Fragrance comparison

Varens Secret 1 vs Patchouli Citrus

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

Updated 25 Oct 2026 123 ratings analysed

Varens Secret 1

Ulric de Varens

4.504 votes

Rank #54,160 White FloralAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

28%scent match

Clearly different

Patchouli Citrus

The 7 Virtues

3.42119 votes

Rank #16,433 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2.

Varens Secret 1
Choose it for a white floral and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.
Patchouli Citrus
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Varens Secret 12/4

Patchouli Citrus2/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Varens Secret 1Ulric de Varens

Patchouli CitrusThe 7 Virtues

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.50/ 5 · 4 votes

Have 22%Had 17%Want 61%

3.42/ 5 · 119 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

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

20%Love

33%Like

23%Ok

18%Dislike

7%Hate

119 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity61

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate61

Category winners

LongevityPatchouli Citrus

SillageVarens Secret 1

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value63

¤ Price value53

Category winnerVarens Secret 1Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

amber92%

warm spicy84%

woody77%

patchouli69%

balsamic61%

citrus100%

fresh spicy92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

earthy69%

fruity61%

Scent match28%Clearly different · both 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

Top

BergamotMandarin OrangePeachCassisBlack Pepper

Heart

Rose GeraniumPeonyJasmine

Base

MossPatchouliCedarAmberSandalwood

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Peach, Black Pepper and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Varens Secret 1, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring0

Summer25

Fall100

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Spring100

Summer89

Fall55

Winter25

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

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

Men0

Unisex50

Women50

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#54,160

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#16,433

PerfumerJulie Pluchet

Launched—

Reviews17

Category winnerPatchouli CitrusHigher 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 →

Patchouli Citrus opens brighter than it dries down, with bergamot and mandarin giving a clean lift before peony, geranium and jasmine pull it into a more floral, slightly old-fashioned direction. The patchouli sits close to the heart of the fragrance, adding earthy spice and softness rather than a dark, heavy base. Th…

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 Patchouli Citrus?

No clear winner: the 4 categories split 2–2. Varens Secret 1 is rated 4.50/5 from 4 votes; Patchouli Citrus is rated 3.42/5 from 119 votes. Choose Varens Secret 1 for a white floral and amber character. Wins on sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Patchouli Citrus for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Varens Secret 1 or Patchouli Citrus?

They last about the same: Patchouli Citrus 61/100, Varens Secret 1 60/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Varens Secret 1 or Patchouli Citrus?

Varens Secret 1 projects furthest (Varens Secret 1 55/100, Patchouli Citrus 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Varens Secret 1 and Patchouli Citrus smell similar?

Clearly different: a 28% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Peach, Black Pepper and Jasmine.

Is Varens Secret 1 or Patchouli Citrus better for summer or winter?

Varens Secret 1 suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Varens Secret 1 and Patchouli Citrus?

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. Patchouli Citrus has top notes of Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Peach and Cassis, heart notes of Rose Geranium, Peony and Jasmine, a base of Moss, Patchouli, Cedar and Amber.