Fragrance comparison

Varens Original Patchouli Chic vs A*Men

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 10,699 ratings analysed

Varens Original Patchouli Chic

Ulric de Varens

4.0045 votes

Rank #35,667 PatchouliWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

A*Men

Mugler

4.0210,654 votes

Rank #381 Warm SpicySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

A*Men takes 5 of 7 categories.

Varens Original Patchouli Chic
Choose it for a patchouli and woody character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear.
A*Men
Choose it for a warm spicy and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Varens Original Patchouli Chic2/7

A*Men5/7

Ratings & consensus: A*Men
Community sentiment: Varens Original Patchouli Chic
Longevity: A*Men
Sillage & projection: A*Men
Value for money: Not scored
Versatility: Varens Original Patchouli Chic
Note pyramid (duration): A*Men
Fragranxe ranking: A*Men

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Varens Original Patchouli ChicUlric de Varens

A*MenMugler

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 45 votes

Have 38%Had 26%Want 36%

4.02/ 5 · 10,654 votes

Have 73%Had 28%Want 0%

Category winnerA*MenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

22%Love

67%Like

0%Ok

11%Dislike

0%Hate

45 votes

47%Love

29%Like

3%Ok

18%Dislike

2%Hate

10,654 votes

Category winnerVarens Original Patchouli ChicMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage78

♥ Love / hate76

Category winners

LongevityA*Men

SillageA*Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value57

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

patchouli100%

woody92%

vanilla84%

warm spicy77%

caramel69%

balsamic61%

warm spicy100%

sweet92%

caramel84%

vanilla77%

coffee69%

woody61%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both warm spicy, vanilla and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Bergamot

Heart2-3 hrs

PatchouliJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base4-6 hrs

VanillaCaramelVirginia CedarMusk

Top20-30 mins

LavenderMintFruity and Spicy NotesCorianderGreen NotesBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

CaramelPatchouliHoneyMilkCedarJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base8-12+ hrs

CoffeeVanillaTonka BeanBenzoinAmberSandalwoodMusk

Category winnerA*MenLongest dry-down: 8-12+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring32

Summer37

Fall100

Winter53

Day100

Night73

Spring21

Summer11

Fall69

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Category winnerVarens Original Patchouli ChicMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Casual 41%Work 26%Date 21%Party 12%

Men79

Unisex19

Women2

Party 39%Date 30%Casual 20%Work 10%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#35,667

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#381

PerfumerJacques Huclier

Launched—

Reviews209

Category winnerA*MenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Varens Original Patchouli Chic by Ulric de Varens delivers a gentle, sweet spin on traditional earthy notes. A bright flash of crisp bergamot introduces the scent before smoothing into warm Indonesian patchouli, sweet caramel, and soft vanilla. It skips the damp, dirty cellar facets often found in vintage blends, opti…

Reviews →

Mugler A*Men is a legendary collision of cool aromatic herbs and dark sugary warmth. The first spray punches hard. Crisp peppermint and sharp lavender cut through the air with a brisk, almost metallic bite. Give it ten minutes. Once the initial shock settles, thick toasted caramel, earthy patchouli, and bitter roasted…

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 Original Patchouli Chic or A*Men?

A*Men takes 5 of 7 categories. Varens Original Patchouli Chic is rated 4.00/5 from 45 votes; A*Men is rated 4.02/5 from 10,654 votes. Choose Varens Original Patchouli Chic for a patchouli and woody character. Wins on community sentiment and versatility. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose A*Men for a warm spicy and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Varens Original Patchouli Chic or A*Men?

A*Men lasts longest (A*Men 85/100, Varens Original Patchouli Chic 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Varens Original Patchouli Chic or A*Men?

A*Men projects furthest (A*Men 78/100, Varens Original Patchouli Chic 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Varens Original Patchouli Chic and A*Men smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy, vanilla and woody accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Patchouli, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Varens Original Patchouli Chic or A*Men better for summer or winter?

For summer, Varens Original Patchouli Chic is the stronger pick. For winter, A*Men is the stronger pick. Varens Original Patchouli Chic suits daytime wear; A*Men suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Varens Original Patchouli Chic and A*Men?

Varens Original Patchouli Chic has top notes of Bergamot, heart notes of Patchouli, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Vanilla, Caramel, Virginia Cedar and Musk. A*Men has top notes of Lavender, Mint, Fruity and Spicy Notes and Coriander, heart notes of Caramel, Patchouli, Honey and Milk, a base of Coffee, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Benzoin.