5 Perfumes Similar to Princess by Kilian

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I Don’t Need a Prince by My Side to be a Princess is not only a long title, it is also a very popular scent from Kilian. The sweetness, the matcha tea uniqueness, and the fluffed powdered marshmallow are all highlights of this scent. But, what other perfumes smell similar to or are cheaper than Princess. This page keeps track of my ongoing list of alternatives.

Perfumes that Smell Like I Don’t Need a Prince by My Side to be a Princess

There’s no Prince

Princeless Princess by The Dua Brand– The first of the ‘inspired by’ options that I’ve found comes from The Dua Brand. They have a great track record with me, for providing scents that very closely resembling the designer fragrances that they are based on.

The formula consists of the same notes, it’s just a matter of how near they got to having the proper weighting of each.

Princeless Princess isn’t one that I’ve personally tried out yet, however. Though, since I’ve owned over 10 bottles of their other stuff, I can say they usually get close to the mark.

The Kilian isn’t all that complicated, so, this shouldn’t be too hard to match. It is also a more concentrated extrait de parfum, which makes it a good possibility that this one will last longer too.

Inspiration Royalty

Secret Duchess by Oakcha– Oakcha is another brand that does these ‘inspired by’ perfumes, like Dua. Their version of Princess is called Secret Duchess.

I have less experience with this brand and none with this scent in particular. However, I’m going to list it as another option, for those of you who want to give it a try.

Oakcha usually does great work and this is one with a ton of positive reviews to its name. The pricing is about on par with The Dua Brand, both of which are much less expensive when compared with Kilian.

Something Like

Ariana Grande Ari Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)– Ok, so, Princess isn’t exactly like Ari. But, I am reminded of it in comparison.

The overlap? Marshmallow, vanilla, and citrus.  Different floral notes, but Ari has a lily of the valley, which adds some light freshness to the mix.

The not so similar? Mainly, that tea note. Princess has more freshness (ginger), a greenish undertone, and probably a bit more powder. Peach and apple are also not here.

Ari dries down with a raspberry and pear sweetness, with that fluffy marshmallow note and an orchid. Sweet, with enough vanilla and marshmallow to have a similar style. Not super heavy, either.

It just can’t match the tea element. But, I figured that I should put this one the list anyway. Ari Full Review

The Prada Candy Option

Prada Candy L’eau– L’eau is a caramel-centered fragrance. So, right off of the bat, it’s not trying to be a replica of Princess. But, the style is quite similar.

This is still more of a blend of notes rather than a pure caramel explosion. It is like a powdery version of the original Prada Candy with a mix of Bonbon.

There is a sweetpea note here to distinguish L’eau from the others, but this definitely has their signature. But, since it is a L’eau version of this fragrance, it is fresher and lighter than the others in the series. Making it a worthy comparison to our target perfume.

L’eau is a lighter perfume with its sillage and overall performance. Not going to blow the doors off, but you’ll get a powdery, slightly fruity caramel blend, with a musky finish. Again, you’re lacking the matcha note in this one too.

Another One

No Prince Required by Fine’ry– Here’s another one that I’ve come across recently, but haven’t tried out. Obviously, with the name it’s going to be doing its best to try and mimic what you get with the Kilian scent.

But, from what I see this is available as a body spray only. So, the hefty discount isn’t going to get you a heavy concentration.

However, it might be worth trying if you want a cheap alternative to Princess, especially if you’re trying to preserve a bottle of the Kilian that you’ve previously bought. 

Is it good? I don’t know, but I’ll leave it here for anyone who wants to try No Prince Required out.

 

MYSLF EDP by YSL

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Myslfn is a new release from Yves Saint Laurent for 2023. After the endless Y and L’Homme flankers, I was excited to learn that they had come out with something different. I didn’t know anything about it before buying a sample online. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a buy?

What does Myslf by YSL Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, orange blossom, woods, patchouli, ambrofix

Click here to try: Myslf by YSL

My Full Review

Here’s how YSL describes it: The first YSL Beauty woody floral for a contrasted trail of modernity.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this YSL coming into testing it. I saw comparisons between it and the women’s perfume, Libre by YSL after I ordered my sample, and wasn’t too excited for the prospect.

The thing is, it’s not really like Libre. Maybe closer to Libre L’Absolu Platine, which I also have a sample of. Even then, you’d have to strip out the lavender and aldehydes, which are major players in that fragrance.

Myslf starts off with it’s ‘fresh accord’, which basically consists of bergamot citrus notes, sitting on top of a strong use of orange blossom. It’s actually very nice.

The first time I wore this, I went outside for a stroll around the neighborhood and was loving the opening act and its mix of freshness and creaminess from the white floral.

The orange blossom will take over much of what the bergamot controlled up top. Patchouli and wood also appear, providing a slight earthy and spicy quality, while Myslf still manages to feel fairly clean.

The dry down comes and there is less distinction between the notes. The usual ambroxan fare, with the woody base, and a general aromatic smell perched front and center.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection in that first hour is good. Not a heavy fragrance, but it leaves a scent trail, and you can easily smell it on yourself.

I like to test scents outside, when I go for a daily walk. This was fantastic in that 30 minute window, when I had it sprayed on my wrist only. The scent itself was lovely, along with how it hung around me. Not quite a thick cloud, but more than a mist.

On my skin, this one will go for 6-7 hours. However, those last 3-4 hours are skin scent level performance. The first hour is really good and the next couple after that are decent.

Not an amazing performer. At the price point that Myslf is at, this is a reasonably disappointing result.

Seasonally, Myslf works best in the spring through autumn. It could be a year round fragrance, for those in a warmer climate. But, I’d probably go with something else during winter, for everyone else.

It’s a versatile clean. Any age group can wear it. Myslf isn’t a formal, wear it with a tuxedo type of cologne, but it works as an office daily wear. At school, casually, semi-formal events, etc.

It’s a scent that will be well-liked by others. It’s not a sexy sort of fragrance or one that’ll be a nightlife beast, either. Just one that can fit in pretty much anywhere else.

Overall Impressions of Myslf

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I do like it. It’s not a must have for me, but I do especially enjoy the first half of the wear.

Myslf isn’t a super unique or complex cologne. Though, that fresh accord paring with the orange blossom is very nice and attractive. It’s an easy to wear scent, that is clean and super versatile with its uses.

I like the light spiciness that comes through and that touch of earthiness. It’d be cool with some more of that.

Is it going to be one for those who love niche fragrances? Probably not. However, for the average consumer, this is a legitimate option if you just want to smell pleasant.

My biggest problem with this YSL, is the performance relative to the price. Not insanely expensive, but I want more longevity and power if I’m paying retail. I saw the small bottle selling for just under $90, which is a lot more than I’m willing to give up.

Outside of that, I think this is a very solid release. So long as you don’t have sky high expectations about what it should be or what YSL might have released instead of this.

Prada Paradoxe vs. Intense Comparison

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Prada released Paradoxe in 2022 and it has already become one of the more popular fragrances out there. Obviously, they were going to follow it up with subsequent flanker releases. The first being, 2023’s Paradoxe Intense. I suspect more will be following. However, until then, I want to do a comparison post between these first two. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the right one to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Paradoxe vs. Paradoxe Intense

Paradoxe

Notes include: neroli, pear, tangerine, bergamot, orange blossom, white musk, jasmine, vanilla, amber, benzoin

Click here to try: Paradoxe by Prada

My review: Paradoxe EDP

Paradoxe Intense

Notes include: pear, neroli, bergamot,  jasmine, moss, ambrofix, vanilla

Click here to try: Paradoxe Intense by Prada

Opening

Paradoxe opens up sweet, fruity, and bright. The neroli is going to be a major factor in that first 20-30 minutes, as the floral note.

But, on me, that quickly shifts more into the orange blossom’s direction, as we enter the middle act.

The fruitiness comes across more like a candy flavoring versus a pure natural fruit. Some sparkling pear is in the mix, but lots of citrus influence (tangerine is the strongest fruit, early) for the opening of the original Paradoxe.

This will become more floral after the opening burst. Again, for me I get more orange blossom, even versus the jasmine. Neroli still has a presence, but the orange blossom is stronger at this point.

With Intense, you get a bit of a different start. It is still sweet, but it lacks the tangerine and orange blossom aspect. More neroli, with a balance between the pear and bergamot.

The other very noticeable differences are the jasmine and the moss note. The fruitiness is toned down, but between that and the moss, I do enjoy this initial fresh quality versus the candy fruitiness of the first Paradoxe.

It’s clean and you have hints of the substantial amber accord already popping up.

Which is better? It’s a close call. While I enjoy the orange blossom and the sweetness of the original, I have tended to favor the opening of Intense during testing.

It’s simpler and I enjoy the light fruit notes with the neroli, jasmine, and moss. All together, that smells quite nice.

Edge: Intense

Projection

I don’t find either of these fragrances to be particularly massive with how they project, hang in the air, etc. I’d say that each is well above average in the first hours.

Then, they’ll be more moderate. Noticeable to you, just not screaming for attention from anyone who’s not very close.

Between them, Intense does have a bit more power behind it. Not much more, but it is noticeably stronger, when I spray it on a shirt sitting across the room from me.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

The performance of each of these perfumes is great. Paradoxe seems to have a wide range of outcomes, in terms of hours that it lasts on skin.

For me it’s like 8.5-10 hours of wear before it completely goes away. The last 3-4 hours are just a slight musk, floral, and some amber. But, it is still there.

With Intense, it can go 11 hours and maybe a little past that. But, it hit double digit hours, each time that I used it. So, maybe an extra hour or two on the skin. That moss really hangs around.

Edge: Intense

Versatility

Not much difference here. They cover similar use cases, which is fairly vast, as both are solid daily wear options for a lot of people.

Seasonally, Intense is better in the winter. Paradoxe is better in the summer. However, neither are built specifically for those seasons. Slightly cool temperatures to slightly warm, is the sweet spot for each.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, overall which Paradoxe fragrance do I prefer between these first two entries of the series?

To start, I don’t think either is amazing. But, I find them both enjoyable and above average across the board.

While I do slightly prefer the opening of Paradoxe Intense, I’m going to have to go with the original, based on the whole experience.

The Intense opening isn’t a massive difference, but I think that Paradoxe smells better in the middle and dry down periods, than its flanker.

Intense goes mossy, jasmine, amber, with some vanilla to finish things off. Clean, kind of soapy, with that moss and amber really coming through. Actually, its the ambrofix, a lot have brands have been using which adds a further woody aroma to the scent.

Paradoxe Intense sort of reminds me of a Cartier release, during the back half of the wear. Like, one of the La Panthere perfumes (not as good), can’t remember which specifically though.

Meanwhile, Paradoxe dries down with more of a balance than that very sweet opening. It’s soapy, but goes with orange blossom, as its floral centerpiece. Though, more of that jasmine will come into play.

It’s fresh with it’s light musk note, still has some sweetness, less of the amber and vanilla (still present, though). I just like the orange blossom more than the jasmine note. And fruity sweetness to the moss.

There isn’t a large gap between them. If you don’t like sweet, you might consider going with Intense and it’s stronger performance. But, how everything plays out, I like the original.

Winner: Paradoxe

Boss Bottled Tonic by Hugo Boss

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I have gone through a ton of different Hugo Boss fragrances on this site. Some surprised me as to how much I enjoyed wearing a particular fragrance, while others I couldn’t understand what the appeal of it actually was.

Today’s review is going to deal with the flanker fragrance to a Hugo Boss cologne that I actually enjoyed, and that flanker’s name is Boss Bottled Tonic.

How does this one smell? Perform? When should it be worn? Is it worth a buy? Please continue below for my full take on Tonic.

What does Boss Bottled Tonic Smell Like?

Notes include: citrus, apple, cinnamon, ginger, and woodsy notes

Click here to try: Hugo Boss BOTTLED TONIC Eau de Toilette, 3.3 Fl Oz

My Full Wear Review

Boss Bottled Tonic opens with a crisp and watery blend of apple and orange. It strikes me as quite cold, like iced club soda with citrus squeezed into it.

That’s actually a really nice change of pace. Many others that go this route, try to make it some sort of gin and tonic aroma. This Boss scent doesn’t go the alcoholic path.

It’s a light fragrance and one with a bit of spice to it. The ginger note is the main player but there is also the cinnamon found in the original Boss Bottled.

As it moves along, it becomes more woodsy. The ginger tonic water is still there but the citrus and apple notes have begun to recede at this point.

After this point, the fragrance really stops developing, as far as I can tell and is wholly linear. What your left with is a splash with ginger, light woods, and the remains of the opening fruit notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Boss Bottled Tonic is super light. Upon first application, it is fairly moderate, but that ends in short order. So, yeah, the sillage of this one isn’t great. It’s not going to leave a huge scent trail or even create much of a bubble for yourself to enjoy.

The longevity on my skin was kind of meh. I put a lot of it on my wrists and the scent was still gone in 4-5 hours. That seems to be the max. But, that super long type of wear is not really what this kind of cologne is designed for.

So, coming into purchasing this, you’ll have to expect a short-lived refresher kind of cologne. Much more limited in its use case versus others.

Seasonally, Boss Bottled Tonic is spring and summer. Built for casual wear or something low key for office settings. It’s not a club beast and while clean, isn’t what you’d call sexy. It could be worn subtly, to decent effect.

This fragrance is just something to spray on before the gym or when you want a quick refresher. It isn’t really strong enough, at least on me, to be very much more than that.

Though, within that framework in the summer, it does have a certain appeal to it.

Overall Impressions of Boss Bottled Tonic

Overall, do I like Boss Bottled Tonic. I like aspects of it, but would rather wear the original Boss Bottled. The overall composition never really grabs my attention and I can’t really see myself ever wanting to wear this, even if I had a full bottle available.

It’s nice, but it doesn’t really seem to serve any real purpose for me. Everything about it just screams average.

I enjoy the ginger note and the cool aroma it brings on a warm day. Other than that, the scent is entirely forgettable to me.

The ginger with the opening citrus and apple is my favorite part, I’d say. After that, it’s nothing that exciting.

If you can get this cheap, really love the Boss Bottled series, or are looking for a short-lived summertime freshie…maybe this will be one to consider. If you want a daily wear fragrance, this isn’t going to be it.

Polo Blue Parfum by Ralph Lauren

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Polo Blue Parfum is one that I had encountered once last year in 2022, when it was released. This year, I finally got a sample, in order to test out this latest incarnation of the Blue formula. I had pretty much forgotten what it was like, so, this was almost like a new experience for me. What does it smell like? Does Polo Blue last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Polo Blue Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, cardamom, pink pepper, clary sage, vetiver, lavender, jasmine, oak, olibanum, patchouli

Click here to try: Polo Blue Parfum

My Full Review

Here’s how Ralph Lauren describes it:  (Polo Blue Parfum) is an enveloping and seductive fragrance that adds a new intensity of rich sensuality to the iconic fragrance collection.

Blue Parfum starts off with its top notes different from the usual Polo Blue formula, but I can tell that this is a Polo Blue fragrance. It’s just using some different notes.

Actually, one thing I noticed is how this also resembles an Acqua di Gio scent. For me, it comes across as a spicier and less marine version of AdG eau de parfum. Also, lacks the metallic note of the Armani.

These two colognes do have a lot of overlap: mandarin, vetiver, patchouli, clary sage, and lavender.

So, Blue Parfum is like a Polo Blue (maybe closer to EDP) and Acqua di Gio EDP.

Anyway, Parfum starts off with its mandarin note, being quite apparent. Not as standalone powerful, as in AdG, but its there and noticeable. For me, I get clary sage, with the pink pepper and cardamom not overwhelming me with their intensity.

Yes, this is spicy and fresh, but it’s totally balanced with that citrus note.

The next phase comes in, with more of the vetiver and lavender. It’s smoother, less spicy, and the mandarin takes a back seat. The fruit, will stick around just not to the same extent.

Woodsy, clean, aromatic, with some earthy smokiness popping through. No worries though, this isn’t going to go completely ‘dirty’, sticking close to a mainstream wearable fougere fragrance.

As I get further into the dry down, it’s really woodsy. Oak, vetiver, patchouli, sage, and the rest all working in a balanced harmony with one another. Nothing too complex here, but clean and fresh and easy to wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one is none too heavy, but has a decent projection radius of 6-7 feet, in the early part of the wear. That will come in towards you, to become a more intimate fragrance shortly thereafter.

However, it’s certainly not weak and can hang in the air quite nicely.

On my skin, it’ll go 6-7.5 hours. The others in the series tend to be in the 5-7 hour range, but this gives me about an hour more, on the whole. Though, it seems to have made it to at least six hours each time that I tested Parfum out.

Blue Parfum is of course a very wearable fragrance for most of the year. It works well in warm weather, is decent on the hotter days as well. It’s one that is designed to be an easy to grab daily wear and it fits the bill.

It’s suitable for all ages. Can be worn to work, school, etc. Not a club beast or one of the ‘sexiest’ colognes out there, just smells nice and has a good balance.

Overall Impressions of Blue Parfum

Overall, do I like Blue Parfum? It’s pretty good. After testing this one for a while, I think I enjoy others in the series like EDT, EDP, and Deep Blue more than this.

Parfum certainly has its moments of being enjoyable. I like how they changed up the usual formula, while still managing to keep it a recognizable Polo Blue scent. Again, I don’t believe it to be better, but it certainly can compete with others in the series.

You get a woodsy rather than citrus and woody finish. More nuance than the EDT, depth, and a change in the notes. So, it has that going for it, if you happen to dig this style versus what you get with the others.

It’s still not completely unique, what with the overlaps between the other Blues and Acqua di Gio.

The one drawback is the price. This one is expensive for retail, especially considering that it might not be better (or that much better, depending on you tastes) versus others in the series.

I’d almost certainly go with an AdG or Chanel scent, if the choice was between them and Parfum, at this price point. With a good discount? Sure, this isn’t a bad selection.