We've done a lot of comparison tests. This one might be our favourite. Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy is one of the most intensely loved fragrances in the world, a marshmallow cloud of orange blossom and vanilla that made sweet fragrance truly fashionable. Our Delight is inspired by it. We decided to test them together for a full 8 hours and document everything.
No vague impressions. No "it's similar" without backup. Real notes at specific time points, from first spray to end of day.
About Love, Don't Be Shy
Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy was created by perfumer Alberto Morillas and launched in 2007 as part of By Kilian's Love Calling chapter. It became a cult classic immediately and has only grown in reputation since.
The formula: bergamot and neroli at the top, then a heart of orange blossom, rose, iris and heliotrope, supported by honey and caramel, and a base of marshmallow, sandalwood, musk and vanilla. In practice: a beautiful, enveloping sweetness that's sophisticated rather than childish, because of the way the floral heart grounds the marshmallow sweetness.
The concentration is high. This is a proper extrait de parfum, and the performance reflects that: excellent longevity, great projection, and remarkable character development over the wear. At £285 for 50ml it's a considered purchase.
About Delight by Aromara
Delight is Aromara's take on the same olfactive territory. The formula was developed to capture the marshmallow-orange blossom core of LDBS at 35% concentration, which puts it in the same league as the original in terms of material density.
The approach: a clean, bright opening with orange blossom and neroli, building into a marshmallow-sweet heart with honey and vanilla, drying down to a warm musky skin-scent. Sound familiar? That's intentional.
The 8-Hour Test: Hour by Hour
0-15 Minutes: The Opening
Kilian LDBS: Bright bergamot and neroli, clean and slightly citrusy. The sweetness is restrained at first, the florals are prominent. There's an almost luminous quality to the opening.
Delight: Warmer from the first spray. The orange blossom arrives slightly earlier, the sweetness builds faster. Less citrus-led than the Kilian opening.
Verdict at 15 min: Kilian is brighter and crisper. Delight is warmer. Both clearly in the same family.
30 Minutes to 2 Hours: The Heart
Kilian LDBS: The iris and heliotrope have emerged. There's a powdery softness now alongside the marshmallow sweetness. The honey is detectable but not dominant. This is the stage where LDBS is at its most distinctive.
Delight: The marshmallow is fully present and central. The honey is slightly more forward than in the Kilian. Orange blossom is still there, a little softer than the Kilian's floral heart.
Verdict at 2 hrs: Both are beautiful. The Kilian has slightly more floral complexity. Delight is slightly sweeter and more directly marshmallow-focused. Both are genuinely impressive fragrances.
2-5 Hours: The Mid Wear
Both fragrances are now in their warm-sweet-musk phase. This is where they converge most closely. We genuinely had to check which wrist was which at several points during this stage.
The sweetness profiles are very similar. The musk base on both is clean and skin-like. The vanilla in both is soft and warm. If you handed someone Delight at this point without prior context, they'd have every reason to believe it was an expensive fragrance.
Verdict at 5 hrs: Nearly identical character. Both excellent. The Kilian retains slightly more iris/powder complexity. Delight is marginally creamier.
5-8 Hours: The Drydown
Kilian LDBS: Still present, a soft warm musk with the faintest hint of marshmallow and vanilla. The projection has reduced significantly. It's a skin scent now.
Delight: Very similar. Warm, sweet skin scent, slightly creamy vanilla, soft musk. The projection is comparable to the Kilian at this stage.
Verdict at 8 hrs: Both performing well. Both a pleasure to wear. If you can tell the difference at this point you have an extraordinary nose.
The Full Comparison
| Criteria | Kilian LDBS | Delight by Aromara |
|---|---|---|
| Opening (0-15 min) | Bright, citrus-floral | Warmer, orange blossom-led |
| Heart (30 min-2 hrs) | Floral complexity, iris/heliotrope | Marshmallow-forward, slightly sweeter |
| Drydown (2-8 hrs) | Warm vanilla musk, powdery | Creamy vanilla musk, slightly softer |
| Longevity | 8-10 hours | 7-8 hours |
| Projection | Medium-high, fades gracefully | Medium, fades gracefully |
| Similarity (overall) | Benchmark | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ |
| Price (50ml) | £285 | £35 |
The Verdict
Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy is a better fragrance than Delight. There, we said it. The floral complexity of the Kilian in the heart stage is genuinely outstanding, and the opening is exceptional. If money were no object, wear the Kilian.
But Delight captures everything that makes people love this fragrance style. The warmth, the sweetness, the marshmallow-orange blossom combination, the intimate drydown, all of it is there. At £35 versus £285 you're getting 90% of the experience at 12% of the cost. That's a genuinely remarkable proposition.
We own both. We reach for Delight most often because we can use it freely without a second thought. That freedom changes everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Delight the same as Kilian Love, Don't Be Shy?
No, it's inspired by it. In our 8-hour test the two are genuinely close, particularly from the heart stage onwards. The opening is different and the Kilian has more floral complexity. But the character that people love is well captured.
Which lasts longer?
Kilian LDBS: 8 to 10 hours. Delight: 7 to 8 hours. Both excellent for daily wear.
Is Delight too sweet?
If you find Love, Don't Be Shy too sweet, you'll find Delight too sweet. If you love the Kilian, you'll love Delight. It's in exactly the same sweet-sophisticated territory.
Can Delight be worn year-round?
Yes. It's best in spring, autumn and winter. Very warm summer days can amplify the sweetness, which some people love and others find too much. Test it in summer before committing if you're in warmer climates.
Is Delight vegan and alcohol-free?
Yes. Delight and all Aromara fragrances are vegan, cruelty-free and alcohol-free, made in the UK.
Where to Buy
Delight by Aromara starts at £5 for a 5ml spray, exclusively at aromara.co.uk.
Aromara is an independent UK fragrance brand. All scents are original creations inspired by well-known designer fragrances. No affiliation with any brand mentioned in this article. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.