Fragrance comparison

Varens Desire vs Noir Ylang Ylang

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 30 ratings analysed

3 wins

Varens Desire

Ulric de Varens

3.5229 votes

Rank #44,706 FloralWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

29%scent match

Clearly different

Noir Ylang Ylang

Judith Williams

4.001 votes

Rank #49,108 Yellow FloralPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Varens Desire takes 3 of 3 categories.

Varens Desire
Choose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Noir Ylang Ylang
Choose it for a yellow floral and powdery character.

Varens Desire3/3

Noir Ylang Ylang0/3

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Varens DesireUlric de Varens

Noir Ylang YlangJudith Williams

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.52/ 5 · 29 votes

Have 42%Had 14%Want 44%

4.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 0%Had 0%Want 100%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

24%Love

38%Like

3%Ok

34%Dislike

0%Hate

29 votes

0%Love

100%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity20

〰 Sillage25

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityVarens Desire

SillageVarens Desire

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price valueN/A

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

white floral92%

green84%

fruity77%

aquatic69%

ozonic61%

yellow floral100%

powdery92%

floral84%

sweet77%

woody69%

vanilla61%

Scent match29%Clearly different · both floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Water HyacinthIvyPeachLitchi

Heart2-3 hrs

JasmineFreesiaRoseIris

Base4-6 hrs

MuskSandalwood

Top

FreesiaLitchiGuavaWallflower

Heart

Ylang-YlangJasmineIrisRose

Base

Tonka BeanWhite MuskSandalwoodOrris RootVanillaPeach

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

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer90

Fall100

Winter90

Day100

Night41

No season votes yet

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

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

Not enough votes yet

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#44,706

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#49,108

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerVarens DesireHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Noir Ylang Ylang by Judith Williams is a floral composition for women launched in 2017. Created by perfumer Pierre Bourdon, this scent centers on creamy yellow florals softened by powdery iris and earthy orris root. It feels appropriate for office environments or casual weekend brunches, providing a gentle, intimate s…

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, Varens Desire or Noir Ylang Ylang?

Varens Desire takes 3 of 3 categories. Varens Desire is rated 3.52/5 from 29 votes; Noir Ylang Ylang is rated 4.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Varens Desire for a floral and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Noir Ylang Ylang for a yellow floral and powdery character.

Which lasts longer, Varens Desire or Noir Ylang Ylang?

Varens Desire lasts longest (Varens Desire 54/100, Noir Ylang Ylang 20/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Varens Desire or Noir Ylang Ylang?

Varens Desire projects furthest (Varens Desire 53/100, Noir Ylang Ylang 25/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Varens Desire and Noir Ylang Ylang smell similar?

Clearly different: a 29% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral accords. Common notes include Peach, Litchi, Jasmine and Freesia.

Is Varens Desire or Noir Ylang Ylang better for summer or winter?

Varens Desire suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Varens Desire and Noir Ylang Ylang?

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. Noir Ylang Ylang has top notes of Freesia, Litchi, Guava and Wallflower, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Iris and Rose, a base of Tonka Bean, White Musk, Sandalwood and Orris Root.