By Designer

Park Avenue South by Bond No. 9

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Today, we have another Bond No. 9 fragrance sample to review. This one is another for the ladies and is entitled, Park Avenue South. In this post, I am going to cover how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if I think it’s worth a buy.

What does Park Avenue South Smell Like?

Notes include: apple, peach, musk, amber, jasmine

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Park Avenue South Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Park Avenue South is that of crisp apples. I had eaten a Golden Delicious apple earlier in the day, so the sensation was rather instantaneous. That initial apple dominant aroma seems to only last for a minute, however, since it is then quickly joined by the peach note.

Again, I want to state that this fragrance is crisp and not really ‘juicy’ as many other fruity perfumes tend to be. Actually, Park Avenue South is quite dry, warm, and with a slight spice to it.

The musky amber keeps the fruits tempered somewhat and allows the scent to have that dry quality.

That’s kind of it because this perfume is almost ridiculously simple. It’s so linear, by five minutes in, you kind of know what you’ve got.

While I do think that it smells pretty good, it also reminds me of an air freshener spray. Park Avenue South just has that same aroma to it, just with less of a chemical/synthetic undercurrent to it. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s okay. It does it’s job without overwhelming but it is more towards the softer side of things. I always knew that it was there, but Park Ave. South never felt overwhelming, in the slightest.

 

I will say, that the longevity seems to hit the 7-9 hour range, which is a plus. It doesn’t develop much at all, but the perfume also won’t just quit in the middle of the day. So, if you like that initial scent, you might very well enjoy that you get to spend a long time with it. 

I’d call this casual. You could wear it to work or school, but it never struck me as romantic or sexy. Just a decent spray for the warmer days of the year. 

But yeah, stick to the daytime in spring and summer with Park Avenue South.

Overall Impressions of Park Avenue South

Overall, would I recommend Park Avenue South? Not really. It’s decent. I’m not particularly enthralled by it and I feel like you could probably replicate a similar scent for a much cheaper price. It is a fresh and pleasant smell but nothing to write home about.

This is one of the least interesting fragrances that Bond has come out with. To me, at least. I think they have perfumes that smell worse, but they tried to do something novel with them. Park Avenue South is kind of meh, at a high price level. 

Mon Paris EDP by YSL

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Mon Paris was released by Saint Laurent back in 2016. It has become the flagship of a pretty successful line of fragrances, though, not insanely so. I grabbed a few samples of these perfumes, to finally give them a proper review for the site, and will kick things off with the original Mon Paris EDP. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Mon Paris EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: peony, white musk, patchouli, and datura accord

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Eau de Parfum Spray, 3 Fluid Ounce

My Full Review

Before we get into my personal review, let’s see how YSL describes this fragrance: An intoxicating white chypre to make you lose your senses. The sensuality of white petaled musk, enlightened by a vertiginous datura accord and balanced by the intensity of an exceptional patchouli. The trail of intense love.

YSL doesn’t mention it, but there are fruity notes in Mon Paris and actually are more prominent than the floral notes for much of the wear.

I mostly get berries, some pear, and a hint of citrus. Though, the latter two aren’t that powerful within the overall composition.

With the floral notes, I mostly get the datura and peony, and a very light jasmine some of the time. It’s fruity/floral and somewhat musky, with a patchouli notes creeping up from the base.

For the rest of the wear, what it develops into is a sweet floral with musky and patchouli highlights. The fruit notes become less distinguishable and it just feels like a generic smell of ‘sweet’. It’s not bad or unpleasant to me, however.

The datura pretty much takes over the entirety of the composition. Datura, sweetness, and musk. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Mon Paris isn’t a complete beast, but it isn’t exactly weak, either. The sillage is above average and I can pick it up 4-7 feet away, when spraying on a t-shirt. Very respectable and one that will work well in most situations.

The longevity is also quite good, just not elite. On my skin, Mon Paris EDP will go 7-8 hours before it completely fades. Right around a full work day. If you need a longer wear, you’re probably going to have to reapply. 

 

Seasonally, this is a very versatile release from YSL. I’d say, outside of the absolutely hottest days of summer, you should be good to go. It’s fine when it’s warm out, but just that high heat and humidity could kill it.

It’s sweet and attractive. Not necessarily a sexy fragrance, but I enjoy the delicious smelling aspects of this perfume. Good for casual wear, daily wear, and can venture into the nightlife. Though, that’s not its main use. 

I wouldn’t really use Mon Paris for a more formal engagement. Also, probably best worn by those in their 20s.

My Overall Impressions of Mon Paris

Overall, do I like Mon Paris by YSL? I like it, but this perfume isn’t a love for me. It’s a very nice fruity floral, that does most everything well enough, but it isn’t an outstanding scent by any means.

I like Intensement better from this series. Lumiere is pretty decent too.

It’s more of a sweet fruity/floral fragrance, than what it seems to be marketed as. Mon Paris is not super sugary or candy-like sweet, but it might be one to avoid if sweetness is not your thing with perfumes.

I enjoy the berries, datura, and peony blend. It’s pretty and one that would be easy to grab for most any occasion. The later patchouli phase is also fairly enjoyable.

Mon Paris EDP is nice. That’s about what I can say about it. Nothing super special, but pretty basic, familiar, and nice. It skews toward the younger crowd, but isn’t a complete ‘teenager fragrance’. 

Si by Giorgio Armani

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I’m still pouring through my Macy’s perfume samples and I’m about to order even more samples of other fragrances online soon. But until then, I am going to finish going through the 10+ perfumes and colognes that I have laying around the house, and do some reviews. Today’s entry is a popular women’s scent by Giorgio Armani, Si.

In this post, I want to explore how it smells, performs, and whether or not I think that it is worth a buy.

What does Armani Si EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, vanilla, freesia, black currant, patchouli, amber, woods

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Si Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening blast of Si is a mix of the rose, black currant, and vanilla note. This creates a sweet and fruity aroma that is more akin to a synthetic or candy-like peach than anything else. The black currant does have some of its usual sharpness, however, it gets toned down a lot by the other notes.

The rose is the most noticeable of the three for my nose, and you can also detect the patchouli background, which intensifies as it wears on.

The fruity/patchouli vibe reminds me of the men’s fragrance, Black XS, except it’s a peach smell instead of a lemon. Which is great, because that cologne is super sharp, up top.

After a few minutes, the black currant becomes the main player, in my mind. The juicy berry fragrance is super sweet yet also beautiful and inviting. I kept wanting to smell this delicious aroma again and again.

Si is more of a soft fragrance, so even with three sprays, it never felt as if it was going to overwhelm and choke me out. However, it’s not so weak that you have to use a whole bottle for it to be effective.

After and hour or two, Si dries down into something that is more floral, woody, and powdery. It moves away from the complete sweetness but keeps the warm and slightly spicy scent of patchouli and amber.

Si is a green floral scent at this point and remains so with support of the vanilla and black currant. The berry smell, doesn’t hang around much, which may or may not be a good thing. I like the scent, so, I wanted it to stick throughout.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Si, isn’t that strong. However, that shouldn’t be mistaken for weakness because this one does actually perform quite well, it just isn’t an overpowering monster. This is a good thing for such a casual scent.

Longevity seems to be in the 6-7 hour range, which is really solid but not anything crazy. After trying it a few times, it seems to hit that amount of time consistently. So, pretty middling overall.

Si does have some versatility, it is safe enough to wear to work or school, but attractive enough to wear on a date. I would definitely enjoy smelling this scent on a woman. This Armani does basically fit the bill, as a ‘one size fits all’ kind of perfume. For most climates, it can be worn to a wide variety of different events.

It also feels like it would work best being worn in cold to moderate temperatures. In the heat? Not so much. But pretty much any other time of the year except the height of summer. I think the rose and vanilla, have a tendency to melt in the heat and humidity.

So, a tropical climate, probably wouldn’t be ideal outside of some limited weather conditions.

Overall Impression of Si

Overall, is Si worth a purchase? Yes. This is a really great perfume from Armani. It’s juicy sweet and floral and the patchouli serves the fragrance. That’s important as patchouli can often swoop in and dominate the other notes.

Si is also mature enough not to be confused with a teenager’s fragrance but chic enough not to move into grandma territory. This is an interesting and well-balanced scent which will appeal to a wide variety of women.

Central Park South by Bond No. 9

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Continuing along with my Bond No. 9 fragrance reviews, I am going to do another women’s perfume scent, from a sample vial that I received. This one is Central Park South. As usual, I am going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, how it performs, and if I think it’s worth a buy or not.

What does Central Park South Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, grapefruit blossom, black currant, wood notes, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Central Park South Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Fl Oz

My Full Review

So, Central Park South has been compared to Bond No. 9’s, I Love NY for Earth Day. Which, funny enough, I found a sample of mixed in with others that I have yet to do a review on. However, while these two fragrances share some ingredients, they really don’t smell the same.

From the start, Central Park South is loud. It’s actually kind of crazy, how much this perfume projects. I first sprayed it on an old shirt and then went to the kitchen in my apartment. I could smell it, a solid 15 feet away, with only a few sprays. It is a floral bouquet of jasmine and the two floral blossom notes.

It is a very clean and dominant jasmine scent. The other notes in the composition seem to give it a ‘green’ effect and it can feel like an uplifting walk through a garden. Maybe it’s just my nose, but it really struck me as a linear scent, there wasn’t much change during wear.

It’s a big burst of jasmine with black currant and grapefruit blossom, jockeying for position. Then, some lily kicks in underneath the main attraction, and the blossom notes fade somewhat.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, as I said, it’s a beast. Literal monster that projects even more than a men’s fragrance like 1 Million. One spray is probably enough, since two was way more than I wanted to smell.

Longevity is also no problem, I don’t have the exact time, since I washed it off. Though, it didn’t want to quit at all during the day. Coming back to Central Park South, I can say that it easily hits over 10 hours of wear without issue. Absolute beast of a scent.

When to wear? Spring or early summer. A casual fragrance. Be careful wearing it within an office, since it is so damn heavy. It’s a fine fragrance, if you’re going to be outdoors or in an environment, where you can be louder with your perfume.

Overall Impressions of Central Park South

Overall, would I recommend Central Park South? If you like floral notes, I mean, you really really like jasmine and lily of the valley. Just don’t wear it around me, as it gave me a headache.

It’s not super sweet but it is just so overwhelming, that it strikes me as being too much. I already don’t like heavy floral fragrances and this one is that to the extreme. Probably a pretty niche perfume.

You certainly get value for the higher end Bond No. 9 prices. It’s a jasmine lovers fragrance, not amazing, but can be a good choice for the right person.

Coco Mademoiselle EDP Intense by Chanel

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Coco Mademoiselle’s success allowed Chanel to release a whole host of flanker fragrances to capitalize further on that perfume formulation. The most popular of these newer releases, is Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense. So, what’s this one all about? How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Coco Mademoiselle Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: patchouli, amber, tonka bean, vanilla, orange, jasmine, rose, musk

Click here to try: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Intense Eau De Parfum Spray, 1.7 Oz 

My Full Review

Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense opens up with less of the orange and other citrus notes, than the citrus had, but with an even stronger initial punch. While this is the intense version, to me, it isn’t that much more powerful than the original Coco Mademoiselle.

What I do get more of in the opening act is patchouli and amber. The citrus is there, but that bold and juicy orange is tamped down, and seems to share duties with other citrus notes much more so.

Intense is pretty heavy on the patchouli note, which I don’t usually love, but it works very well within this composition. The perfume has plenty of sweetness and smoothness from the vanilla, amber, and tonka bean notes.

Moving deeper into the wear, the jasmine and rose begin to come through more. In this edition, the jasmine still has predominance over the rose, but the rose is present and noticeable.

Again, the original is not only more citrus dominant, but also has a greater use of the floral notes.

Mademoiselle Intense finally finishes its development with an amber, patchouli, and vanilla blend. I do still get jasmine on my skin, at this point, but it’s basically just supporting those three notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Is this a strong perfume? Yes. Is the sillage that much greater than the original? Not really. Again, you’re going to notice that this is there and you can indeed overspray Coco Mademoiselle Intense.

However, it really doesn’t strike me as a super heavy or thick kind of perfume.

The longevity is also great. Like the original, it will last for over 10 hours on me. No issues with the performance, in my experience.

Seasonally, I would just not wear this out in the heat. Autumn through mid-spring is fine, but you should probably find a summertime option. What I do like about Intense, is that it doesn’t get relegated to the cold weather only.

You will get plenty of use from this as a daily wear or even one that can be used out at night. Go easy with the sprays and it can fit in at the office. Good for casual or even more dressed up events. Versatile just like the EDP.

Overall Impressions of Coco Mademoiselle Intense

Overall, do I like this release from Chanel? Yes, it’s a great flanker of the now classic Coco Mademoiselle EDP. I don’t think that it is quite as good, but it comes pretty close in my book.

This perfume isn’t as heavy nor does it have the insane projection that you might think. Yes, it is strong and performs extremely well, it’s just not an unbearable mess.

If you are someone who prefers patchouli and vanilla, this actually might be the Coco Mademoiselle fragrance for you. In totality, you’re not going to get the same level of citrus that you do with the EDP. Depending on your style, that might be a good thing.

I can absolutely recommend giving this one a try. It does everything well and gives you another versatile staple in a perfume rotation.