Best Perfumes for Women

Ariana Grande Thank U Next vs. 2.0 Comparison

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In the process of setting up to review most of the perfumes released by Ariana Grande, I realized that Thank U, Next now had a flanker scent called ‘2.0’. I’ve already had experience with the original and liked the way it smelled, so I had to order a decanted sample from eBay to check it out. Now, I will compare these two perfumes in this post, before deciding on which is the better bet.

Tale of the Tape: Thank U, Next vs. 2.0 Perfume

Thank U, Next

Notes include: pear, coconut water, macarons, pink rose, raspberry, musk

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Thank U, Next Perfume 3.4 oz

Read my full review: Thank U, Next

Thank U, Next 2.0

Notes include: pomegranate, strawberry, apple, marshmallow, musk, sandalwood, orchid, jasmine

Read my review: Thank U, Next 2.0

Opening

Thank U, Next kicks things off with the pear and raspberry notes coming out juicy and sparkling. This is paired with a sweet coconut water and warm baked macarons. It has a fresh and juicy aroma, but later will develop more of a warm creaminess.

I really like the two notes up top, but the coconut really comes through on my skin and its watery aroma gives this perfume a cleanliness that is very nice.

Meanwhile, 2.0 comes out with a bold and juicy accord of its own. Pomegranate, apple juice, and strawberry really run away with things early on and that’s what I mostly get. There is some marshmallow in there, but that will be more distinct later.

Which is the better opening act?

I really enjoy how Thank U, Next starts out, as it doesn’t give me the sour or pickle aroma that some people get. It’s actually lovely, on my skin.

That being said, I really like the strong and juicy fruit start to 2.0. It’s just a notch above the original and takes this category.

Edge: 2.0

Projection

I initially thought that 2.0 was going to have the stronger sillage, as it does start off with more power and a greater ability to project.

However, that quickly changes as Thank U, Next 2.0 really has a lighter moderate sillage for much of the wear. Then, becomes a skin scent. It’s actually pretty abrupt with how it just falls off.

The original has a strong sillage, not insanely powerful, but it does have a nice radius of aroma. Even when it dries down, it’s still in the upper range of moderate.

2.0 came out swinging, but loses this category.

Edge: Thank U, Next

Longevity

On my skin, the original will go 7-8.5 hours in total. Again, not a complete beast, but this Ariana Grande fragrance will get the job done.

Thank U, Next 2.0 is hitting the 5 hour range for me. That’s pretty disappointing, in comparison, and this perfume seems to have some performance issues on the whole.

Squeezing out 5 or 6 hours might not be the end of the world, for some people, but the original easily takes this one.

Edge: Thank U, Next

Versatility

I don’t really think there is much distinction in this category. Both of these perfumes are pretty versatile in terms of the climates, in which they can be worn. Spring and summer mostly, but I think 2.0 is better in hotter temperatures. While the original, would come across better when it’s cooler.

Casual and daytime wears, with the ability to venture into the night, depending on the occasion. Neither is a formal perfume, but have a wider age range of wear, versus some of the other Ariana Grande options.

No winner here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

It’s kind of funny how these two fragrances don’t really smell like one another. Sure, they share the musk note and have a very similar structure, but everything else is quite different.

When I first sprayed 2.0, I thought for sure that I would like it more so than the original. I like Thank U, Next and think it’s one of Ariana’s best, but 2.0 was about to take its place on the list.

Then, things changed pretty fast. Not that it turned into a bad fragrance, but just something that didn’t really have much that stood out.

First, much of the fruit notes up top fade away. Then, it’s about the marshmallow and musk, with floral highlights (mostly jasmine). Kind of well-tread territory for Ariana Grande perfumes.

Add to that, the performance isn’t all that good. The sillage turns weak and it hangs around for a mediocre amount of time.

Personally, I like the original Thank U, Next more overall. I get great performance from it and it projects from my skin well.

It also falters into a vague sweetness/musky stage later on, but you at least get plenty of time with the top notes. The raspberry, coconut, and pear notes are really nice. It’s semi-aquatic and has a sparkling essence.

Neither is too big on the floral notes, but I get more jasmine from 2.0 than I do the rose in the original.

To me, the first one is better. 2.0 seemed like it had a good shot, but it ultimately blew it. It’s not a bad scent, I like the way it smells in totality…it just loses this matchup.

I will say, that if you do get that pickle sort of smell from the original, 2.0 will be the better option if you must have one of them. But, I’d really just go find another perfume, if that’s the case.

Winner: Thank U, Next

God is a Woman by Ariana Grande

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Ariana Grande’s perfume line has been growing steadily with new releases in the past year or so. Here in 2021, God is a Woman has been brought to market, along with a few others. Since I’m making my way through full reviews of Ariana’s fragrances, I grabbed a decant of this one, as I hadn’t actually smelled it before. How does it smell? Perform? Is it worth a buy?

God is a Woman Perfume Overview

Notes include: juicy pear, ambrette, orris, Turkish rose, cedar, vanilla

Buy it from Ulta: God is a Woman by Ariana Grande

My Full Review

Here’s how the scent is described: Empowered. Breathtaking. Natural. A breath of fresh air for the senses.

The advert for God is a Woman:

God is a Woman starts off with the juicy pear note, really shining through. It is basically the same one that is found in Thank U, Next; just this time it is paired with a mellowing ambrette instead of the coconut and raspberry mix.

It’s a juicy fruit aroma with a musky clean and some additional freshness coming from the cedar note, in the base. The muskiness from the ambrette isn’t overwhelming at all and is tempered from taking over by the rose and orris root notes.

The orris does add that slight powdery smell to God is a Woman, but it’s limited in both its size and scope.

The next phase to my nose, is when the rose shows up. It’s a seemingly brief appearance at the top of the ticket, but it is there. For some time, it actually smells like the second strongest note to me.  Mostly, the floral aromas are going to play third or forth fiddle in the composition.

God is a Woman isn’t a very complex scent. You pretty much know what you’re going to get for the rest of the wear, an hour or two in.

The pear is dominant throughout. The musky ambrette and cedar provide the secondary freshness. A light vanilla note for a bit of creamy sweetness.

This one isn’t heavy the juiciness and freshness give it a semi-aquatic wateriness, which keeps God is a Woman light and enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this isn’t a powerhouse. It does stick close to the skin for most of the wear, but the performance issues that I’ve seen people talking about are overblown. At least on me.

After the initial sprays, it will have nice radius of fragrance. This will quickly move in and stick to around 2-3 feet from the wearer. Testing it out on t-shirts and I get the same results. It’s a softer scent, though, not weak.

The longevity is a bit better than the sillage. I get it to stick around for just over 7 hours on my skin. Now, that last hour or so…is a skin scent. Yet, it is still there and this Ariana Grande perfume didn’t just vanish after a few hours.

Seasonally, this will be best in the spring and summer months. However, it wouldn’t feel out of place elsewhere. I wore it outside in the mid-50s Fahrenheit and it actually hung beautifully in the crispy air.

This is one of Ariana Grande’s most versatile perfumes that she has released. Previous releases have been too sweet or too youthful for many women to full enjoy. This one has the sweetness without it being overwhelming.

It’s got a fairly candy-like pear note, plus vanilla, but it doesn’t run wild with the sugary qualities. God is a Woman stays clean and doesn’t have a heaviness that many gourmands get.

This is a good daily wear. Still probably not a formal fragrance, but you could wear it in a wide variety of scenarios. It’s attractive, not a sexy night club beast. The pear note is a nice draw, though.

Overall Impressions of God is a Woman

Overall, do I like this perfume. I do. It’s an attractive fruity/musky/floral scent that is versatile and has a fairly unique smell (even if it has a similar structure to others).

I like that the pear note got a chance to shine by itself, after being used in another (1, at least) Ariana perfume. It’s juicy and very sweet with a nice wrapping from the vanilla. It has the powdery/creaminess with the vanilla and orris, but those qualities stick in the background.

You’re going to get a fresh heavily fruity weighted fruity/floral. Actually, more of a fruity/musk perfume with floral highlights and a woodsy cedar base.

God is a Woman does have a lighter, somewhat sheer sillage to it. Still, I think people have been unfair in the performance criticisms. For me, it performs just fine. It’s not a bomb or a marathon performer. 7 hours is good enough for what this is.

This Ariana scent offers a change of pace and some more maturity versus other fragrances, released earlier in the catalogue.

Is it a must have? Probably not for most people. But it would absolutely be enjoyable for a wide range of people. This does have mass appeal, in a subtle and easy to wear way.

The percentage of early negative reviews have kind of skewed the perception of this perfume, it’s not bad at all. It’s good to very good, depending on your enjoyment of pear. Worth trying.

Dans la Peau by Louis Vuitton

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Louis Vuitton has really ramped up their perfume releases in the past couple of years. I’m still working my way through the collection and posting up reviews. Today’s entry is one of their earliest scents from back in 2016, Dans La Peau. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Dans la Peau Smell Like?

Notes include: apricot, musk, leather, magnolia, narcissus, jasmine sambac

My Full Review

Let’s see how Louis Vuitton describes this perfume: An infusion of leather, an invitation to explore the senses. Traveling often has the power to embolden desire. Dans La Peau imprints on the skin like indelible ink. 

Apparently, Dans la Peau wasn’t a very popular offering from Louis Vuitton, as it’s already been discontinued by the brand.

It opens up with its apricot note, leather, and the narcissus/magnolia blend. The narcissus actually comes across as somewhat spicy in the mix. Initially, I get more of the magnolia and some narcissus. Later, the jasmine comes through a bit more.

However, the floral notes aren’t the lead here. They stick around for the initial stages and then it just becomes a non-descript floral impression.

The apricot and leather are the main stars early on. Then, it’s a musky leather with sweet apricot for the finale. The apricot is almost candy-like here and not a naturalistic aroma of the fruit itself.

I’m used to the usual raspberry and leather combo, but the apricot works very well with this scent.

It’s clean and smooth, with somewhat of a soapy quality. The musk adds to the clean sort of smell in that final dry down period. Sweet fruity/floral sitting on top of musk with the remaining leather still hanging around.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a lighter to moderate fragrance. Dans La Peau sits close to the skin without a huge radius of projection. Probably, 4-5 feet away from where you applied it, at its peak.

However, the longevity is pretty good, at just over 8 hours of wear. It’s not a powerhouse, but it sticks around and doesn’t quit early. It should be enough for most purposes.

Seasonally, it doesn’t strike me as being stuck in one season. I don’t know about the hottest days of the year, but Dans La Peau would be fine during the rest of the way. I’d say more of a spring or autumn wear than anything.

It does have really nice versatility because it is so inoffensive. You can wear it pretty much anywhere without issue. It’s attractive, not particularly sexy, but I enjoy the aroma. More of a daily wear to semi-formal kind of perfume.

Overall Impressions of Dans la Peau

Overall, do I like Dans la Peau? I do. I’m not super impressed with this one, but I did enjoy wearing it. The leather note has its moments, but it isn’t a pure leather fragrance. My favorite part is when it does shine and is paired with that synthetic apricot note.

The floral and musk notes are the usual ingredients that you’ve smelled a million times. The musk and apricot is nice, but the floral notes didn’t particularly stand out to my nose. It’s a nice perfume that isn’t elite in anyway.

Performance is decent, but it should be for this price point. It’s not a must have from the Louis Vuitton lineup. Just a nice fragrance with some unique qualities thanks to the fruity pairing with the leather note.

Since it’s been discontinued, if you still want it, you should probably get a decanted sample off of eBay before buying a bottle from the remaining stock. It’s too expensive for most folks, just to do a blind buy. Though, Dans la Peau is a solid scent all around.

4 Best Smelling Tiffany & Co Perfumes

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Tiffany & Co. has a long and storied history. It’s even put out plenty of perfumes over the years but completely revamped its lineup in the past five. Not only that, the company was bought out by LVMH in a long-drawn out deal. Still, with all of the new things going on, the brand doesn’t have super deep lineup of fragrances for ladies. In this post, I want to break down the best options they have available and what distinguishes them from one another.

What are the Best Tiffany & Co. Fragrances for Her?

Classy Iris & Pink Pepper

Tiffany & Co. Intense Eau de Parfum .13 fl. oz.– Tiffany Intense does have the powdery iris quality found in the original, actually it comes across to me as more powdery. But, at the same time, you get an interesting blend of fresh notes, spice, and sweetness to keep it from baby powder territory.

The musk and iris blend is the same, with the citrus notes removed, but a great addition of jasmine that helps to take Intense in a newer direction. Up top, that pink pepper does have a tendency to pop and be powerful at first. Though, it does subside a lot.

As it moves forward, this entry becomes sweeter with vanilla and the floral notes really coming together. It starts to move out of the powdery aroma that I get in the initial stages. Even with all of that, Intense doesn’t become too heavy or too much of a cold weather scent. Still versatile and enjoyable.

Best Pure Floral

Tiffany & Co Sheer Eau de Toilette Perfume Gift Box Set– Sheer is the muskier option of the Tiffany EDP flankers. It keeps much of the same formulation, but adds black currant and ylang-ylang while amping up the musk note (while lowering the mandarin).

So, the iris is still in charge, but shares with the ylang-ylang and a touch of rose oil. It’s a light soapy floral with early touches of fruit, that doesn’t particularly hang around for a long time.

As it dries down, Tiffany Sheer takes on a greener and more naturalistic floral aroma. The soapiness calms down and you get an iris-led bouquet. Reminder that this is a sheer perfume, so expect it to be light, and the performance not to be amazing.

But within that time frame, it’s a nice option for floral lovers.

Citrus Woods Fresh

Tiffany & Co. Love Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, Floral Woody, 3 Oz– Love EDP gives you something different from the Tiffany EDP flankers on this list. It’s got a sharper citrus, none of the iris, and a wonderful dose of basil up top.

Blackcurrant, grapefruit, and basil open up the composition with a great intensity and fresh spiciness. This is aided by the clean wood notes in the base, such as cedar and blue sequoia.

The basil doesn’t completely slap you across the face, it is moderated by the neroli note, which serves as the floral heart. The opening citrus does add a watery semi-aquatic aroma to the start, but has a bit more strength to my nose.

Later, the citrus is very light and it is a woody floral. Not a complete bomb but has a dynamic and youthful energy about it.

Popular Original Eau de Parfum

TIFFANY & CO. 2.5 OZ EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY WOMEN– This newer Tiffany EDP came out some years back and sort of goes underappreciated. I understand why in some ways, but as a soft daily wear perfume it’s actually quite nice.

Iris is the star of the show, surrounded by fruity notes, and musk. Not too complicated. It opens up more like a fruity floral and dries down as a floral musk. The vert de mandarine is the citrus highlight of this formulation.

This has a brighter, less musky, and less overtly powdery aroma when compared to Intense. Tiffany & Co. EDP has a fresher and cleaner presentation. Super easy to wear, when you prefer to be low key.

Liaisons Dangereuses (typical me) by Kilian

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Liaisons Dangereuses, typical me is one of the earlier releases from Kilian and still among the most popular from the brand. They still produce it, over a decade later, so it can’t be too shabby.

Actually, this has always been among my favorites from the fruity/floral offerings. Since I’m making my way through reviewing the By Kilian perfumes, I also grabbed a sample of this to give my updated take of Liaisons Dangereuses.

What does Liaisons Dangereuses Smell Like?

Notes include: plum, rose, sandalwood, blackcurrant, ambrette, vanilla, moss, peach

Click here to try: Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses 1.7 Oz. Edp Spray Refill

My Full Review

Let’s see how By Kilian describes this scent: A secret love affair begins innocently enough with jammy rose essence and juicy plum accord in Liaisons dangereuses, typical me.

I know that the plum note is what is featured by the brand as the main note up top. However, it has always been about the peach for me and many others. Really, coming back to Liaisons Dangereuses the peach and blackcurrant notes are the most prominent in the opening act.

It is a sweet and juicy accord, sitting on top of a fresh rose note, and perhaps a touch of moss coming from the base. Kilian calls it a jammy rose and I totally get that. There is plum floating around in here, but on me, I really don’t get all that much. Again, it’s peachy.

What I like about this perfume is how it isn’t a heavy and thick sweetness. There is a fresh, clean, and crisp vibe throughout the wear. The moss and perhaps some geranium, really do a nice job preventing it from becoming an overwhelming cloying mess.

As we transition forward, the blackcurrant fades away and it becomes a peach and rose blend. This is joined by some creaminess of vanilla and sandalwood. At this stage, the tart plum note is somewhat more noticeable, but still not dominant in the composition.

The final dry down, has the rose lose some of its steam. It feels like a fruity, fresh woodsy, and slightly creamy blend. No one note stands out that much, aside from that peachy fruit aroma. It doesn’t throw any curveballs and isn’t a very complex wear…just very enjoyable to me.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s pretty middle of the road. Not weak, but don’t expect Liaisons to project like a monster. I do notice it’s presence throughout the entirety of the wear, but it isn’t ‘in your face’ about it.

The longevity is pretty good, just not outstanding. Right around 8 hours, give or take. I don’t notice it sticking around for double digit hours, but it can usually do about a standard workday without much issue. Nice performance, just not top tier by any stretch.

Seasonally, Liaisons Dangereuses can actually work quite well in any season or climate. Weakest in the winter, but it wouldn’t feel wholly out of place there either. It is unisex to an extent, by definitely leans feminine. I doubt most guys would want to wear this one.

One of the strengths of this scent is its versatility. It can be worn in a wide variety of situations. It’s not really a formal scent or club beast. However, it can be worn on a night out, as well as to the office.

The name makes it sound more like a seductive or sexy perfume. On some level, it is. I mean, I find it attractive, but I wouldn’t call it a ‘bombshell’.

Overall Impressions of Liaisons Dangereuses

Do I like this perfume? Absolutely. It is one of my favorites for women from the line of Kilian scents. Maybe not the most complex, but as a peach based perfume it is awesome. Smells attractive, plenty versatile, and performs well enough.

The opening is a blend of fruity notes and is probably the aspect that I enjoy the most. The rose is just present enough, but doesn’t steal the show from the peach, blackcurrant, and plum trio.

The latter stages are a blend of peach and rose with fresh and creamy notes duking it out in the base. Also, a very slight spice at times.

Is this one worth a buy? I think so. Provided that you want a peachy/plum rose fragrance or a nice fruity/floral. It isn’t completely unique, there are other perfumes that go this route, but I think Dangereuses distinguishes itself enough.

There’s nothing bad about this perfume. It’s safe and versatile. If it sounds like something right up your alley, give this Kilian scent a try.