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. 

Ari by Ariana Grande

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Ariana Grande hasn’t just become probably the biggest musical act on the planet, over the past decade, she has also the namesake of a very popular fragrance line. Her line of celebrity perfumes, are all selling quite well, and do so at a fair price point. Today, I am going to review Ari, the first release of the Ariana Grande scents which came out in 2015. How does it smell? Perform? Is it even worth a try?

What does Ari Perfume Smell Like?

Notes include: marshmallow, pear, orchid, grapefruit, raspberry, musk, rose, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Ari Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)

My Full Ari Review

The opening act of Ari is mostly about the fruit notes, which are sweet, and compelling. The marshmallow note at the base, is always present, but becomes much more noticeable later on. For now, it is playing a support role for the raspberry and grapefruit.

Raspberry is the strongest aroma to my nose at first, then, grapefruit. To me, the pear will get a little bit stronger and have its moments in the light. Though, it’s not all that powerful on my skin. 

So, the opening is a pretty typical fruity scent, that you will find in many other celeb fragrances. However, Ari really separates itself during the dry down, when it becomes a very pleasant and somewhat distinct scent from others on the market.

It does remind me of a Juicy Couture sort of fragrance, very similar style, as those. I don’t think it’s an exact clone, however, of Viva La Juicy or the others…just strike the same chord.

 

After about 15 minutes of the initial burst, Ari gets more floral influence. There is a vanilla orchid and some musk that ascend, along with the marshmallow. Now, there are a couple of other flowers, that only really play a support role. 

At this point I get mostly the marshmallow with orchid and a raspberry/pear mix. The rest of the notes, sit underneath that top layer. In the end, this is most of what your going to get, as the perfume is fairly linear.

Expect a girly, fruity/floral, which turns into a marshmallow led version of that. It’s sweet with warm elements and a cute upbeat vibe.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage isn’t super powerful, nor is it meant to be. With this level of sweetness, I think a heavy cloud would become headache inducing. Nonetheless, its limited projection abilities, isn’t a bad thing.

It’s soft, but not really weak, in my opinion. It airy and cloud like, think fluffy soft marshmallow aroma. 

The longevity is pretty good, but not outstanding. On my skin, it hung around for 5 hours. Obviously, it can go longer on clothing, so long as you don’t mind damaging the material a bit. 

Seasonally, it can pretty much be worn year round. Maybe avoid the high heat of summer, but other than that, it’ll be fine. This Ariana Grande perfume is probably best served for the under 25 crowd. 

It’s sweet and sugary, with a casual sensibility. Think school or just going around town. It’s not a formal or very serious fragrance. I think that it’s attractive, in the sense that it is quite a pretty perfume.

Overall Impression of Ari

Do I like this perfume? I do. Again, though, you will have to probably be in the intended demographic to wear it. For teens and college age women, this is an affordable option, for those who want something cute and sweet. 

The performance is acceptable, but not all that amazing. Once the marshmallow and orchid come in fully, I feel like this scent is at its absolute best. 

It’s a delicious, light, sugary experience. One that I enjoyed catching whiffs of throughout the day. It’s happy and fun. Worth a try.

I still think that Ari holds up as one of the best releases from Ariana Grande. Not the top of the top, but certainly in the top half.

At retail price, it might be a tad too expensive for what it is. Nothing major, but I would try to get it on sale, if possible.

Nautica Voyage vs Acqua di Gio Cologne Comparison

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In this edition of our head to head men’s cologne match ups, we have two best-selling entries: Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani vs. Nautica Voyage. Which of these two fragrances smells the best? Which has the better performance? Ultimately, which is the better deal? I will break down several deciding factors and as always, have linked to my original reviews on both, below.

Tale of the Tape: AdG vs. Voyage

Nautica Voyage

Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, lotus, amber, mimosa, and oak moss

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage Eau de Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 oz

Read my original review: Nautica Voyage Review

Acqua di Gio

Notes include: bergamot, tangerine, neroli, jasmine, rosemary, patchouli, rock rose, hyacinth, persimmon, marine notes

Click here to try: Acqua Di Gio By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Acqua di Gio 

Opening

Voyage opens up with a crisp, chilled, and water opening; it’s sort of like a cucumber aroma. This stems from the blend of apple, musk, and mimosa. It’s quite musky and has a green floral vibe sitting underneath that crisp apple top note.

Meanwhile, Acqua di Gio opens with, a citrus blend of tangerine and bergamot. This is flanked by a wonderful sea breeze-like accord with soft jasmine only beginning to peak through. With newer bottles, the jasmine does seem a bit stronger than it once was, but I like it.

The citrus is juicy enough up top and the mix of the marine notes with the floral highlights is still awesome, after all of these years.

Which is better? I’ll go with AdG. The start of Nautica Voyage is my least favorite part of that fragrance. It’s kind of messy and the musk overwhelms. The Armani cologne, on the other hand, has a really great citrus aquatic start that is both fresh and captivating.

Edge: AdG

Projection

Both fragrances are pretty moderate in their sillage. The projection of either isn’t going to be huge, but is solid throughout the wear.

However, Acqua is slightly more powerful than is Voyage, and the original bottles were quite a bit stronger. It used to be more in the upper moderate range of projection, while not being a heavy fragrance, now it’s on that lower end of moderate for most of the wear.

Edge: ADG

Longevity

Acqua di Gio and Voyage are pretty consistent with what they get me, in terms of how long they last on my skin. Voyage is 5-7 hours of wear. AdG is 6-7 hours. There’s no real clear advantage here.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Voyage has several strong points, for a cologne in the price range. One of which, is its versatility. It can be worn casually or at school or even at a job. Best fits in spring/summer, but can go year round, as well.

Acqua di Gio, can do all of that, and more. It has a more substantial and even somewhat of a more mature smell (though, neither is overly serious). AdG can be worn on a date or for other evening events, while Voyage doesn’t fit that mold.

Edge: ADG

Overall Scent

My clear winner in this match up is Acqua di Gio. The Armani fragrance is better smelling and the performance is fairly equal. I’ve owned both and I would pick AdG over Nautica almost every time.

Voyage is a great cheapie, though. The dry down period is nice and it does have its own vibe and popularity within this space…it just doesn’t out do Acqua. The Nautica is one of the better options at its level, though, it doesn’t compete too well with other designer scents.

If you’re going based off pure smell, go with Acqua di Gio. If price is the biggest factor, then, obviously Nautica Voyage is going to be the best bet. For me, I’d pick Profondo or Profumo ahead of either, but they’re generally more expensive.

It’s a solid enough cologne, but its popularity is based off of how it covers so many bases for so cheap. AdG, has a reputation built on its great smell, and has been a best-seller for decades now.

Winner: Acqua di Gio

Very Cool by Tommy Bahama

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I have already reviewed two Tommy Bahama colognes for men on this site and since I have a bottle of a third, Very Cool, I thought that I would do another for this post. I am updating this post in 2019, to further expand upon, my experiences with my bottle of this cologne. I’ve worn it enough times, to have a great feel, as to what it’s all about.

How does Very Cool measure up? Is it worth a purchase? How well does Very Cool perform? Read below, as I take a closer look at this cologne and see where it ranks among the pack.

What does Very Cool for Men Smell Like?

FullSizeRender (34)

Notes include: nutmeg, ginger, vetiver, bergamot, paprika, and mandarin orange

Click here to try: Very Cool by Tommy Bahama for Men Eau De Cologne Spray 3.4 FL. OZ./100 ML

My Full Review

During the opening of Very Cool, I definitely detect the ginger note in it. This fragrance has a spicy warmth to it that is mostly woodsy/outdoorsy fresh in its presentation. Though, I do detect a slight bitterness (perhaps the orange mixing with nutmeg?).

Also, there is a very faint similarity with Set Sail St. Barts, that emerges and I think that it is a bergamot note because I compared the two side by side and noticed a distinct scent in both.

The initial spray, really doesn’t have too much citrus to my nose. The orange and bergamot really sit underneath the surface, while the spiciness at the top develops.

Paprika, ginger, and nutmeg are the stars of the front end of this Tommy Bahama fragrance. This is the warmer part of Very Cool.

After about 15-20 minutes, this fragrance does become noticeably more of a citrus scent. Though, the citrus doesn’t seem to fully take over, it’s more of a 50/50 split with the woodsy/spiciness of the ginger and nutmeg notes.

This is also at the point where Very Cool, indeed lives up to its moniker, and becomes a cooler and more refreshing scent.

It is an interesting development for a summery type of fragrance. The use of spice here is much different from something like, Light Blue, which utilizes much more citrus with the pepper. This goes heavier on the freshness and spiciness and uses the citrus as sort of a dressing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Longevity wise, Very Cool would rank as poor to moderate. It doesn’t disappear completely, but it really isn’t an all day affair either. I tend to use my small 0.5 ounce bottle to freshen up before going to the gym. I can get 3-5 hours from it, of decent wear.

It also seems to project well at first, but then definitely dies down, and is ultimately a fairly light and airy fragrance.

The sillage goes from pretty strong to skin scent. It isn’t the worst longevity/projection scent that I’ve ever come across but it isn’t anywhere near where I would want it to be.

This is more of a casual daily wear. Spring and summer mostly. You can wear it in plenty of situations, but Very Cool isn’t much of a formal wear fragrance or one for romantic wear or nightlife.

It’s an easy to wear cologne, that’s going to be one you can have in your rotation for days you just want something refreshing and don’t need to think very much about it.

Overall Impressions of Very Cool

Would I recommend Very Cool? For the price, it’s a nice smelling cologne (it’s been discontinued, so, if you can even find a discounted bottle anymore. But, I wouldn’t spend more than $30, if you do come across it.).

Update: It looks like it’s back here in 2024. I’m seeing it on Amazon again. Though, selling for $65 per bottle, which is a reach.

This Tommy Bahama fragrance isn’t my favorite of all-time or anything, but I could definitely wear it on certain occasions.

My only real issue with this scent is the longevity, which could easily be fixed with some reapplication, which isn’t a bad idea because it is so inexpensive.

It is a really fresh casual scent that offers something different from the usual summertime fare.  Very Cool is a good smelling and safe scent, just know up front it isn’t a longevity beast.

Versace Eros vs D&G The One Cologne Comparison

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I don’t know why I haven’t already done a comparison between these two insanely popular fragrance on the site already. However, I guess it’s better late than never. So today, we have a head to head matchup between Versace Eros and The One EDP by Dolce & Gabbana.

I’ve replace the EDT version of The One on here, since it’s got such poor performance, and the eau de parfum is basically the same.

Which of these men’s best sellers smells the best? Gives the best performance? Is a better option to buy?

Tale of the Tape: The One vs. Eros

Versace Eros

Notes of Eros: mint, green apple, tonka bean, madagascar vanilla, vetiver, Italian lemon

Click here to try: Versace Eros Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 6.7 Fluid Ounce

My original Versace Eros Review

Dolce & Gabbana The One

Notes of The One: grapefruit, basil, coriander, amber, tobacco, ginger, cardamom, orange blossom, and cedar

Click here to try: The One

My Full Review: The One EDP

Opening

Depending on what bottle batch of The One you get nowadays, you might get more of a spice to the opening, but what remains the same is the beautiful blend of citrus, tobacco, and amber. It’s so absolutely smooth.

I have to admit, The One is near the top of my all-time favorite smells. The aroma is just outstanding, but as a fragrance it ultimately fails. I’ll get into that later, though.

Eros, by contrast, is a bold cologne right from the start. It’s sweet with a blend of fruit, a chocolate-like blend of vanilla/tonka bean, and a crisp mint note.

Update: Newer batches of Eros seem to have more of a lemon opening than it used to. It doesn’t have the same appeal to me, that it did.

While I really like the way Versace Eros smells…the opening of The One is utterly fantastic, in my mind. It sort of has everything that I want in a fragrance, which is why it gets the edge in this aspect.

Edge: The One

Projection

This category isn’t even close. Eros is a sillage monster. It is loud and makes a statement wherever you go. The One, is moderate at its absolute peak, and fairly light thereafter.

Edge: Eros

Longevity

With The One EDP, I get six-plus hours of wear, if I spray heavily. 4-5 hours, if I don’t It is much improved over the EDT which can disappear in an hour or two. Still, not on the level of the Versace cologne provides.

Whichever camp one falls into, Eros has the performance aspect on lockdown. It’s going to hit double digit hours in terms of longevity and seems to do so for almost everyone.

Update: I don’t get this same level anymore with newer bottles, but it still eclipses The One. Now, Eros EDT seems to be in the 8 hour range.

Edge: Eros

Versatility

Both of these colognes are cold weather scents. Both don’t hold up well in the heat. I’ll give The One the nod, as if it actually lasts on your skin, it is safer for work or casual wear.

Eros can be extremely loud and I liked to reserve it for the nighttime mostly. I think both work best at night, but The One has a versatile ability that Eros doesn’t.

Edge: The One

Overall Scent

If you’re asking me purely which one smells better, I’d go with The One by D&G. Eros smells great, but I just think that The One is near perfect…and no, Villain is not a proper substitute.

However, on balance? I used to say that, Versace Eros was the winner. It did smell great and has amazing performance capability. It is fresh, bold, and sexy.

I still think it’s a fine cologne to wear, at times. But, I’ve really lost interest in Eros over the years. It just doesn’t do it for me anymore.

The One. I adore it’s smell. It just doesn’t last that well, on my skin. The Eau de Parfum is passable, which is why I have a full bottle of it. The EDT version, isn’t worthwhile.

I like its refinement and depth versus what I get now from Eros. It smells better and the performance is good enough versus what newer batches of Eros offer. As such, I’m changing the winner on this page to The One.

Winner: The One