By Designer

Idôle Aura by Lancôme

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Aura is a flanker fragrance release from Lancôme’s Idole line, that came out in 2021. This was one of the perfume samples that I picked up a while back in order to test it out. I was interested to see how this one is distinct from the original EDP. What does Aura smell like? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Idole Aura Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, vanilla, rose, jasmine, salt, musk

Click here to try: From Lancome

idole aura review

My Full Review

Here’s how Lancôme describes it: As unique and unstoppable as the energy that radiates from within every Idôle – share the light of success with Idôle Aura as its ambience transfers from one Idôle to another. From Idôle Aura to you and the Idôle’s who surround you.

The opening spray of Aura shares the bergamot and jasmine notes, found in Idole EDP. It lacks the pear and pink pepper notes of that one, but seems to include a muskier top in their stead.

It is interesting that Aura has a beachy vibe to it, thanks to the inclusion of a salted vanilla note. Sort of reminds me of saltwater taffey from when I was a kid. This does have a nice sweetness to it, but isn’t overwhelming. In fact, the vanilla floral mix has more of a powdery aroma for a good part of the wear.

Like the original, as we move along, the rose note will become more prominent in the mix. Beyond that, the rose and jasmine notes start to achieve a balanced relationship.

Idole Aura is warm, slightly sweet, salty with a nice floral/musk mix that smells like Idole EDP. It’s like they stripped a few things off of that and added more vanilla and that salty flair.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty strong, especially for the first few hours. Not a complete monster, but it leaves a trail and has a solidly far radius from off of the skin. For much of the rest of the wear, it’ll be a 3-5 foot range from skin.

The longevity is good, above average, but not amazing. I get 7.5-8 hours with it. Most of the last hour or so it a floral and faint vanilla smell, but Aura is still there.

Like the original Idole EDP, this one is best served by being used in the spring and summer months. I like this more in the summer, thanks to that beachy vibe. It’s not as good here in the December cold, but not completely out of place. There are just better options.

Aura is more of a casual daytime wear. It can probably be used as a daily wear during the warmer months to the office or something, since it’s not overwhelming or anything inappropriate.

Aura is also more of a pleasant crowd pleaser versus being a sexy nightlife scent. Also, suitable for a wide age range. Teens could wear this, along with more mature women. Vey nice balance and doesn’t feel cheap.

Overall Impressions of Idole Aura

Overall, do I like Idole Aura? I do. To me, it’s a bit better than the eau de parfum. But, from this series, I like Nectar and L’Intense more than this one.

I like the opening act with the jasmine and bergamot. That’s a pretty common combination, but it works well. Add to that, the vanilla and salty beachy aroma, and Aura does deliver a sun-kissed scent that’s enjoyable to wear.

The performance here is above average across the board. Aura was never totally weak, until the denouement, and it gave around a full work day’s worth of wear. Yes, there are better performers, but this one is just fine.

The final dry down is closer to the original with the jasmine, rose, and muskiness. However, it retains a lot of what makes it distinct. Namely, the fresh marine qualities and warmer solar aspects.

Idole Aura is a perfume that is well worth checking out. Not overly complicated, but a scent that a lot of people should like.

Le Lion de Chanel EDP by Chanel

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I’ve had a few samples of Le Lion de Chanel that I’ve been coming back to over the span of many months. As I wasn’t exactly sure how to feel at first about this entry from the Les Exclusifs line from the French brand.

But, I’ve at least completed my initial evaluation to the point where I can share my thoughts on the site. How does it smell? Is Le Lion worth a try?

What does Le Lion de Chanel Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, bergamot, patchouli, sandalwood, amber, musk, labdanum

Click here to try: Le Lion de Chanel at Chanel


My Full Review

Tried Le Lion? Leave your rating and review in the comments!

Here’s how Chanel describes it: Gabrielle Chanel was born on August 19, 1883, under the sign of Leo. Proud and passionate, instinctive and daring, Mademoiselle fully embodied her zodiac symbol. Majestic, indomitable and wild, the lion became a personal emblem, serving as the inspiration for this powerful fragrance.

It is interesting with Le Lion de Chanel that I actually get a burst of the amber and labdanum before, the citrus is fully revealed on my skin. Like, those notes burst onto the scene with a smokiness, warmth, and spice…then fade a bit to let the bergamot and lemon come through.

It’s a captivating moment, when I do get to the citrus notes, however. Very juicy and bright, but they are surrounded by the pronounced dryness that is found with this mix. The labdanum remains the strongest note, beneath the citrus, and will grow in strength after the fruits move out.

With that labdanum, there is the patchouli lending its earthiness to the smokiness and resinous aroma of labdanum. Earlier, it has more of the balsamic aroma, before settling into something earthier and musky.

Man, this stuff really packs a punch for the initial stages of the wear. The labdanum or amber accord has a dry and sort of a leathery aroma at times. Then, when it dries down, we get a light muskiness and a nice sandalwood.

I do like that smokiness, leathery moments, and that opening citrus. Sure, it can be a lot and take some time getting used to, but I’ve come to enjoy it with repeat wears.

The patchouli will come in stronger, with a step back by the labdanum. It’s more of a straightforward amber here towards the end, with the vanilla and patchouli doing their thing, also.

Le Lion isn’t super complicated. To me, the latter stages are less smoky, still dry (kind of a powdery scent), none of the citrus. Just a woody/earthy/musk with the remaining resinous qualities. There does seem to be a light sweetness involved here throughout (vanilla).

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty massive. Not the strongest that I’ve come across, but it’ll out do many perfumes on the market. A nice long scent trail for sure and great projection off of the skin.

Just using the sample size, with 4-5 spritzes and this will be emanating off of my skin like a beast. Easily picked up by those around you.

It’ll also last in the 9-11 hour range, on my skin. It’s an all-day experience it seems, without issue. Le Lion will not be confused as being a weak fragrance. Even at the high end price, you do still get plenty of value.

Seasonally, this is a fragrance for the autumn and winter months. It’d be way too much for the heat.

It is a unisex perfume. Leans more towards the traditionally feminine fragrances in this style, but it never strikes me as being ‘girly’. It’s probably suitable for mid-20s and up because it does have a level of maturity to it.

It’s versatility isn’t the strong suit. It is confident and bold and probably not best served for use at work. Not entirely formal, but isn’t something all that casual either.

Probably better for nightlife or social functions versus being a daily wear. It’s not so overwhelming that it’ll be off-putting to most people, but Le Lion can skirt that line.

Overall Impressions of Le Lion

Overall, do I like Le Lion de Chanel? I do. I’ve liked it more, the more time that I’ve spent with it. Though, it’s not one that I’m personally clamoring to wear all the time, since I’m not a big fan of the oriental style perfumes.

But, there is plenty to like with this Chanel. It’s high quality, matching the price point. Those citrus notes sitting under the resinous smoky aroma of the amber accord is really attractive. I kept pressing my nose against my arm to pick up that bergamot and lemon.

The opening is attention grabbing, deep, and somewhat rough. But, the perfume never strays too far and remain luxurious and rich. I do like that in addition to the smoke, it has an earthy/dirty scent that will rise up and break the potential monotony of amber and vanilla.

The dryness and the leather-like finish with hints of sandalwood is very nice to catch whiffs of during the latter stages.

The performance here is great. Le Lion is powerful and will stick around for a long while.

But, this isn’t going to be a perfume for everyone. It’s pretty different from many other Chanel’s. Not a floral aldehyde soaked perfume. Yet, you can still pick out that classic Chanel style, if you’re familiar.

Le Lion isn’t entirely a niche fragrance, but it’ll be one to test out to see if you’d actually want to go with it. It for sure doesn’t have the same mass appeal, as something like Coco Mademoiselle.

11 Best Smelling Guerlain Perfumes for Women

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Guerlain is a French design house which has been around for seemingly ever. They have a ton of fragrances for both men and women, many of which are simply fantastic.

Seeing as they have had decades upon decades to put out work, it is no wonder that any attempted list to capture the best would be incomplete no matter what.

However, for this one I have selected eleven of what I feel are the best smelling perfumes, that are available today, representing different styles and levels of popularity.

Favorite Ladies Fragrances from Guerlain

Most Popular

Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum–  Mon Guerlain has become a best seller since its release over the past few years. The EDP opens up as a very sweet and warm fragrance, in a similar vein to both, Black Opium and BonBon.

As it moves along, it moves away from those two, but the opening are quite a bit alike.

What Mon Guerlain ultimately becomes, is a blend of vanilla, lavender, and jasmine notes. The perfume is very smooth and a sweet floral. It isn’t too heavy of a fragrance or overly complicated.

Mon Guerlain is a scent that is great for daily wear and obviously enjoys a mass appeal. Even with its moderate sillage, this is one that can indeed last a full work day and go beyond. Great balance and an easy choice. Mon Guerlain Review

Sunny, Salty Ylang-Ylang

Embruns d’Ylang by Guerlain– This one is a high-end ylang-ylang fragrance from Guerlain. The company itself, seems to be the only one selling full bottles right now. With the price, you’d do well to track down a sample on eBay or somewhere else.

That being said, Embruns d’Ylang is a bright and coastal yellow floral fragrance. It has a beachy sea salt ‘spray’ note that gives the perfume a nice contrast with how it plays off of the ylang-ylang note.

I have only smelled this once, but I didn’t find it to be all that salty. Beautiful, just not heavy on that aspect.

It’s a bit sweet, but that saltiness seems to pair with the wood, upon first applying. Then, some jasmine. The ylang-ylang feels pretty thick in this and it has a rather strong sillage, at least early. Still, I’d try before buying to see if it vibes with you.

Springtime Floral 

Champs Elysees By Guerlain Eau-de-toilette Spray, 1.7-Ounce– A moderate floral fragrance featuring notes of mimosa, black currant, lilac, and almond wood. A green powdery type of scent reminiscent of a spring day.

It opens up with soft and sweet fruits, with that light almond note poking through the aroma. Then, the floral notes being to emerge, mainly lilac at first. Mimosa follows with lily-of-the-valley, before the whole thing blends together in a beautiful oneness.

Leans more floral than fruity, but it does have enough balance, to actually enjoy the fruit notes. Champs Elysees has undergone a few incarnations, over the years, and this latest iteration has been a well-loved edition for over 20 years now.

The Orange Blend

Aqua Allegoria Nerolia Bianca– One of my newer entries to the list, from the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria collection. The orange blossom note here actually shares the spotlight with neroli and bitter orange notes.

Very orangey and each seems to get its own time to shine in the top weighted spot.

Petitgrain joins the mix, but the overall scent is pretty darn linear with how it presents. Bitter orange early, orange blossom middle, and neroli is probably the most prominent during the ending stages of Nerolia Bianca.

This has a great freshness of orange and has a definite greenish aroma in the beginning. The soapiness isn’t to the same degree as some of the others on the list. Nice performance for this style of scent, also.

A Classic Guerlain Perfume

Samsara By Guerlain For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces– One of the most popular choices on this list. Violet, vanilla, sandalwood, rose, and iris. Floral, woodsy, and slightly spicy. Oriental in its aroma. Feminine floral with sandalwood.

Intoxicating jasmine and iris create that familiar powdery aroma with a creamy finish. It’s been around for decades, so, there are different formulations at this point…which yield slightly different results.

Samsara still opens with it’s fruity notes of peach and citrus, leading the way, and its light floral ingredients just beginning to come through.

That phase is short-lived and the flowers really take on a stronger role, with ylang-ylang, iris, rose, and jasmine being the major players.

Finally, the rest of the wear becomes sweeter and warmer, with tonka bean, vanilla, and our sandalwood note. Powdery, fresh, warm, creamy, and sweet. Beyond that, a fantastic performer, that will last for many hours.

Creamy Sweet White Floral

L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.7 Ounces– Another floral that is sweetened by a honey note. Definitely a feminine scent for daily wear. L’Instant de Guerlain opens up with its fruity notes soaked in a honey sweetness.

Light citrus and apple, which soon fades in favor of the floral ingredients, iris and magnolia. It is super smooth and warm, at times powdery from the iris, but more about the honey and magnolia. Plus, a creamy vanilla note, which only adds to the appeal.

Coconut Awesome

Aqua Allegoria Coconut Fizz by Guerlain– A unique smelling coconut dominant perfume, that seems to be getting tougher to track down in stores, nowadays. Yet, it is a great option from Guerlain.

Rather than the usual vanilla creaminess getting paired with coconut. This one has a fresher and watery element to it. Bergamot, coconut fruit, coconut water, and what I think are melon notes? Something smelling sort of like watermelon, at least.

Light and airy, freesia delivers the floral aspect and some of the watery elements to this one. It doesn’t go too aquatic for that long and you do get some of the usual creaminess between the coconut and later tonka bean in the base.

I imagine this one will be pretty expensive soon. I wouldn’t pay a very high price for a bottle as it becomes scarce, but if you can find one at a lower cost, it can be worthwhile to pick up.

Bold Smoky Classic

Guerlain Shalimar Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce– An absolute classic of a scent. Shalimar is an exotic blend of vanilla, citrus, rose, jasmine, leather, and musk. It’s got a nice bit of citrus, that floats around in the smokiness of incense, and plays well off of the leather note.

The citrus is pretty strong up front, but then the smoky, vanilla, and leather trio will move in and push the fruits aside.

The EDP is still my favorite. I like Parfum Initial, also. EDT is good, but not to the same level as those two.

At times, you will get more of a powdery feel from Shalimar, then, the smoky and warmth with sweet vanilla. It’s been around forever, still appreciated, and still a great performer.

There have been many flankers of Shalimar, that have been released over the years, but I have to give the original its due. Shalimar EDP review

Powdery Berry Scent

Insolence By Guerlain For Women, Eau De Toilette Spray, 1.6-Ounce Bottle– A sweet blend of juicy berries and floral notes like violet, iris, and orange blossom. Insolence is long lasting and has a pronounced powdery finish, as is to be expected, when violet and iris get together.

Nonetheless, it isn’t a stuffy or overly-heavy fragrance, the raspberry and other berry notes keep things dynamic. Towards the end, there is a light musk, and a great sandalwood note at the base. This is a great floral fruity wear, rather simple, but delightful.

 

Pear Delight

Pera Granita– Pera is another one that I’ve tried and enjoyed from the Aqua Allegoria series from Guerlain. And, I’m not even a huge fan of pear as a note.

It starts off with a host of citrus note. Lemon, bergamot, and grapefruit. Those notes will have more power than the pear, in the very opening of the scent.

It’s a sour/tart beginning, but it will become sweeter rather quickly. Sparkling pear, jasmine, and cedar notes will be the main attraction. The tail end is the pear, musk, and floral notes coming through.

Not super complicated, but a really nice wear for the spring and summer months. Bits of spice and greenish aspects are also hear, but plenty enjoy with the pear alone.

Best Woodsy Perfume

Mitsouko by Guerlain 75ml 2.5oz EDP Spray– An earthy/woodsy type of scent which dates back to 1919. This is another classic, which has been somewhat modernized, over time.  Has a bit of spice up top and some sweetness provided by peach. More of a mature scent.

The oakmoss and vetiver, are the real stars of the show, providing a fresh woodsy dryness to the wear. As it dries down further the spices, including cinnamon, really support the woodsy notes well.

Hints of floral ingredients, such as rose, have their time in focus before they recede back into the mix.

Nevertheless, even with updating, Mitsouko is still going to be a niche wear for many who aren’t used to the older styles. It is a big time performer, with a loud sillage, that can take a while to settle in.

Guilty EDP Pour Femme by Gucci

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Closing out my reviews of the Guilty Pour Femme fragrances from Gucci, we have today’s entry, Guilty Eau de Parfum. This is an updated 2019 release, of what I’m pretty sure is a previous edition from the lineup. Anyway, I put this one through testing and wearing it around for a while. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Guilty Eau de Parfum Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, bergamot, pink pepper, lilac, violet, geranium, rose, amber, and patchouli

My Full Review

Guilty EDP opens up with a fresh spice, citrus touches, and a greenish aroma with violet. The pink pepper and violet are very noticeable to me, up top. The lilac will have more of a role later, but it is somewhat present early.

The mandarin orange is the strongest of the citrus notes, but even upon first spraying, they never get top billing.

Guilty EDP starts to feel pretty cold early, with the powdery dose coming from the lilac. The cold freshness is part of the geranium, which seems pretty steady throughout the wear.

The pink pepper will subside, as will whatever citrus there may have been. The violet will lose its top spot, in favor of the lilac, that dominates the rest of the way. This becomes a soapier, less spicy aroma. Touches of rose and patchouli, but the violet and lilac are the main focus.

Less green, as it moves along. Still clean, blend of soapy/powdery, with a soft and pretty sweetness lying underneath.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is a bit better than that of the EDT. Though, it isn’t a great deal stronger. Both are slightly above average with how they project and how long they’ll leave a scent trail. Just neither is a massive perfume.

The EDT is about a 3-5 foot scent bubble for much of its wear. This one, is probably 4-6 or 7 feet at its peak. Nothing crazy, but it’s fine.

The longevity is also improved with the eau de parfum version of Guilty Femme. This Gucci can go up to 8 hours on my skin. Though, it’s more in the 6-7 hour range, most of the time. I did get a wear that seemed to stick around longer for whatever reason.

Seasonally, this one really shows its versatility. Like EDT, Guilty EDP is probably best in the springtime or in the autumn. It can, however, easily venture into summer and can even be a cold weather wear. Just not the bitter cold ones.

This is safe for the office, can go casual, or even more formal. Not the most refined scent, but it doesn’t feel out of place almost anywhere. Daytime, mostly.

But, there is something that is inherently attractive with this one. As such it can be worn on some evenings. Not necessarily the sexiest, but it’s got some beautiful facets.

Overall Impressions of Guilty EDP

Overall, do I like Guilty EDP? I do. It’s probably the fourth best in this line. I do prefer EDT slightly more than this in terms of how each smells. But, you get better performance with this higher concentration.

Absolute and Intense are my favorites on the women’s side of Guilty.

I’m not a huge fan of the greenish qualities early on. Violet is not a floral note, that I personally enjoy very much. I do, however, like the geranium and lilac in this one a whole lot. Sure, it’s what you get elsewhere in this line of scents, but it still manages to get my attention.

Even if it’s not my favorite from this line, EDP is still well worth checking out. If you happen to vibe more with this mix, you get the added performance bonus versus the EDT.

It’s pretty safe to blind buy, as I don’t think most people would hate this. But, I’d probably insist on getting a nice discount for a full bottle purchase.

Guilty Pour Femme EDT by Gucci

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Guilty is a name from Gucci which has spawned a ton of flankers in both the men’s and women’s line. The original Guilty Pour Femme was released in 2010, the subject of this review is the updated version of that, Guilty EDT.  How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Guilty EDT Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, lilac, pink pepper, peach, raspberry, jasmine, geranium, blackcurrant, musk, amber, patchouli, vanilla

Click here to try: Guilty EDT

guilty femme review

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it: Freedom and unconventional love inspire the new Gucci Guilty Eau de Toilette pour Femme bottle design and packaging, revealing the notion of women who are truly liberated.

Note: This is a newer version of the old Guilty. As far as I can recall, it’s about the same. But, the older version did have more of a spiced influence. Mostly, it’s just a new bottle.

Guilty EDT starts off with some light fruits and the soft spiciness of pink pepper and some patchouli. The patchouli is a bit more prominent in the dry down, but cedes the stage to the pink pepper early on.

The fruits here are a mix of mandarin orange, peach, and some raspberry. Supposedly, there is also blackcurrant in this one. Though, I don’t really pick up on it at all. Peach is probably the strongest of the lot.

Yet, this isn’t completely juicy aroma. It’s got a nice sweetness and sparkling quality. But, lilac is going to be the star. That floral note is flanked by a bit of jasmine, which blends well with the musk to create a classic soapy undertone.

The was this presents though, is a fresh powder. It’s more of dynamic and warmer powdery aroma than something like baby powder. Closer to a make up smell, but still not exactly that either.

The amber and patchouli notes gives Guilty some greater depth, in the dry down, when the lilac really starts to take hold. Still some of the peach note hanging around and small injection of vanilla.

I feel like the older bottles of this stuff, had more vanilla…but I could be confusing it with something else. A clean musky/powdery floral fragrance with some light warmth and richness is about what you get here.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty moderate. Actually, the initial hour or so is pretty good with how it projects and it does leave a nice scent trail. Thereafter, it is going to be more of a scent bubble that reaches 3-5 feet away from where you sprayed it.

This one doesn’t have the best longevity. It’s somewhere in the range of average. On my skin, it lasts for 5-6 hours. The Guilty line isn’t known for being super long lasting. For an EDT, it’s decent, and some of the others in the series are a bit better than this one.

Seasonally, this one really shows its versatility. Guilty EDT is probably best in the springtime or in the autumn. However, it easily ventures into summer and can even be a winter wear, outside maybe the coldest days. I’d just have another perfume as the winter go to.

This is safe for the office, can go casual, or even more formal. Not the most refined scent, but it doesn’t feel out of place almost anywhere. Daytime, mostly.

But, there is something that is inherently attractive with this one. As such it can be worn on some evenings. Not necessarily the sexiest, but it’s got some beautiful facets.

Overall Impressions of Guilty EDT Pour Femme

Overall, do I like this scent? I do. It’s probably my third favorite of the women’s Guilty line, after Absolute and Intense. But, it’s not that far behind and still a very worthwhile fragrance.

I like the early mix of the fruits and the use of the lilac note. Powdery with a nice peach influence and some amber and musk. Not super complicated, but one that I enjoy having around me.

Granted, the performance is pretty middle of the road, but not terrible to the point that it becomes unusable. Just know that you may have to reapply this fragrance, if you’re going to be using it as a daily wear.

Outside of that, Guilty EDT doesn’t have too many weaknesses. I don’t think it’s the most beautiful perfume ever created, just very nice and one with plenty of appeal.