4 Perfumes Similar to Myrrh and Tonka

Jo Malone’s Myrrh and Tonka has become insanely popular since its release. It’s one of those fragrances that has just caught on, through social media and word of mouth. But, with that Jo Malone style, you also get the higher price point. So, I am going to use this page to keep an update list of  the perfumes that I find that have a similar style to, a cheaper price, or have a smell that was inspired by Myrrh and Tonka.


What Perfumes Smell like Myrrh and Tonka by Jo Malone London?

Delightful Inspiration

Myrrhnilla Delight by The Dua Brand– This is the Dua Brand’s inspired take on the Jo Malone formula. If you’re looking for one that comes very close to matching the aroma of the original, this is a perfume to check out.

As Dua puts it, “Myrrh and tonka inevitably mark the smell of this fragrance while accents of lavender and almond provide their aromatic and spicy charm to the blend.”

The formula is pretty simple, so, matching it isn’t too much of a problem. You can usually expect them to get it at least 85% of the way to the original, if not more. With my experience with this brand, it can sometimes lack a bit of the depth, but the opening and middle act is pretty spot on.

As of now they have the full bottle size and the smaller 10 ml travel sprayer available.


High-End Inspiration

Mr. Sillage by Alexandria– This is another one that is ‘inspired by’ the Jo Malone perfume. Though, it is on the pricier side versus the Dua above. Almost to the point, where it’d make sense just to by Myrrh & Tonka instead.

But, Alexandria does produces some great versions of popular perfumes. I haven’t tested this one out in particular, though, I haven’t had any negative experiences with them either.

Again, in this case, I might go with one of the other two ‘inspired by’ fragrances on the list. Though, I’ll leave it here for those who are curious.


Layered Tonka

Mia’s Blend by Be Layered– Be Layered’s Mia’s Blend is another popular choice for those looking for a close interpretation of Myrrh & Tonka.

I haven’t tried this one out, but it’s affordable and the reviews are generally very positive. It seems like the tonka bean goes pretty heavy early on. Sweeter and powdery. Then, the dry down supposedly gives you more of the resinous aspects of myrrh.

They do have a smaller 10 ml size available for $19.99 (as of update), which can make it an easy one to try out.


Soft and Sweet Vanilla

Yves Saint Laurent Manifesto Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce
A discontinued YSL release which features notes of lily of the valley, black currant, bergamot, and other green notes. Manifesto is a lovely and soft fragrance  that is both sweet and captivating.

It starts out with the black currant and bergamot, which are both sweet and tart together, and get paired with a creamy vanilla note.

The main difference here is going to be the lack of myrrh, even if this does have a slight amber-like aroma to it at times. So, it’s kind of a similar alternative in style, while not trying to be exactly like the Jo Malone scent. A nice amount of overlap, just never one to one matching.

Manifesto dries down to a green/woody floral, with vanilla and tonka bean sitting on top. This is an attractive daily wear fragrance, that isn’t too loud, but still smells wonderful.

It can be harder to find nowadays, but it might be worth tracking down for some people.

manifesto



English Pear & Freesia by Jo Malone

Jo Malone has a whole host of fragrances that are great by themselves or layered with another perfume from the line. That’s what they’re made to do. I somewhat recently received a sample of what I consider to be one of the better scents from this designer, which gave me the opportunity to retest it and finally give English Pear & Freesia a full review. What does it smell like? How long does it last?


What does English Pear & Freesia Smell Like?

Notes include: King William pear, melon, freesia, patchouli, rhubarb, rose, musk

Click here to try: English Pear & Freesia

english pear review


My Full Review

Here’s how Jo Malone describes it: The essence of autumn. Mellow. Cool. Golden.

So, Jo Malone scents are designed to be both worn solo or layered with other offerings from their line. If you go with English Pear & Freesia they have the following suggestions. Try layering this one with (according to Jo Malone): Wild Bluebell for a fresher scent. Velvet Rose & Oud for a warmer scent.

The pear note here is probably the highlight of the entire wear. It’s crisp, bright, and has less of the sparkling quality than some other perfumes, but it smells better to my nose. The light melon note helps add that juicy or watery sort of fruit aroma to the opening act.

Early on, the fruity notes are in charge. But, I do get plenty of musk in the early stages of this perfume. Musk flanked by the rose note, which plays more of a role than you might think by the name alone.

However, the freesia is ultimately the star here. A lovely white floral impression with hints of green stems and the underlying patchouli note.

The dry down will pretty much be a shift away from the pear dominance, to a more traditional floral soapy sort of perfume.


Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one has a nice opening burst of strength and can project itself well for the first hour or so. Then, it’ll become pretty moderate, with about a 3 foot radius of a scent bubble on the wearer.

Finally, the last couple hours are lighter still. It isn’t a weak fragrance, but not exactly a beast either. That opening is pretty substantial on me, however.

This one actually lasts a decent amount of time, on my skin. Somewhere in the 6.5-7 hour range, at its best. It’s not a long lasting powerhouse scent, but it’s not terrible for what it is.

Seasonally, this is at its best in the spring and into the summertime. But again, what you’re layering it with can determine whether it can venture further into the heat or the cold. That’s great, if you’re looking for a super versatile scent to base things off of.

On its own, this is a pleasant and clean smelling fragrance that can fit in a variety of situations. Not really a sexy or nightlife scent, though. Outside of that, it’s going to give you most of what you’d want in a perfume.

This is technically a unisex scent, but I will say that it definitely leans more traditionally feminine than being down the middle.


Overall Impressions of English Pear & Freesia

Overall do I like this fragrance? Yes, English Pear & Freesia is simple, but ultimately a lovely experience. You just have to understand what you’re actually getting with this perfume.

I do enjoy that sparkling, almost champagne-like opening, with the rather unique pear note and the melon coming through. Juicy, fresh, sweet, with the underlying musk that will be more prevalent in its support of the floral notes later.

The performance actually isn’t bad for such a simple and somewhat linear fragrance. The performance on my skin, is solid, but others report that it doesn’t last long for them. So, maybe this Jo Malone perfume is more dependent on your own skin chemistry, versus some other scent on the market.

I do think that this one is worth a try on its own. The tail on of the scent isn’t completely unique or earth-shattering, but it does smell quite good. I do still think that this is one of the better options in the Jo Malone catalogue, even after all these years.