By Designer

8 Best Smelling Paco Rabanne Perfumes for Her

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I have already done a list of the top men’s fragrances by Paco Rabanne and as such, I thought that it was time to take on the ladies perfumes from this house.

1 Million and now Invictus are two of the highly popular and best selling scents from Paco Rabanne but the women’s line also has some popular choices as well as some hidden gems. Including, Lady Million.

I’ve been continually updating this page for years, as new releases that are worthy of a try, come out. As of now, these are what I think are the best Rabanne perfumes.

Favorite Paco Rabanne Fragrances for Ladies

Dark, Sweet, with some Spice

Paco Rabanne Black Xs By Paco Rabanne For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.7-Ounces
Very fresh and sexy scent with floral and gourmand notes such as cacao and vanilla. It’s somewhat sweet, but not candy-like with fruity cranberry notes.

It also is centered by a hint of spice and a dry woodsy heart. It opens up with the tart cranberry and patchouli, before it is pulled together with cacao and rose. However, as it moves along, Black XS does indeed get darker.

The rose note dissipates and the cranberry begins to get superseded by the other ingredients. The drydown is cacao, vanilla, patchouli, pink pepper, and some musk. Black XS develops quite nicely and features a solid performance.   Black XS Review

Best Winter Wear

Olympea Intense– This one is an offering for the wintertime and is pretty simple in its presentation. However, Olympea Intense is quite charming and one of the better perfumes from Paco Rabanne.

This scent kicks off with a blend of vanilla and salt, giving it a sort of toffee aroma at first.

This is joined by the very nice orange blossom note, along with a warm amber heart. The amber feels thick and enveloping while wearing. That’s pretty much what most of this fragrance is a vanilla/floral combination with amber and additional saltiness.

Olympea Intense is very much in the Black Opium or Bon Bon vein of ladies’ perfumes. It is a powerful fragrance, so it won’t let you down in that department. Plus, I got 10 hours-plus on my skin during testing. Olympea Intense Review

The Fame I Like

Fame Parfum– The original Fame, I thought was pretty good. Fame Parfum is better. I still don’t think it’s the greatest, but I still think that it deserves a spot on the list.

Sweet and spicy in the opening act, Fame Parfum gives you a stronger and longer lasting mango note, than the original. Pink pepper is there, but I really start to pick up the jasmine note and patchouli, especially once the mango tones down.

It’s a stronger scent, but not an absolute monster, just a fragrance that gives you a good performance.

Nice overall, clean and a warm tropical aroma, that dries down with jasmine and sandalwood. Fame Parfum review

Clean Floral Scent

Paco Rabanne Ultraviolet Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 2.7 Ounce– A floral/exotic fragrance that is highlighted by, as the name suggests, violet. It’s a soft to moderate blend with a unique sweet/spicy profile that lasts for a long time.

The opening can be a bit intense with the spice, as you get a few different peppers and coriander, coming through. Definitely interesting, though not for everyone.

However, it’s not all spice in the beginning, as there is a nice apricot and some vanilla to help calm things. Obviously, the star of the show comes more apparent in the dry down. You get a fresh, fairly sweet, and powdery violet with some dry undertones.

Most Popular/Best Seller

Lady Million by Paco Rabanne Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 2.70 Ounce– 1 Million is an insanely popular men’s cologne, and its female counterpart, is also quite the bestseller in its own right. Lady Million has more of a feminine floral sweetness along with raspberry and honey.

The floral notes open with a strong gardenia, light orange blossom, and some jasmine. As it moves along, the situation reverses, and jasmine becomes the dominant floral note. While jasmine leads the floral aspect, the main attraction is the honey, which takes over for the nice raspberry note after about 30 minutes.

It’s sweet and floral with a nice amber base. This is a good choice for daily wear, definitely not as bold an enveloping, as the men’s version. Nonetheless, a very pleasant fragrance.   Lady Million Review

Classic Style Rabanne

Calandre By Paco Rabanne For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz.– A very old fragrance which dates back to the late 1960s. Calandre is another floral but one that is paired with soft green and woodsy notes. A more refined and classical offering.

You will get a nice bit of rose up top, which will later pair with lily of the valley. It also has some of that classic vetiver aroma, which gives Calandre a somewhat soapy quality. It is very balanced and has a bright and clean character.

Later on, it does have a bit of powder to it, not super heavy but orris and jasmine are coming into play with the other floral notes. Again, it does shift into more of a woody/green dry down. Calandre flies under the radar and is quite different from the others here.

Top Bold/Unique Paco Perfume

Black Xs L exces by Paco Rabanne 2.7 oz Eau De Parfum Spray for Women– A dark sweetness that is paired with vanilla and other floral notes. There is a whiff of fruitiness to it, but L’exces is definitely a perfume with an edge.

L’Exces opens with a peppery bouquet of floral notes led by neroli and hints of jasmine or rose. The pepper note is intense, but it simply works well with the sweetness of vanilla, and the neroli. L’Exces really has a multiple sides to it. At times, it’s very pepper and bold.

Then, sweet and creamy. Then, floral. Ultimately, you get a vanilla and pepper blend sitting on cashmere wood and surrounded by flowers. At the very least, it’ll be something different than you’re probably used to, but in a good way.

Legend Gourmand

Olympea Legend– This one is a beast with a super plum note up top, syrupy sweetness, and a salty near aquatic aroma at times also. Just from that alone, you should probably gather that this is another perfume, which won’t be for everyone.

That plum is joined by an apricot, that will pretty quickly fade. Then, the vanilla and amber finish, which the Olympea series is known for.

It’s a heavy, sweet, and long-lasting fragrance. Olympea Legend is a gourmand that is near tropical with how the fruits can come across, but finishes with more of a creamy baked goods scent.

8 Best Smelling Lacoste Perfumes for Women

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Lacoste is a brand known for its historical roots in tennis and of course for that world famous polo shirt with the little alligator on the chest. However, it has expanded way beyond that into a complete fashion brand which naturally includes a perfume line.

Lacoste does have some very good scents for both men and women.  In this post, I want to put forth to you, the eight best smelling options for ladies from this French brand.

Favorite Smelling Ladies’ Perfumes by Lacoste

Magnetic Scent

Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Pour Elle Magnetic- This is one the came out after the original incarnation of the list, but might be the best overall perfume, from Lacoste. It’s kind of a toss up between Magnetic and Fraiche.

Nonetheless, Pour Elle Magnetic gives you a wonderful and pretty unique blend of mango, citrus, vanilla, and other sweet notes. It’s fruity with a base of light floral touches, a somewhat tropical fragrance, that is a great addition to the summer months.

Fraiche 1

Lacoste L.12.12 Eau Fraiche, Pour Elle, 1.7 oz- Eau Fraiche fragrances can be really hit or miss. I am especially hesitant with one from Lacoste, as the brand doesn’t always have the best longevity in their scents.

Even with that being the case, Eau Fraiche Pour Elle, is a really lovely fresh summery aquatic. Citrus, light floral notes, and that great refreshing watery vibe.

I really like the smell, but won’t put it at number 1, as the lightness and longevity are a concern. However, at the right price, this is a awesome little warm weather perfume.

Fraiche 2

Lacoste Rose Eau Fraiche– Lacoste hasn’t been putting out many new fragrances the past few years, but this is one of them. Rose Eau Fraiche is a good alternative, if you cannot find a bottle of Elle Fraiche, above.

It actually might be better, depending on your preference in style.

The rose note is light, sort of like a rose water, and has the most prominence during the back half of the wear.

Early on, you get an ozonic fragrance powered by fruit notes like black currant, grapefruit, and blood orange. It’s more tart early, then, it will start to become a sweeter and somewhat sugary kind of fruitiness.

It’s soft and dries down into a fresh rose water and woody scent. Very nice.

Just a Touch

Lacoste Touch Of Pink Eau De Toilette Spray for Women 3.0 fl.oz– Touch of Pink isn’t some stolid or heavy-scented mature fragrance. No, it is a clean and lively scent that projects a sexiness and youthful vibe that really grabs attention. Notes include: blood orange, jasmine, vanilla, coriander, cardamom, violet, and jasmine.

That’s not to say that this is a loud fragrance, it isn’t, just quite attractive with what it does. The peach and blood orange combination is great, but the fruits aren’t allowed to get too bold. Each is held in check, by wood, musk, and vanilla.

Very clean, easy to wear, lightly spiced, and was always a best seller. Touch of pink is a great daily wear, especially for younger women.

Intense Femme

Lacoste Pour Femme Intense Eau de Parfum For Women, 1 Fl Oz- The Intense name is a bit of a misnomer as this Lacoste fragrance really doesn’t bring much of it. However, the aroma itself is actually very nice and has a rather unique blend of sandalwood and caramel.

The caramel is a nice warm sweetness up top, with a dry creamy/powdery quality coming through from the sandalwood. The dry down feels more musky, but it’s still a very attractive fragrance through the entirety.

Not a completely sweet gourmand, but more of a woody sweet blend overall, with hints of spice coming through. I like it, this does have something about it that I find attractive, even without being super complex or a powerhouse.

Floral and Light

Lacoste Pour Femme Eau de Parfum for Women, 3.0 fl. oz. – The namesake of the brand, Pour Femme, is a noticeably feminine fragrance with plenty of floral notes and a hint of spice that helps bring it all together. This is a very good option for an everyday or signature fragrance.

Lacoste Pour Femme opens up with pineapple, citrus, and jasmine. It is juicy and light, without much of a sharp aroma from the fruity notes. As it moves along, the fruits take a backseat and you get more of a woody/floral scent.

Lacoste Pour Femme is a versatile scent, that eventually is highlighted by the jasmine, sandalwood, and vanilla. A very straightforward perfume, but one that still stands out as one of the brand’s best. Lacoste Pour Femme Review

Simple Love

Lacosté Love of Pink 3.0 fl. oz Eau de Toilette for Women – A bit of a different experience from Touch of Pink, this one changes up the notes a bit to include more woodsy/floral scents, which help to give it a beautiful and unique profile.

It still has the blood orange, found in Touch of Pink, but with added passion fruit. The dry down period, shies away from the citrus more so, and the floral notes really begin to emerge. Magnolia and particular.

Love of Pink is a simple and clean scent, not as good as Touch, but still worthy of a spot on this list.

Inspired Scent

Inspiration- This is a light and fresh scent, that, while airy is not weak and does have the ability to last far into the day. Pink pepper, mandarin orange, peony, vanilla, sandalwood, jasmine, and more.

Inspiration isn’t as well known and I don’t even think that it’s produced anymore. However, it was an underrated perfume, with a different style from the fruitier options from Lacoste.

Inspiration delivers a great iris and vanilla blend, with a tart plum, and nice sandalwood base. It gives you a powdery sweetness, while not being overwhelming, and a solid performance overall.

Update: This has been discontinued for a while now. So, you might not be able to easily find a bottle anymore.

7 Best Viktor & Rolf Perfumes for Women

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Viktor & Rolf are a design house which adds plenty of uniqueness to the world of fashion and that unique attitude and presentation extends itself to their fragrance line.

The massive success of Flowerbomb has propelled it into the world of best sellers year after year and it almost trades solely on its reputation alone.

However, that is not the only scent available from the designers and while their catalog in this realm isn’t too extensive their are still some wonderful parfums to be had.

Favorite Viktor & Rolf Perfumes for Her

Most Popular

Flowerbomb By Viktor & Rolf For Women – EDP Spray 1 oz– A hugely popular ladies perfume and for good reason. Flowerbomb blends notes of bergamot, rose, jasmine, and tea to create a fragrance which is truly wonderful.

It is clean, warm, and versatile for all occasions and age groups.

Flowerbomb opens up with its great tea note, which is one of the highlights of this fragrance. It is paired with a light but somewhat sharp bergamot citrus note. Next, comes the flower part of the ‘bomb’.

Orchid, jasmine, rose, freesia, among others. It’s a beautiful array, with a lively freshness provided by the top notes.

Finally, you get to the patchouli, which is the star of the show and brings it together. Flowerbomb brings the power and performance, with an awesome aroma. It’s no wonder why it is a best seller. Flowerbomb review

 

Fortunate Aroma

Good Fortune Elixir Intense– The original Good Fortune got mixed reviews from people, it seems. Personally, I liked the perfume, I just didn’t think that it was great.

Elixir Intense is a better version of the EDP. It seems to have lost or at least way toned down the fennel note. Which, wasn’t bad, but gave things a bittersweet smell early on in the wear.

Elixir really leans into the vanilla and jasmine as the lead notes. Add to that, a slight smokiness from incense, and a big increase in the amount of wood in the composition.

Warmth from those ‘solar notes’, that all of the brands seem to go with. Just more of a density than the original, while still having aspects of that perfume.

The performance here is really good. Elixir Intense lives up to the name and has a pretty massive radius to where it will project to. 

Aquatic Floral

Eau Mega by Viktor & Rolf Eau De Parfum Spray 1.7 oz– A scent that services a particular niche of aquatic florals and features notes of cedar, peony, musk, citron, pear, sandalwood, among others.

Eau Mega is a fresh scent and delivers a unique experience from that of Flowerbomb.

For me, Eau Mega starts off as a water floral mix, mainly of peony, with a crisp pear note. It’s nice and simple, with a somewhat soapy quality to it. Honestly, this is my least favorite of these Viktor & Rolf perfumes. Nonetheless, it deserves a spot on the list.

It’s a musky floral, with green cleanliness, and hints of fruit throughout. This is a good option for daily wear or casual wear during the spring and summer months. Gives you a fresh scent to spray on, without any worries. Eau Mega Full Review

Top Sweet Pick

Victor & Rolf Bonbon Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7 Fluid Ounce– Bonbon is a perfume for women who enjoy a bit of sweetness to their fragrance and one that is light and subtle. Jasmine, mandarin, caramel and amber notes give it an amazing blend of sweetness from candy to fruity to flowery. Excellent scent.

Bonbon kicks off things with a bright and delicious aroma of mandarin orange mixed with peach. Of course, there is the caramel note, which is present throughout but it’s a fruity affair up top. Next, I tend to pick up on plenty of orange blossom.

When the caramel comes in fully, it is joined by a warm and salty amber note. This pairing gets creamy with an added sandalwood, along with the peach note still floating around.

The performance on this one will give one an 8 or so hour wear. A lovely sweet gourmand scent.  Bonbon Full Review

Best Flowerbomb Flanker

Viktor & Rolf Flower Bomb Nectar Intense for Women Eau De Parfum, 3.04 Fl Oz– Nectar shares plenty of DNA with the original Flowerbomb, but goes in more of a different direction. The opening is a blend of candy-like fruity sweetness and the floral notes.

Jasmine and orange blossom without the rose, freesia, and orchid of the original. The dry down is a blend of vanilla and patchouli mainly, but also flanked by the enveloping creaminess of tonka bean and a nice benzoin touch.

There are also some metallic and greenish aspects, which sets it apart from the others in the series from V&R.

The performance here is great with plenty of sillage and it will last pretty much all day. It will go for up to 8.5 hours, on my skin.

Don’t go for this one, if you aren’t in the market for something loud and sweet, because that’s what you’ll get here. Flowerbomb Nectar review

nectar review

 

Top Newer Release

Flowerbomb Ruby Orchid– Ruby Orchid has become one of the more popular fragrances from this line and it’s quite good. Maybe a notch below Nectar, but it sort of depends on your own style.

This one is sweet, with a solid dose of vanilla orchid and peach to go into the composition. You can tell that it’s a Flowerbomb flanker, as it shares enough overlap with the original.

The sillage here is lighter but does have a certain thickness to it, with a fruity sweet blend that has a seductive quality to it.

The opening fruitiness does lean hard towards the peach note, but it kind of comes across as a jammy fruity mix. The dry down is a vanilla, floral, musk trio with some of that sweetness sticking around. Ruby Orchid review

 

After Midnight

Flowerbomb Midnight– Here’s another one that ranks right alongside both Nectar and Ruby Orchid, in terms of my own enjoyment. 

Midnight actually isn’t a ‘dark’ kind of scent. It’s jasmine based and is referring to the bloom of the flower at night.

It starts off with a sweet and tart mix of pomegranate and black currant. The pomegranate is really quite juicy in the opening act, before the perfume moves into the middle with a jam-like aroma. 

Peony and jasmine dominate the back half of the wear, along with musk. A musky floral finish. Okay performance, but not as good as the original or Nectar. Midnight review

Update: This has been discontinued, but I’ve still seen bottles around online.

12 Perfumes Similar to Burberry Her

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Burberry Her has become a popular ladies’ fragrance in its own right, as well as smelling quite a bit like some other best sellers. Because of this, people will often be searching for perfumes with a similar style or come close to duplicating the aroma at a cheaper price.

Well, on this page I am going to present options like Her and continually update it as I find more. I’m going to mix in some of each type from the one’s that try to mimic the same style to those that just have overlap and do their own thing.

Alternatives that Smell Like the Burberry Her Perfumes

her edp vs edt

Cloud Connection

Ariana Grande Cloud Eau de Parfum Spray, clear, 3.4 oz– Cloud often gets compared to Burberry Her and there is plenty of overlap. But, they for sure aren’t the same as one another. I wrote a comparison of them, here: Her vs. Cloud

The main difference comes with the intense and fairly sour fruits that the Burberry brings early on, especially.

Meanwhile, Cloud is lighter with its pear and lavender combination. Plus, it has a creamier and muskier finish than does Burberry Her.

I think the Ariana Grande perfume is the better of the two. Unless, you’re just a huge fan of those loud fruit notes. Cloud Full Review

Kurkdjian Creation

Baccarat Rouge 540-This is another scent that is often associated with Burberry Her as a being similar. But, Baccarat is pretty different and of a higher quality than our target.

BR 540 kicks off with a jasmine and saffron combination, instead of the strawberries and citrus of Burberry Her. Once again, the dry down is where these two are the closest.

That’s when the jasmine, wood, musk, and amber notes really come out in both. Her is a lighter fragrance than is BR 540 and also has a more playful/youthful sort of smell.

If you want a high end alternative, the Francis Kurkdjian is the way to go. Oh, he also designed both of these perfumes.

Inspired by Her

Nebula by Oakcha– Prior to this update, I hadn’t found an ‘inspired by’ perfume that could near match what you get with Burberry Her. Mostly fragrances that are very similar, while having differences.

But, Oakcha has since put out their take on the Burberry Her formula, called Nebula. The tope notes are a series of the same types of berries and cherries.

The rest of the notes are all there, as well. Just a matter of getting the weightings correct and you have a cheaper alternative.

Now, I have yet to try this one out. So, I cannot speak to the results. However, Oakcha has a good reputation, and the price is competitive enough to make it worth adding to the list.

Elixir Alternative

Rave Now by Lattafa– Here’s a cheapie that’s not too complicated, but delivers good value and a close proximity to what we’re looking for. Actually, it kind of leans more towards Her Elixir, but also has Her EDP vibes too.

The berry notes here are strong, led by a strawberry, which seems to handle to bulk of things. The marshmallow lends a powdery aroma in Rave Now, while not being super heavy.

There’s some citrus in the opening, vanilla in the dry down, and a freshness throughout. Mostly, it’s berries on top floral notes, mostly jasmine.

Not the most amazing scent out there, but for the price, it’s worth a shot.

Better Option That’s Similar

Wild Rose from Coach– Wild Rose is a 2022 release from Coach and it has a very similar smell and style to many other popular fragrances out there. The main one is Burberry Her. But, throw in Delina and BR 540, as well.

Up top, you get a bergamot citrus and red currant blend. It gives you that same sort of fruity pop that comes with the Burberry, but it isn’t a sharp or loud. The soft floral touches, mainly rose early is like what you get with Delina, just much less of that rose.

As you dry down, that’s when it shifts more towards being like Her or BR 540. Ambroxan and moss come in and the fruitiness is more balanced with the floral notes. At this point, I get more of a jasmine.

Overall, this smells better than Burberry Her, in my mind. The performance is good and Wild Rose is around the same price point. Wild Rose by Coach Review

wild rose review

Denser London Dream

Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger– Burberry Her London Dream is another newer flanker in the series, that doesn’t have very much in common with the original.

But, it does have peony and ginger notes which give it a somewhat close relation to this entry from Hermes.

Twilly Eau Ginger is warmer, with a sugary sweetness, and a denser spice than that found in London Dream. But, this one actually does remain fresh throughout the wear and isn’t that heavy.

London Dream is one you’d want if you want something less sweet and more floral centered, but this can be a great designer alternative for those who want more of that ginger punch. Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger review

Sol de Janeiro

Cheirosa 68 Body Spray– This is kind of an odd one, that somehow has a resemblance to BR 540 and Burberry Her, but not entirely…and also is a body spray. So, performance isn’t going to be great with this one.

BUT, it still is rather nice, especially for the price point. It gives you a sweetness that is akin to Burberry Her, but also more tropical with dragon fruit and litchi leading the way.

While also, giving you a musky/aquatic base to work from that can also have that metallic-like aroma that you sometimes pick up with BR 540.

So, this one does lean more in the direction of our Burberry target, though. Plus, it doesn’t have the depth of the MFK or Burberry, but it can be a nice cheapie pick up. 

Similar Fruity Floral

Kate Spade New York– So, this isn’t the same or one that is going to be another example with a similar style to BR 540.

But the fruitiness and floral notes, give another option to those who like that sweetness in Burberry Her taken in a somewhat different direction. This is sort of like Burberry Her EDT maybe more so than the original.

Both of the fragrances have a prominent strawberry note and a rose floating around. Kate Spade New York also starts out tart, with its citrus notes, but less so than the black currant of the Burberry.

Cashmere and ambroxan in the base. There is a bit of creamy finish here. The citrus and strawberry notes really are delightful here and not nearly as sharp as in the Burberry. The floral notes are light and it’s actually more woody than it ever is floral.

Rose essence and freesia are the flower aromas, but not the main attraction. The early stages have more floral highlights. 

It’s kind of a youthful and energetic scent, so if you want something ‘serious’ or formal, this won’t be the one. The longevity is good, even in its lighter state, around a full work day.

Close in Style, Better in Smell

Beyond Romance from Ralph Lauren– Ralph Lauren’s Beyond Romance is another one that has a similar style to Burberry Her. It’s for sure different, but I honestly think that it is a much better perfume overall.

Raspberry and citrus notes are present at the top, with the raspberry being the strongest of the trio, which also consists of bergamot and mandarin. It’s fruity and sugary, less sharp than the Burberry fragrance.

With those fruity notes, you get black vanilla and cashmere. At times, the aroma comes across somewhat like a powdery sugar/marshmallow combination. Then, it’s more of the musk and cashmeran supporting the vanilla, with the raspberry just being a fainter impression.

This one doesn’t go down that Baccarat Rouge route with how it smells, it’s more like the first half of Burberry Her with similarities throughout. Beyond Romance Review

Fun Fruity Tropics

VIP Private Show by Britney Spears Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml– VIP Private Show is a good option for those who want the fruitiness of a Burberry Her aroma, with a slight tropical twist. It too gives you the raspberry, orange, violet, musk, amber, and woods.

But, the top fruity notes also give you some light apple and a delicious mango note. It’s sugary fruity sweet, with touches of powder, floral aspects, and the musky latter stages.

VIP Private Show gives you the same fun personality, perhaps not as sharp, but an experience that occupies the same sort of space as Her. Performance is solid and this was one of my favorite Britney perfumes, when I tested them out. VIP Private Show Review

 

Sour Candy, Floral Finish

Circus Fantasy– Circus Fantasy is another Britney Spears perfume that can simulate aspects of Burberry Her, while also not exactly duplicating. Sour candy raspberry up top with a sugary apricot hanging around the edges.

It does have that same sort of sharp opening act that the Burberry does, so, if you enjoy that part of our target…this can deliver.

Very girly with a nice floral middle and dry down. The violet note is probably stronger than the one in the Burberry. It gets paired with peony, when the initial notes are being toned down into more of a general sweetness rather than sour candies.

It’s like part original Fantasy by Britney, Burberry Her, and its own thing completely. 

The Bond Option

Greenwich Village by Bond No. 9– Greenwich Village is a great release from Bond and one of the best that they’ve put out over the past few years.

This one starts out with a fresh fruitiness, with a somewhat tropical aroma. Lychee and mandarin orange with a bit of watery/aquatic feeling from the waterlily note. Cassis is also present up top. It’s both fresh and sweet.

The dry down gets warmer with praline, vanilla, and musk. The latter stages give you a nice creamy gourmand perfume.

Greenwich Village has a sugary vibe to it at times, but also a floral heart and a really fresh kind of scent…all at the same time. Very interesting, nice performance, but not super powerful.

 

Coco Mademoiselle vs. L’eau Privee

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Coco Mademoiselle has launched a bunch of different flankers over the years. One of them, L’eau Privée, is one of the latest additions to the line. L’eau Privée is a nighttime/sleepwear version of the scent. I wanted to provide a comparison post, as plenty of people seem to have questions about the differences between these two.

Tale of the Tape: Coco Mademoiselle vs. L’eau Privee

Coco Mademoiselle

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

Click here to try: Coco Mademoiselle

Read my full review: Coco Mademoiselle EDP

Coco Mademoiselle L’eau Privee

Notes include: rose, jasmine, mandarin orange, musk

Click here to try: CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE L’EAU PRIVÉE Eau Pour la Nuit Spray 1,70z

Read my full review: L’eau Privee

Opening

Mademoiselle EDP starts off with a strong blend of its orange citrus note, neroli, and patchouli. The opening stage is heavy on that orange, before ceding some ground to the floral heart, made up of jasmine and a bit of rose.

It’s bold and have a somewhat gourmand feeling, thanks to the pretty prevalent patchouli.

L’eau Privée opens up with the bright and juicy orange note that is found the EDP version. It doesn’t have the neroli note, but the jasmine and rose are there. Plus, the patchouli, but it is way toned down.

Which is better? They are obviously extremely similar, but I like the EDP’s scent a bit better in the opening act. L’eau Privée is light and not as sharp, which can be a nice change, but it doesn’t hit the same high mark.

It’s a less intrusive, but also less dynamic version of Mademoiselle eau de parfum.

Edge: Mademoiselle 

Projection

Coco Mademoiselle has a very strong sillage and its ability to project is outstanding. Even after all of this time, this Chanel EDP still has that same strength and hasn’t lost a step.

L’eau Privee has a moderate sillage upon first spraying. Though, as a nighttime scent that power is short lived and it is ultimately a softer fragrance.

This category is no contest. Mademoiselle L’eau Privee gets very light and airy once you’re past that immediate burst. Though, I can still smell it on me without issue.

Edge: Coco Mademoiselle

Longevity

Mademoiselle EDP has always lasted for over 10 hours on my skin. It gives an outstanding performance and takes a long time to settle into a skin scent.

Privee will go for four hours on my skin. The last two of those hours is a pure skin scent, that won’t be jumping out at you, in the slightest.

The performance between the two isn’t going to be a close call. L’eau Privee does give me more longevity than some people have said in their reviews of it. Still, it’s not supposed to be a powerhouse, and easily loses this category.

Edge: Mademoiselle

Versatility

Coco Mademoiselle can work in a wide variety of situations. I’d avoid the heat with it, go easy at the office, or just don’t use it in formal settings. Outside of that, the EDP can deliver.

L’eau Privee is one to use when you want to freshen up for a few hours with something light or to use before bed. That’s its best use case. But, it can work better in the heat than Mademoiselle.

Not that it’s going to last a long time, but the scent itself can hold up more in the spring and summer months, without starting to smell weird.

Edge: Mademoiselle

Overall Scent

This really isn’t a fair contest, as L’eau Privee is designed for more of a specific purpose versus the original EDP perfume.

However, it’s always a question that comes up from newer folks to Chanel, who don’t yet know the difference between these two scents.

If you want an all-purpose perfume, that has style and staying power; Coco Mademoiselle is a great choice overall and the clear choice in this comparison.

If you already like the style of Mademoiselle and want something the spray before bedtime…then maybe pick up L’eau Privee. That’s one of the only real uses for it. But if you want to shell out the money, go right ahead.

Maybe you use it during the summer months or a fragrance that you wear to the gym or something along those lines.

Some people seem to like to use it as a freshener, either for themselves or their bedroom. It’s a nice smelling scent. A lighter and fresh version of this line from Chanel. It’s just not going to become a signature perfume for anyone, unlike the eau de parfum.

Winner: Coco Mademoiselle