parfums de marly

Oriana vs Love don’t be Shy

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Oriana and Love Don’t be Shy are two fragrances with plenty of similarity in terms of style, which are often the final two choices of perfumes, that someone is deciding between. Each of them has their strengths, but which is better: the Parfum de Marly or Kilian scent?

In this post, I want to do a full head to head comparison between these fragrances. Which lasts longer? Smells better? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Oriana vs. Love don’t be Shy

Oriana

Notes include: orange blossom, marshmallow, grapefruit, orange, bergamot, raspberry, black currant, whipped cream, musk, ambrette

Click here to try: Oriana

Love don’t be Shy

Notes include: caramel, marshmallow, jasmine, rose, honeysuckle, orange blossom, sugar, vanilla, musk, and more

Click here to try: Love

Read my review: Love don’t be shy

love don't be shy review

Opening

Oriana opens up with raspberry and citrus up top. Early on, it is more of a light and sugary sweet type of aroma, with some tart qualities.

The light creaminess and powdery aroma will come along more so in the middle act, once some of the fruitiness burns off, and the marshmallow takes on a larger role. Orange blossom and marshmallow with a sweet fruitiness, is the core of what I get.

The opening of Love EDP really comes with the orange blossom, honeysuckle, and neroli, as the floral notes. Those are joined by the sweetness of marshmallow, caramel, and some vanilla.

The main two are going to be orange blossom and marshmallow here, early on. It’s sweet, sugary, and a warm floral scent that is quite captivating.

So, early on it’s the orange blossom. Then, you get a slight powdery aroma from iris and rose (not too much of either), and finally jasmine starts to show up more on my skin.

Edge: Love

Projection

Oriana is solid with it’s projection but has an airy quality to it, for a good portion of the wear. Still one that you’re not going to forget that you’re wearing, just not a powerhouse or a heavy kind of scent.

The sillage here with Love, is stronger for a time. It is ultimately a fresher and lighter kind of sweet perfume, like Oriana, rather than a massive thick cloud. But, the projection is good well into the wear on me.

I think that the Kilian fragrance has a higher high in terms of level of projection. It’s also a somewhat heavier feeling scent, just a tad more noticeable throughout.

Edge: Love

Longevity

Oriana will go for 6.5-8 hours, on my skin. It’s fine, just nothing too crazy in terms of the performance that you’ll get from this PdM perfum. 

With Love don’t be shy, I also get around 8 hours as the max. There’s not too much of a difference here, if any, in my experience.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Seasonally, the Kilian fragrance is best served in autumn through early spring. While Oriana, is more of a spring and summer wear.

So, colder weather goes to Love. While a warmer day, will be advantageous to Oriana. Probably a slight edge to Oriana, as it works fine otherwise, even if it’s not a winter wear.

Both are better served as daytime wears, neither are particularly formal. I’d probably give the edge to Love, don’t be shy in terms of nighttime wear.

Pretty even between them.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these perfumes do I prefer? I do have to say that each is quite likeable and they’re not tooo far apart in terms of just overall enjoyment of wearing them.

With Oriana, you’re going to get a fruitier mix early on, with a bit of a lighter fragrance throughout the wear. The citrus, raspberry, and whipped cream are the most noticeable difference makers between these two fragrances.

For some people, Oriana might make sense if  they happen to greatly prefer those notes. Or, if you want one that’s more usable in the warmer weather.

For me, I still lean more towards the Kilian scent.

I like the use of the orange blossom and caramel especially. The floral dry down with the sugary sweet finish playing the background is also nice. 

I don’t have a massive preference for either of these perfumes. I think that they’re both quite good, but just short of amazing. Though, Love is the slightly better bet, if I have to pick.

Winner: Love don’t be shy

Oriana vs Delina by Parfums de Marly

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Oriana and Delina are two of the most popular women’s perfumes from Parfums de Marly. As such, they are many times the two final choices, that people will decide between buying.

I have tested each of them and actually really like both of these scents. However, which of them actually smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy? Here is my full breakdown of this competition.

 

 

Tale of the Tape: Oriana vs Delina

Oriana

Notes include: orange blossom, marshmallow, grapefruit, orange, bergamot, raspberry, black currant, whipped cream, musk, ambrette

Click here to try: Oriana

Delina

Notes include: rose, rhubarb, litchee, musk, vanilla, peony, and vetiver

Click here to try: PARFUMS de MARLY Delina, 2.5 fl. oz.

Read my review: Delina

Opening

Delina starts off with a very pleasant fruity and powdery blend. The rose is already out and prominent alongside that litchee note.

It’s sweet, yet also tart and juicy. The litchee is joined by a bright bergamot citrus aroma and a tart rhubarb bringing it all together.

Later, the peony and vanilla will ascend, but this is what I get early on with this PdM fragrance.

Oriana opens up with raspberry and citrus up top. Early on, it is more of a light and sugary sweet type of aroma, with some tart qualities.

The light creaminess and powdery aroma will come along more so in the middle act, once some of the fruitiness burns off, and the marshmallow takes on a larger role. Orange blossom and marshmallow with a sweet fruitiness, is the core of what I get.

So, Delina is more powdery in the front end of things, and Oriana in the back half.

Which is better? I like both of them. I think that I have a slight preference for what I get out of Delina, at the start.

Edge: Delina

Projection

Neither of these have too heavy of a scent, but do a good job at hanging around and projecting themselves.

With Delina, it hangs out in the 4-6 foot range from the skin. Pretty moderate, for the most part, but definitely not weak.

With Oriana, it’s somewhat lighter and more airy than is Delina. Not so much so, but I feel like it’s a step behind its competitor in this category.

Edge: Delina

Longevity

Delina gets me in the 9-10 range, on skin. It’s a very good performer, but just shy of being an elite one.

With Oriana, it’s not a beast performer. 6.5-8 hours or thereabout. I’ve never found it to be totally lacking, but it doesn’t last super long, and doesn’t match what I’ve gotten with Delina.

Edge: Delina

Versatility

Seasonally, I think both of these are more suited for the spring and summer months. But, anything from a temperate climate to higher heat works.

Each of them is more of a daily wear and potential signature scent. But, I think that Delina is more well put together and ‘mature’, I feel like it’d fit in better in more places.

You could wear them at night, but both are better served in the daytime. Not really sexy ‘night club beasts’, though they are attractive.

I’d give a slight edge to Delina in more formal situations.

Edge: Delina

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these Parfums de Marly perfumes do I enjoy more?

In actuality, these are two of my favorites from the women’s side of things by this brand. As such, the competition is closer than it seems.

With Oriana, I enjoy the lightness and the fruity/sugary sweetness that it provides. The whipped cream and powdery dynamic is awesome.

Hints of soapy clean. The marshmallow, orange blossom, musk are really great in the back half. However, that also might not be for everyone.

The performance is decent, but not spectacular for the price.

Between them, I’d say that Delina gets the nod for me. I think that it smells somewhat better overall. The rose and peony are used better than the orange blossom or Oriana. It’s got more of a balance and I also enjoy what it develops into.

Plus, the performance is better. 

For most people, I’d say Delina. Unless that sweet fruitiness of Oriana sounds like more your style, go with Delina.

Winner: Delina

Pegasus Exclusif by Parfums de Marly

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Pegasus Exclusif is a follow up to the popular fragrance Pegasus by PdM. It was released back in 2020, but I recently received a sample of this stuff with another order, so I thought I’d test it out and post a full review on the site.

How does Exclusif smell? Does it hold up or exceed the original Pegasus? Is it worth a try?

Pegasus

Notes include: cardamom, heliotrope, almond, pink pepper, vanilla, bergamot, lavender, geranium, jasmine, guaiac wood, sandalwood, amber

Click here to try: Pegasus Exclusif on Amazon

My Full Review

I was never too much of a fan of the original Pegasus, so I wasn’t expecting much from this edition of the scent.

However, the opening of Exclusif, is a much better balance of notes than its predecessor. This one doesn’t feel like a bomb of almond and vanilla. Instead, there is a tad more of the bergamot citrus, a better spice from pink pepper, and the soft heliotrope.

I’m still getting some of that almond and vanilla, but I also don’t get the same sort of chemical overhang that I do with the original (maybe it’s just me who got that smell).

After 10 minutes or so, the pink pepper and bergamot have faded substantially. Cardamom steps up and I get more of the influence of the middle notes. Yes, almond and vanilla are here for the duration, still not completely dominating anything.

It’s softer with a dry freshness to it. On my skin, I pick up lavender and geranium jockeying for influence at different times during this wear. I do like when the geranium hits its heaviest, really adding a colder aromatic vibe to the blend.

The main difference between Pegasus Exclusif and the original, is the guaiac wood. The sandalwood probably also has a stronger influence here than in the original. However, the warmth and smokiness that is unleashed here by the guaiac is a really great addition.

The dry down is much the same. It’s woodier for sure, but we still get the vanilla and some almond that’s left. It’s an ambery wood finish with those two other notes adding support at the tail end.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

I don’t think Exclusif is that much more powerful than the original, if at all. It’s difficult to tell since I don’t have a vial of Pegasus currently. But, Exclusif also opens up with a pretty strong and far reaching blast.

Then, it will settle down into something that is noticeable, but fairly moderate in how it presents. On the whole, Pegasus Exclusif is above average with its sillage, and probably about equal with the original.

Also with this edition, I get double digit hours of wear from it. Again, I don’t think there’s much of a difference and those last handful of hours aren’t particularly strong. Though, Exclusif definitely is there.

Seasonally, Exclusif is still built for colder weather. Stick to autumn through early springtime with this one.

It’s more of a going out type of scent versus a daily wear. But, I’d still find a way to make this more of a daily wear type, if I had a bottle. It’s got an attractive aroma and the smokiness isn’t too powerful as to be useless at the office or something like that.

It can be worn casually or dressed up. The seasonality can limit it somewhat, but Pegasus Exclusif works well in a wide variety of situations you’d find yourself in.

Overall Impressions of Exclusif

Overall, do I like Pegasus Exclusif? Yes, I do think it’s better than the original. With that one, it was always a scent that I thought was ‘okay’. Exclusif isn’t a complete love for me, but I did enjoy wearing it.

The balance here is better. I’m not just blasted by a wall of almond and vanilla early on. The increase of the woodiness is a fantastic change of focus. This one feels more wearable and just more likeable than the first fragrance.

The longevity and performance don’t seem any different to me. Though, that wasn’t anything that I had a complaint about with Pegasus, since it’s a good performer already.

Basically, if you liked the original, you will get much of the same here. However, there is enough change presented with Exclusif to make it a better and more well-rounded cologne.

It’s not a fragrance that I’m personally going to run out and buy, but it’s one that I wouldn’t mind having a bottle of. Which, I couldn’t say about the first Pegasus. Exclusif is one of the better Parfums de Marly scents, just not among my absolute favorites.

Valaya by Parfums de Marly

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Valaya is a Parfums de Marly release that they came out with in 2023. I bought a sample of this perfume, as a part of a larger order, since I hadn’t ever tried this one out. Really, I had no expectations as to what it was or how it smelled, just a curiosity as to what PdM had come up with.

How does Valaya smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

Valaya by PdM Overview

Notes include: aldehydes, orange blossom, peach, bergamot, mandarin, musk, vanilla, lily of the valley, vetiver, nympheal, mahonia, akigalwood, musk, ambroxan

Click here to try: Valaya by PdM 

My Full Review

Here’s what Parfums de Marly has to say about Valaya: a sensual and elegant fragrance opening with bergamot, mandarin, and sweet white peach, leading to a blend of white flowers settling on musk, vanilla, and woody base notes.

Valaya starts off with its fruity notes being prominent, but not completely dominating the early mix. Bergamot has a few minutes of run at the top, with some light mandarin, before the sweeter peach takes over.

The perfume has a rather sharp freshness due to that fruit accord and the aldehydes. For me, the aldehydes are slightly more heavily weighted in the opening versus the musk, but that will reverse.

Even in the opening, the musk isn’t weak. It feels very shampoo-like on my skin, at this early stage.

Valaya does settle down into something with a less ‘screechy’ aroma, after 5-10 minutes. Mainly, I think it’s the citrus quieting down that allows this one to become more pleasant.

Once I’m at this point, the floral notes become noticeable. I mostly get the orange blossom note, and the lily of the valley, doesn’t feel distinct here. It’s sort of orange blossom with a generic floral smell.

Maybe that’s what Nympheal is supposed to be? I’m not sure what that ingredient is. Perhaps that’s the somewhat odd synthetic scent that I pick up or just a mix with the ambroxan.

The middle act is a sweetish floral with a dose of musk and vanilla. On me, the aldehydes begin to really dissipate. There is some powder here, but it wasn’t too strong on me. Also, Valaya takes on a woodier profile in the base.

That’s really the final transition. Musk with some vanilla and woods, is the thrust of it. A general sweetness and floral impression remains sitting underneath.

Sillage, longevity, and versatility

Valaya opens up with some strong intensity. The result is a fairly far reaching fragrance that doesn’t need to many sprays to get attention.

It will settle down. I still find it to be strong, maybe on the upper end of moderate? Nonetheless, this isn’t a perfume that ever felt weak or insubstantial in any way.

The longevity is actually quite good. I got more than 9 hours of wear with this one, on my skin. Spraying it on clothes, Valaya is a fragrance that will just keep going and going.

Seasonally, this is for sure a spring and summer fragrance. Between the fruits, flowers, and aldehydes…the decision is pretty much made up for you.

Definitely a daytime wear, also. Something like a daily wear or something that you can just wear around casually when the sun is out. I don’t find Valaya to be sexy at all. Just clean and fresh for the most part. So, no romantic wear or nightlife with this one.

Overall Impressions of Valaya

Overall, do I like Valaya? Not really. If it were an inexpensive scent, it’d be okay. At this price? It’s a complete pass for me.

It started getting on my nerves during the wear, not completely headache inducing, but I wasn’t really enjoying having this perfume on either.

The opening is too sharp. The middle is somewhat better, but synthetic. The dry down is probably when I liked this scent the most.

Is it terrible? No, just nothing that really demands most people run out and buy it.

The performance is really quite good. So, if you’re one who really loves this for whatever reason, you do get some value in that respect.

This isn’t among Parfums de Marly’s best fragrances for women. It seems like one that I will forget about in a few months.

Perfume Comparison: Angels’ Share vs Oajan

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Angels’ Share and Oajan are two fragrances which fulfill a distinct role in the winter months. That of the sweet and spicy perfume laden with cinnamon and highly attractive. However, since both are expensive to acquire and have so much overlap, they can often be the final two options that people need to decide between.

Well, on this page, I break down each of these unisex fragrances and compare them across categories. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Angels’ Share vs Oajan

Angels’ Share

Notes include: cognac, tonka bean, oak, cinnamon, praline, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Angels’ Share at Sephora

Read my review: Angels’ Share by Kilian

Oajan

Notes include: tonka bean, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, benzoin, musk, labdanum, patchouli, and more

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Oajan EDP Spray, 4.2 oz

My Full Review: Oajan

Opening

Oajan kicks off with the cinnamon note being joined by benzoin and the tonka bean. Add to that, the continuing emergence of the osmanthus note, which adds the fruity-like sweetness to the mix.

It’s a bold and spice heavy opening act. Fresh and dark, with a thick warmth from the honey beginning to come through after 5 minutes or so.

Angels’ Share starts of with its signature cognac, oak, and its tonka bean note. The cognac has an apple-like sweetness to it, which is great.

The sweetness is enhanced by the inclusion of vanilla and praline. Which all plays well off of the spicy punch of the cinnamon note.

Which is better? It’s actually a very close decision for me, as I really enjoy how both of these perfumes start off.

But, I might slightly lean towards Angels’ Share. It’s boozy sweetness is better balanced with its toned down cinnamon note. Oajan can be rather intense that way. Not a massive win for the Kilian, but it takes this category.

Edge: Angels’ Share

Projection

So, with older batches of Oajan, this would’ve been a fairly straightforward win for it.

Now, it’s closer to being a toss up. The opening act is stronger and heavier with the PdM scent versus Angels’. That projection still packs a punch. However, it doesn’t sustain it for as long as it used to before settling into something more in the upper moderate range.

Angels’ Share doesn’t start off as strong, but it’s also got itself a good reach. It too settles into an upper moderate level.

That being said, Oajan still has an edge with this one. Not as much as it used to, but it fends off the Kilian.

Edge: Oajan

Longevity

With Angels’ Share, I get 9-13 hours of wear on my skin. It’s a really good performer like most of these colder weather scents.

Older batches of Oajan used to last 11-12 hours for me. With my current bottle, it only seems to get to about 9 hours. Or, the lowest of what I get with the Kilian perfume. Those last few hours aren’t exactly strong, either.

So, Angels’ Share takes it, nowadays.

Edge: Angels’ Share

Versatility

Both of these are cold weather fragrances. Neither is for formal wear.

While each is technically unisex, Oajan leans more masculine, than actually being something that most women would reach for.

I wear each of these for casual to semi-formal situations. Lots of the time, it’s for nights out or when I just want something substantial and cozy to have on.

There’s not much distinction here, other than Angels’ Share being more of a unisex fragrance. So, I guess that I’ll give it the slight edge.

Edge: Angels’ Share

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I prefer?

Obviously, since I own bottles of each of them, I think that they’re both great scents. As such, it’s more like I’d choose one 6 times out of 10 versus the other.

I’d lean that fragrance being Angels’ Share. It’s not always my favorite between them, as sometimes I dislike the praline note and how it presents. But, that cognac is great with the oak and other sweetness.

I will say, for most men, Oajan might be the one to go with. It doesn’t have the same level of sustained sweetness as Angels’ Share, though, it definitely is sweet and has periods where that sticky honey note really pops.

Angels’ Share in its current form, just does most everything a bit better than Oajan in its newer releases. That might change again, at some point. For now, I’d opt for the boozy Kilian perfume.

Winner: Angels’ Share