Fragrance comparison

Donna vs Gold Issime

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 331 ratings analysed

4 wins

Donna

Borsalino

3.7947 votes

Rank #34,409 White FloralWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

Gold Issime

Ulric de Varens

3.77284 votes

Rank #11,829 PowderyAldehydic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Donna takes 4 of 7 categories.

Donna
Choose it for a white floral and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Gold Issime
Choose it for a powdery and aldehydic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Donna4/7

Gold Issime3/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

DonnaBorsalino

Gold IssimeUlric de Varens

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.79/ 5 · 47 votes

Have 38%Had 25%Want 37%

3.77/ 5 · 284 votes

Have 41%Had 33%Want 26%

Category winnerGold IssimeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

33%Love

55%Like

2%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

42 votes

23%Love

53%Like

4%Ok

20%Dislike

1%Hate

284 votes

Category winnerDonnaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate69

Category winners

LongevityDonna

SillageDonna

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value82

Category winnerGold IssimeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

woody92%

floral84%

fresh77%

citrus69%

yellow floral61%

powdery100%

aldehydic92%

fresh84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

sweet61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both white floral, fresh and yellow floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Notes

LilacYlang-YlangJasmineCashmere WoodSandalwoodCitrusesAmberAfrican Orange FlowerLily-of-the-ValleyVioletMandarin OrangeRose

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

AldehydesPowdery NotesYlang-YlangRiceVioletJasmineAfrican Orange FlowerRose

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesYlang-Ylang, Jasmine, African Orange Flower and Violet. Durations are only published for Gold Issime, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter89

Day100

Night40

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter51

Day100

Night39

Category winnerDonnaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Men1

Unisex1

Women97

Casual 40%Work 36%Date 15%Party 9%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#34,409

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#11,829

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews33

Category winnerGold IssimeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Donna by Borsalino is a classic floral woody musk with a bright citrus opening, a soft white floral heart, and a smooth base of sandalwood, amber, musk, and vanilla. It reads powdery, fresh, and gently sweet rather than loud. This suits someone who enjoys older-school feminine florals with a polished, slightly romanti…

Reviews →

Gold Issime by Ulric de Varens is an unapologetic nod to classic French soap perfumery. It opens with an icy pop of aldehydes and sweet African orange flower. The first few minutes are sharp and brisk. Soon, creamy ylang-ylang and delicate jasmine soften the blast into a pillowy floral core. A distinctive rice accord …

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, Donna or Gold Issime?

Donna takes 4 of 7 categories. Donna is rated 3.79/5 from 47 votes; Gold Issime is rated 3.77/5 from 284 votes. Choose Donna for a white floral and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Gold Issime for a powdery and aldehydic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Donna or Gold Issime?

Donna lasts longest (Donna 71/100, Gold Issime 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Donna or Gold Issime?

Donna projects furthest (Donna 68/100, Gold Issime 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Donna and Gold Issime smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral, fresh and yellow floral accords. Common notes include Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, African Orange Flower and Violet.

Is Donna or Gold Issime better for summer or winter?

For summer, Donna is the stronger pick. For winter, Donna is the stronger pick. Donna suits daytime wear; Gold Issime suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Donna and Gold Issime?

Donna features Lilac, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Cashmere Wood and Sandalwood. Gold Issime features Aldehydes, Powdery Notes, Ylang-Ylang, Rice and Violet.