Starlight Vanilla

A Shapeshifter Like Mr. Ripley A strange oriental fougère, perhaps disturbing but beautiful enough to understand where things are going. Starlight Vanilla is a shapeshifter like the talented Mr. Ripley. A beautiful Arabian scene, but something more sinister lurks. A sea breeze from the Gulf of Oman flowing over fields of gold, lymphatic trees, fastened by weavings of amber. It’s strange but familiar. The main perfumer has completely obscured the division between natural and synthesised. Starlight Vanilla was the second piece of the Chapter N°7 collection that I purchased after Vanilla Vibration. In this case, the smoky bottle has a dark purple liquid colour inside, between Byzantium and English Violet shades. I didn’t go crazy, and know very well that this perfume is not inspired or cloned from Azzaro pour Homme EAU DE TOILETTE; however, the first fougère accords brought it back to my mind, that kind of powerhouse perfume from the 80s, a perfume that I still love today. Here, Starlight Vanille gives off the same vibrations, despite being two totally disparate perfumes. What is Starlight Vanilla all about? It announces its presence with the almond accord, a keynote that here shows itself with bitter and dark edges, with nuances of licorice and anise. The almond note is present both as drupes and as milk, reinforcing the bitter edge with a milky touch. Behind this bitter kernel, you can glimpse a frothy form of vanilla, like a soufflé, vanilla but not greedy. There is a very interesting aspect that tends towards fougère thanks to dry lavender, not very floral, a little medicinal and camphorous with reflections close to straw and dry hay. Very subtle, it adds a little freshness to the blend with accents of anise, camphor, honey and hay, giving the fragrance its aromaticity. On my skin, the lavender at the top is very strong, as if I were in the middle of a field in bloom. This lavender surprises me, with a nuance that I have never smelled before. It’s so dry it almost feels like someone struck a match on a pile of dried lavender, the smell of dry lavender burning. Then, the freshness and smokiness of the lavender become softer, rounder and warmer, allowing the other participants to take part in the game. The heart still emits camphoraceous nuances similar to mothballs. Fortunately, the almond milk and vanilla foam amplifies the creaminess and gives balance to the composition. Vanilla and tonka combine power and sweetness, creating a harmony on the skin that continues throughout use. There’s a sort of resinousness and sappiness of it, which mellows out after the first hour, and is more noticeable when first applied. Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with incense-like things in case you’re not fond of it. It’s more warm and woody, similar to benzoin and myrrh, and slowly gets replaced by a warm balsamic amber. The perfume acquires more and more sensuality. Amber adds that touch of flavour that keeps the sweet and bitter aspects of tonka and almond in balance. The base note is well blended and brings out a smoky and powdery tonka enclosed in rich vanilla. The tonka brings a powdery veil and amplifies the aspects of almond and vanilla, and makes this composition of sensual fragrances unique. It is necessary to wait for drying to fully reveal this mixture. I’ve heard that a lot of people find it synthetic, but I think they stopped at the opening notes without experiencing the full fragrance. A sweet and amber trail with vanilla, not pastry-like, is what remains on the skin quite a few hours after the first application. Starlight Vanilla is ultimately a fairly sweet scent, but not at all cloying. Non-linear, and made primarily from sweet accords, there is no citrus opening, making it a fragrance best suited to the autumn and winter months. Personally, I choose to wear the fragrance in the evening as its strength cuts through the cold. It is a perfect perfume for autumn-winter evenings, think of the fragrance designed for classy black tie and semi-formal events. Its sillage is not disturbing despite being so bold, but it remains present. On my skin, Starlight Vanilla performs better than Vanilla Vibration. I'm formulating my impressions on a bottle I've owned since September 2023.

I’ve never done two reviews on one fragrance, but if it would happen, it would be this one. Starlight Vanilla was my first Zara fragrance, it was a blind buy at a big discount... and it was a love at first sniff for me, and still my favorite Zara scent. My first review was the fragrance on its own, as I had never smelled Myrrh & Tonka yet. But I love this Zara fragrance so much that it really got me curious about Myrrh & Tonka and eventually I just had to get the original. This review is about Starlight Vanilla compared to Myrrh & Tonka. They are very very similar. Especially in the opening, the similarity is undeniable. I found both to be extremely pleasant and soothing. The dry down is softer on the Starlight Vanilla: I could believe that this one doesn’t have myrrh but creates a similar experience with amber. It’s also a little bit brighter. Myrrh & Tonka has a certain kind of smokiness that’s not in the Zara dupe. I could imagine that the ingredients are cheaper in the Zara fragrance. Longevity and projection – sadly considering the price tag – is much better on the Zara fragrance. For the life of me I don’t understand why this one would be discontinued, or why it wasn’t better received. Even on Fragrantica here, the Jo Malone scent is rated much better compared to the Zara fragrance. Especially seeing as Myrrh & Tonka is so often credited as people’s favorite Jo Malone fragrance. So why is it that this one flew under the radar, I wonder? You could say that the Zara audience isn’t the Jo Malone audience, but that’s not true either, seeing as they collaborate with Jo Malone the perfumer, successfully. Zara, if you’re reading this, please bring this one back! Maybe release it in one of those Jo Malone collaboration bottles? It might fare better in that line. Starlight Vanilla is amazing.

Gothic perfume: rotting clean girl (in a good way) I bought it at the end of my shopping route, went home, tried on my arm, had a long, hot shower and i can still smell it. The sillage is not that strong after that, but still can smell it. Vanilla is vanilling, bc it's strong and sweet. At the opening it is enormous, almost overwhelming, but it dries down fast. The amber comes through, but smells synthetic on *my* skin, which is not my favourite thing, but that's fine. Now to my favourite thing: the almond note gives cadaver. It's not overwhelming or disgusting but it is something you can smell. Lavender starts to come alive after like 2 hours, and it is not as strong as the vanilla or the almond/nutty note. It is creamy, soft, warm, for me it's a daytime perfume, but it has a bit of that dark vibe

Ok, so someone who voted for very weak longevity and intimate sillage for sure haven't tried this one - it lasted almost whole day with just on my skin and was very noticable for first 4 hours. I'm getting a lot of Myrrh & Tonka vibes. I can't understand why this one is getting so low ratings here - it is not for everyone but it is for sure not a bad fragrance with a really decent quality (overall not as for Zara's fragrance) and hand in hand it's doesn't smell cheaper than Jo Malone. Probably when someone tried it in store together with others from this line might find it strange as it is very different - it could be placed in men's section as well. It also shouldn't been judged without a full wear as it's best part is a drydown. On parfumo it is much more appreciated.

I bet that if it would not be released by Zara but by some brand with better reputation it would have had better rating. I feel like some people have bad experiences with some Zara fragrances and first what they do is trying to find something to complain about when they test it. I'm just finishing my 3rd Jo Malone's Myrrh & Tonka bottle and after getting a 30ml of Starlight I will get at least two full size bottles ideally on sale. Probably I won't be buying Myrrh & Tonka again and that is one of my fav fragrances.

Wow what a gem! Another great vanilla for those who like vanilla but despise the chokingly sweet and gourmand varieties of vanilla that dominate the market. The stand out note in this elixer is the lavender which gives a clean/astringent edge to this almondy heliotrope variety of vanilla which in turn makes the entire fragrance dry but warm/cozy. Its almost niche and definitely full bottle worthy at this price point..

As others have stated, this is a dupe for Jo Malone's Myrrh & Tonka. Lovely scent but I'll also add that it is just as fleeting! My second favourite in this line. Edit: This has become my favourite in the line! It's just lovely in the winter, a smooth, sweet, clean scent. You do have to overspray to get any projection but at the price point, it's doable.

Sexy and unisex. Beautiful, powdery amber with lavender that leans it towards a masculine vibe. Dries down to a powdery almond. A little Zara triumph. I think I am in the minority when I say all four of these vanilla offerings are winners. No redundancies here — they all stand on their own.

Anise-forward lavender and vanilla cream with powdered almond. Projects intensely, it's been a few hours and my little elbow spray is still quite strong. Best suited for cool/cold weather, so every season except the summertime and overly hot spring days. An excellent Zara offering.

I really enjoy this one. It's a love for me. To me it seems really all around and non-offensive. Definitely unisex. Sadly, it seems to have disappeared from their website. I guess I'm going to have to really cherish my bottle because it's a really comforting scent to me.

This Vanilla fragrance I like as I’m not usually a fan of Vanilla scents. To me this scent can be worn any season, day or night. It’s very pleasing and almost comforting. Quite similar to JM’s Myrrh & Tonka but at such an affordable price.

This smells so rare, not your everyday frag at all. I love it since my Kenzo Power has already discontinued. So it is the best alternative i can get, the powdery effect and myrrh is truly legend. This is of high quality by Zara. Surprise!

Probably one of the best Zara perfume releases ever, shame that it is discontinued. Beautiful and longlasting scent.

More masculine take on Myrrh & Tonka. I'm a man and I'm gonna be wearing this in the cold and/or as a layering base.

My new favourite..I like to mix it with Vanilla Vibration..Heavenly combination..

It smells really elegant and silky, and I'm pleased to have added this to my collection. I've never smelled the Jo Malone so I can't compare the two, but to me this perfume would be ideal for elevating 'normal' situations to something slightly special, if that makes sense? It's not a powerhouse, so I wouldn't expect it to get me through a major business event or important night out, but it could add an uplifting pinch of sophistication to, say, a brunch date or a quick business meeting or a Wednesday evening dinner. Not a lot of vanilla to my nose, but the silk is there! (more as an overall texture than a smell, but I can definitely feel it)

I smelled the whole line in the store this week trying to figure out what they are duping. This one was definitely a dupe for Myrrh and Tonka by Jo Malone. I was actually considering buying the original for the winter so I was very happy with Zara's find and purchased it on that day. When I sprayed it on my hand I could smell it for couple of hours and also the perfume left oily film on my skin. I would say the oil concentration might be actually good. It is quite unisex in my opinion as the lavender is pretty prominent. Anyway if you are looking for Myrrh and Tonka dupe then just try Starlight Vanilla and see if it works for you. 🙂

It’s so interesting reading the reviews for this one, there seems to be a lot of different takes! On me the almond really stood out and developed into a powdery almond. It reminded me of Reminiscence Dragee, but take away a heap of the sugar, add in vanilla, a splash of amber and make it a bit more mature. Something about it reminded me of some more classic vanilla fragrances, but it wasn’t immediately obvious to me, just a hint of that profile. I kind of want it as an accessible dip into that territory. Interesting!

This is an unusual scent that is unisex and not masculine to my nose. The vanilla is not sweet, it's a dense base note that carries the lavender and amber. The amber is strong here, which gives it a coldness I think some associate with masculine scents. In the dry down I pick up on powdery notes. I enjoyed reading the reviews of this because they're very perceptive. Yes, it does smell a bit like flat cola, yes it does smell almond pancake-y. But at the same time, it's really nice. 8/10

Lovely, slightly bitter smelling lavender and almond in the opening. After it dries down I get more of the vanilla and more almond. It’s quite weak to me but that might be because it was the first couple sprays of my bottle. Obviously not the same quality as a higher priced designer or niche fragrance but for the price it’s stunning. Love the scent.

It's a dense perfume, a classy vanilla, strong and elegant. Definitely my favorite for this collection, the only one I've felt like buying. The sillage is great and it's longevity is reeeeeeeally powerful, obviously after a couple of hours it sits closer to the skin, but stays there. It's perfect for a chiller wheather and date night.

I can't say exact but it has %95 simularity to Myrrh & Tonka of Jo Malone. Devastating longevity. I sprayed 2 times to my wrist after 1 and half hours later there was literally nothing. Even the original lasts way more longer, also, even though it's unisex i consider it as a male parfume rather than a unisex or female.

Definitely Jo Malone Myrrhe & Tonka dupe, and a very good one I can say. On paper the first few minutes were like a bugspray, but on my skin I did not have this feeling. Longlasting (10 hours about) and has strong sillage on me. I can recommend in case you like the OG one, otherwise it's not a safe blind buy.

At first, you don't smell vanilla. It's all floral (not reminiscent of an old lady though) but then the vanilla comes in and sweetens it up. Although it's nice, it unfortunately isn't for me; I'd say it's quite mumsy, actually

lovely powdery scent with a bit of warmth. I love that the vanilla is faint and heavy on lavender and ambery notes. My nose also kinda pick up some rose and tonka bean. A good dupe for Jo Malone's Myrrh & Tonka.

It reminds me Initio Paragon. I'm not a fan of this trend in perfumery, but overall for the price it's a good option for every day under a white shirt.

This smells like pancake batter made with almond flour and a teaspoon of vainilla extract while someone is using lavender Fabuloso in the distance

On skin it gives off a low key cigarette sour-ish smell. But on clothes its really enjoyable and smells like myrrh and tonka

I can mostly smell anise/absynth although it is not listed in the notes. Overall a pleasant fragrance if you like anise.

I wonder why they included this in the "Vanilla" line. It's pretty and powdery. I totally get Poudree by NR!

It's pretty good, a sweet milky lavender vanilla that kind of just gives "your skin but better".

Reminds me of natural levander soap. I love this smell! Lasting max 3 hours on me.

Def similar to Myrrh & Tonka, but to me not 100% the same. The og feels more rounded and smoother, more addicting (also lasts better), but they are in the same family-ish. I don't reeeally get vanilla, or at least this is not sweet at all to me, and the notes listed above feel waay too light compared to the actual scent. To me starlight is more dark ambery, also aromatic and maybe balsamic or something... Somehow this reminds me of unsweetend stale coca cola, which as a description might not be appealing, but that's what I get. Feels dense and almost sticky, so I'm not getting the powderyness that some are referencing. More unisex than feminine. Lasting power is meh, I have to (over) spray my clothes to be able to enjoy this. Doesn't feel like an everyday scent, but I'm finding that I'm also not reaching for this for special occasions. Too fleeting for colder months and too dark for warm weather :/ I might just force myself to use this up, maybe layer it with something, but it's not really my thing.

The first few hours of this are sweet, generically feminine mall fragrance with a slight soapy edge. I don't pick out lavender, or any other notes in particular. Pleasant enough, not badly done, but not a scent profile I go for. After three hours, the soapiness starts to increase and balance the sweetness, and I actually like the drydown quite a bit. (By "soapy" I think the note involved is either a wood or a sharp amber.) I've currently had it on for six hours, and the single spray I did on my wrist is still easily detectable, so performance is at least average. The vanilla doesn't stand out in this; at no point does it smell like something you would want to eat. I've got Vanilla Vibration on the other wrist -- it has a woody/smoky middle that I prefer to the Starlight Vanilla middle, but the woods evaporate in the drydown and leave sweet vanilla, so they progress in opposite directions. Both of these are discontinued but will probably show up secondhand for a while yet.

I really love the lavender opening, but as it dries down there is a definite vintage cigarette smell. I think it’s myrrh even though it isn’t listed. I have a couple other perfumes with myrrh that have a similar vibe. It can be kind of off putting. This perfume is probably quite polarizing. I think I will try on clothes as Ababa mentioned or perhaps layering with Goddess, CK Be or a vanilla perfume could improve it. I do like the vintage uniqueness, but realizing that I’m not a myrrh fan. Maybe this is why the seller was only asking for $15 on Mecari, lol. Edit: The deep dry down is good. Addictive. Powdery vanilla amber with a hint of lavender. She reminds me of another perfume, but I can’t figure it out. An older fragrance. The sillage and longevity is beast. I don’t think I would use more than 3 or 4 sprays. I used one spray today while wearing SJP Covet and Starlight is radiating and taking over SJP five hours later!

Este perfume me huele a toallitas de bebe, la lavanda que no es de mi gusto lo hace tener un toque masculino y a jabón. Cuando se seca puedo percibir un toque a especias picantes cremosas, pero de nuevo el olor a toallitas no sale de mi nariz. Esforzandome mucho puedo llegar a notar la vainilla, en mi opinión no me ha gustado ya que este no es mi estilo, soy de perfumes gourmant y muy femeninos y este es todo lo contrario. Lo uso de ambientador por no tirarlo. Aun que también tiene puntos buenos, si te gustan las fragancias elegantes y unisex, esta lo tiene.

i accidentally took the wrong box. i was intentionally going for supremw vanilla but took starlight by accident. too powdery and i honestly tried to like it so i didnt have to regret my false purchase. and to be very honest this isn’t a bad scent, this is just a me problem who really likes gourmand and sweet-edible-smelling perfumes. the drydown after some hours smells like johnson’s baby powder. i like it but i seriously need more vanilla to this vanilla-titled scent

I had high hopes for this one but I knew lavender would kinda of ruin it for me. I was right, lavender overpoweres all other ingredients. My grandpa had a shaving foam or aftershave with this really strong and masculine lavender in it and I can’t go past it, it reminds me of that . So for me this leans on the masculine side but easy unisex. Good performance and projection, I will give it more tries.

My least favorite from the original 4 in the vanilla collection. I love Supreme , I like vibration , Hypnotic although not my thing is admittedly still a very nice frag. But this? It smells like a generic men's cologne. It's not horrid, but it is masculine and blah. Definitely try before buying.

so i gave starlight vanilla a week and i've realized it's not for me. i don't know what it is! not a hate not a love either. i thought it would be creamier but it's more aromatic? the projection and longevity on this one is insane though! i'll end up just giving this one away.

I love the dry down of this; it’s so pretty hours later or the next day even. But the initial impression is full on bug spray. I wish it were a bit more like the dry down overall. The opening makes me not want to wear it.

smells just like bois dore from van cleef, and i'm not too crazy about that one

To me it smells like super intense fabric softner, a bit too strong.

I bought it after i smelled it in the store and I liked it then. It was not love but it was certainly interesting fragrance for Zara. But then i was watching some reviews and one girl said that it reminds her of stale spit after someone smokes or is chewing tobbacoo. Im so so sorry for making this comparison, but truth to be told, since that moment I can't get it out of my head. If they are duping Myrrh and Tonka, maybe the "myrrh" smell is doing that to me. I sold it shortly after.

First, I liked it. It's sharper than what I expect from a vanilla scent. Synthetic lavender probably is what overpowers other notes. Then later in the day, I realized that it was reminding me of my grandfather's aftershave in the 80's. And that put a full stop for me... It is masculine but not what I'd like to smell on my husband per say.

I wrote a review stating I liked it, but it was a mistake, I smelt something else. This is a no for me, it's a spicy vanilla, the notes have to be wrong because I don't detect any lavender

It’s good but too aromatic. Not a safe blind buy Update: overpowering lavender. makes me feel nauseous and smells like an old man A great dupe for kouros

Already gave it to my husband 😁

To me this is the weakest link in the collection. Not in performance (because this is STRONG) but the smell is definitely for a specific audience. To me and to my nose this smells like moth balls and laundry detergent... and not in a good way. But, I've seen some people really loving it on TikTok so you and your nose might like it

The almond note is absolutely rank on my skin and it's hard to scrub it off. So performance is not bad...