Fragrance comparison

Lilac Dream vs Palermo

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 735 ratings analysed

5 wins

Lilac Dream

Marissa Zappas

4.04102 votes

Rank #14,121 FloralCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

Palermo

Byredo

3.47633 votes

Rank #13,517 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Lilac Dream takes 5 of 7 categories.

Lilac Dream
Choose it for a floral and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Palermo
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Lilac Dream5/7

Palermo2/7

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Lilac DreamMarissa Zappas

PalermoByredo

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 102 votes

Have 26%Had 4%Want 70%

3.47/ 5 · 633 votes

Have 60%Had 40%Want 0%

Category winnerLilac DreamRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

37%Love

38%Like

18%Ok

5%Dislike

2%Hate

102 votes

23%Love

48%Like

10%Ok

17%Dislike

2%Hate

542 votes

Category winnerLilac DreamMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity57

〰 Sillage38

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity47

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

LongevityLilac Dream

SillagePalermo

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value49

¤ Price value26

Category winnerLilac DreamBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

citrus92%

fresh84%

musky77%

green69%

vanilla61%

citrus100%

fresh spicy86%

aromatic72%

musky58%

fresh44%

green30%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both citrus, musky and fresh

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

PetitgrainBergamot

Heart1.5 to 3 hours

LilacNeroliAmbrette (Musk Mallow)

Base2 to 4 hours

VanillaMuskTonka Bean

Top

CitrusesPetitgrainBergamot

Heart

MuskRose

Base

Ambrette (Musk Mallow)

InformationalShared notesPetitgrain, Bergamot, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Musk. Durations are only published for Lilac Dream, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer74

Fall30

Winter15

Day100

Night23

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter19

Day–

Night–

Category winnerLilac DreamMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex6

Women90

Men6

Unisex71

Women24

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,121

PerfumerMarissa Zappas

Launched—

Reviews26

Overall rank#13,517

PerfumerBen Gorham

Launched—

Reviews57

Category winnerPalermoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Lilac Dream by Marissa Zappas is a gentle floral fragrance that puts soft purple blossoms at the center of a fresh, powdery composition. The scent opens with a light burst of citrus and green energy from petitgrain and bergamot. As the initial brightness settles, pastel lilac petals take over, joined by soft neroli an…

Reviews →

Palermo is a sharp, citrus-forward fragrance designed for sun-drenched days. It features a bright mix of bergamot and petitgrain that captures the essence of a Mediterranean lemon grove. Perfect for casual summer outings, this scent offers a clean and uplifting experience that feels crisp on the skin, providing a refr…

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Lilac Dream or Palermo?

Lilac Dream takes 5 of 7 categories. Lilac Dream is rated 4.04/5 from 102 votes; Palermo is rated 3.47/5 from 633 votes. Choose Lilac Dream for a floral and citrus character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Palermo for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Lilac Dream or Palermo?

Lilac Dream lasts longest (Lilac Dream 57/100, Palermo 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Lilac Dream or Palermo?

Palermo projects furthest (Palermo 51/100, Lilac Dream 38/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Lilac Dream and Palermo smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, musky and fresh accords. Common notes include Petitgrain, Bergamot, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Musk.

Is Lilac Dream or Palermo better for summer or winter?

For summer, Lilac Dream is the stronger pick. For winter, Palermo is the stronger pick. Lilac Dream suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Lilac Dream and Palermo?

Lilac Dream has top notes of Petitgrain and Bergamot, heart notes of Lilac, Neroli and Ambrette (Musk Mallow), a base of Vanilla, Musk and Tonka Bean. Palermo has top notes of Citruses, Petitgrain and Bergamot, heart notes of Musk and Rose, a base of Ambrette (Musk Mallow).