burberry

Burberry Goddess vs YSL Libre

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Burberry Goddess has become a very popular fragrance for women over the past few years. Another now pretty standard option is Libre by YSL. It has spawned a bunch of different flanker perfumes of the formula, but the original is still quite well loved.

But, which of these two perfumes smells better? Which of them lasts longer? Which is the fragrance that you should buy?

Tale of the Tape: Goddess vs. Libre

Burberry Goddess

Notes include: lavender, vanilla, cacao, ginger, vanilla absolute, vanilla caviar

Click here to try: Goddess by Burberry

Read my review: Goddess

Libre EDP

Notes include: lavender, white musks, orange flower, vanilla, orchid

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau De Parfum Spray for Women 90ml/3oz, clear

Read my review: Libre EDP

Opening

Libre eau de parfum opens with a vibrant blast of orange blossom (possibly with other citrus notes mixed in) alongside lavender, which grows increasingly the focus as it develops.

The fragrance has a soapy, somewhat musky quality with a creamy undertone that runs throughout. As it evolves, the lavender takes center stage while the musk becomes more pronounced.

The orchid is much more subdued compared to what you get with something like Libre Intense, and the vanilla stays in the background rather than leading the composition.

Goddess takes a sweet rather than tart direction, moving away from any fruity elements. Here, vanilla emerges early accompanied by cacao notes, but there’s also a ginger component that adds lovely freshness right from the start.

Despite being vanilla-forward, it feels lighter and cooler than you’d typically expect from such perfumes.

Which is better? I think that I prefer how Goddess starts out versus the YSL. It’s not a massive advantage, but I just like the sweeter notes and use of ginger.

Edge: Goddess

Projection

Libre delivers solid performance. I’d place it in the upper moderate to strong category for intensity. For a mainstream designer fragrance, it projects well and maintains a noticeable presence in your personal space even after the initial spray settles.

Goddess never reaches the same intensity levels as Libre. I anticipated it might be stronger going in, but it actually maintains moderate strength throughout its wear.

Most of the time it sits at what you might call a lighter moderate level. It’s not weak by any means, just not demanding attention, like I thought it might.

Edge: Libre

Longevity

Libre delivers 8-9 hours of longevity on my skin, which is pretty much ideal for most occasions. Others in the series can go longer, but the EDP is still solid.

Goddess clocks in at around 6.5 hours maximum. It doesn’t drop much below that threshold, but it lacks the endurance that Libre offers.

The performance is a clear cut edge for the YSL.

Edge: Libre

Versatility

Seasonally, both are good in the autumn and winter months. I think that Goddess, can do just fine in the springtime too, but Libre is better at it between them.

Libre is a great option for those who want a daytime wear. It’s stronger, but it fits in well without being overly sweet. While not formal, it is more suited to something like that than the Burberry.

With Goddess, you can wear it in the daytime or nighttime. It’s not a nightlife beast either, the sweetness isn’t too unbearable or anything for most occasions.

There’s not a huge gulf between these fragrances, but I’d give Libre the slight edge.

Edge: Libre

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two fragrances do I prefer?

Libre EDP is an appealing fragrance with a distinctly floral character. If you’re seeking a lavender and orange blossom combination, this could be your match. It’s not overly complex, but it wears nicely.

Libre also has the better performance between these two scents.

The opening of Burberry Goddess is delightful. The heart of things, with vanilla and lavender works beautifully too, staying balanced without becoming overwhelming while maintaining an airy quality.

The dry down becomes fairly straightforward with heavy vanilla and some amber presence, yet Goddess remains enjoyable throughout.

However, when it comes to which fragrance I enjoy smelling more, I’ll go with the Burberry. It’s not a whole lot better, but I think that the composition overall just as a better scent.

Winner: Goddess

Burberry Hero EDP vs. Parfum

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I wanted to close out my comparisons of the current fragrances offered from Burberry’s Hero line of men’s colognes with the EDP and Parfum versions. I’ve spent some time testing both of these out and now I want to break down what the differences and advantages of each of them are.

How do they smell? Which lasts longer? Which Hero fragrance is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Hero EDP vs. Parfum

Burberry Hero EDP

Notes include: pine needles, cedar, incense, benzoin, amber, olibanum

Click here to try: Burberry Hero EDP from Macy’s

My Full Review: Hero EDP

Hero Parfum

Notes include: cedar, amyris, cypriol oil

Click here to try: Hero Parfum by Burberry

Opening

The opening of Hero EDP is fresh, smokier, and surprisingly still has a sweetness to it. It stems from the olibanum, in this addition, which can give off a level of fruitiness to the aroma. Apparently, the grapefruit, found in the EDT version has been stripped out of it.

EDP has plenty of resinous amber influences here. The early stages are more of a fuzzy impression and resinous, with the olibanum and benzoin notes. Then, it becomes a cleaner, warmer, and more straightforward amber.

With Hero Parfum, there’s going to be a lot of cedar in the mix. This one is earthier, woodsy, with a pine/balsamic aroma from the amyris note up top.

The pine is similar to Hero EDP, but this fragrance has a different smell to my nose, than that one.

Warm, fresh/spice, dry, and woodsy character. To me, has an aroma that’s a lot like  Santal 33, but with cedar as the main attraction instead of sandalwood. No, it doesn’t have papyrus or anything like that, just really has a similar style.

Hero Parfum is darker and starts to take on a sweeter and more resinous smell, as we move along.

Which is better? I’m not super impressed by how either of them start off. Though, the eau de parfum doesn’t have an opening act that I really enjoy. Parfum is better here, but it’s not spectacular either.

Edge: Parfum

Projection

The strange thing when I tested EDT and EDP together, is that, the eau de parfum didn’t seem to have any more power to it. Neither are weak, the EDP just couldn’t muster anything beyond the moderate to above average projection.

Parfum is an improvement over both of the previous editions. Hero Parfum isn’t a particularly heavy scent, but it does project itself well, while not being a complete beast with its strength.

Strong, before diminishing to something that still above average, hours into the wear. Obviously, it loses steam further along into it, but it’s a slow burn.

Edge: Parfum

Longevity

The eau de parfum lasted between 8 and 9.5 hours for me, each time that I’ve worn it. Not bad at all and pretty good versus many other designer scents out there.

The EDP doesn’t last nearly as long as Parfum. Which, will last on my skin for 10 hours at least, and seemingly well beyond that. I’m still not sure exactly when it quits, but the performance is great with this newer Hero fragrance.

Easy win.

Edge: Parfum

Versatility

I don’t think there’s much of a difference here. Both are autumn and winter fragrances, with plenty of overlap.

Hero EDP might be better as a nightlife wear. While Parfum, has more of a mature profile with its woodiness. Neither is all that formal or anything. Stylish and nice to wear.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these Burberry fragrances is better?

When I heard about Hero eau de parfum, I thought it might be a better version of the original EDT. But, when I tested it out, I didn’t enjoy it as much.

It’s got a good dry down. I like the mix of amber, cedar, smokiness, and the darker vibe that it puts out. The opening is weak and there’s nothing too compelling with EDP. It’s a decent enough scent, doesn’t smell bad, but doesn’t captivate me.

I will say, EDP might be more of a crowd pleaser than Parfum (though, EDT is the most versatile and pleasant), and could be a better choice for some guys.

Hero Parfum, on the other hand, is a better fragrance. I still like Hero EDT, the best, but this would be my second choice thus far in the series.

It’s not for everyone, but it is the more interesting fragrance. Fresh, earthy, and has a lot of cedar in the mix. I even get some slight powdery notes coming in, at times.

But, if you like the scent, you get great performance

At the higher price, I would try to test Hero Parfum out before you buy it, just to see if the scent works for you.

Winner: Parfum

12 Perfumes Similar to Burberry Her

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Burberry Her has become a popular ladies’ fragrance in its own right, as well as smelling quite a bit like some other best sellers. Because of this, people will often be searching for perfumes with a similar style or come close to duplicating the aroma at a cheaper price.

Well, on this page I am going to present options like Her and continually update it as I find more. I’m going to mix in some of each type from the one’s that try to mimic the same style to those that just have overlap and do their own thing.

Alternatives that Smell Like the Burberry Her Perfumes

her edp vs edt

Cloud Connection

Ariana Grande Cloud Eau de Parfum Spray, clear, 3.4 oz– Cloud often gets compared to Burberry Her and there is plenty of overlap. But, they for sure aren’t the same as one another. I wrote a comparison of them, here: Her vs. Cloud

The main difference comes with the intense and fairly sour fruits that the Burberry brings early on, especially.

Meanwhile, Cloud is lighter with its pear and lavender combination. Plus, it has a creamier and muskier finish than does Burberry Her.

I think the Ariana Grande perfume is the better of the two. Unless, you’re just a huge fan of those loud fruit notes. Cloud Full Review

Kurkdjian Creation

Baccarat Rouge 540-This is another scent that is often associated with Burberry Her as a being similar. But, Baccarat is pretty different and of a higher quality than our target.

BR 540 kicks off with a jasmine and saffron combination, instead of the strawberries and citrus of Burberry Her. Once again, the dry down is where these two are the closest.

That’s when the jasmine, wood, musk, and amber notes really come out in both. Her is a lighter fragrance than is BR 540 and also has a more playful/youthful sort of smell.

If you want a high end alternative, the Francis Kurkdjian is the way to go. Oh, he also designed both of these perfumes.

Inspired by Her

Nebula by Oakcha– Prior to this update, I hadn’t found an ‘inspired by’ perfume that could near match what you get with Burberry Her. Mostly fragrances that are very similar, while having differences.

But, Oakcha has since put out their take on the Burberry Her formula, called Nebula. The tope notes are a series of the same types of berries and cherries.

The rest of the notes are all there, as well. Just a matter of getting the weightings correct and you have a cheaper alternative.

Now, I have yet to try this one out. So, I cannot speak to the results. However, Oakcha has a good reputation, and the price is competitive enough to make it worth adding to the list.

Elixir Alternative

Rave Now by Lattafa– Here’s a cheapie that’s not too complicated, but delivers good value and a close proximity to what we’re looking for. Actually, it kind of leans more towards Her Elixir, but also has Her EDP vibes too.

The berry notes here are strong, led by a strawberry, which seems to handle to bulk of things. The marshmallow lends a powdery aroma in Rave Now, while not being super heavy.

There’s some citrus in the opening, vanilla in the dry down, and a freshness throughout. Mostly, it’s berries on top floral notes, mostly jasmine.

Not the most amazing scent out there, but for the price, it’s worth a shot.

Better Option That’s Similar

Wild Rose from Coach– Wild Rose is a 2022 release from Coach and it has a very similar smell and style to many other popular fragrances out there. The main one is Burberry Her. But, throw in Delina and BR 540, as well.

Up top, you get a bergamot citrus and red currant blend. It gives you that same sort of fruity pop that comes with the Burberry, but it isn’t a sharp or loud. The soft floral touches, mainly rose early is like what you get with Delina, just much less of that rose.

As you dry down, that’s when it shifts more towards being like Her or BR 540. Ambroxan and moss come in and the fruitiness is more balanced with the floral notes. At this point, I get more of a jasmine.

Overall, this smells better than Burberry Her, in my mind. The performance is good and Wild Rose is around the same price point. Wild Rose by Coach Review

wild rose review

Denser London Dream

Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger– Burberry Her London Dream is another newer flanker in the series, that doesn’t have very much in common with the original.

But, it does have peony and ginger notes which give it a somewhat close relation to this entry from Hermes.

Twilly Eau Ginger is warmer, with a sugary sweetness, and a denser spice than that found in London Dream. But, this one actually does remain fresh throughout the wear and isn’t that heavy.

London Dream is one you’d want if you want something less sweet and more floral centered, but this can be a great designer alternative for those who want more of that ginger punch. Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger review

Sol de Janeiro

Cheirosa 68 Body Spray– This is kind of an odd one, that somehow has a resemblance to BR 540 and Burberry Her, but not entirely…and also is a body spray. So, performance isn’t going to be great with this one.

BUT, it still is rather nice, especially for the price point. It gives you a sweetness that is akin to Burberry Her, but also more tropical with dragon fruit and litchi leading the way.

While also, giving you a musky/aquatic base to work from that can also have that metallic-like aroma that you sometimes pick up with BR 540.

So, this one does lean more in the direction of our Burberry target, though. Plus, it doesn’t have the depth of the MFK or Burberry, but it can be a nice cheapie pick up. 

Similar Fruity Floral

Kate Spade New York– So, this isn’t the same or one that is going to be another example with a similar style to BR 540.

But the fruitiness and floral notes, give another option to those who like that sweetness in Burberry Her taken in a somewhat different direction. This is sort of like Burberry Her EDT maybe more so than the original.

Both of the fragrances have a prominent strawberry note and a rose floating around. Kate Spade New York also starts out tart, with its citrus notes, but less so than the black currant of the Burberry.

Cashmere and ambroxan in the base. There is a bit of creamy finish here. The citrus and strawberry notes really are delightful here and not nearly as sharp as in the Burberry. The floral notes are light and it’s actually more woody than it ever is floral.

Rose essence and freesia are the flower aromas, but not the main attraction. The early stages have more floral highlights. 

It’s kind of a youthful and energetic scent, so if you want something ‘serious’ or formal, this won’t be the one. The longevity is good, even in its lighter state, around a full work day.

Close in Style, Better in Smell

Beyond Romance from Ralph Lauren– Ralph Lauren’s Beyond Romance is another one that has a similar style to Burberry Her. It’s for sure different, but I honestly think that it is a much better perfume overall.

Raspberry and citrus notes are present at the top, with the raspberry being the strongest of the trio, which also consists of bergamot and mandarin. It’s fruity and sugary, less sharp than the Burberry fragrance.

With those fruity notes, you get black vanilla and cashmere. At times, the aroma comes across somewhat like a powdery sugar/marshmallow combination. Then, it’s more of the musk and cashmeran supporting the vanilla, with the raspberry just being a fainter impression.

This one doesn’t go down that Baccarat Rouge route with how it smells, it’s more like the first half of Burberry Her with similarities throughout. Beyond Romance Review

Fun Fruity Tropics

VIP Private Show by Britney Spears Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml– 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.

But, the top fruity notes also give you some light apple and a delicious mango note. It’s sugary fruity sweet, with touches of powder, floral aspects, and the musky latter stages.

VIP Private Show gives you the same fun personality, perhaps not as sharp, but an experience that occupies the same sort of space as Her. Performance is solid and this was one of my favorite Britney perfumes, when I tested them out. VIP Private Show Review

 

Sour Candy, Floral Finish

Circus Fantasy– Circus Fantasy is another Britney Spears perfume that can simulate aspects of Burberry Her, while also not exactly duplicating. Sour candy raspberry up top with a sugary apricot hanging around the edges.

It does have that same sort of sharp opening act that the Burberry does, so, if you enjoy that part of our target…this can deliver.

Very girly with a nice floral middle and dry down. The violet note is probably stronger than the one in the Burberry. It gets paired with peony, when the initial notes are being toned down into more of a general sweetness rather than sour candies.

It’s like part original Fantasy by Britney, Burberry Her, and its own thing completely. 

The Bond Option

Greenwich Village by Bond No. 9– Greenwich Village is a great release from Bond and one of the best that they’ve put out over the past few years.

This one starts out with a fresh fruitiness, with a somewhat tropical aroma. Lychee and mandarin orange with a bit of watery/aquatic feeling from the waterlily note. Cassis is also present up top. It’s both fresh and sweet.

The dry down gets warmer with praline, vanilla, and musk. The latter stages give you a nice creamy gourmand perfume.

Greenwich Village has a sugary vibe to it at times, but also a floral heart and a really fresh kind of scent…all at the same time. Very interesting, nice performance, but not super powerful.

 

Burberry Hero EDT vs. Parfum

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Hero is the popular line of men’s fragrances from Burberry. What started with an original EDT release, has now included an EDP, and a Parfum. I have tested out each of them and put these scents through their paces.

In this post, I want to focus on comparing the original EDT with Hero Parfum. Break down how each smells, performs, and which I think is the better buy from Burberry.

Tale of the Tape: Hero EDT vs. Parfum

Hero EDT

Notes include: cedar, bergamot, juniper, black pepper

Click here to try: Hero EDT

Read my review: Hero by Burberry

Hero Parfum

Notes include: cedar, amyris, cypriol oil

Click here to try: Hero Parfum by Burberry

Opening

Hero EDT starts things off with a lightly spiced, citrusy aromatic tone. The citrus note isn’t overwhelming, but it does have a major role in the start. Along with, the ever-present cedar accord, which will really dominate the latter parts of the wear.

But, early, the cedar and juniper will pretty much split duties. Aromatic, but a touch sweet and quite fresh. Black pepper isn’t highly concentrated in the blend. However, I do think that it is a great addition to the citrus and woods.

With Hero Parfum, there’s going to be a lot of cedar in the mix. This one is earthier, woodsy, with a pine/balsamic aroma from the amyris note up top.

The pine is similar to Hero EDP, but this fragrance has a different smell to my nose, than that one.

Warm, fresh/spice, dry, and woodsy character. To me, this just comes across like a Santal 33, but with cedar as the main attraction instead of sandalwood. No, it doesn’t have papyrus or anything like that, just really has a similar style.

Hero Parfum is darker and starts to take on a sweeter and more resinous smell, as we move along.

Between them, I seem to come back to the opening act of Hero EDT more often. It’s got a very nice start, mass appealing, and not too complicated.

Edge: Hero EDT

Projection

EDT starts out above average in its ability to project. It’s not a heavy fragrance, pretty moderate, but can get a decent sent trail going.

After the first hour, it’s middle of the road, before descending into a skin scent in the waning hours.

Hero Parfum isn’t a complete powerhouse, but the first few hours are strong on me. If I spray it on a shirt that I have laying around, the projection is quite good, and definitely gives you more than the EDT.

After that, it’s in the upper range of moderate. Never weak until the very end of the wear, on that is going to be noticeable on you throughout the day.

Edge: Hero Parfum

Longevity

Hero EDT is a solid performer, especially for an eau de toilette concentration. For me, it’s always gone 7-8 hours on skin before disappearing. A full work day, is about what it’s capable of.

However, Parfum takes this category. I’m not sure when it quits, but this newer release got me 10+ hours of wear out of it. Better than both of the previous entries in the series.

Burberry Hero Parfum is a really good performer. If you like the scent, you get your money’s worth for sure.

Edge: Parfum

Versatility

Hero EDT can venture into the warmer days of the year, much better than Parfum. It’s they type of scent that can pretty much go year round. I wouldn’t go with it on the hottest or coldest days, but outside of that EDT is better at fitting in.

Parfum is better suited for autumn through early spring. It’s not so heavy that it’s a winter only scent or anything, I actually think it’ll be best to wear in the autumn.

Both of these scents can be daily wears, but I think that’s truer for EDT, at least for most people. I could see using Hero Parfum on a night out, when it is a bit crisp outside.

Not too much separation in this category, but I’ll say EDT has the edge.

Edge: Hero EDT

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two fragrances do I prefer?

While I think that Hero Parfum is an improvement over the EDP version, I still like the original Hero EDT most of all.

It’s a close call, but EDT is one that I have a slight preference for. Neither of these is a scent that I completely love.

Hero Parfum is a nice woody fragrance. Again, it strikes me as a more masculine and cedar-based Santal 33. Earthier, a bit fresher, without the same level of a powdery dry down.

Although, Parfum does have some powdery qualities here. Actually, I like Santal more than this, as the Le Labo works well on my skin.

With Hero EDT, I like the more varied mix of notes. Not just a mass of cedar, I also get citrus, juniper, and some spice from the black pepper.

Sure, it doesn’t have the same level of performance as Hero Parfum, but EDT is just more enjoyable for me to wear.

I’m not personally in the market to buy either one of these colognes, but the price difference is substantial. I’ve seen bottles of Hero EDT for well under $100 at discounters, and Parfum, I saw retail for $180.

Of course, you should still try Parfum out if you get a chance, to see how you feel about it. But, I think most people will be better served by picking up the original.

Winner: Hero EDT

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