By Designer

7 Best Smelling Kenzo Perfumes

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Kenzo has been an innovative and respected French design house for about 45 years now. In that time, it has also established a name and niche following in the world of fragrance. It grabbed praise and attention with it’s signature scent, Flower, and has produced unique and highly feminine perfumes ever since. For this list, I have chosen what I consider to be the top seven ladies’ fragrances by Kenzo.

What are the Best Smelling Kenzo Perfumes?

Best Bold Perfume

Jungle L’Elephant– Besides having a cool elephant on the bottle, Jungle by Kenzo is designed to “bring the animal out of you”. It is energetic with an oriental spiciness that will stand out from the crowd and delivers a long-lasting scent.

This one definitely isn’t for everyone. It is extremely bold and can take over a room. Which is why, it is probably best for outdoor use. Nonetheless, warm cardamom and caraway, get paired with strong cloves and a calming vanilla note.

It has a dryness and slight smoky quality, with that spice. Which by the way, isn’t all that sharp or unbearable. Yes, it has a big personality, but this one is still selling over 20 years later.

l'elephant

Juicy Fruity Perfume

Kenzo World–  A clean peony fragrance, with the sweetness of some red berry notes. Kenzo World is a newer release, but one that I think should make the list due to its scent and uniqueness.

At times, it comes off as very much a juicy berry fragrance, with other fruits assisting things. Then, you get more of the warmth of amber and the floral notes. Somewhat soapy, not overly complex, but a decidedly intriguing fragrance. Probably best for younger women.

The Powdery Classic

Flower by Kenzo for Women – 3.3 Ounce EDP Spray– Kenzo Flower is a very popular fragrance and has been for a long time now. It also happens to have an aroma that pretty closely approximates baby powder.

It’s a bit sweeter and creamier, than the real thing, which is to be expected with vanilla and black currant notes. However, the violet and rose, give Flower a very powdery finish that is quite soft and comforting.

The opening act, is probably the least like our target, but it settles down into that fresh powdery scent. The rose note isn’t overwhelming here, either. So, don’t expect it to be heavy, in that regard.

flower


Most Popular Kenzo

Kenzo Amour by Kenzo– An affordable, soft and floral, vanilla based fragrance for ladies. Amour is vanilla flanked by frangipani, heliotrope, and cherry blossom. This one is a nice example of vanilla, but used in a somewhat unique way.

Not only do you get, some different floral ingredients, from the run of the mill, Kenzo Amour also features a warm, fluffy, rice note.

The whole thing comes across as clean, inviting, with a bit of a fresh powdery finish (and smoky incense). Very nice performance and a versatile daily wear type of perfume.

Unique World

World Power by Kenzo– This Kenzo World flanker isn’t one that is going to be appreciated by everyone. It’s got a fresh, salty aquatic, and tonka bean finish.

The aquatic sea notes are more early on in the wear, but the saltiness stays going. The saltiness paired with the cold cypress wood notes gives this one a really interesting and almost unisex feel.

Then, the sweeter tonka type of finish brings it back around. The saltiness hangs around in a warmer amber form, with the woody base. World Power does actually have a nice punch of sillage to it.

It has great performance, in a rather simple presentation. Again, this one isn’t going to be appealing to everyone, but it’s nice and different.

A Green Spring/Summer Wear

D’ete- A clean and green floral that brings a certain sweetness to its layers. Warm and great for casual wear on a day to day basis and has a scent unique to itself.

It has a lighter floral appeal, much like the entry below. However, this one focuses much more on the flowers themselves, along with a dewy undertone. While L’eau Par Kenzo is cold and fresh, this one is warmer with some slight spiciness lurking around.

d'ete

Best Aquatic Perfume

L’eau Par Kenzo– A blend of aquatic and floral notes make Par Kenzo a very nice choice for the warmer months of the year. Simple. refreshing, and understated.

L’eau Par Kenzo isn’t a citrus aquatic or anything like that. This one gives you some great floral notes, like lilac and water lily, to provide a clean and memorable aroma. This all sits on top of a watery and fresh base.

What’s great is the mint note, which gives this an icy sort of start, while being paired with some herbal ingredients. Unique and uncomplicated, though, a totally underrated fragrance.

par

Very Irresistible EDT for Women by Givenchy

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In this review, I am going to be taking a closer look at Very Irresistible by Givenchy. Now, I’ve already done a review of the men’s version of this fragrance, which was okay but really wasn’t my thing. As usual, I am going to cover how it smells, how it performs, when it should be worn, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Very Irresistible Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, peony, anise, verbena, magnolia

Click here to try: Very Irresistible By Givenchy For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces

My Full Review

I’m not that much of a fan of rose in fragrance, so when I do a review of perfumes with this flower as an ingredient, I try to be as fair as possible even when it doesn’t suit my personal tastes.

That being said, I really like how rose is used in Givenchy’s Very Irresistible. I legitimately enjoy it and don’t have to force myself to give it a chance.

This fragrance is blended very well and the rose is initially joined by the anise note which is vaguely reminiscent of men’s cologne, L’Homme Libre, though much less spicy.

Very Irresistible is a very floral scent to be sure. If that’s not your thing, I’d probably look elsewhere. However, you do get a bright bit of fruitiness up top from lemon verbena and the cassis blending together. It adds a playful touch, preventing this from becoming too boring.

The peony note is also a great complement to the rose and I think that it restrains the rose somewhat and doesn’t it let this fragrance just be a pure rose perfume.

I just reviewed another floral scent, Daisy by Marc Jacobs, and I have to say that I definitely enjoy the Givenchy much more than that one.

Very Irresistible has much more energy and vibrancy than does Daisy (which is also a good perfume) and I feel it is much more interesting overall.

The dry down does skew much more towards the rose note, along with magnolia, and a general impression of light fruitiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, I’d say that this one is moderate. I don’t feel that it is too heavy or overpowering but it does a solid job performing.

For the first hour or so, it had a nice projection to it. When I sprayed it on clothing, I could detect it from 4-7 feet away. Then, it will be much more of a personal scent bubble, but wasn’t a skin scent until much later in the wear.

While testing it out, I routinely got 7-8 hours of use out of this. This perfume doesn’t seem to have any problems sticking around.

I would say that this is best used during the springtime and early summer. But, outside of the coldest days, this actually does seem like it’d be perfectly fine to wear, and even be a nice addition to the winter rotation.

It actually does seem to have some versatility in its use, either for casual or more romantic wear. I’d be more than happy to smell this on a woman that was on a date with, even if I tend to like sweeter gourmand fragrances, usually.

Mostly, this will be used as a daily wear for just going about your business. It’s pretty, doesn’t scream for attention, but is very pleasant to be around. I didn’t go out and test it for very long, but I’d imagine that Very Irresistible can gather some complements.

Overall Impressions of Very Irresistible for Women

Is Very Irresistible worth a buy? Yes, provided that you enjoy floral perfumes. It has plenty of life and energy. Plus, it actually has good performance.

It isn’t the usual ‘green’ or outdoorsy type of floral scent, that can feel stuffy and boring. This Givenchy scent does everything that you need a fragrance to do and doesn’t disappoint.

I like the opening blend where you get the rose, verbena, anise, and peony notes. It’s a nice balance and has many beautiful aspects. This fragrance is still around, after all these years, so it’s got a fan base for sure.

It doesn’t strike me as being overly complicated. Pretty rose-centered floral perfume, with good performance, and can be worn almost anywhere without issue. It has a clean and upbeat kind of aroma, just very easy to vibe with.

Very Irresistible EDT is one that you can plug in to your collection and find plenty of use for, it may even be a signature scent.

I Love New York for Her by Bond No. 9

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In this last batch of samples, I received a bunch of samples of Bond No. 9 fragrances, from their line of I Love New York scents that came out 5+ years back. While I’ve only done a couple of reviews from this brand on the site thus far, I do intend to try to get through the entire collection at some point.

Today’s entry is I Love New York for Her, which is a gourmand perfume for ladies and is generally well regarded as a scent. As always, continue reading below for my full thoughts and impressions of this perfume.

What does I Love NY for Her Smell Like?

I love new york for her

Notes include: blueberry, patchouli, vanilla, peony, musk, rose, sandalwood

Click here to try: Bond No 9 I Love New York Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

The initial blast of I Love New York for her is a blend of blueberry and patchouli. It is sweet and fruity but the patchouli note comes on too strong at first for my tastes.

This is a gourmand fragrance that is supposed to invoke images of sweet pastries and I think that it succeeds on this front.

After the first few minutes, it does begin to take on more of a blueberry muffin kind of smell with a layer of vanilla and peony which gives it a floral spirit.

While I’m not too big of a patchouli fan, I actually like it somewhat here, especially once it calms down a bit. It gives I Love NY for Her a more mature character and doesn’t let it fall too far into the ‘teeny’ sweet gourmand category of scents.

That being said, it isn’t too stuffy and is actually quite a playful perfume, with its bakery motif. I like the dry down where you get the full kind of baked goods experience, with the berry notes toned down in their strength.

There’s some light floral notes, but I mostly got sandalwood, musk, and the patchouli. Along with, the remaining general sweet/frutiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this stuff is fairly strong. I sprayed a few times on a sweater and could smell it from 9-10 feet away for hours on end. So, at the peak it does pack power and that sillage will be pretty serious.

That being said, I don’t think it’s overpowering, but it is a performer. On the skin, it definitely calms down from what it was, at the start. It’ll be on the upper end of what you could consider moderate, for a long time.

I would dare say that one should be able to get 8+ hours out of this perfume, every wear…that’s been my experience with it. It probably ventures into the 10 hour range when all of the conditions are right.

I Love New York for Her is a fun and casual scent in my opinion. It isn’t really sexy, but it is oddly appealing, I mean, blueberry muffin is naturally attractive, right? This will also function best during the cooler months of the year and I imagine it’d get kind of weird in the heat of the summer.

So, better to stick to autumn through the early part of spring.

Overall Impressions of I Love New York for Her

Overall, is I Love New York for Her worth a purchase? Depends. It is a unique scent and also performs very well. It strikes me more of a niche kind of scent…if you like blueberry, patchouli, and pastries…then this might be a go to scent or you.

However, it also is quite pricey, since it is Bond No. 9 but a full bottle might be worth the investment. Update: I’m pretty sure it’s discontinued now.

That being said, it does have plenty of appeal and will give you a ton of bang for your buck, even at Bond’s elevated price range.

The rose and other floral notes, aren’t going to play a huge role in the scent. I wouldn’t get too excited about them, if that’s something you’d be looking for. Sweet, sharp, warm gourmand. I like it.

7 Best Smelling Donna Karan DKNY Perfumes

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Donna Karan became a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world during the 1980s. Towards the end of the decade, she introduced the DKNY brand which provided a more affordable fashion and accessories line to the masses. Among the fashion houses many achievements are the lineup of fragrances for women.

The seven perfumes listed below are among the very best by Donna Karan and as always I have linked them out to where they can be purchased at a good price online.

What are the Best Donna Karan DKNY Perfumes for Women?

Most Popular DKNY

Dkny Be Delicious By Donna Karan For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4-Ounce Bottle– This Donna Karan perfume is a very enjoyable sensory experience. It has a rich fruity and floral profile that gives off a playful and seductive energy throughout the day.

Be Delicious opens up with its dominant apple note, along with, grapefruit and cucumber.

It is fresh, cool, and crisp from the start. The dry down is less tart and juicy, with the floral notes and some sandalwood coming through. Easy to wear and pleasant all around. Notes include: apple, violet, grapefruit, cucumber and more.

Light and Energetic for Summer

Donna Karan Nectar Love Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Nectar Love gives you a different sort of wear for the summertime.

Yes, you get the usual fruitiness for much of the development, particularly in the opening. However, you also get a bright and upbeat aroma full of honey and beeswax.

This one is very sweet, but also very light and playful. This is an easy to wear perfume that won’t overpower but will have one feeling attractive during the day or the evening. Nectarine with citrus, with a variety of delicate floral touches, throughout.

A Lighter Apple Floral

Be Delicious Fresh Blossom– This Be Delicious flanker is a simple one, but a perfume that is easy to wear and can be a great low key daily wear scent. Won’t provide a huge sillage.

The apple is more crisp and sheer in this one, with a delightful grapefruit note coming in as support. Cassis and apricot round out the fruity lineup. Fresh Blossom is closer to the original in terms of how it smells.

However, it does separate itself with more of a jasmine and rose influence in the dry down. Plus, the whole citrus element up top. It’s a spring and summer wear, Fresh Blossom does seem to have a bit of a aquatic aroma to it, but not overwhelming.

Vanilla, Floral, and Amber

Cashmere Mist By Donna Karan For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4-Ounces– Cashmere Mist is a bit more understated and refined than is Be Delicious. It’s a great casual fragrance that is light and clean, with floral notes and a hint of vanilla.

Cashmere Mist EDP gives you a warm opening where the vanilla begins to waft through the composition. What’s noticeable, is the embrace of the amber note, with a smooth and familiar suede note.

Further along, it becomes a lighter floral with jasmine and lily, sitting among the musk. This is all on top of a base of sandalwood. Not too heavy of a fragrance, but one that is an excellent choice for a daily wear.

The Apple Alternative

Donna Karan Be Delicious Eau So Intense Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– A different take on the Be Delicious concept. This one has more of a spiciness to it while still remaining clean, warm, and feminine. Still has the apple and grapefruit notes along with rose, lily of the valley and sandalwood.

Eau So Intense opens with that same apple note, paired with a bit of grapefruit, and a floral accord led by magnolia. It’s fresh and not as sweet but has a somewhat sour scent, as the original, but with a bolder sillage and performance overall.

Still, this one dries down more moderate, than intense. The apple is the star but violet, magnolia, and lily help to mix things up and give it appeal.

Best Newer Perfume

Be Extra Delicious– Be Extra Delicious is a nice change of pace, while still sticking to the theme of the line. With this perfume, you’ll be getting more pear than apple. Fresh, sugary, with a slight watery element provided by the freesia note.

The apple note smells like its still there, but it’s more of a general fruitiness joined by caramel and the aforementioned pear note. It’s upbeat and sparkling with a warm gourmand heart.

Gardenia and freesia give this one its floral touches. However, it is much more about the fruit notes and caramel. Definitely a sweet one, dessert quality, if that’s your thing.

Herbal Verbena and Peony

Donna Karan pureDKNY Verbena, 100ml/3.4 oz.– Not an overwhelming scent, rather, a citrus blend that is subtle and memorable. A good addition for the late spring and summer months.

Lemon verbena is the star of the show, giving you that gorgeous citrus aroma, that so often gets paired with other floral notes. Here it is going to be peony, mainly. However, pureDKNY Verbena, has a very interesting addition of seaweed as an ingredient.

This sits underneath to provide the perfume with an intriguing scent, but the basil comes into to play off the verbena. Greenish herbal spice. This one is really fresh and gives women a rather unique option, while still maintaining a sense that it’s been done before.

5 Best Sarah Jessica Parker Perfumes

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Sarah Jessica Parker has been a well known actress for decades now. She also happens to have her own line of fragrances for women, which have become quite successful in their own right. These scents are not the expensive design fair that price many people out of the perfume market. SJP’s scents are affordable, wearable, and are quite attractive as a whole.

What are the Top SJP Perfumes?

Best Seller

Lovely– The most popular of the perfumes by Sarah Jessica Parker. It is a mature and moderate scent with notes of musk and apple martini as its main attraction. A great all-around fragrance for everyday wear that is elegant and refined.

It opens up with mostly musk and lavender. This is paired with the apple, mandarin orange, and a nice orchid note. Musk is prevalent throughout, but the patchouli, grows in strength later on. Finally, it’s floral/musky with smooth woods and lavender.

The fragrance is affordable and has good performance, I found it to stick around for 6-7 hours during my testing of it. Does indeed smell similar to Narciso Rodriguez EDP, but a notch below in terms of quality. Lovely Full Review

lovely perfume parker

Fruity Summer Perfume

SJP NYC– Notes of rose, mandarin, honeysuckle, strawberry, rum, and more. SJP NYC is a sweet, fruity, and fun fragrance for those warm days of the year. It is bright, cheerful, and not an overbearing affair. Delicious scent.

NYC starts off with the sweetness pretty strong, for the first hour or so. Strawberry is the main attraction. Then, it will shift to have a more noticeable floral profile, with rum and musky undertones.

The strawberry sticks around, but it isn’t nearly as strong as it once was. Good amount of honeysuckle, which is a plus, if you dig that ingredient.

sjp

Uplifting Lovely

Lovely Sheer– The best of the flanker fragrances from the Lovely perfume lineup. Actually pretty similar to the original, but with its own distinct differences.

Up top, you’re going to get more citrus notes and for a longer lasting time, then with the original Lovely. The apple martini is gone. White floral notes like gardenia and orange blossom are in and to a greater degree.

It has a more energetic feel and the opening is fairly sharp until it settles down. The dry down is clean and musky, but the floral and citrus notes hang around for a long while. Not a massive sillage (sheer), but the longevity is actually great for this price point.

best jessica parker scent

Refreshing Floral Scent

Dawn– Dawn is a very clean floral fragrance with underlying notes of citrus. It’s mostly a soft violet influenced fragrance that is refreshing and crisp. This is a good floral, that is sometimes dewy, and then has a powdery finish.

Underneath the floral and musk notes, this does have a somewhat watery feeling. Orchid and violet leaf, can produce that sort of aroma, in a fragrance.

This is a great subtle daily wear, if you can find a bottle. I think that it’s been discontinued, but bottles, can be picked up online still.

dawn

Woody Gourmand

Covet– Chocolate note with lemon and some florals give Covet a darker and richer mood. The scent has some woodsy notes as well, which help to take the sharpness of the lemon away, and leave something that is smooth and unique.

The opening act can be quite a zesty experience, though, the lavender will prevent it from going too far. But, different people’s skin, will lead to differing effects. The drydown is the highlight of Covet.

This SJP fragrance, becomes creamy and have a luscious almost dessert-like quality. Not super sweet, but the chocolate/lemon pairing with the woods and musk highlights gives you some beautiful moments.

covet