Fragrance comparison

Alchimie vs Clinique Happy To Be

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 30 Oct 2026 2,434 ratings analysed

5 wins

Alchimie

Rochas

4.211,920 votes

Rank #377 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

39%scent match

Some overlap

Clinique Happy To Be

Clinique

3.59514 votes

Rank #35,934 FloralAquatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Alchimie takes 5 of 7 categories.

Alchimie
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.
Clinique Happy To Be
Choose it for a floral and aquatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Alchimie5/7

Clinique Happy To Be2/7

Ratings & consensus: Alchimie
Community sentiment: Alchimie
Longevity: Alchimie
Sillage & projection: Alchimie
Value for money: Clinique Happy To Be
Versatility: Clinique Happy To Be
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Alchimie

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

AlchimieRochas

Clinique Happy To BeClinique

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.21/ 5 · 1,920 votes

Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%

3.59/ 5 · 514 votes

Have 25%Had 61%Want 15%

Category winnerAlchimieRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

51%Love

39%Like

2%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

1,736 votes

24%Love

44%Like

2%Ok

29%Dislike

1%Hate

514 votes

Category winnerAlchimieMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityAlchimie

SillageAlchimie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value61

Category winnerClinique Happy To BeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet92%

vanilla84%

floral77%

powdery69%

soft spicy61%

floral100%

aquatic92%

fresh84%

sweet77%

fruity69%

white floral61%

Scent match39%Some overlap · both floral, fruity and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

PeachPlumLilacPearBlack CurrantCassiaHiacynthMandarin Orange

Heart

Black locustWisteriaCoconutHeliotropeJasmineRoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base

CaramelVanillaTonka BeanSandalwoodAmberLicoriceMusk

Top30 to 45 minutes

Water NotesPear

Heart2 to 4 hours

LilacHibiscusSyringaRose

Base2 to 3 hours

CacaoSandalwood

InformationalShared notesLilac, Pear, Rose and Sandalwood. Durations are only published for Clinique Happy To Be, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring45

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring75

Summer100

Fall33

Winter16

Day100

Night8

Category winnerClinique Happy To BeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex4

Women96

Men3

Unisex15

Women82

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#377

PerfumerJacques Cavallier Belletrud

Launched—

Reviews163

Overall rank#35,934

PerfumerOlivier Cresp

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerAlchimieHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Alchimie by Rochas is an oriental floral fragrance for women that blends fruit, spice, and resins. It opens with a bright mix of peach, plum, and citrus before settling into a warm, powdery base of vanilla, caramel, and tonka bean. This 1998 classic remains a sought-after piece for those who enjoy sophisticated, sweet…

Reviews →

Clinique Happy To Be by Clinique opens with a bright wash of water notes and crisp, chilled pear. Created by Olivier Cresp, this floral fruity scent takes the sunny reputation of the Happy line in a distinctly watery, floral direction. At its heart, lilac combines with hibiscus, syringa, and gentle rose for a clean, g…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Alchimie or Clinique Happy To Be?

Alchimie takes 5 of 7 categories. Alchimie is rated 4.21/5 from 1,920 votes; Clinique Happy To Be is rated 3.59/5 from 514 votes. Choose Alchimie for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter. Choose Clinique Happy To Be for a floral and aquatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Alchimie or Clinique Happy To Be?

Alchimie lasts longest (Alchimie 77/100, Clinique Happy To Be 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Alchimie or Clinique Happy To Be?

Alchimie projects furthest (Alchimie 70/100, Clinique Happy To Be 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Alchimie and Clinique Happy To Be smell similar?

Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, fruity and sweet accords. Common notes include Lilac, Pear, Rose and Sandalwood.

Is Alchimie or Clinique Happy To Be better for summer or winter?

For summer, Clinique Happy To Be is the stronger pick. For winter, Alchimie is the stronger pick. Clinique Happy To Be suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Alchimie and Clinique Happy To Be?

Alchimie has top notes of Peach, Plum, Lilac and Pear, heart notes of Black locust, Wisteria, Coconut and Heliotrope, a base of Caramel, Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood. Clinique Happy To Be has top notes of Water Notes and Pear, heart notes of Lilac, Hibiscus, Syringa and Rose, a base of Cacao and Sandalwood.