By Designer

Coco Mademoiselle EDP by Chanel

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Coco Mademoiselle has been a best seller for a long time. It’s been one that I’ve enjoyed, when I’ve encountered it in the past. Since I recently set out to acquire a bunch of Chanel samples, I made sure to grab this one to finally post a full review on the site. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Coco Mademoiselle Smell Like?

Notes include: orange, neroli, may rose, patchouli, vetiver, jasmine

Click here to try: Coco Mademoiselle

My Full Review

Coco Mademoiselle opens up with a hard hitting orange note and neroli paired along side. It’s bright and juicy, at first, with enough warmth provided by the underlying patchouli.

The next phase, is where the other floral notes become apparent. The orange note tones down and jasmine and the rose emerge. The rose isn’t super powerful, but it’s there. Mostly, jasmine and the continued neroli come through.

Mademoiselle feels clean and enveloping, but kind of too dynamic for me to call it cozy, exactly. The floral notes hang around, but this gets drier as it moves forward. Patchouli, vetiver, and musk with sweetness/creaminess from vanilla and the still present citrus.

The final dry down is a much softer affair. I get more of the vanilla, patchouli, just the impression of overall sweetness and slight woodiness. Not super easy to pick out individual notes, but it’s a great smell.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Mademoiselle is definitely a strong fragrance. It isn’t on the extreme end (the Intense version is for sure, though), but it is well above average with how it projects and hangs around. It isn’t one that you’ll need many sprays of, for it to be effective.

The longevity is even better. Coco Mademoiselle EDP will go for over 10 hours on my skin. It’s to the point that it gets washed off before it quits usually. Plenty of another Chanel scents, especially the men’s, don’t hold up nearly as well as this one.

Seasonally, this perfume can work year round. Maybe avoid during the heat of summer, but it’s fine in any other sort of climate. Not necessarily as good in the dead of winter, but it’s not completely useless.

It’s very versatile. Can be a daily wear or one to wear out at night. It has a certain level of sexiness to it, while remaining modern and stylish. Not super ‘girly’ or feminine, but doesn’t quite meet in the unisex area, in my opinion.

Overall Impressions of Coco Mademoiselle

Do I like this perfume? I do. It’s always been one of my favorites from Chanel’s women’s line of scents. The bold orange opening is great. The floral heart, with vanilla and musk. It just works well.

The performance is pretty top notch on me, for whatever reason. It seems to be well above average for most folks who try it, as well.

Really not too much to complain about with Coco Mademoiselle. It can be too much for some, but most people like it, as proven by the sales. If you don’t like a bold orange, the floral notes, or maybe the patchouli…you might at least want to sample before buying blind.

7 Best Smelling Estee Lauder Perfumes

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Estee Lauder is an absolutely authoritative name in the world of beauty and cosmetics. The company’s products have been around for decades and still appeal to women from each successive generation.

For this list, I have selected seven  of the scents from its line of perfumes, which I feel are the best of the best. I have updated this post to include a new entry, take off an older one that got too reformulated, and expand a bit on each scent.

What are the Best Smelling Estee Lauder Perfumes?

Classic Peony and Rose

Pleasures By Estee Lauder For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces -A classic floral perfume that is soft, pleasant, and never overpowering. Pleasures features dewy outdoorsy notes which provide a green aroma, combined with, floral notes led by lily of the valley and lilac.

Then, as it dries down this Estee Lauder perfume, begins to have more influence from the peony and rose notes within. Those are just the two main floral aromas, found in the heart, but it really is an array of differing petals.

This is a great performer, which will last all day, and is safe enough to wear at the office or casually. Quite fresh with enough floral sweetness to be very attractive, but not obnoxious.  Notes include: roses, violets, lilies, woody notes, peonies.

Best Seller

Beautiful Belle by Estee lauder eau de parfum spray 3.4oz/100ml, 3.4 Fl Oz– Beautiful Belle is a very nice floral fragrance with a juicy lychee note up top. This has become one of the best sellers for Estee Lauder over the past few years.

It’s not your typical bouquet or greenish floral mix, as there is a smooth suede and sweet gourmand note of marzipan in the base.

Beautiful Belle is a lighter fragrance and the floral notes are dominated by gardenia and tuberose. Rose, orange flower and mimosa play a supporting role. This is an easy to wear fragrance with nice performance and can venture out into spring and the milder days of summer.

One Tropical Option

Beyond Paradise By Estee Lauder For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 1.7 Ounces–  Beyond Paradise is a bright and youthful floral fragrance that is best worn on warmer days. It is more of a tropical floral fragrance with citrus and berry to balance things out and create a deeper exotic feeling.

White floral notes with some fruity influence throughout and a bit of underlying spice. As it moves along, the flowers such as lily, honeysuckle, and gardenia dominate and the fruits fade to the background.

Hyacinth eventually comes to stand above the rest, but really hangs around for the entirety of the life of the perfume. It initially, gets placed in the opening with a bunch of citrus notes. Nonetheless, the is a group effort among the floral notes, and the result is great.

Best Summertime Fragrance

Estee Lauder ‘Bronze Goddess’ Eau Fraîche SkinScent 3.4 Oz / 100 ml New In Box– Bronze Goddess is one that has been around for a while and occasionally gets reformulated. Nonetheless, the perfume gives you a beachy and somewhat tropical vibe during the wear.

Up top, you have citrus note and a light ginger note giving it spice. Underneath that is coconut and vanilla, that provides the creamy and somewhat lotion-like vibe. Jasmine and frangipani petals make up the floral heart of the scent and complement that summertime feel.

The link above is the Eau Fraiche version. It’s got more of the floral notes being dominant and is a lighter scent. The EDP is creamier with the heavier use of coconut and vanilla.

Top Winter Scent

Sensuous by Estee Lauder for Women – 3.4 Ounce EDP Spray–As its name suggests, Sensuous is sexier and more alluring perfume than the previous two entries. It is still not a heavy scent, but one that is really intriguing to experience with its notes of amber, black pepper, sandalwood, magnolia, and ghost lily.

The sandalwood note dominates and is joined by other wood notes in the base. This is then brought together with enveloping amber and thick, sweet honey. Add to that a peppery spice in its heart and floral undertones, and you’ve got a well-balanced gem.

Jasmine Led, Floral Dominant

ESTEE LAUDER Modern Muse Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Modern Muse opens up with jasmine and a light mandarin orange note. This is a floral fragrance and the jasmine is the main ingredient, but which flower accompanies it, changes throughout the wear.

Sometimes, it is tuberose, others honeysuckle, and lily. Musk and amber sit gently at the base and create a warm embrace of the flowery aroma. Ultimately, the lily and jasmine win out as the final two floral notes. With musk and patchouli, also hanging around in a diminished state.

It is moderate in its sillage, with bits of vanilla or patchouli peaking through, and a pleasing scent that is good to wear on a daily basis. Good springtime wear, but versatile for most of the rest of the year. White floral with light musk, for the most part. Modern Muse Review

Mature Woodsy Floral

Knowing By Estee Lauder For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 oz– This one has more of a woodsy profile to it but still brings in the floral notes like jasmine, rose, and sandalwood. Up top? It’s mimosa, in spades. Has an intensity that is best suited for the colder months. This one has been around forever, a mature scent.

Lots of oakmoss, leather, and other seemingly dark feeling notes. Yet, Knowing comes through with enough sweetness to avoid becoming too dour and a wonderful rosy heart. It’s ultimately very deep complex, but you get a very clean and sophisticated, classic scent.

Gabrielle EDP by Chanel

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Gabrielle is one of Chanel’s more recent line of women’s fragrances. Thus far, they’ve only released two under this banner, but it may expand further if the sales are worthwhile. Gabrielle is a white floral perfume, named after the founder of the brand. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is this perfume worth a buy?

What does Gabrielle Smell Like?

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

My Review

The opening of this fragrance was kind of difficult to distinguish the first time I tried it out. It felt like a mass of notes, floral and fruity, but just clumped together. However, the next time I tested this one, I liked Gabrielle much more.

It’s a sparkling blend of citrus notes, with a nice amount of the orange blossom and ylang-ylang up front. Grapefruit, some pear, orange, and a little pink pepper spice.

Even with giving this Chanel another try, I still think that the opening act is definitely the weakest point of this fragrance. I’m not even a huge floral fan, but when those notes take over, this is a much better wear.

Luckily, that doesn’t take to long. The other two floral notes come in about 30 minutes in (jasmine and tuberose). It’s a floral bouquet that isn’t very green at all. More about the white petals, than the stems, and it has a sweet and bright undercurrent throughout.

Gabrielle is one that I’d recommend trying at least a few times to see if you like it. There is plenty of depth here, that can take time to reveal themselves fully. Mostly, it’s a very lovely white floral fragrance, with just a touch of earthiness at different intervals.

The final dry down, I mostly get jasmine and the tuberose, and they’re sitting on top of musk. The fruity notes are all but gone and it smells like a very clean floral perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Gabrielle is a moderate fragrance. It’s decent at projecting during the first few hours of wear, then, it will stick closer to the skin. I will say, that it isn’t a super performer. For me, it was pretty good, but not one that’s going to amaze.

The longevity is in the 7-7.5 hour range, on my skin. Again, for much of the wear it isn’t going to radiate very much from wear you sprayed. It does stick around, though.

Seasonally, I’d say that it’s absolutely the best in spring. Summer and autumn work too, but that springtime bouquet effect is great.

Gabrielle EDP is a versatile daily wear. It isn’t super formal and can actually serve better as a casual or semi-formal scent. It’s pretty, not really sexy, and not a club beast. But, you really wouldn’t ever offend anyone while wearing this.

Overall Impressions of Gabrielle by Chanel

Do I like this fragrance? I do. It actually grew on me, the more time that I spent with it. I still think that opening is kind of messy, but the end result is pretty darn good.

Is it a must have? Probably not. I don’t think that the performance is all that great. The fragrance itself smells quite nice, so, it isn’t a terrible or useless release from Chanel.

It does some things very well, but isn’t elite or super captivating. At the very least, it is worth a shot to see if you personally enjoy it, but it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

Black Opium Intense by YSL

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Black Opium Intense is yet another flanker from the Black Opium line released by Saint Laurent in 2019. An intense version of the popular fragrance was intriguing to me, so, I grabbed some to test it out for review. What does it smell like? How long does it last? Is it a better version of Black Opium?

What does Black Opium Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: coffee, licorice absolute, vanilla, blue absinthe essence

My Full Review

Here’s how YSL describes this fragrance: The sensuality of coffee is surrounded by the aura of the magnetizing note of blue absinthe. The thrill of a mysterious and daring addiction electrifies the new Black Opium Eau de Parfum Intense.

The original Black Opium EDP is a pretty powerful perfume, on my skin. As such, I was expecting Intense to be an absolute bomb, but it isn’t.

It is a pretty different fragrance from the others, but I was looking forward to a powerhouse. It opens up with a blend of the blue absinthe and licorice accord. It is an interesting pairing because the anise found in absinthe can often come across like licorice, in terms of smell.

That’s the top of the scent, with the usual coffee fragrance coming underneath. It isn’t a ‘boozy’ smell, if you’re thinking of the usual mixed drink style of perfumes. Just a smooth, slightly sweet, coffee aroma with a hint of vanilla.

The next phase, there does seem to be the jasmine floral note coming through. I know, that and orange blossom have been heavily featured in this series, but I don’t get any orange blossom in this one.

As it dries down, Black Opium Intense does get a bit powdery for a while. It isn’t a super baby powder experience or anything, but you do get a sensation of powder. It’s mostly about the coffee, licorice, slight vanilla, and jasmine. Most of the absinthe, has gone out the window.

That’s about what I get for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is pretty moderate at its peak. That’s about up until the one hour mark and then it is pretty much a skin scent. Don’t expect a heavy projection bomb, this ain’t it. Not nearly as strong as the original.

The longevity is actually pretty good though, as a skin scent. It sticks around for 7-8 hours of wear. It’d be a lot better with some power behind it, but it didn’t just disappear entirely.

Seasonally, this is another autumn and winter wear. If it were stronger, I’d say it’d mostly be for the nightlife. But, as is, you’re not really going to choke out a room and can probably get away with wearing it in a variety of daytime situations.

To me, it’s not what I would consider a sexy smell. It’s all just fine, never really wowing me.

Overall Impressions of Black Opium Intense

Do I like this perfume? I mean, I don’t hate it. I think it is better than Nuit Blanche (maybe?), but worse than both Black Opium and Neon.

The absinthe and licorice pairing is interesting, just not incredible. The strength of the scent is a major miss for me. Although, a heavy licorice note tends to give me a headache.

There really just isn’t much here to praise, it’s mostly just saying to yourself, ‘well, that’s pretty good, I guess’. Licorice, coffee, absinthe, some vanilla/jasmine, and a slight powdery feel at times. If that’s enough for you, go ahead and give this YSL scent a try.

Black Opium Nuit Blanche by YSL

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Nuit Blanche was one of the flanker perfumes of Black Opium. It was released back in 2016, after the immediate success of the original. This one never got the same level of attention, but I was interested to see what it’s all about. How it smells, how long it lasts, and if it was an underrated gem?

 

What does Black Opium Nuit Blanche Smell Like?

Notes include: coffee, sandalwood, orange blossom, white musk, rice, caramel

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Nuit Blanche Eau De Parfum Spray, 3 oz.

My Full Review

Here’s how YSL, describes this fragrance: A luminous trail journeys to the end of the night. The energy of black coffee embraces a vibrant orange blossom, enlightened by white musk. An electrifying thrill of femininity.

Nuit Blanche opens up on my skin with some of the familiar Black Opium DNA, though a bit sweeter, and quite a bit muted.

I get a good amount of coffee here, but a vanilla and caramel blend that comes across as milky. However, what really comes across on my skin is sandalwood. It becomes more prominent, after a few minutes, but it really pops on my skin.

I don’t think many other people had the same experience with this one, but Nuit Blanche is all about coffee and sandalwood, with the other notes playing bit parts.

So, at first it’s more of a spiciness (with vanilla and caramel) on top of those two notes. Then, it’s the orange blossom (which isn’t a strong here as it is in Black Opium Neon). Finally, it is the remnants of caramel with sandalwood and coffee. Not much musk comes through on me.

Each phase is actually pretty short lived, as the performance isn’t all that amazing with Nuit Blanche. It’s a bit weird because, I can recognize these sweeter notes, but they just don’t come across as sugary…maybe being suppressed by the purported rice note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is the weakest of the Black Opium scents. I can get maybe up to an hour of it being a moderate scent and then it’s close to the skin. Seriously, not much projection or heaviness here. 

The longevity isn’t much better. It’s pretty much gone after four hours, on my skin. It’s not a bad journey, but it is a short one, and really lacks the performance of the others in the series (which aren’t all that elite).

Seasonally, it’s an autumn and winter wear, just like the original. Though, it wouldn’t be awful in warmer temperatures.

To me, this came across as more of a nightlife scent. But, it’s also really weak…soooo what’s the point? I suppose you could wear this during the daytime, since it’s not in your face. Maybe others will get better wear from Nuit Blanche.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Black Opium Nuit Blanche

Overall, do I like this scent? I mean, I like the smell well enough. I don’t think it’s amazing and I like the others from this line better, but it’s not a terrible smell.

I actually do like the fairly unique sandalwood and coffee that comes across on my skin. Throw in some caramel and vanilla, it’ll make for a good smelling latte. 

The performance is rather terrible, however. That may be a reason why this one never caught on and I’m pretty sure has been discontinued. It’s no longer available on the YSL website.

Really, I cannot recommend Nuit Blanche, unless you absolutely have to have every Black Opium perfume. Or maybe, if you find a dirt cheap bottle to try.