By Designer

6 Perfumes Similar to Chanel Gabrielle

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Chanel released Gabrielle a number of years ago now. Since then, it has become a fairly popular white floral blend with a citrusy sort of opening. Not really groundbreaking stuff, but one that can be very nice to wear.

As such, people tend to want to find similar perfumes, which are either cheaper or other designer fragrances in the same sphere as  the pricy Chanel. In this post, I want to present 6 (well, 7, technically) fragrances that can serve as potential alternatives. 

 

Favorite fragrances that smell similar to Chanel’s Gabrielle

Ylang-Ylang Similarities

Floral Ylang Ylang– So, this is Dossier’s interpretation of the Gabrielle formula. To my knowledge, this is the only attempt at creating a ‘inspired by’ perfume based on the Chanel notes. At least among brands that I trust to have quality product..

Update: Another one has been released, see below.

This is going to be the one to go with, if you’re looking for a near match of the aroma that you get with our target scent.

This starts off with a bright use of grapefruit and blackberry, paired with a top note of lily. Then, you get into the floral heart led by ylang ylang with jasmine and tuberose.

Again, this is inspired by Gabrielle. So, it may not be exactly the same, but it is a very good impression for a much cheaper price than the designer original.

Dear Similarities

Dear Gabby by Alexandria– Here is the second alternative option for those who want a perfume inspired by the Gabrielle formula. This one comes from Alexandria Fragrances, who I’ve had good experiences with in the past.

Dear Gabby is an extrait de parfum concentration, which is higher than what you get with the original. Not necessarily stronger, but it likely will have a greater staying power and potentially bring some more projection while wearing.

Now, I haven’t tried this fragrance out as of this update. But, I’m including it as another option for those who don’t want the Dossier, and because this is a brand that I know to usually do a great job at matching the vibe of a designer scent.

 

J’adore Options

Christian Dior J’Adore Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– So, from the J’adore line by Dior, you have a few options. The original J’adore EDP is pretty similar. While J’adore l’absolu kind of goes between Gabrielle and Gabrielle Essence. 

I actually prefer the Chanel scents to either of these, but not by a huge margin, and you can generally find bottles of Dior a bit (sometimes significantly) cheaper. 

L’absolu goes with jasmine and tuberose as its floral highlights. It lacks the fruity notes, however. Meanwhile, J’adore EDP gives you ylang-ylang and jasmine, along with notes of plum and blackberry up top.

Inexpensive White Floral and Citrus

Vera Wang Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounces–  The floral notes used between Gabrielle and Versa Wang are different. So is the overall quality, although this isn’t a cheap mess, by any means.

But, the structure of these two fragrances are similar. Clean and bright citrus up top, with a white floral heart and a musky/sandalwood base. The main difference is this one uses lily, lotus, Bulgarian rose, and gardenia as its floral bouquet.

It has more of a soapy quality than Gabrielle, but it retains some of that same sort of sweetness. An easy to wear scent with a low key profile, but quite presentable quality and longevity. 

Mix of a Few

 

White Diamonds Legacy– Obviously, there haven’t been a ton of new releases from the Elizabeth Taylor line. However, this updated take on the classic White Diamonds, actually has a good deal of overlap with how Gabrielle comes across.

Legacy is a more modern white floral than its namesake White Diamonds. Which, gives it a closer proximity to the Chanel.

This one has gardenia, orange blossom, and jasmine leading the floral heart. Gardenia is the most noticeable of them. But, that ylang ylang isn’t going to be in here. That’s the biggest difference.

Still, musky with sandalwood in the base, and we get a light citrus top also. Early on, the citrus notes are joined by a slight spice. Then, we get a great creaminess and a light sweetness throughout.

Not an exact match, but a likeable cheap alternative, and close relation.

A Fruitier Cheapie

Crush by Rihanna– Now, this isn’t a one to one with how it’s structured, as it has more of a fruity profile than does Gabrielle. However, this Rihanna perfume does hit a lot of the same beats.

The citrus notes are quite similar and ylang-ylang plays an important role here. Along with, an additional pink pepper.

Up top, you get the citrus blend. As it moves forward, ylang-ylang and berries become more prominent. Towards the end, you get some fresh woods, paired with the berries and some lingering orange from the opening.

Crush is like Gabrielle, while remaining completely unique and a great value play. It probably has the same level of performance, if not better than the Chanel scent. 

4 Perfumes Similar to Burberry Goddess

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Goddess has become a successful and very popular perfume for Burberry, since its release. It’s sure to have future flankers and other brands coming in to try and copy its scent. However, what are some alternatives or similar smelling perfumes to Goddess?

Which fragrances can currently fit the bill that are cheaper or have a slightly different aroma to the Burberry eau de parfum? Here is my ongoing list of potential options.

What Fragrances Smell Like or are Similar Alternatives to Burberry Goddess?

An Alternative Goddess Within

Goddess Within Her by Dua– Well, it didn’t take too long after the release of Burberry Goddess, to get the first ‘inspired by’ take of its formula on the market. This one, is from the Dua Brand.

It’s going to try and hit the same beats as the designer original. The cacao, ginger, vanilla, lavender, and the rest of the notes are all here. All that’s left is to get the weightings of each note correct (or close enough).

Now, I haven’t tried this one as of yet. But, I have owned a dozen or so similar fragrances from Dua, and they’ve all managed to hit quite near the target of the designer perfume they were trying to mimic.

Another 

Athena by Maison Alhambra– It took a while to get another fragrance that could be a legitimate alternative to the popular Burberry perfume, but Athena does the job well, and at a great price.

Lavender and vanilla really dominate this one, especially past that first opening stage. Not quite the same spice profile as Goddess and doesn’t seem as smooth. Jasmine and ylang-ylang also play a role here, which sort of gives it a different take on the target aroma.

Still, it’s very close to what you can expect, albeit not a perfect match. Ginger isn’t a factor and the dry down of this is more floral than the vanilla that I get with the Burberry.


A Playful Cheapie

Siren by Paris Hilton– Okay, this one is definitely not the same. If you’re looking for a cheaper near match with Goddess, go with the Dua above. However, this one does strike me a sweeter and tropical version of this perfume style.

Siren, is sort of a mix between Viva La Juicy and Goddess, but with a tropical flower flare. You get a good mix of the vanilla and a great creamy warmth like you do with those two fragrances. But, it’s all paired with fruits like apricot and there’s frangipani instead of the lavender note.

It’s all thickened by a honey note and supported by orchid. There’s some powderiness in the dry down of Siren. Again, not anything close to a one to one match, but Siren reminds me of aspects of Goddess.

Similar Style, Different Scent

Mon Guerlain– I wanted to include Mon Guerlain on the list. Not because, it smells exactly the same (it doesn’t), but because it has a similar style to Goddess. And some, who are unfamiliar with the one, might actually prefer it to the Burberry.

The focus here is also on the vanilla and lavender notes. Though, this one has more depth, a greater use of floral notes, and an interesting licorice note, which can come through at times.

Mon Guerlain is more balanced versus being so vanilla-centric. Lavender, jasmine, and even some iris are prominent. It lacks the cacao note, so, just a head’s up if that’s what you’re partial to in Goddess.

Yet, it does have a tonka bean and resinous aspect in the base which plays well with the vanilla notes. Mon Guerlain Review

Black Opium vs Prada Candy Perfume Comparison

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So, here we are, back with another round of perfume comparisons. Today, we have two sweet and popular designers scents for women: Black Opium EDP by Yves Saint Laurent vs. Prada Candy. Now, both of these are the eau de parfum versions of each respective scents. Which of these two gourmand perfumes smells the best? Which gives a better performance? Please continue below for my full take of them head to head.

Tale of the Tape: Black Opium vs. Candy

Black Opium

black opium perfume review

Notes include: coffee, vanilla, patchouli, pink pepper, orange blossom, cedar

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, Black Opium, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Black Opium

Prada Candy

Notes include: caramel, musk, and benzoin

Click here to try: Prada Prada Candy Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 2.7 Ounce

Read my original review: Prada Candy

Opening

The opening of Black Opium is probably when it’s at its worst. It’s messy and has a lot going on. Orange blossom, vanilla, and cedar among other notes are heavily present and intense. The YSL scent just takes about ten minutes to work itself out before the perfume really gets going.

After that, we get a still super sweet fragrance, but the vanilla and emergent coffee pair up to straighten out the composition.

Meanwhile, Prada Candy, is also sweet just darker. It doesn’t have the intensity and swaps in caramel to be paired with benzoin and some musk.

I love the benzoin note here and it strikes me as being sort of like a more feminine version of Body Kouros, which is actually a Yves Saint Laurent cologne.

Between the two? I prefer the start to Prada Candy. Black Opium gets better, just the opening struggles for a bit. It’s kind of messy and I think some of the later flankers to Black Opium got it better, in this regard.

Edge: Candy

Projection

Black Opium is very strong perfume. A couple sprays should do it for just about any occasion and any more than that just won’t be necessary. Prada Candy is much more of a light to moderate scent and cannot compete with the sillage of Black Opium.

It’s probably a good thing for Candy, as if it were strong, it’d start to get annoying. Nonetheless, the stronger of the two is the YSL fragrance.

Edge: Black Opium

Longevity

I get about 6-7 hours from Prada Candy, on my skin. That’s solid and could be useful in a variety of scenarios. Still, it’s nothing that’s amazing or of great value versus the Prada price point.

However, Black Opium is an all day wear. I got double digit hours out of that perfume with no trouble at all. Performance wise, the YSL is dominant. Some later Black Opium flankers didn’t seem to ever reach this same level.

As far as I’ve experienced with the original, it hasn’t gotten noticeably weaker over the years.

Prada is serviceable, but Black Opium gets you plenty of bang for your buck.

Edge: Black Opium

Versatility

Both of these perfumes are cold weather wears. Both can be worn casually or at work. Plus, have enough sexiness to be worn out at night. Perhaps, Prada Candy is a bit safer for work because it isn’t as loud, but that’s really the only edge I see.

Either is a nice and sweet selection that can be a easy reach when the temperatures start to drop.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, the both of these perfumes are of the sweet, gourmand, and cold weather variety. Prada Candy is fairly linear and moderate in its presentation and performance.

You get the sweet and salty caramel and then later, more of benzoin and musk. There is also a dash of powder in there for good measure.

Black Opium EDP is a bold fragrance that isn’t dark like the name would suggest. It’s really sweet with vanilla and coffee.

Add to that, a warm pink pepper note, and the ever present orange blossom note. It has more of a rich and cozy feeling than does Candy, while also being more complex and ultimately more interesting.

Which is better? I’d go with Black Opium. For most ladies, it will be the better bet. Now, if you want something subtler, Candy might be the way to go.

However, Black Opium gives a better performance and outside of the opening 10 minutes of confusion, it smells nicer than does Prada Candy.

Winner: Black Opium

Light Blue Eau Intense for Women by Dolce & Gabbana

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D&G’s Light Blue is one of the best selling ladies’ fragrances on the market. It was only natural that it would spawn a ton of flanker perfumes, as a result. The main follow up scent, is the subject of today’s review, Light Blue Eau Intense for Women. It was released in 2017. How does it smell? Is the performance any good? Is it worth a try?

What does Light Blue Eau Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, granny smith apple, amberwood, marigold, and jasmine

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense For Women Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3 oz

My Full Wear Review

Light Blue Eau Intense opens up with its fruity notes taking center stage. Initially, I get more of the granny smith apple note over the lemon, but that will reverse as it moves along.

Underneath this layer of fruit is the marigold, which provides Eau Intense with a fairly light floral, at least against the strength of the fruits. When drawn together, it has a very fresh and engaging scent, that lacks the cedar found in the original Light Blue.

I actually think that this is a nice change of pace from the original. The lemon is toned tone, mostly because the cedar isn’t there to enhance that sharpness.

Instead we get amberwood, which gives Eau Intense an added fresh kick, of a different kind.

For me, this is a fairly linear wear. I pretty much just get a muskier aroma, with added amberwood, and the lemon being the strongest of the fruits. The apple note, probably takes a 40% split.

Projection, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, Eau Intense, is exactly that. The first 30-60 minutes, this perfume is a bomb. It does settle down, eventually, but tread carefully when first applying.

The rest of the way, it’s certainly not weak, and won’t be a skin scent until the back half of the wear.

The performance is really good. Strong and lasts for a long time. It definitely got up there in the 9-10 hour range, during testing.

For a summertime scent or one for those who live in the tropics, that’s an amazing performance. This won’t get completely eaten up by the humidity and heat.

As I said, this is one for the warm to hot weather. It’s one of those rare birds, that can actually hang in that sort of climate. Of course, that can extend to the more moderate days of springtime, but you’d probably want another daily perfume for winter.

This is a daily wear type of fragrance. One you could wear to work, school, or casually. Not really a nighttime or formal perfume, but one to reach for when you need something fresh. Not a formal sort of scent, but can fit in a lot of different places otherwise.

It is an attractive fragrance, not sexy, but it does have a certain delicious appeal that will draw folks in and get complemented.

Overall Impressions of Light Blue Eau Intense

Do I like this perfume? Yes, I enjoy it more than the original, personally. However, that won’t be the case for everyone.

It is one of the better releases of the Light Blue series. But, one very much like the initial release. If you want a different smelling flanker, Sunset in Salina was surprisingly good.

What I do like about it, is the enhanced apple note, and its boldness. The performance is top notch, with an enticing cleanliness.

For some, that intensity, may scare them off. It can be too much, for those who cannot handle a little sharpness in their fragrances. I think that it settles down, with some time, but you might not want to get to that point.

I would suggest that if you want a lighter version of this or the original Light Blue, go with I Love Love by Moschino. Gives you the fruitiness and cedar freshness, with a more tolerable sillage.

You could also go with Light Blue Forever, as an updated sort of remix of the original Light Blue. Or one of the many perfume which attempt to ‘dupe’ Light Blue.

For anyone else? I would say that this is one to try out. This is especially true, if you happen to live in a hotter climate, as it could be one that you could end up using a lot.

6 Perfumes Similar to Alien Goddess

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Alien Goddess has become a very popular flanker spun off from the extremely popular original Alien perfume from Mugler. Maybe its the coconut water or something else that people are into, but it just works.

However, you may want something a little different from Alien Goddess or Alien Goddess Intense. You might like aspects of that perfume, but not the entire thing. Or, you want something nearly identical for cheaper. Or, a similar style. In any case, this is the page where I will keep track of all the options that smell like Alien Goddess.

What Fragrances Smell Like or are Similar to Alien Goddess?

alien goddess review

Floral Swap

Metallique by Tom Ford– Right off the bat, this isn’t the same as Goddess. But, between it and Goddess Intense this does have much of the same note structure. Just different weightings and different effects.

Still, if you like Goddess the style of this Tom Ford perfume should appeal to you. Bright and cold aldehydes kick things off alongside the same bergamot and pink pepper notes that are found in the Mugler’s.

Heliotrope is also here. However, Metallique feels like more of a general floral blend that is paried with the musk, amber, and aldehydes. None of the tropical aspects are here without the coconut. But, you get a creamy vanilla and sandalwood in the base, that picks up the slack.

Famous Similarities

Fame by Paco Rabanne– Fame or Fame Parfum do have a good deal of overlap with the Goddess series. Fame Parfum is the better of the two Paco Rabanne scents, but I like Goddess Intense the best of all of them.

Instead of the coconut water found in Alien Goddess, we get mango. The tropical aroma and the floral aspects of these fragrances are similar, but not the same.

Jasmine, vanilla, and sandalwood are strong in the EDP version of Fame. The tropical aroma, doesn’t last long.

With Fame Parfum, you get a longer time with the mango and some fresh spice with pink pepper. The dry down with the jasmine and sandalwood also feels smoother. Not a replica of Alien Goddess, but inhabits the same style.

Cristal Connection

La Vie est Belle Soleil Cristal by Lancome– This is another one that has a pretty similar style and smell to Alien Goddess without being the same. It, Fame, and Goddess all inhabit the same category with differences in their blends. Maybe, Bronze by Ellen Tracy too.

With Soleil Cristal, you get a sparkling opening of citrus and coconut notes. It’s bright and lively without feeling like a sugary bomb.

I get some spice and more of the coconut note here, than the vanilla. Less creamy, with a fresher dynamic. Iris and ylang-ylang are the background supporters to the coconut and vanilla notes, clean with some powdery highlights.

I like this one, not fantastic, but can give you a slightly different look and mix than what the Mugler perfume offers. Soleil Cristal review

soleil cristal review

Rose, Coconut, Vanilla

La Nuit Tresor Nude by Lancôme– One that is like our target, but the big difference is in the floral note used. Rose versus the signature jasmine of the Alien series.

La Nuit Tresor Nude actually makes the strange pairing of rose and coconut work. How? Well, it’s more focused on the sweet and creamy notes than it is the floral. The rose is prominent in the dry down, when the vanilla starts coming through.

Early? Sweet and lotion-like coconut and the same bergamot as in Alien Goddess. But, it’s stronger in this Lancôme scent. I think this might be discontinued, but as of now its still plenty available online, if you’re interested.

Goddess Intense Sort of Smell

Donna Born in Roma Intense– This Valentino fragrance is more akin to Goddess Intense than the original Alien Goddess. Intense has a subdued bergamot citrus, less powder than the original, and a more substantial coconut.

Well, Born in Roma Intense doesn’t have the bergamot or coconut. However, the jasmine, amber, benzoin, and vanilla notes are all here.

To me, this is sweeter over the duration than is Intense. It doesn’t have the same level of soapiness in the dry down. Also, this one is more vanilla heavy than I get with the Mugler. After all, it doesn’t have the coconut.

No real price break is to be had. So, I’d probably go with this if you’re not a big fan of the coconut note, but like the idea of the rest of Alien Goddess Intense.

Ylang-Ylang Option

Replica Beach Walk– This Maison Margiela perfume isn’t exactly the same as Goddess, which may be a good thing. Here, you get a lot of overlap with it and Goddess Intense. But, there’s no jasmine.

Instead, that floral note is swapped out with a great ylang-ylang. The similarities are in the notes, but not necessarily how they’re constructed. Here, the scent feels more lotion-like, more like a salty beach day than the probably more well put together Mugler.

Personally, I’d go with the Alien Goddess series versus this one. But, this can be a viable alternative for people who still want the citrus, coconut, benzoin, and the like of the Mugler…just remixed into a different smell.