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FRAGRANXE
Fragrance comparison

L'Instant Magic vs Cabotine

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

Updated 11,157 ratings analysed
Clearly different
Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

L'Instant Magic takes 4 of 7 categories.

  • L'Instant Magic

    Choose it for a powdery and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in winter, daytime wear.

  • Cabotine

    Choose it for a floral and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

L'Instant Magic4/7
Cabotine3/7
Ratings & consensus
L'Instant Magic
Community sentiment
L'Instant Magic
Longevity
Cabotine
Sillage & projection
Cabotine
Value for money
Cabotine
Versatility
L'Instant Magic
Note pyramid (duration)
Not scored
Fragranxe ranking
L'Instant Magic

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance
L'Instant MagicGuerlain
CabotineGrès
Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split
4.23/ 5 · 5,932 votes
Have 43%Had 24%Want 33%
3.68/ 5 · 5,225 votes
Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%
Category winnerL'Instant MagicRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate
46%Love
41%Like
2%Ok
10%Dislike
0%Hate

5,932 votes

28%Love
41%Like
6%Ok
23%Dislike
3%Hate

5,225 votes

Category winnerL'Instant MagicMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores
⏱ Longevity73
〰 Sillage66
♥ Love / hate81
⏱ Longevity74
〰 Sillage69
♥ Love / hate67
Category winners

LongevityCabotine

SillageCabotine

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it
¤ Price value47
¤ Price value84
Category winnerCabotineBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both
powdery100%
floral92%
violet84%
almond77%
iris69%
sweet61%
floral100%
white floral92%
aromatic84%
green77%
fruity69%
woody61%
Scent match22%Clearly different · both floral

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared
Top15 to 30 minutes
AniseBergamotLemon
Heart2 to 4 hours
VioletMimosaRoseFreesiaCarnation
Base5 to 8 hours
AlmondIrisVanillaWhite MuskSandalwoodCedar
Top
CorianderOrange BlossomCassiaBlack CurrantPlumTangerinePeach
Heart
TuberoseHiacynthCarnationJasmineGingerYlang-YlangRoseFreesia
Base
CivetMuskVetiverSandalwoodCedarAmberTonka BeanVanilla
InformationalShared notesRose, Freesia, Carnation and Vanilla. Durations are only published for L'Instant Magic, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season
Spring52
Summer26
Fall86
Winter100
Day100
Night83
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter38
Day–
Night–
Category winnerL'Instant MagicMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes
Men1
Unisex2
Women96
Men1
Unisex11
Women88
InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,375

PerfumerRanda Hammami, Sylvaine Delacourte

Launched—

Reviews200

Overall rank#1,567

PerfumerJean Claude Delville

Launched—

Reviews206

Category winnerL'Instant MagicHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Instant Magic by Guerlain brings a plush, comforting warmth built around soft almond, delicate iris, and soothing white musk. Launched in 2007, this floral woody musk opens with a light touch of bergamot, lemon, and aromatic anise before settling into a powdery cloud of violet, mimosa, and rose. It does not shout or…

Reviews →

Cabotine by Grès is a Floral fragrance for women. Cabotine was launched in 1990. The nose behind this fragrance is Jean Claude Delville. Top notes are Coriander, Orange Blossom, Cassia, Black Currant, Plum, Tangerine and Peach; middle notes are Tuberose, Hiacynth, Carnation, Jasmine, Ginger, Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Freesia…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, L'Instant Magic or Cabotine?

L'Instant Magic takes 4 of 7 categories. L'Instant Magic is rated 4.23/5 from 5,932 votes; Cabotine is rated 3.68/5 from 5,225 votes. Choose L'Instant Magic for a powdery and floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and versatility. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Cabotine for a floral and white floral character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, L'Instant Magic or Cabotine?

They last about the same: Cabotine 74/100, L'Instant Magic 73/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, L'Instant Magic or Cabotine?

Cabotine projects furthest (Cabotine 69/100, L'Instant Magic 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do L'Instant Magic and Cabotine smell similar?

Clearly different: a 22% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral accords. Common notes include Rose, Freesia, Carnation and Vanilla.

Is L'Instant Magic or Cabotine better for summer or winter?

For summer, L'Instant Magic is the stronger pick. For winter, L'Instant Magic is the stronger pick. L'Instant Magic suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in L'Instant Magic and Cabotine?

L'Instant Magic has top notes of Anise, Bergamot and Lemon, heart notes of Violet, Mimosa, Rose and Freesia, a base of Almond, Iris, Vanilla and White Musk. Cabotine has top notes of Coriander, Orange Blossom, Cassia and Black Currant, heart notes of Tuberose, Hiacynth, Carnation and Jasmine, a base of Civet, Musk, Vetiver and Sandalwood.

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