Signature scents aren’t always easy to come by. A fragrance just has to have a certain factor that can make it versatile to work in all seasons and hours of the day. If you are like me, you like a fragrance that can evolve as it’s worn so you get many different aspects throughout the day. Valentino Donna Born in Roma does just that; with gourmand, fruit, and woods all being present throughout the fragrance.
Despite smelling like a win-win for a signature scent, we also have to factor in the day to day cost of using such a luxury brand. Since I certainly don’t see myself being able to afford daily reapplies of a Valentino Donna fragrance anytime soon, I did some research to find some fragrances that could fool anyone into thinking otherwise.
Watch this video about dupes of Valentino Born in Roma:
5 Dupes of Valentino Donna Born in Roma
1. Oil Perfumery Impression of Born in Roma
With its signature, compact, rollerball packaging, Oil Perfumery is one of my favorite brands for fragrances I know I will be wearing constantly. Their impression of Born in Roma feels a tad less sweet than the original, with vanilla and jasmine being the stars of the show.
Similar to Born in Roma, the fragrance opens with black currant and pink pepper which gives you that same sweet burst of the original, but then quickly dries into jasmine tea and jasmine sambac. The jasmine feels very fresh and feels almost spicy with the pink pepper from the opening. The structure dries into vanilla and guaiac wood which is more herbal mixed with the jasmine than it is sweet.
Despite its toned-down gourmand notes, I find this fragrance to be almost identical to the original. Its longevity and sillage are long-lasting and project very nicely off the skin. Overall, it’s a great on-the-go version you can reapply as many times as you want.
2. Zara Hyper Gypsy
Another great fragrance from the popular fashion brand, Zara Hyper Gypsy is comparable to Born in Roma with just slight changes to its overall structure. It opens with citrus notes alongside the bergamot and black currant which really make the fragrance shine and burst in the beginning. The middle drydown mixes jasmine with freesia so the floral notes are more varied and light as well. Finally, the drydown of musk and woods mix well with the floral, citrus combination and make the fragrance feel deep and modern.
Missing out on the gourmand note of the vanilla in the drydown, I find this fragrance to be the most non-sweet option of the bunch. Still, the fragrance is feminine and modern, with all the classic structural moments we found in the original.
3. Divain-624
If you’d like something similar but more warming and spicy than Born in Roma, Divian-624 brings a distinct Autumn oriented feel to the original fragrance. Opening with black currant, bergamot, and pink pepper, you still get the burst of sweet fruit but the pepper lingers into the drydown more than Born in Roma. The middle notes of jasmine tea and Arabian jasmine make way to a final dry-down of cashmere, guaiac wood, and bourbon vanilla which make the overall fragrance feel woody and warming.
To my nose, the bourbon vanilla is what makes the most impression and can be noticed hours after applying. It mixes well with the woods and jasmine aspect, though it will feel a bit more warming and cozy than the original fragrance.
4. Goldfield & Banks Sunset Hour
A fragrance more geared towards the summer month, Sunset Hour is just a touch more fruity. Opening with raspberry, sandalwood, and pink pepper, the fragrance has a burst of tartness but is complemented with the spice of the pink pepper. The drydown into jasmine feels airy and floral and the drydown into benzoin and cashmere meets the sandalwood in the middle to create an overall woodsy scent.
I find that this fragrance has a lighter side to it than Born in Roma, though all of the structural elements are there. With this lightness comes a bit of a loss with the longevity and sillage, though with Sunset Hour being a fraction of the price, you don’t have to worry about reapplies.
5. Daniela Katzenberger In Love
In Love is, to my eyes, the fruitiest variation of them all, feels like the youngest and most vibrant Born in Roma dupe out of this list. Opening with citrus and black currant, the middle drydown mixes the bouquet of jasmine with peach, and green apple, so the sweet, fruitiness of the opening continues on all the way to the base. The drydown of musk, vanilla, and cedar cuts through the otherwise fruity fragrance to bring in a woodsy, deeper scent.
Definitely on the more bright and young side, I find this fragrance surprisingly lasts very well despite being a bit airier than Born in Roma.
As a final note
It’s not always easy to find a scent you want to wear every day. There has to be some sort of evolving factor to its structure that feels accessible in all moments of the day, yet stands out and makes you feel unique. Valentino Donna Born in Roma is certainly one of those fragrances, and it has remained trendy for this reason.
While I know it’s hard to pass up such a beautiful bottle design and fragrance, that doesn’t mean you need to commit to spending mega dollars to smell like Valentino Donna. If there is anything I’ve learned in the fragrance industry, its that there’s always a way to smell your best even if it isn’t a brand name. You can still have the feel of the streets of Roma and not have to pay the price for it.
