Fragrance comparison

Varens Secret 1 vs Gardenia & Cassis

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

Updated 25 Oct 2026 8 ratings analysed

4 wins

Varens Secret 1

Ulric de Varens

4.504 votes

Rank #54,160 White FloralAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

Gardenia & Cassis

Yardley

4.004 votes

Rank #55,042 FruityWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Varens Secret 1 takes 4 of 5 categories.

Varens Secret 1
Choose it for a white floral and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear.
Gardenia & Cassis
Choose it for a fruity and white floral character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Varens Secret 14/5

Gardenia & Cassis1/5

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Varens Secret 1
Sillage & projection: Varens Secret 1
Value for money: Gardenia & Cassis
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Varens Secret 1
Fragranxe ranking: Varens Secret 1

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Varens Secret 1Ulric de Varens

Gardenia & CassisYardley

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.50/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 22%Had 17%Want 61%

4.00/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 47%Had 13%Want 40%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

25%Love

50%Like

25%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

4 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity40

〰 Sillage33

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityVarens Secret 1

SillageVarens Secret 1

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value92

Category winnerGardenia & CassisBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

woody77%

patchouli69%

balsamic61%

fruity100%

white floral92%

citrus84%

woody77%

green69%

fresh61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both white floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Mandarin OrangePeachBlack Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

JasmineGardeniaIncense

Base6-8 hrs

AmberPatchouliSandalwood

Top15-30 mins

Mandarin OrangePear BlossomCassisPeachMojito

Heart2-3 hrs

GardeniaPearJasmineRoseCloves

Base4-6 hrs

SandalwoodPatchouliAmber

Category winnerVarens Secret 1Longest dry-down: 6-8 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Spring100

Summer25

Fall50

Winter50

Day100

Night25

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Date 36%Party 27%Casual 22%Work 16%

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Casual 43%Work 33%Date 18%Party 8%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#54,160

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#55,042

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerVarens Secret 1Higher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ulric de Varens Varens Secret 1 starts with a noticeable crackle of black pepper over juicy peach and bright mandarin orange. It smells sweet, spicy, and immediately warm. Within twenty minutes, the initial fruitiness softens as creamy white gardenia and jasmine take over, wrapped in a gentle ribbon of smoky incense. …

Reviews →

Yardley Gardenia & Cassis opens with a bright burst of crisp blackcurrant berries, sweet pear blossom, and juicy mandarin orange. A hint of chilled mint lifts the fruit notes before settling into a soft, velvety heart of creamy gardenia petals, dewy jasmine, and fresh pink roses. Subtle hints of clove add a gentle war…

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 Secret 1 or Gardenia & Cassis?

Varens Secret 1 takes 4 of 5 categories. Varens Secret 1 is rated 4.50/5 from 4 votes; Gardenia & Cassis is rated 4.00/5 from 4 votes. Choose Varens Secret 1 for a white floral and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Gardenia & Cassis for a fruity and white floral character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Varens Secret 1 or Gardenia & Cassis?

Varens Secret 1 lasts longest (Varens Secret 1 60/100, Gardenia & Cassis 40/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Varens Secret 1 or Gardenia & Cassis?

Varens Secret 1 projects furthest (Varens Secret 1 55/100, Gardenia & Cassis 33/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Varens Secret 1 and Gardenia & Cassis smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral and woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Peach, Jasmine and Gardenia.

Is Varens Secret 1 or Gardenia & Cassis better for summer or winter?

Varens Secret 1 suits evening wear; Gardenia & Cassis suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Varens Secret 1 and Gardenia & Cassis?

Varens Secret 1 has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Peach and Black Pepper, heart notes of Jasmine, Gardenia and Incense, a base of Amber, Patchouli and Sandalwood. Gardenia & Cassis has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Pear Blossom, Cassis and Peach, heart notes of Gardenia, Pear, Jasmine and Rose, a base of Sandalwood, Patchouli and Amber.