By Designer

Coach Floral EDP by Coach

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Coach Floral is a perfume that I’ve come across a number of times since its release in 2018, and I’ve always appreciated it. Recently, I got a sample included in an order from Macy’s, which gave me some time to further test it out and finally post a full review. How does Floral EDP smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Coach Floral EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: citrus, pink pepper, pineapple sorbet, rose tea, jasmine, gardenia, musk, patchouli, wood

Click here to try: Coach Floral Eau De Parfum 1.0oz Spray

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Coach describes it: Coach Floral EDP is inspired by Coach’s signature leather Tea Roses. Combining fruity and floral notes with crystal musks, the unique scent perfectly embodies Coach’s feminine, free spirit.

Bright, sweet, fruity tart opening. The early stages are definitely leaning to the fruity floral end of the spectrum. The pineapple leads the way and is fantastic. Reminds me of the same note found in Coach Platinum for Men.

The pineapple is flanked by citrus notes, think lemon. The pink pepper is present giving it some further warmth and kick of spice. Fresh opening but the sorbet aspect of the pineapple, keeps Coach Floral feeling cold at the start.

It will quickly turn into a white floral with sweet fruity highlights. The gardenia will actually play the largest role, to my nose. The rose tea is the second strongest and not the actual focus.

Finishes into a fairly creamy white floral with woods and musk. Still sweet, just a pretty far distance from the opening act, but leans more tart to my nose. The shift from fruity/floral to the floral notes leading the way is fairly drastic, but it doesn’t completely change.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Coach Floral does start out with a bit of a powerful punch, but it will settle into something that is slightly above average in terms of how it projects. One thing’s for sure, it’s not a weak fragrance, it just won’t completely take over a room with normal amounts of spraying.

The longevity was also pretty darn good on my skin. During testing, it would stick around for 7-8 hours before completely fading away.

Seasonally, spring and summer. This is really great when it is warm outside and is my favorite from Coach’s women’s line for that purpose. The fruits will probably be out of place in the winter months, but from moderate to higher temperatures, Floral can be a go to.

It’s not particularly a formal fragrance, but it can be worn in most other situations during the summer. Leans more towards a daytime kind of perfume, but it could be utilized at night also. It has a fun attractiveness, rather than being sexy, but it should be pretty easy to pick up complements with Floral.

Overall Impressions of Coach Floral EDP

Do I like this perfume? I do enjoy it quite a bit and it’s the best current option from Coach for summertime wear. Is it super amazing or groundbreaking? No, but it smells nice and is a dynamic fruity floral that gives you plenty of real highlights.

Personally, I love the pineapple note that they’ve been using in Coach fragrances over the past few years. The opening act with the tart citrus and the pineapple is fun and upbeat.

You get that initial freshness, a bit of spice, and then a transformation into a gardenia and rose led scent. Creamy, woody, with the opening act still hanging around.

The performance is good enough for most purposes and it Coach Floral presents you with plenty of opportunity to wear it. Some may not like the tart/sweet aroma or find it to be somewhat basic. However, this one has plenty of mass appeal and is  just very pleasant and easy to wear. Pretty safe as a blind buy.

Jersey Les Exclusifs de Chanel

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When I picked up my last batch of Chanel fragrance samples, I made sure to get a few from the Les Exclusifs line of fragrances. One of those was Jersey, which I didn’t have any prior experience with, and wasn’t particularly clued into what it was all about. Now that I have given this perfume a fair shake, I’m going to share my thoughts on Jersey. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a buy?

What does Jersey by Chanel Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, musk, Bourbon vanilla, wildflowers, rose, tonka bean

My Full Review

This Les Exclusifs Jersey opens up with an initial blast of the familiar Chanel aldehydes. Close to what you get with No.5, but I’d says it’s more like L’eau No. 5. It’s got a very cold and fresh aroma, at the start.

One thing I get immediately is the lavender. There is a lot of it in this mix. Surrounded by a heart of wildflowers and a pretty herbal/grassy aroma. It’s pretty sharp in the early stages.

As it moves along, Jersey gets smoother and with a muskier finish. The lavender is tempered by the other floral notes somewhat. A bit powdery with a sweetness, there might be a violet note or something resembling that in here.

This one doesn’t get all that complicated. It’s a simple scent, but what’s interesting is that the aldehydes last for the duration, at varying levels of strength. In many of the other Chanel’s, those notes have a tendency to fade.

Jersey dries down to lavender, musk, and a touch of creaminess from the vanilla/tonka bean. The vanilla and tonka bean do become more noticeable the further along you get into things.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Jersey has some decent ability to project itself, but isn’t super heavy or one that is going to reach across a room. Expect more of a moderate scent bubble, that will at times extend to the 4-6 foot range, but settle much closer to the skin.

The longevity is solid, but again, not amazing. On my skin, I got around 7.5-8 hours of wear during testing. It’ll provide you with plenty of opportunities to wear it, and Jersey, is by no means a perfume that performs poorly.

The strong suit of Jersey is probably its versatility. While it’s not a romantic wear or something that is going to scream for attention, it can be worn in a wide variety of situations and basically year round.

It does strike me more as something to wear during the spring, but it really wouldn’t be out of place in most climates. Maybe avoid the extreme heat and cold, but in moderate to warmer temperatures, you’ll be golden.

This one could serve as a daily wear or something for casual to semi-formal wear. I think Jersey is listed as a unisex perfume, but it really leans much more towards being a traditionally feminine wear.

Outside of having to test it for the site, I don’t think I’d be wearing it as a man.

Overall Impressions of Jersey

Overall, do I like Jersey by Chanel? It’s pretty nice, but not something that I’d be clamoring to wear or would go crazy for smelling it on a woman. You definitely get that Chanel vibe right from the get go and it is a pretty pleasant and somewhat unique floral.

I like the chilled aroma and the vanilla finish with this one. It’s got an attractive freshness. The lavender isn’t too overpowering here and the perfume still manages to come across as feminine. There’s nothing that stands out to me, as being ‘bad’, in this composition.

But, nothing that truly jumps out to me as being spectacular. There are many other Chanel perfumes, that are better than this one, and I’d rather wear or be around.

However, if it sounds appealing to your personal tastes, the performance is quite good and while it probably isn’t a value play…it’s a fair deal.

Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori by Gucci

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Gucci Bloom is a series that seems to keep cranking out new flankers every year. I grabbed samples of the whole collection up to this point, in order to provide full reviews for these popular ladies’ perfumes. Today’s entry will be Acqua di Fiori, which was released back in 2018. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Bloom Acqua di Fiori Smell Like?

Notes include: cassis, lemon, galbanum, tuberose, musk, sandalwood, jasmine, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori for Women 3.3 oz Eau de Toilette Spray

My Full Review

After spraying Acqua di Fiori on myself, I am immediately hit by a scent that has a watery clean freshness full of greenish highlights. The opening act does have an almost grassy feeling to it.

Galbanum is the note that I get a lot of early on. That, along with a slight hint of lemon. The citrus is very light and doesn’t add any real sharpness to it, does lend some juiciness to things.

Acqua di Fiori has a cooler vibe, slightly aquatic, and feels like sitting next to a garden pond on an early spring day. This Bloom is pretty naturalistic with the way it smells. Throughout the wear, honeysuckle and cassis aromas will be present and add some nice depth here.

When it transitions into its more floral stage, I notice that there isn’t as much of the tuberose note, as other Gucci Bloom fragrances. Instead, lily-of-the-valley and freesia really take center stage, and will be the focus for the rest of the wear.

More of a green floral than the typical white floral from this line. You get the watery garden scent with some grassiness and bits and pieces of sweetness, which will waft up during the wear. Not a very complex perfume and you’ll know what you’ve got, about an hour in.

There is a greater muskiness here, later on. To me, the sandalwood is one of the weakest notes, and doesn’t really do all that much.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

In terms of its sillage, Acqua di Fiori starts off pretty moderate and then is light for the rest of the wear. I’d say it projects on my skin or off of a t-shirt, about 3-5 feet, more towards that lower end once it has settled in.

It’s not a beast, rather, this Bloom is a low key kind of fragrance with an airy vapor.

The longevity is actually pretty decent, though. With the sample, I was getting 6.5-7 hours of wear out of Acqua. Not super marathon level of performance, but it will be useful for most purposes, when you don’t want to overtake a room.

Seasonally, this will fit right in with the spring and summer months. The cooling sensation is a nice contrast from when it is warm outside.

Acqua di Fiori is a nice choice as a daily wear. It’s safe for work. Not a total formal perfume, better used casually or in semi-formal situations. I wouldn’t expect to use this one in the nightlife. It’s not sexy or anything attention grabbing.

Something you want to reach for when you want a simple semi-aquatic floral. It’s going to be a perfume that more for your own personal enjoyment.

Overall Impressions of Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori

Overall, do I like this scent? I do. It’s very much a Gucci Bloom perfume, but it also will give you more of a variation than many others in the series.

The opening act is intriguing and gives you that mix of citrus, grass, and the floral notes coming up from the heart. I do like the lower reliance on the tuberose note, as other Bloom’s can start to smell way too much like one another.

You should be a fan of lily-of-the-valley and freesia, if you’re going to give this one a go. They are pretty well behaved here and nothing overwhelms the composition. Just expect a greener semi-aquatic with a solid floral middle.

Very versatile for daily wear and a good enough performance. This is worth a try, if this sounds at all interesting to you. Pretty safe as a blind buy, as it probably won’t disappoint most people out there.

But, it also might not ‘wow’ you either. Acqua di Fiori is a solid fragrance, just not spectacular.

Update: I’m pretty sure this one got discontinued. I’m still seeing some bottles online, but they’re pretty expensive.

Chanel Gabrielle vs. Chance EDP

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Chanel has a ton of best selling fragrances under its banner from the more mass market to the high end and niche. Two particular perfumes in the more well-known side of their lineup are Chance and the more recent Gabrielle release.

These scents often get compared to one another, as they can be the final two choices for those looking to get into Chanel perfumes. In this post, I want to compare and contrast Chance and Gabrielle eau de parfums, and declare an ultimate winner for the better buy between them.

Tale of the Tape: Chanel Chance vs. Gabrielle EDP

Gabrielle

Notes include: jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, tuberose, musk, citrus, pear

Click here to try: Chanel Gabrielle For Women Eau De Parfume Spray 3.4 Ounces

Read my review: Gabrielle EDP

Chanel Chance Eau de Parfum

Notes include: jasmine, iris, pink pepper, white musk, vanilla, patchouli

Click here to try: Chance EDP from Chanel

Read my review: Chance EDP

Opening

Chance EDP opens up with a blended mix of its notes. It’s slightly fruity but has added pink pepper, musk, vanilla, and jasmine. Pink pepper and jasmine are the strongest two notes, initially. Eventually, iris will join the jasmine note, but the floral notes do tend to fade as we progress.

When the iris comes in, that’s when the vanilla will be at its peak, giving this a slightly powdery and creamy scent.

With Gabrielle, it features a sparkling pear and citrus mix with floral notes of ylang-ylang and orange flower. The first time I tested this out, it was a confusing mess. After that, it became more favorable to my nose.

I think the fruity top and the initial floral notes are the worst part of Gabrielle. I like when the jasmine and tuberose come in later on.

Just based on the opening acts of each, I prefer that of Chance over Gabrielle. Gabrielle improves as it dries down, but that opening is just okay to me.

Edge: Chance

Projection

Chance EDP has a strong sillage and a nice ability to project off of the skin. It’s not a complete bomb, but I think that it makes it safely into the strong camp. from 4-7 feet it’s going to be noticeable for a majority of the wear.

Gabrielle EDP has a much more moderate sillage, in comparison. By no means a weak perfume, it just can’t hit the same level as its counterpart.

Edge: Chance

Longevity

Neither of these fragrances gives a bad performance. Chance eau de parfum will last for 8-10 hours, on my skin. Very good and not that far off from being an elite long lasting scent.

Gabrielle, on the other hand, will last for 7-7.5 hours. Solid and it will be useful for plenty of occasions. Though, it doesn’t hit the same level of performance as the other Chanel.

This is a clear win for Chance.

Edge: Chance

Versatility

Seasonally, these are fairly equal. Springtime is best for Gabrielle, but Chance also works well then also. I’d say Chance is the better of the two in the wintertime, giving it a bit of an edge.

Both are great daily wear options. Mostly for casual and semi-formal occasions. That being said, Chance EDP can venture into more formal situations, when compared to Gabrielle EDP.

Neither is particularly sexy or a nightlife wear. Just attractive fragrance which can cover a lot of bases. Though, Chance has a very marginal edge.

Edge: Chance

Overall Scent

I do like both of these fragrances and each has plenty of features that recommend wearing them. For Gabrielle, once its opening phase has past and the floral notes emerge, you get quite a captivating experience.

The jasmine and tuberose coming in and joining the ylang-ylang and orange blossom is the highlight of the scent. I have mixed feelings about the opening pear, citrus, and pink pepper. To me, that’s the weakest aspect.

It’s got a clean floral/musky profile and solid performance all around. Gabrielle eau de parfum is not a bad perfume at all.

However, it gets compared to the rest of the Chanel line, and its weaknesses are more apparent. Heck, Gabrielle Essence is better than the original. Chance EDP is also the greater perfume.

Jasmine and pink pepper overlap between these scents, but Chance really sets itself apart with the vanilla note. Then, iris comes in. Then, patchouli and musk. There’s way more development and depth with this Chanel than Gabrielle.

Add to that, the performance is better overall, and it feels a bit more versatile, and it becomes a decided win for Chance Eau de Parfum. I don’t think it’s miles better than Gabrielle, but the difference is noticeable.

Winner: Chanel Chance

Best Les Eaux de Chanel Fragrances

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Chanel released its line of perfumes under the Les Eaux de Chanel banner starting a few years ago. There are currently five fragrances with the designation and I grabbed samples of them a few months ago.

Since then, I’ve tested out these scents, and wanted to create a post ranking them. The following is my current standings and I’ll update this page if I change my mind or any new releases are brought to market in the future.

What are the Top Les Eaux de Chanel Perfumes?

The Best

Paris-Venise by Chanel– Paris-Venise is my pick for the best of this Chanel line. My number two pick was a close challenger, but I think Venise pretty easily surpasses the other options.

Venise features notes of neroli, vanilla, and tonka bean. It kicks off with a great citrus accord, ylang-ylang, and a powdery mix of iris and violet. It’s fresh, unique, and a dynamic summertime wear.

The citrus, iris, and ylang-ylang (plus other floral notes) are most prominent in the opening act. Then, as it settles, you get the softer sweet and creamy notes coming through. With enough of the iris/violet combination to make it interesting. Paris-Venise is a very beautiful fragrance.

Lime and Basil Wonder

Paris-Deauville by Chanel– Deauville secured the number two spot without much trouble. After testing each of these perfumes, I kept coming back to this gem, time and time again.

Lime, lemon, and mandarin orange start things off here. But, it’s not a purely citrus fragrance, as there is also a prominent basil note and an overall green aroma in Paris-Deauville. The main notes are lime, basil, and patchouli.

That’s the trio for most of the wear. There is a floral aspect to this with a bit of rose and jasmine, but they really aren’t that major in the mix.

I get about 7 hours of wear on my skin. Deauville is a pretty simple scent, that’ll be a spring and summer wear, but it’s a really great use of lime. Read my full review

Green Gin Forest

Paris – Édimbourg– Paris–Édimbourg is the next in line and the top Eaux des Chanel for men. The others on the list, outside of Biarritz maybe, are pretty darn feminine.

This one is also the most unique. With this we go green and really fresh with notes of juniper and cypress, producing a gin-like aroma. It’s bright and woodsy, with the vetiver playing a larger role in the latter stages.

Vanilla adds a light creamy and sweet touch to the fragrance and helps to keep it more in the unisex camp. If you don’t want to go with a citrus or citrus/floral wear from this line for the summer, check out this, because it could be your number one pick. Paris-Edimbourg Review

Zesty Neroli

Paris-Riviera by Chanel– Riviera could easily be in the third spot, but I ultimately decided that I liked the unique aspect of Edimbourg more.

Paris-Riviera is a citrus floral perfume, with top notes of orange, neroli, and petitgrain. I recognize that Chanel orange note immediately and the neroli reminds me of the various Tom Ford summertime perfumes.

Riviera is quite zesty and uplifting in the early stages with a slight fresh spiciness to it. As it wears on, this Chanel will become more about the floral notes. Jasmine will eventually overtake the neroli, but it is a pretty even split.

The tail end becomes muskier with a late kick from the sandalwood note to add a further dryness to the mix. While I like Biarritz listed below, Riviera is better and lasts longer, so it’ll get the number four spot.

Hyper-Citrus Aquatic

Paris-Biarritz– Paris-Biarritz starts off with a powerful blast of cold citrus notes. Here it is going to be grapefruit and mandarin orange, according to Chanel. However, there is also very clearly a lemon note in here and it’s actually the strongest at the beginning.

Underneath that, what I think may throw some folks off, is the aquatic note in here. There is an oceanic aroma, not super strong, but it’s there and gives this a different feel. Lily of the valley and vetiver are present in the dry down.

I’m giving this one the bottom spot, even if it’s not a bad fragrance. Actually, I like it quite a bit. However, there are better options on this list that have a similar style and other Chanel fragrance that are also close to this.

Paris-Biarritz does have that awesome ice cold citrus and aquatic aroma that I like. Ultimately, the performance isn’t good enough and it doesn’t do anything better than the others on the list. Really, the 3 to 5 spots could be up for grabs, but this is how I’ve landed after using each for a while.