Night100

Spring43

Summer29

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night43

Category winnerSecret DreamsMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men65

Unisex35

Women0

Work 35%Date 30%Casual 22%Party 14%

Men50

Unisex50

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#26,550

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#45,817

PerfumerAnna Zworykina

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerQuintessence (2020)Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Manos Gerakinis Quintessence (2020) opens with a dry rush of black pepper, clove buds, and leathery saffron. It commands attention immediately. The initial burst carries a sharp alcohol lift that calms within three minutes, revealing an earthy heart of dark patchouli, bitter wormwood, and smooth cedar. You will not fi…

Reviews →

Secret Dreams by Anna Zworykina Perfumes is a dense, warm spicy natural fragrance designed for seekers of complex, botanical landscapes. The opening hits with a sharp burst of black pepper and wormwood, backed by the dry, medicinal warmth of cumin and saffron. As the blend settles, a heavy heart of tobacco, myrrh, and…

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, Quintessence (2020) or Secret Dreams?

Secret Dreams takes 4 of 7 categories. Quintessence (2020) is rated 3.86/5 from 43 votes; Secret Dreams is rated 4.14/5 from 28 votes. Choose Quintessence (2020) for a warm spicy and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Secret Dreams for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Quintessence (2020) or Secret Dreams?

Secret Dreams lasts longest (Secret Dreams 78/100, Quintessence (2020) 65/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Quintessence (2020) or Secret Dreams?

Quintessence (2020) projects furthest (Quintessence (2020) 53/100, Secret Dreams 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Quintessence (2020) and Secret Dreams smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Saffron, Cloves and Black Pepper.

Is Quintessence (2020) or Secret Dreams better for summer or winter?

For summer, Secret Dreams is the stronger pick. For winter, Quintessence (2020) is the stronger pick. Quintessence (2020) suits evening wear; Secret Dreams suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Quintessence (2020) and Secret Dreams?

Quintessence (2020) has top notes of Saffron, Cloves and Black Pepper, heart notes of Patchouli, Wormwood, Agarwood (Oud) and Cedar, a base of Amber, Vanilla and Benzoin. Secret Dreams features Tobacco, Myrrh, Castoreum, Cumin and Immortelle.