Fragrance comparison

Shadow for Woman vs Varens Original Indian Secret

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 36 ratings analysed

Shadow for Woman

Mirra

3.899 votes

Rank #56,835 PatchouliCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

16%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

Varens Original Indian Secret

Ulric de Varens

3.8127 votes

Rank #46,004 White FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Varens Original Indian Secret takes 3 of 4 categories.

Shadow for Woman
Choose it for a patchouli and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.
Varens Original Indian Secret
Choose it for a white floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Shadow for Woman1/4

Varens Original Indian Secret3/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Shadow for WomanMirra

Varens Original Indian SecretUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.89/ 5 · 9 votes

Have 26%Had 35%Want 40%

3.81/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 35%Had 22%Want 43%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

44%Like

0%Ok

22%Dislike

0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

15%Love

67%Like

4%Ok

15%Dislike

0%Hate

27 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate72

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate70

Category winners

LongevityVarens Original Indian Secret

SillageVarens Original Indian Secret

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value25

Category winnerShadow for WomanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

patchouli100%

citrus92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

earthy61%

white floral100%

green83%

caramel65%

soft spicy48%

woody30%

Scent match16%Clearly different · both woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

BergamotGalbanumMandarin Orange

Heart

RoseJasmineNarcissusLilyHayCloves

Base

PatchouliOakmossSandalwoodVanillaMusk

Notes

LilyJasmineGalbanumCaramelSandalwood

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesGalbanum, Jasmine, Lily and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Varens Original Indian Secret, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter100

Day33

Night100

Spring64

Summer100

Fall45

Winter27

Day100

Night64

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#56,835

PerfumerAlla Belfer

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#46,004

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerVarens Original Indian SecretHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Shadow for Woman opens green, citrusy, and slightly sharp, then settles into a floral heart touched by hay, clove, and earthy patchouli. It feels more mossy and textured than soft or sugary. This suits someone who enjoys classic-leaning floral greens with a woody, spiced base. If you want a clean fruity floral, sample…

Reviews →

Do not let the oriental vanilla label confuse you. Varens Original Indian Secret behaves like a crisp white floral bouquet soaked in morning dew. The first blast releases a sharp, grassy snap of galbanum alongside clean jasmine petals. It feels bracing for three minutes. Then, creamy lily softens the green edges while…

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, Shadow for Woman or Varens Original Indian Secret?

Varens Original Indian Secret takes 3 of 4 categories. Shadow for Woman is rated 3.89/5 from 9 votes; Varens Original Indian Secret is rated 3.81/5 from 27 votes. Choose Shadow for Woman for a patchouli and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, evening wear. Choose Varens Original Indian Secret for a white floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Shadow for Woman or Varens Original Indian Secret?

Varens Original Indian Secret lasts longest (Varens Original Indian Secret 62/100, Shadow for Woman 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Shadow for Woman or Varens Original Indian Secret?

Varens Original Indian Secret projects furthest (Varens Original Indian Secret 67/100, Shadow for Woman 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Shadow for Woman and Varens Original Indian Secret smell similar?

Clearly different: a 16% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Galbanum, Jasmine, Lily and Sandalwood.

Is Shadow for Woman or Varens Original Indian Secret better for summer or winter?

Shadow for Woman suits evening wear; Varens Original Indian Secret suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Shadow for Woman and Varens Original Indian Secret?

Shadow for Woman has top notes of Bergamot, Galbanum and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Rose, Jasmine, Narcissus and Lily, a base of Patchouli, Oakmoss, Sandalwood and Vanilla. Varens Original Indian Secret features Lily, Jasmine, Galbanum, Caramel and Sandalwood.