Fragrance comparison

Vanilla vs Roberto Cavalli Essenza

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 4,243 ratings analysed

Vanilla

Tom Ford

3.063,837 votes

Rank #41,153 VanillaAlmond

Full profile Similar & dupes

61%scent match

Closely related

6 wins

Roberto Cavalli Essenza

Roberto Cavalli

4.00406 votes

Rank #2,835 VanillaAlmond

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Roberto Cavalli Essenza takes 6 of 7 categories.

Vanilla
Choose it for a vanilla and almond character. Wins on versatility. Best in winter.
Roberto Cavalli Essenza
Choose it for a vanilla and almond character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Vanilla1/7

Roberto Cavalli Essenza6/7

Ratings & consensus: Roberto Cavalli Essenza
Community sentiment: Roberto Cavalli Essenza
Longevity: Roberto Cavalli Essenza
Sillage & projection: Roberto Cavalli Essenza
Value for money: Roberto Cavalli Essenza
Versatility: Vanilla
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Roberto Cavalli Essenza

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

VanillaTom Ford

Roberto Cavalli EssenzaRoberto Cavalli

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.06/ 5 · 3,837 votes

Have 78%Had 22%Want 0%

4.00/ 5 · 406 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerRoberto Cavalli EssenzaRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

26%Love

19%Like

14%Ok

17%Dislike

24%Hate

3,837 votes

42%Love

46%Like

3%Ok

8%Dislike

1%Hate

346 votes

Category winnerRoberto Cavalli EssenzaMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity64

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate51

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate80

Category winners

LongevityRoberto Cavalli Essenza

SillageRoberto Cavalli Essenza

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value14

¤ Price value61

Category winnerRoberto Cavalli EssenzaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

vanilla100%

almond91%

sweet83%

nutty74%

powdery65%

fruity56%

vanilla100%

almond91%

white floral83%

sweet74%

nutty65%

fruity56%

Scent match61%Closely related · both vanilla, almond and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

Bitter Almond

Heart

VanillaFloral Notes

Base

Vanilla AbsoluteUltravanil™Tonka BeanSandalwood

Top

Bitter Almond

Heart

Orange Blossom

Base

Vanilla Absolute

InformationalShared notesBitter Almond and Vanilla Absolute. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring52

Summer31

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring29

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerVanillaMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men5

Unisex43

Women52

Men0

Unisex8

Women92

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#41,153

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#2,835

PerfumerLouise Turner

Launched—

Reviews46

Category winnerRoberto Cavalli EssenzaHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Vanilla by Tom Ford marks a bold, polarizing direction for the brand's gourmand lineup. It greets you with a sharp, medicinal blast of bitter almond that feels almost like amaretto spilled on cold granite. This chilly, nutty opening soon yields to a warm, milky wave of vanilla absolute and cozy tonka bean on a quiet s…

Reviews →

Roberto Cavalli Essenza is a rich, balsamic floral fragrance built on a foundation of warm vanilla absolute. Launched in 2015, this intense scent centers on a striking note of bitter almond, which blends into a heart of lush orange blossom. It performs best in cooler weather and provides an opulent, confident profile …

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, Vanilla or Roberto Cavalli Essenza?

Roberto Cavalli Essenza takes 6 of 7 categories. Vanilla is rated 3.06/5 from 3,837 votes; Roberto Cavalli Essenza is rated 4.00/5 from 406 votes. Choose Vanilla for a vanilla and almond character. Wins on versatility. Best in winter. Choose Roberto Cavalli Essenza for a vanilla and almond character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Vanilla or Roberto Cavalli Essenza?

Roberto Cavalli Essenza lasts longest (Roberto Cavalli Essenza 73/100, Vanilla 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Vanilla or Roberto Cavalli Essenza?

Roberto Cavalli Essenza projects furthest (Roberto Cavalli Essenza 70/100, Vanilla 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Vanilla and Roberto Cavalli Essenza smell similar?

Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share vanilla, almond and sweet accords. Common notes include Bitter Almond and Vanilla Absolute.

Is Vanilla or Roberto Cavalli Essenza better for summer or winter?

For summer, Vanilla is the stronger pick. For winter, Vanilla is the stronger pick. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Vanilla and Roberto Cavalli Essenza?

Vanilla has top notes of Bitter Almond, heart notes of Vanilla and Floral Notes, a base of Vanilla Absolute, Ultravanil™, Tonka Bean and Sandalwood. Roberto Cavalli Essenza has top notes of Bitter Almond, heart notes of Orange Blossom, a base of Vanilla Absolute.