By Designer

Chloe Eau de Parfum Naturelle

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Naturelle is a somewhat newer Chloe flanker that was released in 2021. I got a sample of this as a part of the larger lot of Chloe perfumes that I picked up a while back. I didn’t know anything about this one coming into testing, so, I got to experience it with a blank slate impression. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Chloe Naturelle Smell Like?

Notes include: blackcurrant, citron, rose, mimosa, neroli, cedar

Click here to try: Chloe EDP Naturelle

chloe naturelle review

My Full Review

Naturelle opens up with a very strong citron and neroli mix, on my skin. Along with that blackcurrant note, and the underlying cedar freshness, it can pack a rather large punch. Sour and sharp. Plus, it has an greenish smell at the beginning.

It all feels sort of strange. The Chloe rose note is present of course, but it also introduces a mimosa that brings a bit of powder at times, but really enhances the ‘greenish yellow’ aroma that this perfume has early on.

Once some of the neroli and the fruit notes burn off, Chloe Naturelle is much more wearable for me. I have to say the opening, is pretty tough for me to get through, and I really don’t care for it.

However, things do get somewhat better. It’s clean, outdoorsy fresh, and does have a naturalistic kind of aroma. It reminds me of the Hermes Jardin fragrances. A rose, mimosa, and cedar led perfume. Still some citron and neroli coming through, but thankfully, toned way down.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Chloe Naturelle starts off with a sharper aroma, but still moderate sillage. It’s not going to leave a massive trail, nor create a giant cloud around the wearer. The second half of the wear, is quite intimate.

Which is a shame, since that’s when it smells best.

This one actually does stick around for a decent amount of time. Now, it’s not strong for much of the wear, but I can still detect it on skin. I think that it finally fades for good, at around 7 hours.

Great? No, but passable.

Seasonally, this screams springtime with the imagery it evokes. Which, means it’s also good for the summer months, also. The citron, greenish notes, makes Naturelle a nice choice for warmer weather.

This one is very versatile. It can be worn casually, is well put together enough to be a daily wear. Outside, in the warmer temperatures, is a great use of Naturelle. Not going to be a nightlife or romantic wear perfume, though.

Overall Impressions of Naturelle

Overall, do I like Chloe Naturelle? Not particularly. As I wrote, the back half is better and not so bad, but I really don’t like the front end.

It’s not like any of these notes are ones that I don’t enjoy. Citron, blackcurrant, etc. are all fine to me. Just something about this mix that is just off.

The naturalistic garden or floral sort of scents can be good and there’s better examples out there. Namely, Hermes’ Le Jardin fragrances, as mentioned. This one isn’t on that level and the regular Chloe perfumes are all (if not, most all) better than what you get here.

Naturelle is ok. But, like across the board just pretty middle of the road and forgettable. If you’re into this kind of scent and you can get a substantial discount, it might be worth a try. At full price, pass.

Euphoria by Calvin Klein

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Euphoria is a fragrance that was released by Calvin Klein back in 2005. It’s a series that produced a ton of flankers and also had a men’s line as well. It’s a scent that I’ve enjoyed coming in contact with over the years, so, I got a sample of it to finally do a full review for the site. Is it still worth a try?

What does Euphoria by Calvin Klein Smell Like?

Notes include: mahogany, black orchid, lotus blossom, black violet, persimmon, and pomegranate

My Full Review

Euphoria is a perfume which while being a mainstream designer fragrance, does have a fairly unique aroma versus many others on the market.

It starts from the opening, where you get a mix of pomegranate and persimmon as the fruity top notes, which are two underutilized ingredients. Very juicy, tart, sweet, and delicious overall.

Underneath that you’re going to already get a good deal of what this perfume is all about. The mahogany note, which really helps to set this one apart is already apparent. But, the floral accord is what’s going to develop in full once some of the fruitiness has burned off.

Here, the main attraction is orchid. Violet in the second spot, with lotus for a short amount of time. The fruity opening subsides and Euphoria becomes floral/fruity with rich wood, instead of a tart juicy explosion.

When the floral notes get going, the patchouli will also start to come out more. It’s not too heavy on my skin, but I like the earthy depth it brings to the floral heart. A bit of spice here.

This one dries down into a darkly rich perfume. That pomegranate and persimmon continue their decline. Orchid, mahogany and amber all take on a larger share of the pie. Violet sticks around to still play a supporting role.

It gets woodier with the mahogany becoming dominant in the final dry down. Amber, musk, and floral notes. Still some spice, less of that sweet tart beginning.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Euphoria opens up with a bang. The sillage definitely is strong in the opening hour or so. Not massive, but very easily over-sprayed and will leave a trail behind you. But, that will come in closer to the skin, and be more of a moderate the rest of the way.

On my skin, it goes for 7-7.5 hours before calling it quits. Not amazing, but Euphoria does its job fairly well and I wasn’t disappointed.

Seasonally, I’d stick to autumn through early springtime with Euphoria. It doesn’t come across as a summer scent and it will probably be a complete mess in the heat.

This has a darker feeling, while still having a youthful dynamic. Not to say that Euphoria is just for teenagers, it actually casts a fairly wide net. It can be worn to school or even some offices, while also has a nightlife style, or even date nights.

Still, it may be based on my memories of smelling this stuff out in the wild, but I associate it with women in their early 20s.

Overall Impressions of Euphoria for Women

Overall, do I like Euphoria? Yes, it’s one of my favorites from the Calvin Klein women’s collection. Some of the flankers were really good as well. Though, I’m pretty sure a lot of them are difficult to find nowadays.

I’m probably a little more of a fan of this scent than many people, but I think it is great for something that is mass appealing. The men’s version is also great, but just has terrible performance. This, is much better in that regard.

Pomegranate, mahogany, and the amber. It’s different from most of the designer fare, especially here in the 2020s. This was early 2000s vibe, though, it even stands out from that era of perfumes.

It’s still super popular and probably the most famous CK fragrance from the women’s line, for younger people (Obsession? Maybe). This is worth trying out to this day, it smells great, it’s different, and the performance holds up.

Dune by Christian Dior

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Dune is a fragrance which dates back to the Dior lineup of the 1990s. I have already covered the men’s version of this name, but I wanted to do a deeper dive into the ladies’ original, which is the better known of the two. How does Dune smell? When should it be worn? Is it still worth a try?

What does Dune by Dior Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, rosewood, sandalwood, bergamot, aldehydes, and more

Click here to try: Dune from Dior

My Full Review

Here’s how Dior describes this scent: A tribute to Christian Dior’s childhood home in Granville, Dior created the fragrance Dune. An oceanic fragrance, created in harmony with nature, this radiant, fresh and subtle accord captures the landscape where the sky meets the sea in a warm, oceanic floral bouquet. Enveloping, serene and sensual.

The opening of Dune is really great. The mandarin orange with some assistance from the bergamot note gives this Dior its citrus sweetness.

But, that is matched by dry woods and a spiced kick. Rosewood and sandalwood are two ingredients which really shine with this one.

The aldehydes here do create an atmosphere of a coastal landscape. Not necessarily marine, but a fresh and warm sort of breezy aroma. Tough to describe, but that’s what I get.

The citrus moves away pretty quickly. Before it does, Dune has a vanilla/orange impression for a short time. Then, it is vanilla, mossy, and floral. The floral notes kind of do just blend together as a white floral smell. The moss adds a layer to that dry freshness.

From there, this one becomes quite woody with balsamic notes, a more generic amber and a benzoin which gives it that medicinal fizziness. It’s warm, more fresh than its early spiciness, super dry but has a sweetness underneath that helps hold it all together.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here isn’t overly bold or something that’s going too leave a massive trail in your wake. The first few hours are above average, with a nice reaching projection. Especially while that citrus sticks around.

After that, it’s going to become a more intimate perfume. Not a total skin scent, in my experience, just one that is going to create a close yet not heavy envelopment.

On my skin, I get somewhere in the 7-7.5 hour range as far as its longevity. It’s about what I’d expect from this sort of EDT. It’s interesting that this is the concentration that’s stuck around for all of these years and the EDP and Extrait went by the wayside. I never got to try either of them.

Seasonally, Dune is kind of a year round wonder. I like it more when it’s at least a little warm out. But, trying it out in the cold, it felt like it was working well. Especially seems to bring out more of an amber influence.

This one can work in almost any situation, save maybe, nightlife and romantic wear. It’s fine casually and has enough style to get other uses out of it. Plus, it casts a wide net with its age range. Very wearable, for all, so long as you like the smell.

Overall Impressions of Dune

Overall, do I like Dune? Absolutely. That opening is simply awesome. A great blend of citrus, spice, and woods. Gives you a rather unique experience versus much of what you get on the market today.

The rest of the wear is dry, but changes from a more coastal breezy feel to a warmer and balsamic aroma. Nice use of aldehydes and I’ve always felt that this was like an inversion of Chanel No. 5. So many overlapping notes, heavy aldehydes, but the weightings are all different.

The performance is pretty moderate, but towards the upper end of that. It’s never been a powerhouse fragrance and the longevity is at least above average. You might even get a few more hours from Dune, than I do.

The real appeal is just how versatile this one can be. Not screaming out for attention, but the formula gives you different variations depending on the climate, and it doesn’t get blasted by heat or cold like many others can.

I’m a fan of Dune. I wish the men’s version had better performance, because it is also a nice change of pace cologne. This is worth trying out and can even become a favorite perfume for some.

La Vie est Belle Soleil Cristal by Lancôme

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Soleil Cristal is a flanker of the best seller from Lancôme, La Vie est Belle. I received a sample of this with another order and had zero expectations of it coming in. I liked La Vie est Belle, so, was at least somewhat interested in trying this perfume out. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does La Vie est Belle Soleil Cristal Smell Like?

Notes include: iris, orange blossom, vanilla, ylang-ylang, coconut, pink pepper, orange, bergamot, jasmine, patchouli

Click here to try: Soleil Cristal

soleil cristal review

My Full Review

Here’s how Lancôme describes it: Happiness is more than a feeling, it is an aura that radiates all around like the sun on a warm summer’s day. La vie est belle Soleil Cristal (Crystal Sun) eau de parfum captures the essence of a sunny summer day – warm yet fresh, made for those who live to bask in the sun.​

Soleil Cristal opens up with a great freshness and sparkling bright feeling. The citrus and coconut notes are prominent early on, but it doesn’t ever feel like a super sweet tropical drink. It still is sweet, just not completely sugary or overwhelming to me.

Instead, you get the early impressions of vanilla, iris, and ylang-ylang. The coconut is stronger in this mix on my skin, than is the vanilla. It doesn’t give me that lotion-like creamy finish.

There is a bit of spice early on, from the pink pepper, but it’s not overly loud or very long lived.

The ylang-ylang has an inside track early on. It’s fine, but might be my least favorite note in the blend. It’s just giving me a slightly waxy aroma, that I’m not too into. Luckily for me, the iris becomes the stronger of the two on my skin, during the dry down.

So, this one doesn’t get all that complicated. The vanilla and coconut are the stars for the rest of the way. Those two notes sitting on a bed of floral notes and I don’t really get any patchouli.

The ylang-ylang and jasmine give it a slight soapiness. The iris, some touches of powder (but even that, isn’t too much).

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The strength of this one kind of mixed. Really, it’s more deceptive. The opening hour is certainly powerful and reaches a pretty high peak. But, for much of the wear, Soleil feels more like a skin scent.

The deception, is, the fact that is actually stays stronger than you might be able to detect. It’s kind of easy to go nose blind to it, at a certain point. But, when I sprayed this on clothes I had laying around, I could smell it hours later from a good distance.

So, I might be giving this one too low of a score, with how it projects.

The longevity for me, isn’t in dispute. I can get over 8 hours and even up to 9. I’d say the range is 7-9 hours, sort of depending on conditions.

Seasonally, this is spring and summer. That’s the impression you get, solar and beachy. Not crazy with the tropical drink vibe and none of the marine saltiness, so, it’s safer for daily wear versus something more oceanic.

To me, it’s more pretty than anything too sexy. I do have an attraction to this scent, but don’t expect any sort of nightclub beast or something like that.

Overall Impressions of Soleil Cristal

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I actually do find it enjoyable. It doesn’t have much, if anything to do with the original La Vie est Belle, but I thought it was a nice experience.

It’s a fragrance that has a similar style and aroma to something like Alien Goddess or Bronze. I like all three of those fragrances, not totally wowed by any of them, but I think that they can all have a place as someone’s daily wear for certain stretches of the year.

There are definitely stretches here, that I found to be really great to wear. I think that this perfume got some mixed reviews, but I’m pretty positive about it across the board.

It’s not something that is going to offend most people with its scent, but may be one that you want to try out first, before buying.

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.