Best Perfumes for Women

Black Opium Illicit Green by YSL

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Illicit Green is a Black Opium flanker that was released in 2022. I bought a sample of it recently, to try it out again, after having encountered it twice before. This time, I wanted it for a full review.

How does it smell? Does it last long? How does the YSL compare to the original Black Opium and others?

What does Black Opium Illicit Green Smell Like?

Notes include: green mandarin, coffee, vanilla, pear, fig leaf, fig, orange blossom, jasmine, patchouli

Click here to try: Black Opium Illicit Green

My Full Review

Here’s how YSL describes it: The sensual addiction of black coffee gets multiplied by a pulpy and creamy fig. An unexpected and long lasting shot of energy, awaken by the zest of a green mandarin. The new Black Opium eau de parfum Illicit Green is a bold and delicious creation for a luscious femininity. 

Illicit Green starts out lighter and cleaner, in my opinion, versus the original Black Opium EDP. With that, the opening has always felt pretty messy, especially compared to this.

Here, I get the green mandarin note, some of the pear. But, what really comes through from the jump is the fig/fig leaf. This opens greenish, somewhat fruity, with plenty of the coffee note already peaking through.

Really, the pear and mandarin are adding a sparkling brightness to the mix and some sweetness. However, those two note are never particularly massive on my skin.

I dig its freshness and its less heavy and cloying than many of the others in this Saint Laurent series.

As we move along, the fruitiness that is there will tone down. You will get more of the vanilla and coffee that the original has. For me, the coffee is the stronger of the two throughout.

That, with: fig, jasmine, orange blossom and some patchouli.

The final dry down is a light coffee aroma, with the vanilla, and what’s left of that fig and jasmine note. Kind of sweet, soft, with a bit of a powdery feel to it all.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Illicit Green has a pretty good start, with how it projects and the trail it can leave behind. That first hour, it is very noticeable to me, while wearing. Spraying it on a shirt, I can still smell Green from 5-7 feet away.

It’s a lighter to moderate scent, that isn’t going to bog down on you. I have sprayed it alongside, Le Parfum, and that Black Opium flanker easily overtook this one in terms of what I could smell.

The longevity is pretty mid. 4-6 hours of wear, on my skin. I cannot seem to get Illicit Green to go beyond that range. Maybe that’s not too much of a problem, if you don’t overpay for this perfume.

Seasonally, even with its softer appeal, Illicit Green still isn’t built for summer. Autumn through springtime, it might come across as too much with the heat and humidity. But, a good deal of versatility otherwise.

Illicit Green isn’t a formal fragrance, nor is it a ‘club beast’. It’s attractive and the cleaner vibe with this can make it better able to fit into situations that the original and others might not.

Overall Impressions of Illicit Green 

Overall, do I like Illicit Green? I do. Out of the series, it reminds me most of Neon. Both of these perfumes are lighter, but Illicit has the fig note and less orange blossom. I would choose this one over Neon.

It’s also better than: Nuit Blanche and Intense

I like that mandarin and fig-laden start. A good blend of sweet, greenish, and enough of that Black Opium DNA to stay on brand with it.

The dry down is good. Nothing that truly stands out, but a softer rehash of the others from this YSL line.

One complaint that I do have, is with the performance. It is a lighter fragrance, but the longevity, really isn’t where it should be. 4-6 hours is pretty mediocre, whether or not I enjoy the scent.

If you find a lot of the Black Opium flankers to be too heavy, this would then, be my first pick out of the bunch. Though, if you really didn’t like any of them, I’m not sure that this would change your mind.

7 Perfumes Similar to Glossier You

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You by Glossier has become an extremely popular fragrance for women, over the years. It is fairly simple and straightforward, but produces an amazingly clean and attractive perfume, without getting overly complicated.

It’s musky, ambroxan, iris, and has a dash of pink pepper. Yet, people can’t seem to get enough. The question is what smells like Glossier You? Are there any cheaper alternatives? Perfumes that are in the same fragrance family?

Which Perfumes Smell Comparable to You by Glossier?

Is there an exact match of Glossier You for cheaper? Unfortunately, not that I have come across. However, I have plenty of options which have a ton of overlap with the perfume. If you want the real thing, you’ll have to buy it. If you want something similar, yet slightly different as an alternative, try these out:

Doing the Dew

Flowerbomb Dew by Viktor & Rolf– This is one that I sampled recently and it reminded me a lot of the style of You. No, it’s not the same, this has more going on. 

However, the iris and the ambrette notes are here. Add in some heliotrope and another musk note, and you’ve got some good powdery and musky perfume.

The top here, has some fruitiness and a watery freshness that doesn’t show in the Glossier. Pear and the namesake, dewdrop, are present early. Even still, the fruitiness never seems overwhelming or more than a sideshow. 

Flowerbomb Dew isn’t my favorite from the series, but it’s a solid release, and the one that most closely resembles our target…even if it’s not exact.

The Iris of Hermes

Hermès Women’s Hiris Hermès Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 oz.– Dry cedar and iris that starts out packing quite a punch. Very woodsy and has a bitter quality at times, but Hiris is a very clean, and interesting use of the iris note.

As it dries down, Hiris becomes a lighter fragrance with greenish qualities thanks to the rose, but still led by that iris note. Then, you get touches of sweet honey and vanilla, in the heart of this perfume. 

It can be more difficult to find a bottle of this nowadays, but they do still exist online. Update: there seems to be more available now, then when I posted this originally. Hiris has a classy air and maturity about it, and the dry down is fantastic, when the other floral notes emerge.

Close and Clean

Not a Perfume by Juliette Has a Gun- Not a Perfume does, pretty much deliver what its name suggests. This is a very light fragrance, that can come off as naturalistic, while being comprised of ambroxan and musk.

It has a clean and fresh profile, without the same powdery quality that Glossier you has. Not a Perfume really ramps up the amber aroma versus the muskier You, further pulling it away from total match status.

However, with that said, its dry down really does have a resemblance to what we’re looking for. Not a Perfume, is also, not a cheap purchase. However, it gives a clean ambery wear that is understated, while being beautiful.

Best Cheapie Option

Kaleidoscope by B&BW– If you’re looking for something that presents itself, as very comparable to Glossier, this is it. Kaleidoscope is the closest thing, in terms of an alternative. Although, it isn’t exact the same, as our target scent.

You won’t get the same musky aroma, you do get iris and pink pepper, with an added woody freshness of sandalwood and cedar.

It starts off more towards the peppery side of things, before shifting to a powdery/woody fragrance. The pink pepper is stronger than Glossier, which gives you a sparkling and sweeter use of that note.

This isn’t being produced anymore (update: I think that’s changed), it seems, but bottles are still around for pretty cheap. Nonetheless, it’s a close one, but the pink pepper does make it a different and spicier scent.

Just Add Leather

Iris Prima by Penhaligon– Iris Prima shares lots of overlap with Glossier You, but has the added note of leather, among some others. What you get is the same fresh start with iris and pink pepper, leading the way.

Then, this one shifts with more of a woody/leather profile, while retaining the iris and introducing a fair bit of amber.

It has a powdery aroma, like our target scent. It’s more complex, deeper, but really has a lighter scent than the Glossier. Iris Prima, obviously is going to lean more to the iris note, but you get a damn good scent that occupies the same sort of space as what we want.

Similar Luxury Option

Athalia PdM– Athalia opens up with a smokey incense note, that is paired with florals, and orange. Rose and orange blossom are prevalent, at the top. It’s different from Glossier You, but still has similarities, that will increase as the wear moves further along.

The next stage, is about the iris and musk mostly. You still get incense, orange blossom, and an emergent amber. However, the powdery warmth really starts to come through.

Again, this isn’t an exact one, but this is a really great higher end scent, within the same fragrance family as Glossier You. Read my full Athalia Review

One from Chloe

Love by Chloe for Women, Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.5 Ounce- As its name suggests, Love is for the romantically inclined. This wonderful scent is full of life and beauty. It’s a clean floral scent with undertones of powder to it. When iris is the main note, you’re obviously going to get that familiar powdery scent.

Love is much more floral and powdery than Glossier and doesn’t have the same level of musk, but it is still there. Hyacinth and lilac are balanced with the iris, so, it won’t be a one note dominance. Underneath, there is a greenish/musky base, but it’s light. 

Plus, you have the other floral notes, like violet coming through strong, and an underlying musk to the whole composition. You don’t need to spray very much for it to be effective. Notes include: iris, lilac, hyacith.

11 Fragrances Similar to Chanel No. 5

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Chanel No. 5 has been around now for about 100 years. It’s basically the most famous perfume on the planet and is still going strong in sales, all these years later. With its popularity, have come similar scents, cheaper comparable smells, and other perfumes which are alike. In this post, I want to cover these fragrances , as potential alternatives to buying Chanel No. 5. I’ll keep it updated, as I come across more options.

Which Perfumes Smell Similar to Chanel No. 5?

The First Inspiration

Floral Aldehydes by Dossier– The name itself gets right to the point, about what this one is. Floral Aldehydes by Dossier is the brand’s inspired take on the classic formula.

A big blast of cooling aldehydes up top, with the light citrus, floral heart, and the powdery aspects like the Chanel has.

An eau de parfum, the performance holds up well, at least to the standards of No. 5 EDP. Perhaps not the extrait.

Does it do a good job at matching the aroma? Pretty much. Sometimes the weighting of some of the notes can be slightly off versus the designer perfume. However, at slightly less than $30 per bottle (as of posting), it’s not going to be noticeable enough to complain much.

Another Number

Antica di Roma by Fragrenza– This is another inspired take on the No. 5 style. Fragrenza is a brand that has some good offerings, and I’ve tried many of their scents, from their designer based perfumes.

However, I haven’t given Antica di Roma a go, as of yet. But, I figured that I’d put it on the list in order to present another alternative, for those who want it.

The good news is, that you can buy a 3ml sample size of this and the other perfumes that they carry, so that you can give them a full test without committing to the full bottle.

Similar Profile, Differing Strengths

Dune By Christian Dior For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounces

This Christian Dior offering, isn’t an exact match of our Chanel. It actually shares many of the same notes, but, the strength of each, is almost inverted in comparison. The floral notes are much lighter and Dune is a woodier fragrance.

Like, take the notes, and flip them around.

A lovely and elegant scent dating back to the early 1990s. It is fresh, sensual, and great for the warmer months. Dune is dry and woody with sandalwood, rosewood, and amber being the main highlights. There are spiced notes and undertones of vanilla, which keep it sweet.

Dune is a very smooth and a pretty low key scent. It doesn’t have the same intense sillage as Hypnotic Poison, but is still solid throughout. This one could be a unisex fragrance, with its woody tones, and serves as a great change of pace from the usual popular fare.

dune

Another Similar Classic from that Era

Lanvȋn Arpége Pẻrfume For Women 3.4 oz Eau De Parfum Spray – This one dates back to the earlier decades of the last century, but it has been updated and reformulated, a few times since then. The current version is a lot of floral notes, with a powdery aroma from the iris, sitting on top of sandalwood.

It’s actually kind of a powerhouse, when compared to the others on this list, and while it is pretty heavy it does have a certain cleanliness about it. Since this dates back to around the same era, as No.5, it does have a very similar classic feel. Add to the fact, that there are many of the same notes, and you’ve got a potential alternative.

You get a good amount of jasmine and ylang-ylang, but Arpege is pretty well mixed. Maybe not the most universally appealing scent on the list, but one that ranks up near the top, for a selection of the population.

Lighter, Woodier, and Still Classic

Rive Gauche By Yves Saint Laurent For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3 Oz
A blast from the past, this 1970s fragrance is a sure fire classic. Notes of sandalwood, oak moss, honeysuckle, gardenia, and others form an intense, clean, and powdery scent. Unique, inspiring, and long-lasting.

Aldehydes, florals, and a drier profile allow Rive Gauche to be in the approximate family of our target.

Rive Gauche has more oak moss and vetiver freshness, the same type of floral notes, just in a much lighter application.

It blends together as a powdery smell, but underneath you can pick out the floral notes such as rose and gardenia. Plus, the fresh oak moss, vetiver, and other woody elements come together to create a clean and simply sophisticated perfume. Rive Gauche Review

rivegauchew

Aldehydes with More Iris 

Hermes – Caleche – Edt Spray 1.6 Oz (New Packaging)– An aldehyde floral with a nice powdery iris note, taking the lead, within the composition. It has a powerful opening, with the iris and a nice neroli note, for a clean touch.

It softens up, as it dries down, and you’re left with an elegant vintage perfume aroma. At times, its more of a woody fragrance. Then, it will feel creamy. Then, a dry powdery scent. It’s got depth and lots in common with Chanel No. 5, though, not an exact copy. They are, close relatives, however.

Modern with a Similar Style

TOM FORD METALLIQUE 3.4oz 100ml EAU DE PERFUME– This one is different, its a floral aldehyde, with a sweeter and creamier disposition. Vanilla, sandalwood, and ambrette provide that lovely finish following the aldehyde opening act.

The floral notes are toned down and quite subtle. This Tom Ford, does have an interesting metallic finish, as the name suggests. It’s not really a one to one match at all of Chanel No. 5, but one that kind of gives you a updated twist, to this style of fragrance.

Resinous and Smoky

AMOUAGE Gold Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fl Oz– A smoky and resinous oriental fragrance, featuring: rose, lily, and jasmine notes. Close to Caleche, listed above, in smell.

Amouage Gold is an expensive designer fragrance, that dries down with a musky, and powdery aroma. Gets quite rosy, no aldehydes, but plenty of jasmine and some orris to add to its depth. Like a smokier and more exotic take, on Chanel No. 5.

A bit of 19, a bit of 5

Annick Goutal Heure Exquise Women’s Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Ok, so this Annick Goutal scent, is probably closer to Chanel No. 19. However, it’s also somewhat like No.5, as well. I’m adding this, just to give one more option. Plus, on its own, this is a gorgeous fragrance.

It’s a great vintage fragrance with hyacinth, rose, and mostly iris holding things together. It’s powdery with a fresh greeness, to its smell. Very clean with a light touch of sweetness, provided by vanilla, and sitting on top of a sandalwood base.

Old School Lancome

Climat By Lancome For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces– Another older fragrance, that I’ve only recently come across, and the resemblance to No.5 was there to my nose.

To me, this one has a soapier aroma versus being a match of our target. It’s clean and upbeat, with a muskier finish versus the same aldehydes found in Chanel. The main floral is the Lily of the Valley in comparison, but you get a bouquet and fresh woodsiness also.

I don’t think that this is the exact formulation of the older bottles, I wasn’t around in the 60s. However, this one isn’t very expensive and still has a nice quality fragrance, striking close to what we want here.

An Inexpensive Option

Nude By Bill Blass For Women. Cologne Spray 3.4 Ounces– This is an interesting one, that usually costs around $20 per bottle nowadays (though, I believe it’s out of production….so that may not last). It has elements of Chanel No.5 (I’d say closer to the EDP, than anything).

The commonalities are the aldehydes and the floral notes. Jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang. The jasmine is noticeably toned down in the mix versus our target, while the ylang-ylang is ratcheted up. It also has a colder and sterile feeling at times.

The rosemary note is what I think separates it, in the early stages. It’s much more green/herbal than Chanel and dries down with more of a powdery aroma. Not my favorite, but certainly an option to try for cheap.

Omnia Indian Garnet by Bvlgari

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Still making my way through a bunch of sample fragrances that I have stashed around my house. For this entry, I’m going to take a closer look at a Bvlgari perfume, Omnia Indian Garnet. This was released in 2014.

Note: I have updated this page, a few times over the years.

Now, this is of course, another flanker scent from the Omnia lineup that has been so popular for this brand. How does it smell? How does it perform? Is it worth a purchase?

What does Omnia Indian Garnet Smell Like?

Notes include: tuberose, osmanthus, orange, amber, and saffron

Click here to try: Bvlgari Omnia Indian Garnet EDT Spray for Women, 2.2 Ounce

First, let’s begin with how Bvlgari describes this perfume in the sample card’s text:

Inspired by one of the world’s most magnificent gems: the Indian Mandarin Garnet. The new Omnia eau de toilette captures the magic and the sensuality of tuberose and osmanthus flowers.

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Indian Garnet is led by the osmanthus flower with support from the familiar tuberose note. I feel that this perfume is the most flower at the start and then it becomes more infused by the orange and amber.

However, before those two notes come in there is a strong saffron, which I don’t particularly enjoy in this perfume, but it is subdued after ten minutes or so of wear. It’s sort of strange because I do usually like saffron, but the mix seems off to my nose.

This Omnia scent is quite light on the skin, airy, and just sort of floats like vapor when it is worn. The dry down adds more of that citrus aroma, but it never gets super sugary or fruity sweet.

Instead, the amber and osmanthus combination keeps it interesting and unique, while feeling completely familiar. It is a pretty neat experience.

The amber and saffron keep it warm and super clean with the orange influence. If left to it’s own devices, I think that the orange note would evaporate completely, but with the amber the citrus is kept grounded.

The citrus isn’t super juicy or sweet, just that clean and bright feeling, with a really good amber note. Orange is the main attraction throughout, but the pairings with other notes sort of rotate, as it moves itself along.

Omnia Indian Garnet isn’t the typical citrus fragrance. You get a distinct warmth, periods of soapiness, creaminess, and some woodsy spice. It isn’t an overly complicated or deep scent, but it does have enough personality to be rather distinct.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this is a very soft fragrance. I don’t think that it’s weak per se, rather, just not heavy and as I wrote above, airy.

It’s got a soapy quality to it. You’ll notice that it is still on the skin, but it isn’t going to fill up a room, or be a consistent powerhouse.

The longevity is by no means amazing but it is solid, in the 5-7 hour range, on my skin. Good, but not great. Still, if you’re looking for a beast, this isn’t going to be the one.

A lot of Bvlgari scents seem to fall into this category, with their performances. This doesn’t change that trend.

Seasonally, I’d say that Omnia Indian Garnet is best used in the warmer months of the year. Not that it’d be bad in the cold weather, but it would really shine when the temperatures rise.

Which is odd, because it does have that warm feeling to it, but its lightness, doesn’t let it get bogged down in the heat. It’s a decent change of pace from many other aquatic or super fruity perfumes that get brought out in the summer.

I’d call this a casual or everyday fragrance. It smells nice but isn’t particularly sexy to me. It’s something to be worn at work or just around town on a sunny day. Casual to semi-formal.

Overall Impressions of Indian Garnet

Overall, do I like Indian Garnet? It’s nice, but I’m not blown away by it. This is one for those who love orange based perfumes with florals. This is a very clean fragrance, non-offensive, and has some nice daily versatility.

Omnia Indian Garnet is a good addition to the Bvlgari lineup and has a pleasant and sort of soapy aroma, that is a solid choice for plenty of women. There are definitely better options from Bvlgari and from the Omnia line, as well.

The citrus and amber is usually a nice combination and it does work here. I don’t know what the deal with the saffron is, but it’s not too distracting.

However, just for what it is, this is a solid wear. If it sounds appealing to you and you can get a good price, Indian Garnet, would be a fine buy. Not a total mass appeal scent, though, it doesn’t offend either.

Update: I’m pretty sure that this perfume is discontinued. It’s even not widely available at the moment, on the secondary market. So, I don’t think most people will be getting an amazing deal, if they want to try Indian Garnet.

Eros Pour Femme EDT by Versace

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Going through the samples of many different fragrance to do a review on, I have today, another entry from Versace. This is one for women, named, Eros Pour Femme Eau de Toilette. It was released in 2016.

As usual, I will cover how it smells, what’s inside, how it performs, when it should be worn, and even if it’s worth a purchase. Please continue below for my full wear take on this edition of Eros.

What does Eros Pour Femme EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, mandarin, raspberry sorbet, white currant, freesia, magnolia, jasmine, orange blossom, ambrox, wood, patchouli, and musk

Click here to try: Versace Eros Pour Femme Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Ounce

Full Wear Review

This is a review of the eau de toilette version of Eros which was released after the popular EDP and so it’s quite a different composition. This Eros Pour Femme opens with a sharp lemon and orange which pairs with a cold raspberry sorbet.

The iciness of the sorbet reminds me of the cold lemon note in the men’s Versace cologne, Eau Fraiche. It is a very fresh and crisp aroma that has an underlying floral accord playing a support role to those three fruits.

After about 10 minutes, the citrus tartness drops significantly, and the perfume is solely headed by the raspberry sorbet. It’s sweet and sugary and the floral notes that I pick up are mainly the freesia and jasmine.

Musk and patchouli are there but along with the wood, serve merely as a base to hold things together.

Later, magnolia makes a stronger appearance and I can also get the impression of orange blossom, but it’s kind of hidden underneath the raspberry and lemon aroma.

In the end, you’re going to be left with a raspberry-centered perfume with citrus flanking it while sitting on a bed of flowers. It’s cheerful and uplifting.

It can be an experience like a cold lemonade blend at times, with a sugar rush, but then the layers of floral, ambroxan, and wood notes hold the hold thing together.

The base notes give Eros EDT some actual substance. That icy raspberry is definitely my favorite part. Definitely a pleasant experience and one that really works well, within this sort of sweet summertime scent context.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it can be strong in the right climate, more so when the humidity is low. To me, it’s not a sillage bomb, but it could easily be over-sprayed. It really doesn’t take that much to be effective. This is true for the first couple of hours with Eros EDT.

While it has a rather strong sillage, I didn’t find the longevity to be all that great. Not that it was poor, but I think I got about 5-6 solid hours out of it, and maybe a little bit longer as a weakened skin scent.

It was kind of strange to start with that kind of power, and then peter out, but it could’ve just been my chemistry with it. ( update: I’ve tried it out again, after this initial review posted, and same results).

The men’s Eros releases have been such beasts when they were brought to market, that I would’ve thought you would’ve gotten the same with Pour Femme. But, nope.

Seasonally, Eros Pour Femme just screams sunny days and warm weather. Late spring into the summertime, is when this feels most at home. It is also a versatile fragrance that can be worn casually, at the office (if lightly sprayed), and even for more formal occasions.

Mostly, it’s a daily wear with a bit more personality than the usual fare, that gets sprayed on.

Is it sexy? As a man, I find it really attractive, not in a seductive way…but I think it’s really ‘pretty’ and would definitely love smelling this on a lady. Because of that, Eros could venture into the nightlife, and garner plenty of complements.

The freshness and sweetness of the fruity notes, really do draw you in, and are a joy to be around. It’s a very upbeat and just generally lovely perfume to smell in the air.

Overall Impressions of Eros Pour Femme

Overall, do I like Eros Pour Femme Eau de Toilette? Yes, I like it a lot. The raspberry and lemon combo is great, like, I cannot get enough of that aroma. The floral notes are great as supporting elements, but never take over the composition as a whole.

I’ve also reviewed Eros EDP, but I like this one a lot more.

It is versatile and gives a good enough performance to make it a decent value. Eros is balanced, has a sunny presentation, and just puts out a positive vibe.

It’s a very nice fragrance. Eros gives you a candy-like scent, without going overboard with a sugary heaviness/stickiness feeling.

This is a really good choice for women, who live in a tropical climate, or just want something seasonally that will smell fantastic.

The longevity could be better, but isn’t terrible, especially for a fruity summer wear. If you’re not into fruity/citrus fragrances with a big dose of sweetness, this one won’t be for you.