Fragrance comparison

Gold Issime vs Donna

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 331 ratings analysed

Gold Issime

Ulric de Varens

3.77284 votes

Rank #12,044 PowderyAldehydic

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Donna

Borsalino

3.7947 votes

Rank #34,362 White FloralWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Donna takes 4 of 7 categories.

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.
Donna
Choose it for a white floral and woody character. Wins on community sentiment, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Gold Issime3/7

Donna4/7

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

Gold IssimeUlric de Varens

DonnaBorsalino

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.77/ 5 · 284 votes

Have 41%Had 33%Want 26%

3.79/ 5 · 47 votes

Have 38%Had 25%Want 37%

Category winnerGold IssimeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

23%Love

53%Like

4%Ok

20%Dislike

1%Hate

284 votes

33%Love

55%Like

2%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

42 votes

Category winnerDonnaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage68

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityDonna

SillageDonna

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value82

¤ Price value38

Category winnerGold IssimeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

powdery100%

aldehydic92%

fresh84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

sweet61%

white floral100%

woody92%

floral84%

fresh77%

citrus69%

yellow floral61%

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

AldehydesPowdery NotesYlang-YlangRiceVioletJasmineAfrican Orange FlowerRose

No top / heart / base split published

Notes

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

No top / heart / base split published

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

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter51

Day100

Night39

Spring100

Summer67

Fall100

Winter89

Day100

Night40

Category winnerDonnaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men1

Unisex1

Women97

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

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#12,044

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews33

Overall rank#34,362

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews1

Category winnerGold IssimeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

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 →

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, Gold Issime or Donna?

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

Which lasts longer, Gold Issime or Donna?

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

Which projects more, Gold Issime or Donna?

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

Do Gold Issime and Donna smell similar?

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

Is Gold Issime or Donna better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Gold Issime and Donna?

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