Fragrance comparison

Varens Desire vs Talisman

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 450 ratings analysed

Varens Desire

Ulric de Varens

3.5229 votes

Rank #44,199 FloralWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

32%scent match

Clearly different

6 wins

Talisman

Balenciaga

4.05421 votes

Rank #3,574 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Talisman takes 6 of 7 categories.

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

Varens Desire1/7

Talisman6/7

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

Varens DesireUlric de Varens

TalismanBalenciaga

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.52/ 5 · 29 votes

Have 42%Had 14%Want 44%

4.05/ 5 · 421 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerTalismanRating 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

40%Love

41%Like

2%Ok

16%Dislike

0%Hate

421 votes

Category winnerTalismanMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity54

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity74

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityTalisman

SillageTalisman

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value54

Category winnerTalismanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

white floral92%

green84%

fruity77%

aquatic69%

ozonic61%

fruity100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

powdery69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match32%Clearly different · both floral and fruity

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

Dried FruitsRumAldehydesPineapplePeachOsmanthusMandarin OrangeHiacynth

Heart

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineRoseIrisCyclamenFreesiaLily-of-the-Valley

Base

BeeswaxLeatherCaramelSandalwoodVanillaTonka BeanPatchouliAmber

InformationalShared notesPeach, Jasmine, Freesia and Rose. 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

Spring42

Summer30

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerVarens DesireMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

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

Men2

Unisex15

Women83

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#44,199

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#3,574

PerfumerDominique Preyssas

Launched—

Reviews41

Category winnerTalismanHigher 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 →

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 →

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 Talisman?

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

Which lasts longer, Varens Desire or Talisman?

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

Which projects more, Varens Desire or Talisman?

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

Do Varens Desire and Talisman smell similar?

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

Is Varens Desire or Talisman 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 Varens Desire and Talisman?

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. 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.