Fragrance comparison

So Varens vs 18K

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 65 ratings analysed

So Varens

Ulric de Varens

3.7027 votes

Rank #45,289 FloralMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

86%scent match

Very similar

6 wins

18K

Al-Jazeera Perfumes

4.2238 votes

Rank #11,454 RoseFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

18K takes 6 of 7 categories.

So Varens
Choose it for a floral and musky character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
18K
Choose it for a rose and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.

So Varens1/7

18K6/7

Ratings & consensus: 18K
Community sentiment: 18K
Longevity: 18K
Sillage & projection: 18K
Value for money: So Varens
Versatility: 18K
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 18K

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

So VarensUlric de Varens

18KAl-Jazeera Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.70/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 43%Had 27%Want 30%

4.22/ 5 · 38 votes

Have 48%Had 11%Want 41%

Category winner18KRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

15%Love

59%Like

7%Ok

19%Dislike

0%Hate

27 votes

55%Love

42%Like

0%Ok

3%Dislike

0%Hate

33 votes

Category winner18KMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate87

Category winners

Longevity18K

Sillage18K

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value27

Category winnerSo VarensBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

musky83%

rose65%

powdery48%

animalic30%

rose100%

floral83%

musky65%

powdery48%

violet30%

Scent match86%Very similar · both floral, rose and musky

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

RoseMuskFloral Notes

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

RoseMuskFloral NotesViolet

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesRose, Musk and Floral Notes. Durations are only published for So Varens, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring56

Summer11

Fall100

Winter78

Day100

Night41

Spring100

Summer82

Fall73

Winter91

Day88

Night100

Category winner18KMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Casual 42%Work 36%Date 16%Party 6%

Men60

Unisex20

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#45,289

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#11,454

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winner18KHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

So Varens by Ulric de Varens is an understated floral woody musk built around soft rose petals, powdery notes, and clean musk warmth. The first spray releases a bright flash of pale rose alongside crisp green floral notes. Give it two minutes. The early sharpness quickly softens into a cozy cosmetic veil anchored by s…

Reviews →

18K by Al-Jazeera Perfumes is a Floral fragrance for women and men. 18K was launched in 2014.

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, So Varens or 18K?

18K takes 6 of 7 categories. So Varens is rated 3.70/5 from 27 votes; 18K is rated 4.22/5 from 38 votes. Choose So Varens for a floral and musky character. Wins on value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose 18K for a rose and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, So Varens or 18K?

18K lasts longest (18K 85/100, So Varens 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, So Varens or 18K?

18K projects furthest (18K 81/100, So Varens 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do So Varens and 18K smell similar?

Very similar: a 86% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, rose and musky accords. Common notes include Rose, Musk and Floral Notes.

Is So Varens or 18K better for summer or winter?

For summer, 18K is the stronger pick. For winter, 18K is the stronger pick. So Varens suits daytime wear; 18K suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.