Fragrance comparison

Talisman vs Varens Desire

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 450 ratings analysed

6 wins

Talisman

Balenciaga

4.05421 votes

Rank #3,574 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

32%scent match

Clearly different

Varens Desire

Ulric de Varens

3.5229 votes

Rank #44,223 FloralWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Talisman takes 6 of 7 categories.

Talisman
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Varens Desire
Choose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Talisman6/7

Varens Desire1/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

TalismanBalenciaga

Varens DesireUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.05/ 5 · 421 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

3.52/ 5 · 29 votes

Have 42%Had 14%Want 44%

Category winnerTalismanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

41%Like

2%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

421 votes

24%Love

38%Like

3%Ok

34%Dislike

0%Hate

29 votes

Category winnerTalismanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate63

Category winners

LongevityTalisman

SillageTalisman

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value38

Category winnerTalismanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

floral100%

white floral92%

green84%

fruity77%

aquatic69%

ozonic61%

Scent match32%Clearly different · both fruity and floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Dried FruitsRumAldehydesPineapplePeachOsmanthusMandarin OrangeHiacynth

Heart

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineRoseIrisCyclamenFreesiaLily-of-the-Valley

Base

BeeswaxLeatherCaramelSandalwoodVanillaTonka BeanPatchouliAmber

Top15-30 mins

Water HyacinthIvyPeachLitchi

Heart2-3 hrs

JasmineFreesiaRoseIris

Base4-6 hrs

MuskSandalwood

InformationalShared notesPeach, Jasmine, Rose and Iris. Durations are only published for Varens Desire, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring42

Summer30

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer90

Fall100

Winter90

Day100

Night41

Category winnerVarens DesireMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex15

Women83

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Casual 38%Work 35%Date 17%Party 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,574

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews41

Overall rank#44,223

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerTalismanHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Talisman by Balenciaga opens with a dense pour of rum and dried fruits, immediately signaling a departure from standard clean florality. The initial warmth feels thick and sticky, cutting through cool autumn air with a syrupy weight. As the scent settles, ylang-ylang and carnation introduce a spicy, classic floral tex…

Reviews →

Varens Desire by Ulric de Varens delivers a brisk, dewy splash of green botanicals right out of the sprayer. Crushed ivy leaves and aquatic water hyacinth dominate the first few minutes, accompanied by sheer slices of fresh peach and tart litchi. The scent quickly softens on warm skin. Powdery iris, crisp freesia, 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, Talisman or Varens Desire?

Talisman takes 6 of 7 categories. Talisman is rated 4.05/5 from 421 votes; Varens Desire is rated 3.52/5 from 29 votes. Choose Talisman for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Varens Desire for a floral and white floral character. Wins on versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Talisman or Varens Desire?

Talisman lasts longest (Talisman 74/100, Varens Desire 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Talisman or Varens Desire?

Talisman projects furthest (Talisman 68/100, Varens Desire 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Talisman and Varens Desire smell similar?

Clearly different: a 32% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity and floral accords. Common notes include Peach, Jasmine, Rose and Iris.

Is Talisman or Varens Desire better for summer or winter?

For summer, Varens Desire is the stronger pick. For winter, Talisman is the stronger pick. Varens Desire suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Talisman and Varens Desire?

Talisman has top notes of Dried Fruits, Rum, Aldehydes and Pineapple, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Beeswax, Leather, Caramel and Sandalwood. Varens Desire has top notes of Water Hyacinth, Ivy, Peach and Litchi, heart notes of Jasmine, Freesia, Rose and Iris, a base of Musk and Sandalwood.