moschino

Light Blue by D&G vs Moschino Love Love Perfume Comparison

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With Light Blue’s massive popularity in the perfume space, it was only natural for people to start looking for similar scents. One option that has emerged is Cheap & Chic I Love Love by Moschino, which delivers a similar smell, at a lower price point.

However, which fragrance is actually better? Which has the better performance? Smell? Which should you buy?

Quick Overview

Moschino I Love Love is the overall winner because its citrus opening is brighter, sweeter, and more balanced. Orange leads the way over lemon, grapefruit, redcurrant, and a light sugary touch, creating a cheerful scent that stays simple and easy to enjoy.

Light Blue has the advantage in performance and depth. Its sharp lemon-and-apple opening develops into a more layered blend of rose, florals, cedar, and aquatic freshness.

Light Blue is the stronger performer, but I Love Love wins overall because its cleaner citrus profile is more enjoyable and it is usually available for less.

Category D&G Light Blue Moschino I Love Love Winner
Opening Opens with sharp lemon, crisp apple, light rose, and a juicy aquatic freshness. Attractive and more layered, but also sharper at first. Starts with orange, lemon, grapefruit, redcurrant, and a light sugary sweetness. Brighter, softer, and more evenly balanced. I Love Love
Projection Moderate projection with a noticeable scent trail. It remains near its peak strength for slightly longer. Also projects moderately and stays noticeable without overwhelming a room. Peak strength fades somewhat sooner. Push
Longevity Can last around 10 hours and easily makes it through a normal workday. Clearly the stronger performer. Usually lasts around 6–8 hours. Solid for its price, but not as long-lasting as Light Blue. Light Blue
Versatility Well suited to warm-weather daily wear, casual situations, work, and semi-formal occasions. Not ideal for formal events or nightlife. Fills essentially the same role as Light Blue, working best for warm-weather daily wear and casual through semi-formal settings. Push
Overall Scent More complex and nuanced, with lemon, apple, rose, florals, and cedar. The later earthy floral-woody stage is less appealing than the opening. A simple, bright citrus fragrance with light cinnamon, musk, and restrained woods. Less complex, but cleaner and more enjoyable overall. I Love Love

Tale of the Tape

Light Blue

Notes include: rose, apple, musk, lemon, jasmine, and more

Click here to try: Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue By Dolce & Gabbana For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz

Read my original review: D&G Light Blue Review

I Love Love

Notes include: orange, lemon, grapefruit, redcurrant, rush, lily of the valley, tea rose, cinnamon leaves, tanaka wood, musk, cedar

Click here to try: I Love Love Cheap and Chic by Moschino for Women 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray 

Read my original review: I Love Love

Opening

Light Blue opens up with a sharp lemon note, blended with a crisp apple. It is juicy and has a somewhat aquatic feeling to it. The rose note is lighter in the opening act, but it presents itself, and is noticeable to the overall composition.

I Love Love starts off with a juicy and upbeat citrus mix. At first the orange, is the strongest of the lot, followed by the lemon, and grapefruit. There is also a bit of redcurrant and a sugary pinch, to give this perfume some sweetness.

Which one is better? I actually prefer the Cheap and Chic beginning to the D&G’s. The citrus is more balanced, lighter, and has a sweeter finish to it.

Edge: I Love Love

Projection

Neither of these perfumes has a monster sillage. They will project themselves moderately away from the skin, but nothing that is going to overwhelm a room.

The scent trail will be noticeable and the peak strength of each will last for a few hours at least. I think Light Blue sticks to that higher level for a longer period of time and that may be where an advantage comes in.

To me, there was no real difference between them in this aspect, other than the time each spent there.

Edge: Push

Longevity

I Love Love has pretty good longevity on my skin. It lasts in the 6-8 hour range, pretty consistently. The longevity was never great with this Moschino perfume. Though, for the price, I think you generally get a good deal out of it.

Light Blue, on the other hand, would go for 10 hours. The Dolce is the better performer. It’s always been a really good performing mainstream designer fragrance. Nothing spectacular, but it gets through the workday easily.

Edge: Light Blue

Versatility

Since these two perfumes are pretty much the same type of fragrance, there really isn’t any difference in when they can be worn. Daily wears, that are suited for warmer weather. Good casual scent to semi-formal.

Neither is formal or a nightclub type of wear. Mass appealing fragrances that can find a spot in almost anyone’s rotation and get plenty of use in the process.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I like Light Blue. The opening of the lemon, rose, and apple is quite good and is attractive. The performance is definitely better than the Moschino, and it has more depth. The floral notes and the cedar, have a greater presence, and more nuance.

However, I’m not that much of a fan, of its latter stages. The cedar and floral notes, give it an earthy sort of freshness, that is paired with the lemon. I enjoy the citrus, but not so much the other stuff.

I do think it’s one of the better D&G fragrances for women, though. Not the best, but very useful to have on hand in your collection.

I Love Love is pretty straightforward. The citrus is light and beautiful. This is a very happy and bright scent. It doesn’t have the rose note, nor the apple, and the cedar is toned way down.

To me, that’s a plus. There is a light cinnamon and musk, but this perfume really keeps it simple.

The more I compare the two, the more I’d rather smell the Moschino. Plus, I Love Love is usually available for much cheaper. With all things considered, it’s my pick.

Winner: I Love Love

8 Best Smelling Moschino Perfumes

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Franco Moschino started his fashion line in the early 1980s and quickly established a reputation in the design world. As the years moved on, he  expanded his line to include items such as fragrance.

Moschino perfumes are not very pricey but they all seem to deliver in terms of quality and overall experience.

For this list, I have selected eight women’s scents which I feel are the cream of the crop. 

Favorite Moschino Perfumes for Women

Glamourous Fruity Floral

Moshino Glamour by Moschino 100ml 3.4oz EDP Spray – Plenty of cedar freshness, gives Glamour a solid and intriguing foundation. However, it is the tangerine blossom and hibiscus notes that really shine through.

Not too expensive and great for casual wear, particular in warmer climates.

Glamour starts off with a fruity and floral blend with a light amber touch. Then, there is the ever-present salt note, which actually adds a nice touch to what becomes a fairly floral heavy affair.

Orchid and hibiscus flank the fruitiness of tangerine blossom, to give Glamour a light floral aroma, with enough sweetness to keep it from becoming a pure garden. The sillage is on the lighter end, but the longevity is good enough, to keep the wear going. 

Fresh Clean and Soapy

Moschino Toy 2 for Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Toy 2 has become quite a popular option from Moschino. Though, it’s actually quite a simple fragrance.

The main note here is a green apple, less naturalistic, and more candy-like. That is paired with further citrus, floral notes, and musk. The drydown starts to be a lot more soapy than just the juiciness of the opening act.

That’s to be expected with musk, jasmine, and amberwood rounding things out. Very clean and hyper-fresh. Performance is nice. 

Most Popular Moschino

I LOVE I LOVE BY MOSCHINO 3.4 OZ 100 ML EAU DE TOILETTE FOR WOMAN –An energetic fragrance which starts out by displaying its fruity notes and then settles into something more soft and feminine. A great and clean smelling perfume that will get noticed.

This one has become pretty famous, as an alternative option to D&G’s Light Blue. However, I think the I Love Love, is actually a bit better. I really enjoy the citrus opening. It’s lemon, grapefruit, and orange with a bright and juicy disposition.

It’s got a semi-sugary aroma, with floral notes of tea rose and lily of the valley. All of this sits on a base, of musk, and cedar. The performance is good, with a lighter sillage, but will last for 6-8 hours. Really nice scent, for a highly affordable price. I Love Love Full Review

Fresh Couture

Gold Fresh Couture by Moschino– The Fresh Couture line from Moschino does have a goofy bottle design, but Gold is actually a really nice fruity clean perfume.

It opens up with a blend of tropical and citrus fruit notes. Mango, orange, and pear are the main fruit notes you’re probably going to pick up. But, they’re joined by rhubarb and a bit of spice.

It’s much less a heavy syrupy sort of explosion. Rather, it sticks to the name Fresh and gives you a lighter and more low key experience. Though, it does still have a slight syrupy aroma. The dry down is a mix of floral notes, the fruity, and some vanilla woods.

Actually, for the type of fragrance this is. Gold Fresh does have layers to its development. The latter stage is woodsy and the floral notes give off a soapy aroma. But, the fruity ingredients do hang around, just not to the same strength level.

Warm Spicy Floral

Moschino By Moschino For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces– The original fragrance dating back to the late 1980s. A long lasting blend of florals, vanilla, and spice which gives it an exotic and special scent.

It’s classic and gives you a different experience from most of the perfumes, out on the market today.

Moschino is a rather complex composition, but still manages to be extremely well blended. You get herbal spice, green notes, but more warmth and periods of sweetness. All of this comes together with floral notes, such as: rose, marigold, gardenia, and carnation. 

Very unique and great performance, with deep and satisfying aroma. Moschino for Women is an underrated classic. 

Interesting Pearl

Toy 2 Pearl– This one is likeable, not amazing, but one that I think will resonate with some people. Just not a fragrance for everyone.

Pearl takes a citrus start and pairs it with oregano. It doesn’t feel overwhelming to me, but that along with a sorbet note, gives this one a slightly different type of aroma.

There’s a freshness here, that oregano kick, along with a cypress note. Yet, it too has elements that make it smell somewhat similar to Light Blue by D&G. Close, but not exactly the same. That sand note in the middle, certainly helps to set it apart.

It’s a warm weather wear with the citrus, the oregano, and a musky dry down.

 

Light Herbal Citrus

Moschino Funny! By Moschino For Women, Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4-Ounce Bottle– As its name suggests, Funny is a light and playful perfume for ladies with a certain style and personality.

Notes include pink pepper, amber, green tea, and peony among others. Very fresh and not overpowering.

Funny! kicks off with a bright citrus aroma, with a bit of warmth and spice, mostly from pink pepper. It feels like a great upbeat and positive scent, with green tea, giving its familiar herbal fragrance. Not too strong, but green tea, pairs very well with the redcurrant and orange.

Later on, you get some musky peony, but the citrus is the star of this show. Nice simple daytime wear, that can perform well in the spring and summer. 

 

 

Bright Floral and Citrus

Cheap & Chic By Moschino For Women, Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4-Ounce Bottle– The name of the fragrance isn’t all that great but the contents certainly are. A sexy yet subtle floral perfume that is an excellent choice for daily wear.

Cheap & Chic gives you a very nice citrus up top but paired with a significantly present musky note. Yuzu is the main citrus note, which is great, because I love a good yuzu.

It hangs around for the entirety of the wear, even as this one begins to turn more floral. You get rose, lily, peony, among other notes. 

Toy Boy by Moschino

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Toy Boy has been gaining popularity since its release back in 2019, as such it’s time for a full testing and review by me. Honestly, I was kind of put off by the dumb name, and the fragrance contained in the little bear bottle.

Nevertheless, it was time to give it a go. As usual, I will cover how it smells, performs, when it can be worn, and if this Moschino fragrance is worth a purchase.

What does Moschino Toy Boy Smell Like?

Notes include: pear, nutmeg, bergamot, rose, clove, magnolia, pink pepper, vetiver, sandalwood, musk, and more

Click here to try: MOSCHINO Toy Boy Eau De Parfume Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

After the initial spray, I was struck by how different this fragrance felt versus the typical men’s cologne. I pick up on a light bergamot note and very nice pear. It feels juicy and has that citrus touch, which gives Toy Boy a bit of vibrance.

All of this is contained within, the embrace of the rose, magnolia, and pink pepper notes. I’m not a big fan of rose, so I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this all that much, but I do.

The rose here is very different than what is found in something like Dunhill Desire, it’s got a ‘green’ aroma, is flanked by magnolia and the growing presence of vetiver.

The rose is closer to that found in Burberry Brit, though, that’s where the comparisons between these two fragrances ends.

The spice in the Burberry is more pronounced than in this Moschino.

It’s got a light spiciness lurking in the background throughout the wear, but never really hits you over the head with it. Pink pepper and some nutmeg. I don’t personally detect the supposed clove note, that’s in here.

There’s not too much change on my skin from this Moschino cologne. It really blends together well. I’d say, that I get more musk and vetiver, as it dries down. Those are joined by pear and this greenish wild rose. A bit of wood sprinkled in there, with the other notes seeming like one mass.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Toy Boy doesn’t have massive sillage. Though, I think that it sneaks up on you. Initially, I thought this was a lighter fragrance, but I kept getting strong whiffs from it throughout the day. It’s not a monster, but you could potentially overspray it.

Update: The more that I wear Toy Boy and also applying it to clothes/fabrics, the strong that I think the sillage is. I’ve bumped it up a few points on my scoring.

On my skin, it lasts right around 8 hours. Not elite, but for the price, this stuff delivers some great value. No real complaints with how this scent performs.

Update: I can sometimes get this EDP to stretch out to 9 hours of wear, but it’s pretty consistent with that 8 hour mark. 

Seasonally, I think that I’d like to wear it more in the springtime. However, I wore it outside on a chilly winter day, and it was actually extremely pleasant. I probably wouldn’t go with this during the summer, but any other time is fine.

 

I know the bottle and the name scares some people off from trying this, but it really isn’t a teenager’s sort of fragrance. Yes, younger guys can absolutely wear this, but it would fit well with any age group.

It does have a unisex and floral aroma, so, it’s not going to be for everyone. To me, the floral notes are great and don’t distract at all. Toy Boy is an attractive aroma that will probably draw plenty of complements. It’s safe for work, casual, dates, semi-formal occasions, etc. 

Really, it’ll come down to how you feel about the smell, as this one has plenty of performance and versatility. It does stand out from the crowd and I’ve been loving using this one as a change of pace versus my other fragrances.

Overall Impressions of Toy Boy by Moschino

Do I like this scent? Yes, I do. The more that I wear it, the more that my esteem for it grows. I’m not that impressed with it, if I press my nose closer to my skin. It’s just the aroma cloud that surrounds me, smells really good. 

The performance is solid, the price is right, and it brings something different to the table in a world of Sauvage knock-offs.

Again, not everyone is going to like this nor will it fit with the style of every man. Toy Boy is a scent that you’ve got to try out before you commit. 

I was skeptical going in, but I thoroughly enjoyed wearing this fragrance. I’m for sure going to finish out this mini bottle and decide whether or not I want a full one.  

I’m not sure that I’d call this one a safe blind buy, as it such a floral scent. But, it does certainly seem to have a mass appeal and isn’t all that pricey, so I can’t imagine being super bummed out by it. This is a great release from Moschino, after so many that were just ‘decent’. 

Forever for Men by Moschino

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Forever for Men is a cologne that I’ve been meaning to do a review on for a while. It came out back in 2011, didn’t get a lot of attention, but I was always interested in trying this fragrance. I got a mini bottle to put through its paces and see how it goes. How does it smell? How does it perform? When should it be worn? Is it even worth a try?

What does Forever by Moschino Smell Like?

Notes include: star anise, kumquat, sage, pepper, bergamot, tonka bean, musk, sandalwood, vetiver

Click here to try: MOSCHINO Forever for Men Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.3oz, light

My Full Wear Review

Forever kicks things off with a blend of fruit and spice. Initially, bergamot is the strongest note to my nose, along with the star anise. After a few minutes, the kumquat takes over for the bergamot citrus opening.

From the jump it is a fresh spiciness with soapy underpinnings. Vetiver, musk, and sandalwood are all present and will take on a larger roll as things progress.

The anise spice is the strongest, but the second wave brings a fairly large dose of pepper along. That can be a good or bad thing, depending on your tastes. I think that it actually works well within this composition.

As it dries down, Forever isn’t nearly as spicy, and just becomes more of a fresh soap-like scent. A bit of tonka bean creaminess and the base notes. Clean with a bit of a greenish sort of aroma. I’m not all that into the latter stages of this one.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Does this one project like a beast? No, it’s more of a subtle scent. Not a skin scent, mind you, just a fragrance that is understated. Overall, it’s a pretty moderate sillage.

That opening hour is borderline strong, but reaches as far as above average before settling down into something more middling. 

The longevity seems to hit the 5-7 hour range, on my skin. During testing, I got 7 hours a few times, and other times it disappeared at 5. Not terrible. Moschino Forever isn’t going to blow the doors off with its performance. 

Seasonally, I could wear this anytime other than the extremes of winter or summer. Probably too sharp and fresh for the coldest days.  Outside of that, you’ve got a lot of room to run with it.

 

More of a casual or daily wear sort of cologne. It does have an attractive enough scent. You could honestly wear this on a date and get compliments, but it’s not the sexiest thing ever. Nor is it a nightlife powerhouse.

The versatility is its greatest strength. Guys from young to old could wear Forever and it would work.

Overall Impressions of Moschino Forever

Do I like this fragrance? Well, I like the start more than the dry down. As a whole, it isn’t a cologne that I’m in love with, but I don’t hate it either. It has some highlights from the anise, kumquat, and bergamot. 

That’s what had intrigued me in the first place. I like anise and kumquat as notes, both don’t get used enough for my tastes, and Forever does a good job with them for a while.

The dry down is kind of greenish, with spots of creaminess, and plenty of vetiver and musk. Soapy and more traditional. Not bad, just kind of boring after the spicier start. 

Also, the scent has plenty of versatility and enough power to be a satisfactory wear. At least it is something different from the usual mass market colognes.

Forever is usually pretty affordable, so, it may be worth a try. Not a must have, but a solid wear all around.

Cheap & Chic I Love Love by Moschino

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Beyond just having a long and rather odd name, Cheap & Chic I Love Love, has gained a reputation as an affordable option for the warmer months of the year. It actually came out back in 2004, so, this Moschino perfume has stuck around for a long time in this role.

It’s not a super inexpensive scent, but for usually around $30 or so, it has become a name to know when looking for a bargain. Is it actually worth it? How does it smell? How long does it last?

What does Cheap & Chic I Love Love Smell Like?

Notes include: orange, lemon, grapefruit, redcurrant, rush, lily of the valley, tea rose, cinnamon leaves, tanaka wood, musk, cedar

Click here to try: I Love Love Cheap and Chic by Moschino for Women 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray 

My Full Review

I Love Love opens up with a bright and juicy citrus mix. Up top, it’s mostly about the orange, with lemon and grapefruit flanking. This Cheap and Chic perfume is super fresh and completely upbeat. There is also the redcurrant which has a red berry aroma, against the citrus.

Obviously, this one gets compared to Light Blue by D&G, and the similarities are very obvious.  The main difference is the additional citrus notes in this one, no apple, and less of the cedar than in the Dolce perfume. 

I Love Love is also sweeter, with a tinge of sugar, lurking in the background. 

 

As it moves along, some of the middle notes, start to come out. I will say, the Lily of the Valley and tea rose, aren’t all that strong nor detectable on my skin. I can pick up some cinnamon, but it almost gets lost in the citrus.

At this stage, the orange is no longer dominant, and actually falls behind the lemon and grapefruit in strength.

On a shirt, the floral notes do have more of a presence. More lily and cinnamon. Nevertheless, musk and cedar are stronger than either of those ingredients, and serve as the base notes.

What you’re left with is a lemon heavy citrus mix, with hints of musk, and a woody base headed up by the cedar. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage of I Love Love is pretty good, but not overly powerful. It’ll project on the skin in about a 4-6 foot radius around you. The citrus notes can be sharp, but the perfume isn’t going to choke out a room.

The longevity is also solid, somewhere in the 6-8 hour range, for me. For a daily wear or casual summertime fragrance, that’s more than enough, for most occasions.

Seasonally, as I said, this is a spring and summertime perfume. It’s good for wearing around town during the daytime, can be an office scent, or just casually.

It’s not really a nightlife perfume or something that will come across as ‘sexy’.

Though, it can be worn by all ages and is one with a definite mass appeal, as expected with something so much like the Dolce perfume.

Overall Impression of I Love Love

Do I like this perfume? I do. I actually prefer this mix of citrus versus the lemon and apple of Light Blue. It’s a pretty simple fragrance, but one that does a good job, for a cheap price.

The sweetness here is better and it doesn’t come across as hyper fresh or harsh as the Dolce & Gabbana perfume can. Though, you do still get plenty of freshness from this one. I do like that red currant and lemon combination up top.

The cedar and apple in that one, can turn away some people. This Moschino has a better balance.

You get good performance and a freshly attractive smell. This Moschino offering is a great option for those who want a summertime fragrance or are looking to replace Light Blue with something else.