For years Love Don’t Be Shy by Kilian has been associated with the ‘heavenly’ scent of Rhianna who claims it to be her go-to scent. But at $245 for a 50ml bottle, you’d need a bank account like Rihanna’s just to be able to maintain buying it.
As a fragrance with a delightfully sweet scent, it’s no surprise to me that this one is so highly sought after. But if you want that gourmand experience for less, I’ve found some pretty close dupes.
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What Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy Is About
Love Don’t Be Shy, we sometimes simply refer to as Love, is a super sweet gourmand scent from luxury fragrance house Kilian.
The niche brand produces high-quality perfumes and Love Don’t Be Shy is no exception. One thing that attracts so many people to the fragrance is the performance. It’ll last ages on the skin and projects beautifully without being too in your face.
With pop sensation Rihanna claiming this as her signature scent after the media went mad for how beautiful she always smelled, fans and fragrance lovers were clamoring to get their hands on a bottle.
It opens with the zestiness of bergamot alongside sweet neroli and a slightly spicy accord of pepper and coriander. As Love Don’t Be Shy begins to dry down, the heart reveals orange blossom, jasmine, honeysuckle, iris, and rose; perhaps a great choice for floral fans.
But it’s the base of this fragrance that really gives it its true character. Bursting with sweet notes of sugar, vanilla, and caramel that sit alongside musk, civet, and labdanum; there’s something utterly unique about this composition.
Well, unique enough that you’d know it was Love Don’t Be Shy but perhaps not so unique in the sense that there are some very good dupes out there.
9 Dupes That Smell Like Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy
1. Dossier Floral Marshmallow
When I first opened my bottle of Dossier’s Floral Marshmallow, I was instantly transported back to my first encounter with Love Don’t Be Shy by Kilian. The top notes of marshmallow, neroli, and bergamot filled the air with a scent that’s surprisingly similar to the real thing.
As the perfume settled, the middle notes of orange blossom, honeysuckle, and jasmine began to mingle with the top notes, creating a symphony of florals comparable to Kilian’s lovely scent. The base notes, with a comforting addition of amber, vanilla, and musk, rounded off the scent beautifully, not straying far from the original. The warmth of the scent felt just right for the colder months.
In terms of longevity, I found Floral Marshmallow to be a bit of an overachiever. It lasted a good six to eight hours on my skin, giving Kilian’s fragrance a run for its money. When it came to projection, however, it was a tad subtler, creating a more personal aura rather than an overpowering cloud.
Now, to talk about price – at $39, Floral Marshmallow is a clear winner compared to the hefty $240 price tag of the Kilian fragrance. The packaging, while not as luxurious as Kilian’s, is practical, fuss-free and eco-friendly.
Overall, my experience with Floral Marshmallow was great. Although it doesn’t precisely match Love Don’t Be Shy by Kilian, it’s a worthy alternative for those who love the scent profile but are looking for a more budget-friendly option. At a fraction of the price, you still get the same feel as the original.
2. Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme
Pour Femme by D&G is hailed as the best Kilian Love Don’t Be Sky dupe by fragrance fans. While the make up isn’t exactly the same, there are enough similarities to make it pretty darn close.
It’s got that neroli at the head that Kilian’s fragrance is known for but couples this with raspberry and orange.
While orange blossom and jasmine feature prominently as middle notes, this is the extent of the composition. Don’t get me wrong, it smells lovely but is it as complex and detailed as the original? Not at all. This is also the case with the base notes, which only feature vanilla as a nod towards Love Don’t Be Shy.
All of that said, it is a close enough match if you’re looking for something that’s a fraction of the cost. It’ll work extremely well for a variety of situations and lasts a long time. OK, it’s not quite as special in its complexity, but it’s good enough for me.
3. Caramel Overdose Be Layered
I had a lot of good experiences with Caramel Overdose as a perfume in its own right, so I got even more excited when I found out that it was also a very close copy of Love Don’t Be Shy.
If it’s the sweetness of the caramel base that makes Kilian’s fragrance appeal to you then you’ll love this. The entire perfume is based around the scent of caramel, so it’s definitely one for gourmand fans.
However, I should point out that it’s missing many of the other key elements of LDBS such as the orange blossom and jasmine. But that doesn’t matter too much as you’re getting what you came for in terms of sweetness.
What’s more, this perfume lasts incredibly well with just a few sprays. If you want something much more simple and affordable, you’re in the right ballpark with Caramel Overdose.
4. Perdizione Nobile 1942
Released some years after Love Don’t Be Shy, Perdizione Nobile 1942 isn’t a bad clone. It’s not spot on so if you want an exact replica, this might not be for you, but there are enough similarities to nod towards Kilian.
Most importantly, you get the orange blossom and neroli notes through the opening and into the heart. While the base features vanilla and musk to give it that sweet character. However, I was a little disappointed not to detect any caramel accords here which does cause it to meander slightly away from the original fragrance.
I’d recommend this one for those who want something that hints towards LDBS without being an obvious copy. But I have to warn you that you aren’t going to be making a huge saving in terms of cost as Perdizione Nobile 1942 is hardly the cheapest fragrance on the market.
5. Le Plus Beau Jour De Ma Vie Guerlain
Guerlain is one of the most well-respected and luxurious fragrance houses on the planet. It therefore doesn’t come as a surprise that the brand has something for every taste, including fans of Love Don’t Be Shy.
Le Plus Beau Jour de Ma Vie has many of the same fragrance notes as Kilian but truly puts its own spin on this feminine perfume.
The opening has the citrus accords that bergamot brings to the original as well as that rich peppery vibe. Through the heart, you find orange blossom and rose which makes the floral side of this perfume very similar to Love Don’t Be Shy.
I really liked Le Plus Beau Jour de Ma Vie because the base hints towards Kilian without saying ‘look at me, I’m a replica!’. You get the sweet vanilla character but now it’s paired with incense for a much more exotic finish.
Is it good value for money? Well, I’d say it was more affordable than Kilian but don’t get too excited as Guerlain’s offering isn’t the most friendly on your bank balance since you have to buy limited stock owing to the brand no longer producing the fragrance. But there are plenty of eBay and Amazon sellers with ample stock.
6. Velvet Vanilla Mancera
Looking at the bottle of Velvet Vanilla, you could be forgiven for thinking that this was a totally different kind of perfume. While the bottle of Kilian gives an almost romantic, innocent vibe, Velvet Vanilla screams vibrancy and eccentricity.
But what’s inside is incredibly similar to Love Don’t Be Shy. It’s a slightly more complex composition which I like but might not be suited to people who prefer to keep their fragrance simple. What makes this so is the opening which takes that pepper and citrus accord and adds things like cloves, pear, and blackcurrant.
The rest of the blend is almost an exact dupe with rose, jasmine, vanilla, and musk taking center stage. However, in much the same way as many other perfumes similar to Love Don’t Be Shy, you’re going to need to be willing to part with some serious cash. Is it worth it? Absolutely. This is a super long-lasting fragrance with a projection that goes for miles.
7. Sweet Redemption Kilian
If you’re a fan of Kilian and don’t want to stray from the brand but want a break from wearing LDBS, then you might enjoy Sweet Redemption. Yes, you’re going to have to pay those high-end Kilian prices, but you’re getting an intense and long-lasting fragrance that’s certainly worth the investment.
Sweet Redemption is a much simpler blend than Love Don’t Be Shy and is ideal for fans of the amber floral fragrance. With the sweetness of African orange flower, you get a similar vibe to the orange blossom of the original.
There are strong vanilla accords at the base which is what gives Sweet Redemption the right to be called similar to Love Don’t Be Shy but there’s a much deeper, more Oriental feel to the ending. This is achieved with myrrh and incense, so if you like a more mysterious-smelling perfume, this might be just what you were looking for.
8. Flowerbomb Nectar Viktor And Rolf
Sometimes you want the same kind of feeling as Love Don’t Be Shy with a bit of a twist. If that sounds familiar, then Flowerbomb Nectar is the ideal fragrance for you.
This perfume has all of the prominent notes included in Kilian’s well-loved scent but puts in some unique elements that make Flowerbomb Nectar an excellent choice for a signature scent.
Let’s start at the head where you’ll not only find bergamot for that zingy beginning but gunpowder and cassis. The heart boasts those beautiful floral notes like orange blossom and jasmine that I love about Love Don’t Be Shy, but the base continues with the theme of originality. If you want to be original, this is a great way to do it.
You’ll get those sweet vanilla accords accompanied by tonka bean and benzoin. It’s rich, warm, and inviting and I think it’d work excellently as a winter fragrance. It lasts just as well on the skin as the original but doesn’t come with such a high price tag.
9. Oriana Parfums De Marly
Let me start by saying that if you’re looking for a bargain dupe, you aren’t going to find it with Oriana. This is a fragrance by a high-end niche brand and the price reflects this. But that really is the only downside, so don’t let it put you off.
Oriana is a super sweet gourmand blend that I would personally say rivals that of Love Don’t Be Shy as one of my favorites. It’s got that beautifully uplifting head filled with citrus accords while the heart is bursting with florals, including that all-important orange blossom that really gives LDBS its character.
If you’re looking for something unashamedly gourmand, Oriana is where you’ll find it. The base makes this an incredible scent with marshmallow, whipped cream, and musk. OK, it’s not a direct copy of the original, but all those sweet notes definitely give you the same vibe.
As A Final Note
If you’re keen to find perfumes similar to Love Don’t Be Shy that won’t eat into your savings quite as much, you’ll be pleased to know there are plenty. That said, there are also quite a few great expensive dupes too, so there’s something of a balance.
When shopping for a Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy dupe, just keep those fragrance notes at the front of your mind. choosing a perfume with a similar composition is the best way to get that sweet, gourmand accord that the perfume is famed for. Key notes include the floral heart of iris, jasmine, rose, and orange blossom as well as sweet caramel, musk, and vanilla at the base. Those are the winners.
