Best Perfumes for Women

5 Perfumes Similar to Estee Lauder Knowing

by

Knowing has been around for over 30 years, at this point, and still remains fairly popular. Now, it’s not a best seller anymore, but there are die hard fans that swear by it. Not only that, it gains new converts, as bottles are readily available. But, what if you want something similar to Knowing? Are there any cheaper comparable smells to this Estee Lauder fragrance? What are some good alternatives to try out?

What are Similar Scents to Knowing by Estee Lauder?

Paloma Picasso – Paloma Picasso is a really close alternative to Knowing. They are around the same price, so, it’s probably not going to be a cheaper buy in all cases. This one is a bit warmer, has a deeper/darker feel to it, than what we’re aiming for.

Nonetheless, it can lighten up somewhat, as it moves along. It gives you a carnation, coriander, and citrus opening act. Followed by a musky, and at times, rough middle act. Later, it feels woodier, cleaner, and somewhat herbal. Very interesting scent, that can absolutely pack a punch.

Animale for Women– Like a sweeter mix of Knowing and Paloma Picasso, from above. This one will give you a bigger dose of honey with some light fruits in the background. Rose, carnation, and ylang ylang are the main floral ingredients…but rose is more pronounced in this perfume.

Animale is a powerful scent, as well. Despite the name though, I don’t think the current versions have as much of that musky/civet aroma, as the other options listed here. It becomes a tamer floral with green woodsy cleanliness, provided by that oak moss.

Diva by Ungaro– A throwback to the early 1980s that is probably best worn by a mature woman. It is fairly inexpensive with nice woodsy notes and some florals.

A lot of the scents on this list came out in the same decade, as there isn’t too big of a market anymore for newer versions of these sorts of scents, it seems.

Diva kicks off with light citrus and spices, that are paired with mostly rose and honey. This is closer to Animale, in terms of smell, but with heightened rose. The rest of it? Like, a more powdery version of Knowing. Yep, the sillage here is also huge.

La Perla– La Perla can be a pretty sharp scent, with a lot of patchouli, in the opening stages. It settles into something that is quite woody, somewhat smoky, with an underlying sweetness to it. It’s a chypre perfume, though, not exactly like Knowing.

It is very similar in its composition, probably lighter in sillage, but with a greater spicy punch. Pepper, patchouli, and coriander will do that.

 

 

La Panthere Legere by Cartier– Legere isn’t an exact one to one of Knowing, nor as close as the others. However, it is in the same realm, and uses many of the same notes. Legere opens up with more fruit than does our Estee Lauder target perfume.

The oak moss note and muskiness, with overlapping floral ingredients, is where they share lots of commonalities. This one turns cleaner and soapier towards the end of the wear. Gardenia and tiare flower are the main floral notes here and create a further distinction. La Panthere Legere Review

 

7 Perfumes that Smell Like Dessert

by

For some folks, dessert is their favorite part of any meal. Not only the tasty and sugary flavors, but also the aroma of cakes, ice creams, chocolates, and other baked goods. There’s plenty of women who not only love the taste of dessert, but want to smell like it with their perfume selections. There are obviously a lot of choices out there, but let’s see if we can locate some of the best dessert smelling fragrances. 

 

What are some fragrances that smell like dessert?

Britney Spears Women’s Fantasy Eau de Parfum, 100 ml/3.3 oz.– Warm, flirty, and sweet. Fantasy is always a popular ladies’ fragrance and for good reason, it smells fantastic.  Fantasy is truly a sensual perfume that is quite memorable. Notes include: kiwi, white chocolate, musk, lychee, jasmine, orchid, and quince.

This one skews towards the younger crowd, with its fruity and confectionary elements. However, at it’s price point, it is a delicious example of a gourmand that has good performance and delivers on the aromatic aspect. Sweet, upbeat, and a bargain.

 

Prada Candy Night- Sure, the original Prada Candy did smell like Candy, but this one is much better overall and closer to what we’re looking for. A true, win/win.

Candy Night is a warm and delicious blend of caramel, vanilla, and of course a proper chocolaty note. It’s got enough sweetness to be attractive, but it doesn’t venture into being something for the younger set. Candy Night is well put together, flirty, and has a great gourmand/dessert aroma.

 

Armani Code Satin– Armani Code Satin can definitely satisfy a sweet tooth, not that it’s insanely sugary, but it provides a fantastic blend of scents to mimic different dessert types.

First, you get a light and creamy sorbet note, which pairs with vanilla, and fresh ginger. Some pear kicks things off, with its short role at the top of the mix, before this transitions into its floral middle act (neroli, mostly). What you end up with is a chocolate/vanilla floral with orange floral notes and ginger coming through. Strong sillage, great performance.

 

Live Irresistible Delicieuse– Delicieuse opens up smelling like a cherry pastry, to my nose. It’s going away from the chocolate sort of dessert to a baked goods kind of scent. Following that, you also have notes of vanilla, almond, and caramel. The caramel is short lived, but the other two hang around with the cherry and with the floral addition of rose.

Delicieuse is warm, sweet, and fairly edible. The scent is pretty moderate with its projection, and I managed to get, a full 7 hours out of it in testing. This is a delightful release from Givenchy. Full Review.

 

Good Girl Velvet Fatale– The flanker to the original Good Girl, this stiletto bottle comes wrapped in velvet, and gives you some really sweet notes to boot. The base is a mix of woody and floral notes, but this is dominated by ingredients like praline, coffee, vanilla, and almond.

Very light fruit and spices from cinnamon and patchouli, dot the perimeter of this fragrance. Good Girl Velvet Fatale might still be a bit difficult to find, but it is a really pleasant example of a warm and gourmand blend of notes, done right.

 

 




La Petite Robe Noire Intense– La Petite Robe Noire has been the title of many flankers in this line. Two that I tested out were much more situated around a cherry note. This one, Intense, goes for a berry and cotton candy infused aroma, with patchouli playing a larger role in the dry down.

Robe Noire Intense has that sugary cotton candy aroma down pat, with a juicy mix of berries, and a dash of citrus. Later on, there is some woodsy type of notes, rose, but mostly staying on the really sweet side of things. 

 

Ariana Grande Sweet Like Candy Eau de Parfum, 3.4 Ounce– This is a lighter and more subtle sort of perfume, but I think that Sweet Like Candy, is the best release from the pop star. 

Vanilla, blackberry, whipped cream, and of course, marshmallow pull together to form a warm and youthful candy-like aroma. Sweet Like Candy comes in fun looking bottle,  the scent starts off with its berry and pear blend, much like some other entries.

However, this one begins to shift more to a creamy, sweet, and familiar aroma. Lots of whipped cream with a vanilla touch and a great marshmallow addition. Very soft, girly, and sits beautifully in the colder weather.

YSL Libre vs. Mon Paris Comparison

by

YSL has released a ton of perfumes over the past decade, in addition to the classics they’re still selling. Mon Paris and Libre are two of their newer lines, that they seem to be in the process of creating even more flanker perfumes for. Between the originals, though, which smells better? Which fragrance is the one to check out? In this post, I will break down my thoughts and compare these scents.

Tale of the Tape: Mon Paris vs. YSL Libre

Libre EDP

Notes include: lavender, white musks, orange flower, vanilla, orchid

Click here to try: Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau De Parfum Spray for Women 90ml/3oz, clear

Read my review: Libre EDP

Mon Paris EDP

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

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

My Original Review: Mon Paris 

Opening

Mon Paris opens up with berries, pear, and other citrus notes. It’s a floral perfume, but much of the wear is actually pretty fruity in its presentation. Underneath that, are the floral notes of datura flower and peony. As things progress, they will take over more of the composition.

Libre also opens with a bit of citrus. However, it is much more floral from the start. Orange blossom and lavender are the main highlights at the start. The lavender is going to end up being the main focus of this fragrance, though.

Which is better? I think the fruity notes in Mon Paris are more enjoyable than the lavender and orange blossom, that I get with Libre. Libre feels soapier and musky versus the berries and nice datura note, that comes with Mon Paris.

Edge: Mon Paris

Projection

Both of these fragrances have above average sillage. Mon Paris is more in the moderate camp, but towards the upper end of the spectrum. While, Libre is definitely what you could term as strong. Not a monster, but it projects itself a bit better than Mon Paris.

Edge: Libre

Longevity

On my skin, Mon Paris goes 7-8 hours. Libre, again has the greater strength, at just over 9 hours of full wear. Plus, Libre keeps its power up for a longer period of time.

Edge: Libre

Versatility

Neither of these fragrances are going to be best for the hottest days of the year. Though, I think that Mon Paris holds up a bit better there.

Also, neither is very formal. Both are best for daily wear or casual wear and are quite versatile within that setting. I’d also say, both of these will probably skew toward a younger crowd. I don’t see much distinction in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I don’t absolutely love either one of these scents. In my mind, they’re both pretty good and have nice performance, but never reach anything all that special.

Libre is an interesting fragrance. It’s a bold lavender fragrance, that dries down into a creamier scent, with its vanilla note. Not super complicated and has an emphasis on the floral notes, including that opening orange blossom.

Mon Paris is fruity, floral, and musky. The opening is pretty, but also a pretty standard fruit-chouli type of fragrance with its prevalent patchouli note. However, it does have a nice datura which separates it somewhat.

Between, them I like the sweetness of Mon Paris just a tad better. Libre is more unique and has better performance. But, it’s nothing mind blowing. Out of these YSL perfumes? I’d give a slight win to Mon Paris.

Winner: Mon Paris

Coco Mademoiselle EDP vs. EDT

by

Chanel has had a lot of success with the Coco Mademoiselle line of fragrances. The EDP and EDT have been out for decades now, but, I recently picked up samples of the latest batches and wanted to do a head to head comparison post for the site. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy here in 2021?

Tale of the Tape: Coco Mademoiselle EDP vs. EDT

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 EDT

Notes include: litchi, citrus, vanilla, patchouli, vetiver, musk, rose, jasmine

Click here to try: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle 3.4 oz eau de toilette 

Read my Full Review: Coco Mademoiselle EDT

Opening

Mademoiselle starts off with its blend of neroli, patchouli, and orange. The orange is very powerful at first, before this perfume starts to feature its other floral notes, being jasmine and a slight rose. It blends with the patchouli for a bold and somewhat gourmand opening act.

Mademoiselle EDT does somewhat mimic its predecessor. However, the neroli isn’t present. The patchouli and orange are toned down. Also, EDT adds a very nice litchi note, that gets balanced with the other citrus notes.

Which is better? It’s actually a close race. While I do appreciate the balance, litchi, and having less patchouli in the opening act. I actually still slightly prefer the start of the EDP version more. I’m one who has always appreciated that strong punch of fragrance to start things off.

Edge: EDP

Projection

The eau de parfum obviously has the higher fragrance concentrate and it does indeed project better and feels stronger overall. Add to that more of the orange note and patchouli and you get a strong perfume. Not an absolute monster, but very good.

Mademoiselle EDT is decent at how far it will project, but it is much more of a moderate fragrance. It never hits close to the same highs as the EDP.

Edge: EDP

Longevity

Coco Mademoiselle EDP will last on my skin for over 10 hours, without fail. It’s got fantastic performance, to this day, with the newer batches Chanel has put out.

EDT? It’s a solid performer with 6-8 hours of wear, depending on the day. Quite usable, but again, doesn’t touch the original.

Edge: EDP

Versatility

I actually think that EDT has the edge in this category. It’s lighter feeling is a plus for many people who wear it, who may have been turned off by the strength of the original. So, it is going to be better for situation where you’d want to be low key.

Add to that, while neither is a summertime fragrance, EDT does hold up a bit better than the heavier EDP. Outside of those differences, both of these perfumes are highly versatile.

Edge: EDT

Overall Scent

I really enjoy both of these scents. I think that Coco Mademoiselle EDT can be a fantastic choice, if you want something lighter and that can seem less harsh to some folks. The scent really develops a nice woody/musky base with a smoother overall finish and light vanilla touches.

It’s a really good fragrance overall.

However, I think EDP is a great fragrance. I love the intensity of the orange and neroli, the gourmand touches, the power, and the vanilla creaminess that is more noticeable in this formulation.

In its totality, I just think that Coco Mademoiselle EDP has more strengths and a bit more depth. It’s not far and away better, but has a clear edge, in my book.

Winner: Coco Mademoiselle EDP

Coco Mademoiselle EDT by Chanel

by

Coco Mademoiselle is a classic scent and has rightly spawned different variations of its popular formula. One of which, was brought out relatively soon after the eau de parfum’s release, Coco Mademoiselle EDT.

I got a hold of samples of each of these fragrances and have been reviewing them on the site. Today, I’m finishing things off with the eau de toilette. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Coco Mademoiselle EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: litchi, citrus, vanilla, patchouli, vetiver, musk, rose, jasmine

Click here to try: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle 3.4 oz eau de toilette 

My Full Review

Coco Mademoiselle EDT opens up quite a bit like the EDP version, though definitely smoother and not nearly as intense. What’s most noticeable, is how the orange note shares duties here with other citrus notes, and an additional litchi.

Another thing that I notice here, is that, the patchouli note isn’t as dominant in this version of the Mademoiselle line. It’s there, but I feel it to be more balanced with the vetiver sitting in the base of the scent.

What’s interesting is that the base of Mademoiselle EDT, is very similar to the Chanel men’s cologne, Allure Edition Blanche. The creamy vanilla, woods, and vetiver is a dead ringer. That fragrance is dominated by lemon, rather than litchi and a more general blend of citrus.

What’s true about both of those fragrances, is that they both have a weaker ability to project than the flanker fragrances that they spawn from (more so in Edition Blanche’s case).

Once the citrus notes have burned off and the litchi seems weaker, the floral notes really come through strong. Jasmine and rose are fairly even, but I get more jasmine, on my skin. Those two with wood, musk, vetiver, patchouli, and the vanilla note that develops further along.

The final dry down is a woody vetiver scent with a less creamy aroma, that sort of starts to have a bit of a powdery feel. Not too much, but noticeable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage of the EDT is much softer than both the EDP or the Intense version of Coco Mademoiselle. Overall, its pretty moderate and never has a far reaching projection. EDT will create a nice scent bubble for most of the wear, then, become a skin scent for a few more hours.

Longevity wise, this one will stick around for about 7 hours. Sometimes it will go for six, then other, it can be somewhat closer to eight.

With that being said, you do get a super versatile fragrance, that can be a signature/daily wear for many folks. It’s not too out of place in any season, though, I might avoid the hottest days of summer…if you’re going to be outside.

Mademoiselle EDT is safe for school, work, casual, and could even venture into the evening. It’s not particularly ‘sexy’, but it is attractive enough to catch some attention. It’s versatility is probably the greatest strength of this perfume.

Overall Impression of Coco Mademoiselle EDT

Overall, do I like Coco Mademoiselle EDT? I do. However, I don’t like it as much as the EDP version, in terms of smell. The weighting of the individual notes in the EDP is just better to me. Though, this can be much more wearable.

I actually like the start of this a lot. The litchi and citrus notes provide a nice entry into the fragrance and I enjoy the similarities at times, to the men’s Edition Blanche.

The performance is overall pretty good, but it isn’t a terribly strong perfume. Also, the longevity doesn’t go as far as you’d perhaps like it to.

That being said, if the EDP is too much for you, and you don’t like the strong patchouli note found in Mademoiselle Intense, this EDT version can be a great substitute. You’re giving up a some of the power and performance, but getting a more understated fragrance, that still smells great.