Fragrance comparison

Varens Original Patchouli Chic vs Cairo Nights

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

Updated 24 Oct 2026 94 ratings analysed

Varens Original Patchouli Chic

Ulric de Varens

4.0045 votes

Rank #35,667 PatchouliWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

7 wins

Cairo Nights

Sphinx Fragrances

4.5549 votes

Rank #8,139 VanillaWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Cairo Nights takes 7 of 7 categories.

Varens Original Patchouli Chic
Choose it for a patchouli and woody character. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Cairo Nights
Choose it for a vanilla and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Varens Original Patchouli Chic0/7

Cairo Nights7/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Varens Original Patchouli ChicUlric de Varens

Cairo NightsSphinx Fragrances

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 45 votes

Have 38%Had 26%Want 36%

4.55/ 5 · 49 votes

Have 39%Had 5%Want 56%

Category winnerCairo NightsRating 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

73%Love

18%Like

2%Ok

2%Dislike

4%Hate

49 votes

Category winnerCairo NightsMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity75

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate89

Category winners

LongevityCairo Nights

SillageCairo Nights

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price valueN/A

¤ Price value58

Category winnerNot enough dataBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

patchouli100%

woody92%

vanilla84%

warm spicy77%

caramel69%

balsamic61%

vanilla100%

white floral92%

caramel84%

sweet77%

amber69%

citrus61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both vanilla and caramel

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

Top15-30 mins

Herbal NotesBergamotLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

Lily-of-the-ValleyRosePatchouliJasmineGuaiac Wood

Base6-8+ hrs

CaramelVanillaTonka BeanAmberMusk

Category winnerCairo NightsLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring32

Summer37

Fall100

Winter53

Day100

Night73

Spring81

Summer69

Fall92

Winter100

Day63

Night100

Category winnerCairo NightsMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

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

Men47

Unisex36

Women17

Date 31%Casual 28%Work 23%Party 17%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#35,667

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#8,139

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews10

Category winnerCairo NightsHigher 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 →

Cairo Nights by Sphinx Fragrances delivers a fresh twist on rich vanilla amber scents. It opens with an unexpected splash of zesty lemon, bright bergamot, and crisp herbal notes that instantly cut through the sweetness. As the scent settles on skin, soft jasmine petals, clean lily-of-the-valley, and earthy patchouli e…

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 Cairo Nights?

Cairo Nights takes 7 of 7 categories. Varens Original Patchouli Chic is rated 4.00/5 from 45 votes; Cairo Nights is rated 4.55/5 from 49 votes. Choose Varens Original Patchouli Chic for a patchouli and woody character. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Cairo Nights for a vanilla and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Varens Original Patchouli Chic or Cairo Nights?

Cairo Nights lasts longest (Cairo Nights 75/100, Varens Original Patchouli Chic 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Varens Original Patchouli Chic or Cairo Nights?

Cairo Nights projects furthest (Cairo Nights 66/100, Varens Original Patchouli Chic 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Varens Original Patchouli Chic and Cairo Nights smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla and caramel accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Patchouli, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Varens Original Patchouli Chic or Cairo Nights better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Varens Original Patchouli Chic and Cairo Nights?

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. Cairo Nights has top notes of Herbal Notes, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Rose, Patchouli and Jasmine, a base of Caramel, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Amber.