Devotion from D&G is their latest hit series of fragrances that will probably be expanded upon many times in the coming years. The EDP often gets compared to the original Goddess EDP from Burberry.
While both of these scents have already spun off newer versions of their original formulas, I wanted to compare both of these first editions, as they are still the most popular. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Which should you buy Goddess or Devotion?
Tale of the Tape: Devotion vs. Burberry Goddess
Devotion
Notes include: candied citrus, orange blossom, rum, pana cotta, vanilla
Click here to try: Devotion EDP
Read my review: Devotion EDP
Burberry Goddess
Notes include: lavender, vanilla, cacao, ginger, vanilla absolute, vanilla caviar
Click here to try: Goddess by Burberry
Read my review: Goddess
Opening
After first spraying of Devotion EDP, lemon dominates but it settles into a more balanced supporting role as we move forward.
Orange blossom provides the floral element, while there’s also what seems like a distinct orange note. To me, it’s more like fresh zest or peel.
The top is bright with a touch of spice and carries a slightly juicy feel, though the lemon leans more toward having that candied, synthetic quality.
This Dolce & Gabbana fragrance is essentially a straightforward sweet gourmand, but it does evolve through distinct stages.
The next phase brings together lemon cake vibes with the orange blossom. The spice notes retreat as vanilla starts making its presence known.
Goddess leans into its sweetness rather than tartness, leaving the fruity notes behind. Vanilla shows up early alongside cacao, but ginger brings this nice fresh lift right from the opening.
Even though vanilla leads the way, the fragrance feels surprisingly light and cool compared to what you’d normally expect from vanilla-heavy perfumes.
Which is better?
It’s a close call, but I think I’ll go with the D&G scent. The lemon, spice, and how it ultimately moves into its lemon cake phase is just a tad more interesting to me. Sugary? Sure, but Devotion is very likeable.
Edge: Devotion
Projection
Neither of these is a massive projector nor a super heavy fragrance. Devotion is substantial and has a good reach. It doesn’t bog you down, even though it is a gourmand scent. There is a freshness underneath that prevents it from being a thick cloud.
I’d say that the D&G perfume is on the upper end of what could be considered moderate, if not crossing over into ‘strong’ territory. Not a beast, but very solid.
With Goddess, it’s also a moderate, but a step down from what I get with Devotion eau de parfum. The first few hours are good, still more of an intimate scent bubble, and then devolves into a skin scent.
Pretty good, but Devotion easily takes this category.
Edge: Devotion
Longevity
With Goddess, I’ve only been able to ever get somewhere in the 6-7 hour range, while wearing it. Not great, but fairly decent.
Does Devotion outdo the Burberry? Yep. I can get around 9 hours of wear from the Dolce & Gabbana fragrance. It’s also nothing too crazy, but does the job well for the needs of most people.
Edge: Devotion
Versatility
Seasonally, both of these are autumn through springtime wears. If it’s too warm out, I’d probably opt for something else. Outside of that however, these will work quite well.
Neither goes too heavy and maintain a lightness that can move beyond just a standard winter gourmand fragrance.
Neither of them are a formal perfume either. They’re mainly going to fit into more of a daytime wear role, casual, and maybe some nightlife. I think either could be a potential signature scent, most like for a younger woman, or those who love the sweeter fragrances.
Not much of a difference here, as they really do overlap in terms of use case.
Edge: Push
Overall Scent
Overall, which of these two perfumes do I actually prefer more?
With Burberry Goddess, it’s a very pleasant mainstream fragrance. Nothing too bold or unique about it, but I like the use of vanilla and that light easy to wear feeling that I get while wearing it.
I never have thought that the name Goddess actually fit with what the scent actually is, but it’s a nice fragrance overall.
However, I like Devotion by D&G more than the Burberry option.
It’s not a massive preference for me, but I lean more towards Devotion being the better perfume. It does have better performance, so, that is another notch on its belt.
Devotion EDP isn’t as reliant on its vanilla notes and I think that the lemony baked goods and spice is just more interesting and smells a bit better, in my opinion.
You actually might prefer Devotion Intense versus either of these (I do). It’s not way ahead of either of these but the sugary citrus doesn’t have the same grip over the formula as it does in the EDP version.
Winner: Devotion
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with the different fragrances that I’ve owned, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, that new hobby grew into a consistent passion, helping millions of readers along the way. I have personally written reviews for well over 800 perfumes and colognes for both men and women. This is along with writing hundreds of other in-depth fragrance guides.
– The Beat is a different scent from Burberry, but Touch for Women, is kind of in its own zone entirely. One of its main notes is red pepper, which you don’t see often, in a ladies fragrance.
– VIP Private Show is a good option for those who want the fruitiness of a Burberry Her aroma, with a slight tropical twist. It too gives you the raspberry, orange, violet, musk, amber, and woods.
