By Designer

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

Tuscan Leather vs Ombre Leather Comparison

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In this head to head comparison, we are going to take a look at two of the Tom Ford leather laden scents, Tuscan Leather vs. Ombre Leather 18. Ombre Leather was released in 2018 and is a variant of a 2016 release with the same name. Which of these unisex fragrances smells best? Which has the better performance? Which is a better buy overall?

Tale of the Tape: Tuscan vs. Ombre Leather

Tuscan Leather

Notes include: leather, suede, raspberry, jasmine, olibanum, saffron, amber

Click here to try: Tom Ford Tuscan Leather Eau De Parfume Spray for Men, 1.7 Ounce

My original Review: Tuscan Leather

Ombre Leather

Notes include: leather, moss, jasmine, amber, patchouli and cardamom

Click here to try: Ombré Leather Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7-oz.

My review: Ombre Leather

Opening

Tuscan Leather opens up with a fantastic and rich leather note plus saffron. It reminds me a lot of Godolphin by Parfums de Marly. Also, Tuscan features a smooth and familiar black suede note and a bit of juicy raspberry to change things up a bit.

Update: Coming back to this one, years later. That raspberry note feels really potent this time around. It’s sweeter and really different. It almost makes me want to change my opinion on the openings here, but still would go with Ombre.

Ombre Leather, is actually closer to Godolphin than is Tuscan Leather. It shares notes of jasmine, leather, moss, and amber with that fragrance. The leather is just like that in Tuscan and better than the Parfums de Marly fragrance.

It is a dark, dry, warm, and supple scent. Much more like a leather jacket and earthier than is Tuscan Leather.

Which do a I prefer? I think that Ombre is the more interesting opening, it doesn’t have that hint of raspberry, but it does have a dry rugged quality that isn’t found in Tuscan Leather. I just like that opening better.

Edge: Ombre

Projection

Both fragrances start out strong and then move into a more moderate scent. However, Ombre Leather, reaches a higher peak in its sillage before moving into the moderate and feels more intense when I have it on than does Tuscan Leather.

Neither of these is a sillage bomb. However, they do both have a good amount of power, and Ombre is the better of them.

Edge: Ombre

Longevity

With the latest batch of Tuscan Leather that I tried, I got about 8-9 hours of wear from it. While Ombre Leather has a bit better sillage, it lasts on my skin from 6-8 hours, and doesn’t quite keep up with its predecessor.

Tuscan is marginally better, but it definitely has the edge on my skin.

I’ve seen some people say that they get a really long wear out of Tuscan Leather, at least more than I do. It seems to be the consensus that it is the longer-lasting perfume from Tom Ford.

Edge: Tuscan Leather

Versatility

Both of these scents are mostly for the autumn and winter months. Both can be unisex. Both can be worn casually or dressed up without problem. I don’t see a real edge in this category. They pretty much assume the same role.

The leather foundation pretty much sets things up that way. They are pretty similar fragrances in a lot of ways.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I will start off by saying, that I enjoy both of these scents a lot. They are fantastic examples of leather used in fragrances, both have good performance, and smell great. They have a whole lot in common.

However, I am going to give the edge to Ombre Leather 18, over Tuscan Leather. For me, the newer scent has more going on and isn’t a linear as Tuscan Leather. Yes, they both start close to what Godolphin smells like, but Ombre Leather,

Ombre has a light addition of warm amber, dry moss, and earthy/slightly spicy patchouli. Add to that, a wonderful dry down in which jasmine gets paired with the leather to add a floral element to an already great fragrance.

Tuscan is great, but Ombre Leather has won me over versus that scent, and I’m going to give it the win in the head to head match up.

Update: I still like Ombre Leather more than Tuscan years later. I also personally prefer it to the later Ombre Leather Parfum release. That’s a good one, if you are a fan of violet leaf, as a note. I’m not too keen on it, but some other people like the Parfum version more

Winner: Ombre Leather

8 Best Narciso Rodriguez Perfumes for Her

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Narciso Rodriguez has been an immensely successful Cuban-American designer, who has had a very big breakout in terms of popularity over the past 5-10 years especially. His design house features lots of fragrances for both men and women that have a more classic feel than many other scents on the market.

The brand is well known for its use of musk, as a note, in seemingly all of its releases. For this post, I want to present eight of his top options for ladies. Giving you enough options, to find the best one for you.

Favorite Narciso Rodriguez Perfumes

narciso edp review

Best Selling Narciso Scent

Narciso Rodriguez Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3 Fluid Ounce– A musky floral that is clean, warm, and fresh. Honey, orange blossom, and vanilla join the musk note to create an aroma that is smooth but not overpowering.

It actually does have a very similar aroma to Lovely by SJP, with that same type of musk laden floral. I think this one is the better of the two, as I like the blend here more so.

Narciso Rodriquez for Women starts off with a fairly sweet blend of osmanthus and the orange flower, with that honeyed sort of finish.

Then, you get a smooth drier finish, of a musky floral fragrance. This one has become insanely popular, over the years, and you can detect its presence a lot when you go out on the town.

Between this and the EDT, is pretty similar. I do notice that this has more patchouli than the EDT version.  Some other differences, but this is slightly better to my nose.

There is also a newer release, Narciso Rodriguez for Her Forever. That version seems spicier than either the EDT or EDP version. Plus, a bit of a different floral aroma. Creamier, at times, with more of a musky punch. Better than EDT; though, I’m not sure if it surpasses EDP. It’s a close call.

Low Key Clean

NARCISO RODRIGUEZ Pure Musc for Woman Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Fluid Ounce– I’m going to put Pure Musc on the list, as I haven’t seen the Absolu version of this anywhere (the notes listed sound better though, with ylang-ylang on top).

This one is a very simple and straightforward fragrance. It’s a super clean and fantastic musk note, that’s not too heavy, paired with the impression of floral notes and some woody undertones from the cashmere.

Pure Musc has a nice subtle energy to it. Cozy and upbeat, with a touch of a powdery finish. Low key perfume, but attractive for what it is.

Soft, Greenish Floral

Narciso Rodriguez L’eau for Her Eau de Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– A softer floral perfume with notes of peony, rose, lily of the valley, and jasmine. The musk isn’t as dominant as it is in the selection above, and is better suited, for those who enjoy subtlety in a fragrance.

L’eau has a watery green aroma, like a stem and floral mix, with rose and peony coming through at times during the wear. This is a great and fresh wear for spring and the early summer months.

L’Eau for Her is clean and understated addition to the lineup. Yes, the musk is toned down in this one, but you’re going to have to be a fan of lily of the valley to truly appreciate it. Peony and rose, both have their moments to shine, but mainly stay on as secondary players.

Best Winter Perfume

Narciso Rouge Eau de Parfum- Rouge, of course, has that signature Narciso Rodriguez musk note. However, it is the powdery and gorgeous iris note, which steals the show early on.

You’ll notice that this one, has a similar profile to Essence, that’s listed below. The main difference is this one, is slightly heavier, and more geared towards a colder climate. Vanilla and tonka bean, give it a lighter sweetness, but it really distinguishes itself with the woody base.

Musk, iris, and rose sitting on top of a blend of cedar and sandalwood notes. It’s that usual musky floral, with a powdery, and fresh woodsy finish to it. Nice performance and a great smelling scent.

Top New Release

Musc Noir Rose– Musc Noir Rose is a newer entry from Narciso for 2022. But, to me, it’s already among the best that the designer has put out.

Might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you get a sweeter, fruitier, musky clean, and creamy/powdery blend. Yes, vanilla creaminess and suede smoothness.

It opens up with bergamot citrus and some light pink peppercorn. The vanilla will be present from early on and this is when the perfume will be at its sweetest (not overwhelmingly so). The tuberose note is great and pairs well with that signature musk, in the second act.

Not to worry, it’s not a super thick or heavy perfume, and actually should shine fairly well in the spring or even summer months. The latter stages are more of a smooth soapy sort of rose aroma and less of that initial sweetness.

Earthy Amber Scent

Narciso Rodriguez Amber Musc For Her Eau De Parfum For Women 100 ML– Amber Musc lets this designer, take things in another direction from the rest of the list. Musk and patchouli sitting in a sea of amber resin. This is an oriental take on that musk note and it’s a great one.

Amber Musc is warm with a blend of earthiness, a bit of sweetness, and an Oriental composition. It does feature a oud note, which actually blends quite well here, and doesn’t come across as overpowering. It has vanilla, orange flower, and a honey aroma like Narciso EDP does.

Nonetheless, Amber Musc stands out among the line of fragrances, we have on offer. It’s not as musky, as the name would lead you to think, but it does go heavy on the amber (which I love). So, liking that amber, is going to be a precondition for really enjoying this perfume.

Best Summer Fragrance

Essence Narciso Rodriguez By Narciso Rodriguez For Women Eau De Parfum Spray 1.7 Oz– Essence is a great option for wear during the warmer months of the year. It is highlighted by musk and iris notes which give it a very feminine and energetic air about it.

So, yes, it is going to have that powdery floral aroma but it works oh so well here. Also, you get a light rose within the mix, for even more floral goodness. It is like a more simplified version of Rouge. You get a higher dose of the iris and rose blend, as well as, more musk.

This actually helps Essence to stay light and have a greater ability to work in the spring or summertime. It’s actually quite refreshing, not super powdery but more of a mix between that, and a creamy cleanser.

Pink Rose with Some Spice

Fleur Musc– A bouquet of pink flowers to match the pink bottle and even the pink peppercorn note, that it contains. Fresh, musky, with a hint of spice from that pepper. Fleur Musc features a heart of peony and pink rose. The rose is the stronger of the two.

It is somewhat similar to L’eau listed earlier on the list. Nonetheless, it still manages to stand out on its own and deliver a well-balanced wear, with a powdery/musky finish. The pepper spice, fades out pretty early, and the peony also takes on less of a role.

Initially, it is quite balanced with the pink rose. Not super powerful, but features a good sillage, and it doesn’t quit after just a few hours of wear.

Mon Paris Lumiere EDT by YSL

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Mon Paris Lumiere is another entry from the fairly long-running YSL series. This perfume was released in 2022. I got a sample of this a while ago, with another order of fragrances, so I tested it out for a full review. How does Lumiere smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Mon Paris Lumiere Smell Like?

Notes include: Isparta rose, lemon, jasmine, datura, white lotus, patchouli, musk

My Full Review

Here’s how YSL describes it: A chypre floral aquatic, as radiant and vertiginous as being loved under Parisian skies. The hypnotic fragrance of datura flower is embraced by the radiance of the white lotus flower and the elegance of the Isparta rose heart absolute. The scent of ecstatic love, a clash of light for an everlasting trail. 

Lumiere opens up bright, sweet, with an aquatic/ozonic accord underneath. It makes the floral notes seem like they’re floating in water.

Early, it’s notes of lemon, white lotus, and the datura. A few minutes in, I get some jasmine, but that never feels super powerful in this mix. At least on my skin.

It’s a tad odd, when I smell it sometimes, but I think Lumiere works. I do like the fresh and energizing aroma that this has, even if I’m not sold on the early lemon use.

Early, this does have some distinction from Mon Paris Intensment, which has a fruit-chouli aroma to it. That one joins a lighter datura note with black currant and rose in the early stages.

Here, we get the lighter and ozonic style that works better in the heat, but doesn’t have that same substantial feeling in the first half.

The next phase, is more floral and musky. Less of the ozonic aspect and the citrus will start to fade. It becomes more rosy, less lotus, and the jasmine is still involved. Not dominated by any of the floral notes here. Everything seems balanced for the duration.

Basically, Mon Paris Lumiere will end with it’s floral notes, freshness, patchouli, and musk. Not super deep or complex. More like the others in the series, in the second half of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is a lighter and fresher scent, but Mon Paris Lumiere isn’t one that is super airy or non-detectable. Actually, overall between it’s ability to leave a scent trail and just project more generally, is a bit above average. At least, for a couple of hours.

On my skin, this one will stick around for 6-6.5 hours. It’s nothing that’s going to be a beast performer. It’s just pretty much okay, across the board.

I thought that this might have a bit more to it, than what I actually got. I didn’t expect a completely massive scent, but I did think that I’d get more than six or so hours out of Lumiere.

Seasonally, Lumiere is a warm weather perfume that’s built for spring and summer. It’s not as heavy as others in the series, so, this YSL can be a good change of pace for those who like this formula and want a springtime variant.

It’s more of a daytime wear. It’s not very formal, but it’d work for most circumstances and can be worn by any age. There’s nothing here that is going to be off-putting for most people.

Overall Impressions of Lumiere

Overall, do I like Mon Paris Lumiere? It’s pretty good. It’s probably somewhere between the original and Mon Paris Intensement. I liked Intensement more than the first one. Lumiere isn’t doing anything wholly different or better than either, however.

The lemon and white lotus combination, in the early stages is nice enough. There’s nothing here that blows me away, but this is a likeable release from YSL.

It’s freshness and musk can be a nice pick me up on a warmer day. The rose and jasmine back half is fine, it’s been done a million times, we’re not breaking much new ground with this perfume.

Lumiere is pretty much a true flanker fragrance, not really going way off in the other direction versus others from the Mon Paris lineup.

Likeable at full price? Probably not. If another from the Mon Paris series is one of your signature scents, you’ll almost certainly like this one. If you didn’t care for one the others, this one isn’t likely to make you a new fan.

A pretty good perfume, with fairly average performance. Get it for a discount, if you can. Or, just skip it entirely.

Coco Mademoiselle vs Mademoiselle Intense Comparison

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Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle line is insanely popular and the original EDP is still going strong after two decades. One of the flanker fragrances, that the brand released over the years is Coco Mademoiselle Intense. When in the market for one of these fragrances, the decision can often come down to which one of these you prefer. But, which one is actually better? Lasts longer? Is the one to buy?

Tale of the Tape: Coco Mademoiselle EDP vs. EDP Intense

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 EDP Intense

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 

Read my review: Coco Mademoiselle Intense

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. 

Mademoiselle Intense also features the citrus opening, but it is toned down quite a bit. What is amped up in the composition is the patchouli and amber note coming from the base. It is a more powerful opening than even the strength of the original. 

You will also get some of the vanilla, jasmine, and tonka bean. Though, they aren’t that strong early on.

Which is better? I prefer the citrus blend of orange and neroli, in the original Mademoiselle. You still get the patchouli note, but it is a bit more balanced in comparison.

Edge: Mademoiselle

Projection

Yes, Intense does open even stronger than the original EDP version. However, it doesn’t maintain that large of a distinction for the entirety of the wear.

Both of these are perfumes with a heavier sillage than your average popular perfume. They do each mellow out some over the first few hours, but keep up the ability to project or leave a scent trail quite well.

Intense does have the edge in this category, but it’s a lot closer than you’d expect from that opening.

Edge: Intense

Longevity

Both fragrances last on my skin for over 10 hours. I don’t really notice much, if any distinction, in this category. Perhaps, Intense will get you an extra bit of time, but I haven’t really experienced that.

Again, it’s another category that you might expect some massive or at least a substantial difference, but every time with either of these Coco Mademoiselle offerings it’s basically equal.

Edge: Push

 

Versatility

Again, I don’t see a distinction between these two Chanel scents, in this category. Neither is going to be something to wear in the heat, but are fine elsewhere.

Also, that can pretty much be worn whenever…maybe not the most formal settings, but otherwise they can work.

Mostly, autumn through springtime, as a daily wear. You can wear it to school, office, casually, or even for an evening out. Very versatile perfume, which is a part of the popularity of both Mademoiselle and Intense.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

This is actually a close call, as both of these perfumes are great. Coco Mademoiselle Intense has more emphasis on the patchouli and amber aspects of the formula, with even a hint of extra rose. Though, the citrus is toned down.

It’s a bit stronger and has the same great performance as the original. However, I don’t think that it smells any better, and doesn’t bring all that much new to the table. 

Between them, I have a slight preference for the original EDP. It has the strong orange note which I enjoy and less of the patchouli which I have a lower preference for.

It’s not a huge win, and for those who want less citrus, you might consider the Intense or EDT versions versus the original. 

Or again, if you’re a bigger fan of that patchouli note. Other than that, there is a ton of overlap between these two fragrances. Most of the difference comes down to preference about how each note is weighted in the composition.

Winner: Mademoiselle