31 community ratings

Once upon a Time

2025UnisexModern

Votes lean feminine

6.5/ 10

Community score
31 ratings

Francesca Bianchi Once upon a Time is a sweet, gourmand unisex scent built around cotton candy, caramelized hazelnut and vanilla.

Compare

Skunky's take: My nose picked up something sweet and Skunky has no complaints.

How does it perform?

From 29 community ratings, all out of 10.

Longevity

7.2 /10

Holds up through the day and fades gently toward evening.

Sillage

6.8 /10

Leaves a light trail and stays polite in a crowd.

Bottle

7.0 /10

Sits nicely on a shelf.

Value for money

5.7 /10

The price makes you think, so a small size is a smart start.

Blind buy risk

High risk

Only 48% of votes are positive.

Notes

They open one after another, from the first spray into the evening.

Top notesfirst 15 minutes

Cotton candy

Caramelized hazelnut

Musk Pink pepper Castoreum Vanilla

Dragée

Mandarin orange zest

Accords

From most dominant to most subtle.

Sweet
Synthetic
Gourmand
Spicy
Animal
Powdery

What does Once upon a Time smell like?

Cotton candy and dragée give it a familiar confectionery warmth, while caramelized hazelnut and vanilla deepen the sweetness. Pink pepper and mandarin orange zest add a touch of spice and brightness. Musk and castoreum leave a soft, powdery, faintly animal base, and the overall impression is a synthetic, sugary gourmand.

Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Most voters recommend autumn, winter and spring, with summer less favoured. It leans towards leisure and evening wear. Voters mostly call it feminine, though a fair share see it as masculine. Gaultier² and Initio Absolute Aphrodisiac have a close profile.