Best Paloma Picasso by Paloma Picasso Alternatives & Similar Perfumes
Paloma Picasso is a rich chypre floral fragrance blending spicy carnation and coriander with soft florals like rose, jasmine, and ylang-ylang. Citrusy top notes of bergamot and lemon add brightness, while earthy patchouli, vetiver, and sandalwood ground the scent. Animalic touches from civet and castoreum provide depth, balanced by warm amber and musk. Those drawn to its complex floral-spicy balance and textured base should consider these fragrances sharing some of its key elements.
Mathilde by Rance 1795 £91.67
- Key notes:
- jasmine
- lily-of-the-valley
- narcissus
- neroli
- orris (iris root)
- passion fruit
- rose
- sandalwood
- tangerine
- ylang-ylang
- Aromagroups:
- floral
- fruity
Matilde Bonaparte, niece of Napoleon I, was known for her breasts (“le plus beau décolleté”) and her talent as a painter. She also hosted a celebrated 19th-century Parisian salon attended by the greatest artists and writers of her time. This namesake perfume is an olfactory salon of provocative white florals (ylang-ylang, narcissus, jasmine) given tropical succulence with passion fruit and papaya. Mathilde’s heady brightness is softened by iris and sandalwood.
Orchid Mantis by Zoologist £166.67
- Key notes:
- jasmine
- lemon
- orchid
- patchouli
- rose
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- floral
- woody
In the muggy shade of a tropical rainforest, an orchid sways seductively. Its glistening petals tremble in anticipation, inviting a passing butterfly to consummate the intimate act of pollination. Succumbing to the allure of the silken flower, the butterfly eagerly flits forward. But as it prepares to alight, the exotic bloom abruptly transforms. Delicate leaves contort into dagger-like forelegs, seizing the bug’s fragile wings. Before the butterfly can comprehend its fate, its head is devoured, crushed between the powerful jaws of the stealthy orchid mantis.
Orchid Mantis lures you into a fragrant illusion. Juicy pear, rich rose and heady jasmine entwine with basil and ylang to suggest the intense scent of orchids. This vintage style is set against the backdrop of a humid rainforest evoked by patchouli, moss, sandalwood and vetiver. An enduring musk serves as a reminder that beauty can also be beastly.
Divina Flora by Aura Eximia £187.50
- Key notes:
- cloves
- jasmine
- juniper
- narcissus
- neroli
- passion fruit
- peony
- rose
- sage
- ylang-ylang
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- citrusy
- floral
- fruity
- vintage/old school
This “divine flower” is a luminous, untamed floral that captures the serenity of nature in motion. It starts bright and light: lemongrass and passion fruit, opening up to peony and lily of the valley. Watery, ethereal cyclamen drenches the richness of jasmine, ylang-ylang and narcissus like dew over a meadow. The drydown is green, a mingling of eucalyptus and sage with peppermint, juniper and pine, grounded by
Mysore sandalwood and a hint of vanilla bourbon.
Terram by D:SOL MMXVI £116.67
- Key notes:
- amber
- benzoin
- coriander
- magnolia
- patchouli
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- woody
Terram captures the Mediterranean embrace of autumn. The path winding up from the beach is silent. Sweet aromatic notes of dry soil and clifftop pines float in the air. A haze of ambery benzoin and dusty patchouli settles over musk. Warm, woody, still — this is a fragrant mood that comforts and lulls.
Cinematic by Der Duft £91.67
- Key notes:
- cardamom
- carnation
- cashmeran
- ginger
- lemon
- white musk
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- unconventional
A collaboration with Miguel Matos.
Clean, abstract and intriguing. Is it the smell of the new velvet seats in a dark cinema? Or the conditioned cool air? Or the fragrant echoes of trendy perfumes floating in between the spectators?
Cinematic is put together from an overdose of clean white musk, crisp hazy cashmeran, dry savory spices and a few drops of bitter carnation essence.
Concrete by Comme Des Garcons £133.33
- Key notes:
- cardamom
- carnation
- chypre
- cloves
- jasmine
- rose oxide
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- floral
- spicy
- woody
This monster of an “anti-perfume” is simultaneously clean and dense, the olfactory interpretation of the building material. Aptly encased in a grey concrete bottle, this eau de parfum is an astonishingly diffusive blend of sandalwood, rose and spices, with a powerful smoothness that mimics the material's satisfying surface.
Quelque Fleur Extreme by Houbigant £145.83
- Key notes:
- civet
- jasmine
- orange blossom
- orris (iris root)
- sandalwood
- tuberose
- ylang-ylang
- Aromagroups:
- floral
- vintage/old school
An iconic classic in its own rite, Quelques Fleurs is a true ingenious scent of its time. The French perfumer, Robert Bienaimé, unveiled Quelques Fleurs the first true multi-floral blend ever created, in 1912.
Since then, his perfectly-balanced, refined bouquet has become modern perfumery’s peerless criterion for pure, meticulously-crafted, multi-floral accords. Prior to his bold invention, floral fragrances had been mainly singular flowers, or florals combined with various nuances of herbs and spices. Bienaimé’s singular triumph is remarkable for its secret, mythical formula. Upwards of 15,000 exemplary flowers and 250 prestigious raw materials are diligently-curated in the creation of a single ounce of perfume.
Debonaire by Plowden & Fallow £90.00
- Key notes:
- lavender
- lemon
- neroli
- rosemary
- sandalwood
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- citrusy
- green
One has a sophisticated charm, confidence and sports impeccable tailoring, need we say more? Debonaire is your go to Plowden & Fallow fragrance for everyday wear be that wondering the streets of Chelsea, attending a mid-summer garden party, or those days spent in the office followed by a post work drink.
For here we have an example of aromatic tailoring of the finest order; a fragrant citrus head has been carefully woven into a delightfully musky floral base from which gentle woody notes ascend forth.
Teint De Neige (Extrait) by Lorenzo Villoresi £312.50
- Key notes:
- jasmine
- musk
- powdery nuance
- rose
- tonka beans
- ylang-ylang
- Aromagroups:
- vintage/old school
- woody
The soft, gentle, enveloping fragrance of Teint de Neige in its most concentrated version. Recalling images and atmosphere of the belle-époque, with sweet and powdery notes of jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang on a base of musk, tonka beans and heliotrope.
Fougère Royale by Houbigant £145.83
- Key notes:
- bergamot
- carnation
- clary sage
- fougere
- geranium
- oakmoss
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- vintage/old school
- woody
Created by Master Perfumer Paul Parquet in 1882, Fougère Royale completely revolutionized the world of perfumes and established modern perfumery as it exists today. As well as creating an entirely new fragrance family, Parquet had succeeded in extracting isolated, synthetic molecules from natural, raw materials. In the dedicated pursuit to expand olfactory palettes with novel, new aromas, he’d derived coumarin from the tonka bean in a worldwide premiere. In its mission to authentically replicate the original, regal masterpiece from centuries past, the reengineered formula cultivates refined, prestigious raw materials of the highest quality and provenance. This masterfully revamped Fougère Royale retains its elegant, noble, refined pulse and its pleasant, pastoral beauty.
The perfectly-blended perfume is redolent of green and fragrant foliage with densely shaded woodlands. Sweet green grasses suggest the freshly-released essences of a crushed and dewy verdure, with an intense hint of newly-mown hay.
Fougère Royale’s nuanced scent composition opens with a vibrant, sparkling cocktail of bergamot, lavender and Mediterranean herbs. The heart follows, with floral-spicy Rondeletia accord, rare in most perfumes. Opening into rich geranium and warm spices. A floral intermezzo showcases rare rose essences and absolutes, spiked by pepper, cinnamon and carnation. Finally, a grand finale of earthy, ambery and woody harmonies, where moss notes join a sensual patchouli enriched by warm coumarinic undertones of tonka beans and clary sage absolute.
About Paloma Picasso by Paloma Picasso
- What makes Paloma Picasso unique compared to these similar fragrances?
- Paloma Picasso is distinctive for its blend of spicy carnation, animalic civet and castoreum, and a rich chypre floral base. While these fragrances share some notes, none replicate the full spicy, animalic warmth combined with bright citrus and deep woods that define Paloma Picasso.
- Are these fragrances suitable for someone who enjoys intense, long-lasting scents?
- Many of these fragrances feature rich base notes like patchouli, sandalwood, amber, and musk, which contribute to longevity and intensity. However, the overall sillage and lasting power vary, with some leaning towards fresher or powdery interpretations that may be lighter.
- Can any of these fragrances be worn year-round like Paloma Picasso?
- Several options here, such as Terram and Ambré Lumière 2023, offer warm, resinous bases suitable for cooler months, while fresher scents like Debonaire and Orchid Mantis may work well in warmer weather. Paloma Picasso’s balance of warmth and brightness makes it versatile, but these alternatives vary in seasonal suitability.









