Fragrance comparison

Earl Grey vs Icon Instinct

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 53 ratings analysed

Earl Grey

The Lab Fragrances

4.0618 votes

Rank #44,825 CitrusVanilla

Full profile Similar & dupes

60%scent match

Closely related

4 wins

Icon Instinct

Ga-De

4.0935 votes

Rank #26,042 VanillaPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Icon Instinct takes 4 of 5 categories.

Earl Grey
Choose it for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Icon Instinct
Choose it for a vanilla and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Earl Grey1/5

Icon Instinct4/5

Ratings & consensus: Icon Instinct
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Earl Grey
Sillage & projection: Icon Instinct
Value for money: Icon Instinct
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Icon Instinct

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Earl GreyThe Lab Fragrances

Icon InstinctGa-De

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.06/ 5 · 18 votes

Have 27%Had 9%Want 64%

4.09/ 5 · 35 votes

Have 51%Had 14%Want 35%

Category winnerIcon InstinctRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

28%Like

11%Ok

0%Dislike

11%Hate

18 votes · too few to score

34%Love

54%Like

3%Ok

3%Dislike

6%Hate

35 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityEarl Grey

SillageIcon Instinct

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value52

¤ Price value78

Category winnerIcon InstinctBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

vanilla92%

powdery84%

white floral77%

fresh spicy69%

sweet61%

vanilla100%

powdery90%

amber80%

white floral70%

woody60%

sweet50%

Scent match60%Closely related · both vanilla, powdery and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

TeaLimeBergamot

Heart

Orange BlossomTiare FlowerHeliotropePepper

Base

VanillaAmberMuskSandalwood

Notes

VanillaAmberSandalwoodNight Blooming JasmineOrange BlossomHeliotropeMusk

No top / heart / base split published

InformationalShared notesOrange Blossom, Heliotrope, Vanilla and Amber. Durations are only published for Icon Instinct, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring83

Summer100

Fall67

Winter83

Day100

Night63

Spring38

Summer19

Fall100

Winter88

Day44

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex77

Women23

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Date 37%Party 26%Casual 20%Work 16%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#44,825

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#26,042

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerIcon InstinctHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Earl Grey by The Lab Fragrances delivers a refreshing twist on classic black tea by pairing bright bergamot and crisp lime with cozy vanilla and warm sandalwood. The opening hits your skin like a freshly poured cup of citrus-infused tea, crisp and uplifting without sharp chemical edges. As the initial zest settles, so…

Reviews →

Ga-De Icon Instinct is a rich, comforting fragrance that wraps the skin in creamy sweetness. It opens with an immediate lift of bright orange blossom and sweet nectar before transitioning into a plush, powdery heart of heliotrope and white florals. As the perfume warms with your body heat, a dense foundation of golden…

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, Earl Grey or Icon Instinct?

Icon Instinct takes 4 of 5 categories. Earl Grey is rated 4.06/5 from 18 votes; Icon Instinct is rated 4.09/5 from 35 votes. Choose Earl Grey for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on longevity. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Icon Instinct for a vanilla and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Earl Grey or Icon Instinct?

Earl Grey lasts longest (Earl Grey 73/100, Icon Instinct 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Earl Grey or Icon Instinct?

Icon Instinct projects furthest (Icon Instinct 67/100, Earl Grey 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Earl Grey and Icon Instinct smell similar?

Closely related: a 60% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla, powdery and white floral accords. Common notes include Orange Blossom, Heliotrope, Vanilla and Amber.

Is Earl Grey or Icon Instinct better for summer or winter?

Earl Grey suits daytime wear; Icon Instinct suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Earl Grey and Icon Instinct?

Earl Grey has top notes of Tea, Lime and Bergamot, heart notes of Orange Blossom, Tiare Flower, Heliotrope and Pepper, a base of Vanilla, Amber, Musk and Sandalwood. Icon Instinct features Vanilla, Amber, Sandalwood, Night Blooming Jasmine and Orange Blossom.