Fragrance comparison

Desiderio vs Alchimie

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 1,937 ratings analysed

3 wins

Desiderio

Paolo Gigli

4.3517 votes

Rank #32,787 VanillaSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

Alchimie

Rochas

4.211,920 votes

Rank #376 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Desiderio takes 3 of 5 categories.

Desiderio
Choose it for a vanilla and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Alchimie
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Desiderio3/5

Alchimie2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DesiderioPaolo Gigli

AlchimieRochas

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.35/ 5 · 17 votes

Have 28%Had 14%Want 58%

4.21/ 5 · 1,920 votes

Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%

Category winnerAlchimieRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

71%Love

12%Like

0%Ok

18%Dislike

0%Hate

17 votes · too few to score

51%Love

39%Like

2%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

1,736 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity82

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate84

⏱ Longevity77

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityDesiderio

SillageDesiderio

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value65

¤ Price value47

Category winnerDesiderioBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

sweet92%

fruity84%

amber77%

tropical69%

citrus61%

fruity100%

sweet92%

vanilla84%

floral77%

powdery69%

soft spicy61%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both vanilla, sweet and fruity

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Mandarin OrangeLemon

Heart2-4 hrs

PeachPassionfruitCoconut

Base8-12 hrs

Tonka BeanVanillaAmber

Top

PeachPlumLilacPearBlack CurrantCassiaHiacynthMandarin Orange

Heart

Black locustWisteriaCoconutHeliotropeJasmineRoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base

CaramelVanillaTonka BeanSandalwoodAmberLicoriceMusk

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange, Peach, Coconut and Tonka Bean. Durations are only published for Desiderio, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring75

Summer100

Fall50

Winter0

Day100

Night70

Spring45

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men20

Unisex50

Women30

Casual 34%Party 31%Date 25%Work 10%

Men0

Unisex4

Women96

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,787

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#376

PerfumerJacques Cavallier Belletrud

Launched—

Reviews163

Category winnerAlchimieHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Paolo Gigli Desiderio opens with a sudden splash of tart lemon and juicy mandarin orange. The citrus bursts loud and bright. Within twenty minutes, luscious peach flesh and tangy passionfruit join a milky coconut accord to form a sun-drenched fruit profile. The scent does not stay purely tropical, however. A dense fou…

Reviews →

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 →

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, Desiderio or Alchimie?

Desiderio takes 3 of 5 categories. Desiderio is rated 4.35/5 from 17 votes; Alchimie is rated 4.21/5 from 1,920 votes. Choose Desiderio for a vanilla and sweet character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Alchimie for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Desiderio or Alchimie?

Desiderio lasts longest (Desiderio 82/100, Alchimie 77/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Desiderio or Alchimie?

Desiderio projects furthest (Desiderio 75/100, Alchimie 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Desiderio and Alchimie smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla, sweet and fruity accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange, Peach, Coconut and Tonka Bean.

Is Desiderio or Alchimie better for summer or winter?

Desiderio suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Desiderio and Alchimie?

Desiderio has top notes of Mandarin Orange and Lemon, heart notes of Peach, Passionfruit and Coconut, a base of Tonka Bean, Vanilla and Amber. 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.