By Designer

Fame by Paco Rabanne

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Fame is a sample that I got from Paco Rabanne, when I ordered 1 Million Royal. It’d been a while since I have put out a new review from their women’s line, so, I was interested to see what this one was all about. It was released in 2022. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is Fame worth a buy?

What does Fame by Paco Rabanne Smell like?

Notes include: mango, jasmine, incense, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Fame EDP

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describes it: Fame pays tribute to a new era of femininity. Playful. Sensual. Empowered. The quintessence of avant-garde luxury…

So, with the opening of this fragrance, the main comparison that I can make is Alien Goddess. They’re not the same, though they have some of the same notes, It’s really about a similar style to one another in the beginning. That’s the sort of perfume that we’re working with here.

Personally, I like Goddess more after testing Fame out.

The similarities extend to the tropical feeling that each perfume provides. However, with the Paco Rabanne that vibe comes from a mango note, with perhaps a touch of sour bergamot. The coconut water isn’t here and after the start, the comparison is essentially over.

Actually, when I saw that this one was going to be a mango and vanilla-centered fragrance, I thought of Cruz del Sur II. Nope. That’s a much juicier mango note, a sharper sourness, and very milky finish.

With Fame, the mango feels more subdued and part of the mix. I do think that it is pretty and sets a nice tone at the start. But, a lot of the beachy or tropical feeling doesn’t stick around all that long.

The mango is quickly wrapped up in the jasmine, light incense, and vanilla which will grow stronger.

After 15-20 minutes, the jasmine note is totally in the top spot. Kind of fresh, with the fruity sweetness still lurking in the back. The mango does take an hour or two to really burn off, on my skin at least.

Jasmine, mango, vanilla that will shift more into a creamy jasmine with sweetness and a little bit of sandalwood. Nothing all that complex. The end is basically jasmine and vanilla with a vague hint of the former tropical smell.

It’s nice and never gave me any strange smells in the dry down. But, pretty basic stuff.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is moderate for an hour or so, before turning lighter. It wasn’t a skin scent until deep into the wear, though.

With full bottle sprays, you’d get a nice scent trail going. Spraying this on clothes, I was able to pick Fame up from the 4-7 foot range, but not much beyond that.

On my skin, Fame stuck around for 6-6.5 hours. Really, not all that great. I certainly would expect a few hours more, if I were paying full price for a bottle.

Seasonally, the tropical and floral aroma of this works well in the spring and summer time. It’s not a heavy scent, even with the vanilla creaminess, I never thought it was cloying or getting me bogged down in a cloud of sugary sweetness.

It’s more of a pretty daytime wear. Not a formal fragrance, but it could work for just about anything else you’d want to wear it for during the warmest days. It’s attractive without being super sexy, a romantic, or nightlife wear.

You could, but there are better options than Fame.

Overall Impressions of Fame EDP

Overall, do I like Fame? Yes, it’s a nice enough fragrance, that should have some mass appeal. I like it more with some distance. Like, if I press my nose to the skin where I sprayed, this one feels messy. Put some space in between and it is a pretty floral with a sweet creaminess.

I do wish the mango note would’ve gotten some more time to shine on its own. It kind of gets consumed by the vanilla and jasmine. Still works well, I just was expecting more from that note.

Fame EDP isn’t all that complicated. If you like jasmine and vanilla as a combination, this one should be a nice pick up, as that’s a lot of the dry down. It’s good for the warmer days, has some versatility, and is basically pleasant.

I don’t think it hits the ‘avant-garde luxury’, that the ad copy was talking about. Plus, the performance could be better.

I think that Fame is at least worth a try. Maybe not a blind buy at full price, but with a solid discount, it probably wouldn’t be a complete disappointment. Fame didn’t break any new ground for me, but it is a perfume that I found enjoyable for the most part.

Brit Rhythm for Her by Burberry

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One of the remaining samples that I got in my last batch was a ladies’ perfume from Burberry, Brit Rhythm for Her. As such, I decided to give it a try and report back my testing results in the form of a product review. This one was released in 2014.

I recently review Burberry Body also and have done a list of the top Burberry fragrances for women.  Does Brit Rhythm deserve a spot on the list? In this post, I want to explore what this perfume smells like, how it performs, and if I think it is worth a purchase.

Brit Rhythm for Her Overview

Notes include: lavender, pink pepper, musk, vetiver, orris, blackberry leaf, woods, neroli

Click here to try: BURBERRY Brit Rhythm for Her Eau de Toilette, 1.0 fl.oz

Full Review

My opening impression of Brit Rhythm is how much it strikes me as soapy or like a detergent type of smell. It is fresh and clean with some woods and spice thrown in. There is a bit of sharpness to it, which I guess is coming from the neroli and black berry.

The lavender note seems to be the dominating force behind this fragrance, which gives it the usual smoothness and it is joined by musk for that warm spiciness. I also detect the pink pepper note and some type of wood lurking in the background.

This is kind of an odd scent to me, it is very linear in its scent but the aroma is kind of tough to explain. In the end, though, I just keep getting more and more lavender and I don’t particularly like it. The orris isn’t super noticeable to me, but I think it is boosting the lavender, a lot.

It’s sort of spicy at first from pink pepper and neroli. The soapiness is the lavender and neroli and musk. But, other than that, there isn’t too much going on with Brit Rhythm. Most of the notes just blend into one another, without much distinction or development.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Brit Rhythm for her is pretty moderate. I’d say it’s safe to wear to work or school without any problems. Anywhere from a 3 to 6 foot radius of fragrance, around the wearer. Not huge, but it hits the mark for what type of perfume this is.

It also does have really good longevity, like, all day in fact. It’ll last somewhere in the 8-10 hour range, not as a powerhouse, but it’ll be noticeable. At the right price, this Burberry does provide some value.

It is a very casual to semi-formal fragrance. I wouldn’t call it sexy by any means, so you might want to consider something else for romantic wear.

It’d work best during the cooler months of the year. It can venture into springtime, but I’d avoid when it starts to get hot outside. Basically, autumn through mid to late spring.

The versatility and longevity are there. If you enjoy the scent itself, you can at least get good value out of Brit Rhythm.

Overall Impressions of Brit Rhythm for Her

Overall, is Brit Rhythm worth a buy? To me, not unless you have a thing for lavender and musk. Otherwise, it’s pretty uneventful, and not that great of a scent. It performs well but I am almost completely indifferent towards the fragrance itself.

If you need a basic daily wear, like lavender, and can get it for cheap…it’s not terrible. Paying full price? Nope. At $30-40? Sure, it might be worth a shot.

From the women’s line of Burberry, I like these a lot more: London, Brit, or one of the Burberry Her scents. Those all have a more interesting wear and similar performance for the most part.

Rhythm doesn’t fail miserably at anything, it just isn’t a perfume that is very memorable. Nothing about it sticks out as a highlight.

Poison Girl EDP by Christian Dior

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Moving right along with my review of the recent sample fragrances that I’ve received, I wanted to do another women’s perfume that was included in the lot, Poison Girl by Christian Dior. This scent was released in 2016.

Now, I received about 4-5 Dior samples for women, so there will be more of them upcoming. However, today I am going to focus solely on this Poison flanker fragrance. How does it smell? What are the ingredients? Is it worth a buy?

What does Poison Girl by Dior Smell Like?

Notes include: Damascus rose, tonka bean, bitter orange, vanilla, almond, sandalwood

Click here to try: Christian Dior Poison Girl Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

Full Wear Review

The opening bit of time after spraying on Poison Girl feels quite familiar. To me, it is reminiscent of La Petite Robe Noire Couture, and even Black Opium to an extent. Now, this Christian Dior perfume is not a clone of either one of those scents, but there is a similar feeling and some overlap in the notes.

From the start, I get a rush of the Damascus rose, a blend of tonka bean/vanilla, and the citrus of the bitter orange hanging around.  It is a sweet gourmand aroma that has a definite creaminess to it (particularly in the latter stages).

It is a citrusy vanilla, rose, and tonka bean perfume; with some other floral undertones, but is quite sweet and creamy at the beginning. With that sweetness, you do get a slight powdery aroma from the rose, but it is nothing too intense. Poison Girl doesn’t go full-on baby powder mode.

After a few minutes, I begin to really notice the distinctive almond note, which I feel gives the perfume an enveloping nutty warmth. This is the note, which begins to set it apart from the aforementioned fragrances, and one which I always seem to be drawn to.

As it moves along, Poison Girl retains its sweet vibe with a much softer touch. It is a very smooth and enjoyable fragrance during the dry down period. There is also just a hint of floral notes within the composition of this Dior, which adds a nice layer of depth.

There is much less of the zesty citrus fruit scent and things feel much drier, with some sandalwood, and overall warmth to the composition.

The whole thing feels enveloping, but not heavy, just a smooth and comforting aroma. I ultimately get creamy vanilla/tonka bean combo and almond, with what’s left of the bitter orange, and a fairly light rose hanging around.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection is good. Poison Girl starts out with some strength but morphs into something softer, yet still quite noticeable while wearing. Fairly strong sillage at the front end, light to moderate, back end.

In terms of its longevity, this perfume really shines. It’s an all day wear, so you won’t have to worry about it quitting on you. It will go for 8-11 hours, depending on the day and climate. For the designer price, it actually does deliver a quality wear.

Poison Girl is also versatile. It is suitable for office or casual wear but does have a very pleasant and indeed sexy kind of scent to it. I continually found myself wanting another sniff and would love smelling this on a woman, that I was dating.

It has that appeal, but is also light enough to be used as a daily wear, during the autumn and winter months. This is a cold weather scent all the way to me, but it wouldn’t be bad in moderate temperatures.

In the heat? Poison Girl EDP is a pass. It will melt and start to take on a less than appealing aroma. So, if you live in a warmer climate, you won’t want to wear this…at least outside.

Overall Impressions of Poison Girl

Overall, do I think Poison Girl is worth a try? Yes. If you like sweet gourmand fragrances, this is another excellent choice. While there is a lot of similarities with the scent and some others out on the market, it does have just enough of its own style to set it apart.

If you’re not that into sweeter fragrances, this is one that could potentially get annoying. I never found it to be irritating, but it has that potential for some.

The highlights for me are the tonka bean and almond notes. I like the citrus and how that blends with those two, sort of a creamsicle-like experience. This is a very lovely fragrance, that is easy to wear and attractive, without being overwhelming.

Furthermore, it smells great and performs really well. Plenty of power and staying time on skin. Really no weaknesses with this Dior perfume. Mainstream and not completely unique? Sure. Poison Girl just works, however.

This is one that could be a signature scent for the right woman. Since writing this, I have also tried Poison Girl Unexpected, and like that one a bit more. Nonetheless, this is still a great option.

Sahara Noir by Tom Ford

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In this post, I am going to tackle more of a niche type of fragrance by Tom Ford, 2013’s Sahara Noir. It is a scent that is highly influenced by the smells which are common to the Middle East. As usual, I am going to cover how it smells, its ingredients, how it performs, when it should be worn, and if it is worth a buy or not.

What does Sahara Noir Smell Like?

Notes include: frankincense, amber, papyrus, cinnamon, balsam, benzoin, rose, jasmine, oud, bitter orange

Click here to try: Tom Ford Sahara Noir Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Just by looking at the ingredients, one can tell that Sahara Noir isn’t going to be your typical woman’s perfume. Right off the bat, I am struck by what an exotic fragrance it is but also how it is going to be completely niche.

I doubt that most non-enthusiast people would want to wear or even enjoy this scent, but there has to be a crowd who would find this delightful.

It’s oriental qualities does remind me of Opium Pour Homme, especially in it’s spicy/medicinal aspects. However, Sahara Noir continues down the smoky and warm path whereas Opium, begins to take on much more of a vanilla aroma.

I would actually dare to say that this Tom Ford perfume is even darker and more masculine than that YSL cologne for men. Again, this stuff is probably not for the majority of women.

I really pick up on the frankincense, amber, and oud notes initially. I am not a big fan of oud, unlike a lot of niche fragrance lovers. It’s use is sort of hit or miss for me. Sahara Noir is very dry and warm and feels to me quite ancient.

Update: Coming back to this again, I get more cypress on my skin. Particularly after the opening 30 minutes or so. Then, that fades away into a mass of other dry woods.

I do appreciate what Tom Ford did with this scent, it really does transport you mentally to distant lands. It’s exactly a desert landscape kind of perfume. Lots of wood, resin, and incense.

Kind of waxy at times, not much floral influence from the rose note. Dry, smoky, and warm.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Performance wise, it’s a fairly strong perfume. It isn’t the strongest and most overpowering scent ever, but it is definitely well above average. The sillage is worthy of the price.

Longevity wise, Sahara Noir is an absolute beast. I’d say it easily surpasses 12+ hour of wear. Scents with these kinds of notes always seem to deliver, but Sahara goes above and beyond.

This Tom Ford is worth the price, based on the performance for sure. If you like the smell, Sahara Noir isn’t going to quit on you.

I guess this would be for casual wear? It seems like such a niche fragrance, that I cannot really even classify it. It’ll fit for someone with a certain personal style.

I’d say it’s best for the colder months of the year, for sure. Stick to late autumn and the depths of winter, as a change of pace.

It’s not sexy at all to me or even something that most people want to smell on someone else. This perfume has to be something that you absolutely enjoy. Casual or lightly sprayed semi-formal.

Overall Impressions of Sahara Noir

Overall is Sahara Noir, worth a buy? If you really love incense, want to smell like them, and can handle wearing a quite masculine fragrance; then this one might be right up your alley.

Update: Personally, I’d pick Encens Satin or Velvet Incenso before this one. I think those are better uses of incense and the various resinous amber notes. This Tom Ford perfume is now discontinued and has been for some time. So, I guess I wasn’t the only one not very impressed.

Coming back to this many years later, it’s a lot less ‘challenging’ to me, but I still don’t find it to be great. The performance is amazing, but the rest…meh. Those other incense based perfumes are better and still available.

Anyone else, I can’t really see the mass public wearing this one, and since it’s been discontinued that’s probably a spot on assessment.

I don’t particularly dig it. Though, I don’t think it’s horrendous. I just don’t particularly enjoy this type of scent, most of the time. This isn’t one of the exceptions.

Idylle by Guerlain

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I’m back with another review of a ladies’ fragrance. This time it’s Idylle, a release from Guerlain Paris which came out in 2009. It comes in a water droplet shaped bottle and features many floral notes. I’m going to explore how it smelled, performed, when it could be worn, and if it is worth a purchase.

What does Idylle Smell Like?

Notes: freesia, rose, raspberry, lily of the valley, musk, peony, lilac, patchouli, litchi

Click here to try: Idylle by Guerlain, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

I’m not a huge fan of the smell of roses, so when I saw that it was a not in Idylle, I thought that it might overpower the rest of the composition and make me not enjoy it. That actually wasn’t the case.

The opening is like a bouquet of floral notes with some raspberry and litchi to give it a slightly fruity aroma. The main floral that stands out is the Lily of the Valley note which is accompanied by a tempered rose.

What I like about Idylle, is that, as a floral it doesn’t become to ‘green’ and plant like. Nor does it fall too much into the trap of overdoing it with white flowers.

It’s a great mix of several different floral notes that creates a bright and upbeat fragrance. It is a sophisticated and very feminine scent, that never strays into grandma or little girl territory.

As it dries down, Idylle picks up more of the musk note which I feel rounds it out and doesn’t overwhelm. Idylle seems to be very well blended and while the lily is the main player, it is more of a team effort between all of the notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection on this perfume falls somewhere between moderate and strong. It isn’t a beast but I was always aware of its presence.

I think that first hour or so is going to produce a nice scent trail for the wearer. After that, it’ll be above what the average fragrance provides, but not hitting elite levels.

The longevity is also solid but not insane, probably 6-7 hours of good wear. Testing Idylle out a few times, this is all that it seemed capable of. Better sillage and projection versus how long it actually lasts on skin.

Idylle is a bright womanly scent that could be worn in mostly casual or just daily wear situations. I honestly like it enough that I would want to smell it on a woman that I was dating. I don’t think I’d call it sexy, more like very pretty and attractive.

But, it is one that should offer plenty of opportunities to spray it on before you leave the house. Not a super unique standout, though it can certainly serve a function in one’s perfume rotation.

This is a warmer weather scent, so spring/summer. The florals, fruits, greenish qualities all make this Guerlain ideal for these two seasons.

Overall Impressions of Idylle

Overall, is Idylle worth a buy? If you like florals, yes. This Guerlain perfume does a great job at not becoming dominated by one note or just making you feel like you’re stuck in a garden. A good balance and very wearable.

Idylle is feminine and enjoyable while also being a pretty nice performer. If spiciness or sweetness is your thing, look elsewhere, but everyone else should like this fragrance and not be too offended by it.

Lily of the valley and some periods of rose, are really the two standouts from the balance of this fragrance. Even then, it’s a slight advantage over the other notes. A nice musky period to add to the cleanliness of Idylle’s floral arrangement.

To me, this is a pretty good scent across the board. I’m not overly enthusiastic about Idylle, while I do like it to some extent. It’s sort of a dumb reach floral scent. Easy to wear and will fit in many occasions.