Best Perfumes for Women

Si by Giorgio Armani

by

I’m still pouring through my Macy’s perfume samples and I’m about to order even more samples of other fragrances online soon. But until then, I am going to finish going through the 10+ perfumes and colognes that I have laying around the house, and do some reviews. Today’s entry is a popular women’s scent by Giorgio Armani, Si.

In this post, I want to explore how it smells, performs, and whether or not I think that it is worth a buy.

What does Armani Si EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, vanilla, freesia, black currant, patchouli, amber, woods

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Si Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening blast of Si is a mix of the rose, black currant, and vanilla note. This creates a sweet and fruity aroma that is more akin to a synthetic or candy-like peach than anything else. The black currant does have some of its usual sharpness, however, it gets toned down a lot by the other notes.

The rose is the most noticeable of the three for my nose, and you can also detect the patchouli background, which intensifies as it wears on.

The fruity/patchouli vibe reminds me of the men’s fragrance, Black XS, except it’s a peach smell instead of a lemon. Which is great, because that cologne is super sharp, up top.

After a few minutes, the black currant becomes the main player, in my mind. The juicy berry fragrance is super sweet yet also beautiful and inviting. I kept wanting to smell this delicious aroma again and again.

Si is more of a soft fragrance, so even with three sprays, it never felt as if it was going to overwhelm and choke me out. However, it’s not so weak that you have to use a whole bottle for it to be effective.

After and hour or two, Si dries down into something that is more floral, woody, and powdery. It moves away from the complete sweetness but keeps the warm and slightly spicy scent of patchouli and amber.

Si is a green floral scent at this point and remains so with support of the vanilla and black currant. The berry smell, doesn’t hang around much, which may or may not be a good thing. I like the scent, so, I wanted it to stick throughout.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Si, isn’t that strong. However, that shouldn’t be mistaken for weakness because this one does actually perform quite well, it just isn’t an overpowering monster. This is a good thing for such a casual scent.

Longevity seems to be in the 6-7 hour range, which is really solid but not anything crazy. After trying it a few times, it seems to hit that amount of time consistently. So, pretty middling overall.

Si does have some versatility, it is safe enough to wear to work or school, but attractive enough to wear on a date. I would definitely enjoy smelling this scent on a woman. This Armani does basically fit the bill, as a ‘one size fits all’ kind of perfume. For most climates, it can be worn to a wide variety of different events.

It also feels like it would work best being worn in cold to moderate temperatures. In the heat? Not so much. But pretty much any other time of the year except the height of summer. I think the rose and vanilla, have a tendency to melt in the heat and humidity.

So, a tropical climate, probably wouldn’t be ideal outside of some limited weather conditions.

Overall Impression of Si

Overall, is Si worth a purchase? Yes. This is a really great perfume from Armani. It’s juicy sweet and floral and the patchouli serves the fragrance. That’s important as patchouli can often swoop in and dominate the other notes.

Si is also mature enough not to be confused with a teenager’s fragrance but chic enough not to move into grandma territory. This is an interesting and well-balanced scent which will appeal to a wide variety of women.

Central Park South by Bond No. 9

by

Continuing along with my Bond No. 9 fragrance reviews, I am going to do another women’s perfume scent, from a sample vial that I received. This one is Central Park South. As usual, I am going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, how it performs, and if I think it’s worth a buy or not.

What does Central Park South Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, grapefruit blossom, black currant, wood notes, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Central Park South Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Fl Oz

My Full Review

So, Central Park South has been compared to Bond No. 9’s, I Love NY for Earth Day. Which, funny enough, I found a sample of mixed in with others that I have yet to do a review on. However, while these two fragrances share some ingredients, they really don’t smell the same.

From the start, Central Park South is loud. It’s actually kind of crazy, how much this perfume projects. I first sprayed it on an old shirt and then went to the kitchen in my apartment. I could smell it, a solid 15 feet away, with only a few sprays. It is a floral bouquet of jasmine and the two floral blossom notes.

It is a very clean and dominant jasmine scent. The other notes in the composition seem to give it a ‘green’ effect and it can feel like an uplifting walk through a garden. Maybe it’s just my nose, but it really struck me as a linear scent, there wasn’t much change during wear.

It’s a big burst of jasmine with black currant and grapefruit blossom, jockeying for position. Then, some lily kicks in underneath the main attraction, and the blossom notes fade somewhat.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, as I said, it’s a beast. Literal monster that projects even more than a men’s fragrance like 1 Million. One spray is probably enough, since two was way more than I wanted to smell.

Longevity is also no problem, I don’t have the exact time, since I washed it off. Though, it didn’t want to quit at all during the day. Coming back to Central Park South, I can say that it easily hits over 10 hours of wear without issue. Absolute beast of a scent.

When to wear? Spring or early summer. A casual fragrance. Be careful wearing it within an office, since it is so damn heavy. It’s a fine fragrance, if you’re going to be outdoors or in an environment, where you can be louder with your perfume.

Overall Impressions of Central Park South

Overall, would I recommend Central Park South? If you like floral notes, I mean, you really really like jasmine and lily of the valley. Just don’t wear it around me, as it gave me a headache.

It’s not super sweet but it is just so overwhelming, that it strikes me as being too much. I already don’t like heavy floral fragrances and this one is that to the extreme. Probably a pretty niche perfume.

You certainly get value for the higher end Bond No. 9 prices. It’s a jasmine lovers fragrance, not amazing, but can be a good choice for the right person.

Coco Mademoiselle EDP Intense by Chanel

by

Coco Mademoiselle’s success allowed Chanel to release a whole host of flanker fragrances to capitalize further on that perfume formulation. The most popular of these newer releases, is Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense. So, what’s this one all about? How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Coco Mademoiselle Intense Smell Like?

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 

My Full Review

Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense opens up with less of the orange and other citrus notes, than the citrus had, but with an even stronger initial punch. While this is the intense version, to me, it isn’t that much more powerful than the original Coco Mademoiselle.

What I do get more of in the opening act is patchouli and amber. The citrus is there, but that bold and juicy orange is tamped down, and seems to share duties with other citrus notes much more so.

Intense is pretty heavy on the patchouli note, which I don’t usually love, but it works very well within this composition. The perfume has plenty of sweetness and smoothness from the vanilla, amber, and tonka bean notes.

Moving deeper into the wear, the jasmine and rose begin to come through more. In this edition, the jasmine still has predominance over the rose, but the rose is present and noticeable.

Again, the original is not only more citrus dominant, but also has a greater use of the floral notes.

Mademoiselle Intense finally finishes its development with an amber, patchouli, and vanilla blend. I do still get jasmine on my skin, at this point, but it’s basically just supporting those three notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Is this a strong perfume? Yes. Is the sillage that much greater than the original? Not really. Again, you’re going to notice that this is there and you can indeed overspray Coco Mademoiselle Intense.

However, it really doesn’t strike me as a super heavy or thick kind of perfume.

The longevity is also great. Like the original, it will last for over 10 hours on me. No issues with the performance, in my experience.

Seasonally, I would just not wear this out in the heat. Autumn through mid-spring is fine, but you should probably find a summertime option. What I do like about Intense, is that it doesn’t get relegated to the cold weather only.

You will get plenty of use from this as a daily wear or even one that can be used out at night. Go easy with the sprays and it can fit in at the office. Good for casual or even more dressed up events. Versatile just like the EDP.

Overall Impressions of Coco Mademoiselle Intense

Overall, do I like this release from Chanel? Yes, it’s a great flanker of the now classic Coco Mademoiselle EDP. I don’t think that it is quite as good, but it comes pretty close in my book.

This perfume isn’t as heavy nor does it have the insane projection that you might think. Yes, it is strong and performs extremely well, it’s just not an unbearable mess.

If you are someone who prefers patchouli and vanilla, this actually might be the Coco Mademoiselle fragrance for you. In totality, you’re not going to get the same level of citrus that you do with the EDP. Depending on your style, that might be a good thing.

I can absolutely recommend giving this one a try. It does everything well and gives you another versatile staple in a perfume rotation.

Contre Moi by Louis Vuitton

by

Contre Moi is one of the fragrances released by Louis Vuitton back in 2016. It is also one of the many decants that I picked up from this designer, a while back in order to try out and review. I didn’t have any expectations about what this scent was like, when I first tried it, and no real preconceptions to influence me. What does it smell like? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Contre Moi Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, orange flower, rose, magnolia, and cocoa

My Full Review

Contre Moi opens up with its blend of vanilla notes, light citrus, and orange flower. The vanilla is smooth, creamy, and a bit smoky. While you’ll notice that there is both vanilla and cocoa in this Louis Vuitton perfume, it isn’t a sugary or refined version of either.

After a few minutes, I don’t pick up on any citrus any more. From here, it is mostly a warm vanilla floral blend, where the different floral notes get their own time to shine. 

Really, the rose is the weakest of the bunch. At first, it’s more orange flower, then the magnolia. For the dry down it’s a bouquet effect without much differentiation. 

That’s basically what I get for the rest of the wear: vanilla, cocoa, bouquet, and some ambrette in the base of the composition. Not a super complicated perfume, but it does develop somewhat, within that simple framework. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

In terms of the sillage, this is a light fragrance without much projection, after the first 30 minutes or so. It stays pretty darn close to the skin, unless you overspray. Even then, it isn’t going to get you much more.

However, the result does stick around for 6-6.5 hours, on my skin. Again, that’s not great, but it isn’t absolutely dreadful. At the price point, I would want much more from Contre Moi’s performance, especially since I enjoy the smell so much.

 

Seasonally, I’d just avoid the hottest days of summer with this one. Nighttime, might work then, but Contre Moi is fine pretty much anytime outside of that. It’s warm, but not a heavy or enveloping perfume, that would get stuck in the winter.

It’s got enough style to fit into more formal occasions, but isn’t so stuffy, that you couldn’t wear it casually. Not really a ‘sexy’ perfume, but it feels like it’d be appropriate in the nightlife. 

Overall Impressions of Contre Moi

Overall, do I like Contre Moi by Louis Vuitton? I do really like how this one smells. It’s a great vanilla floral blend, with its own unique take on the genre. I like the different types of vanilla in this one, the nice unprocessed cocoa, and the orange flower.

The downside? The performance is lacking. That may or may not be a problem for you, just know that you’re not going to get a workhorse fragrance.

It is a very pretty and attractive scent, that could have been absolutely great with better longevity and power. As it is, it’s an enjoyable perfume, but not necessarily a must have.

J’adore EDP by Christian Dior

by

I still have a handful of samples that I need to review and they’re all ladies’ perfumes. Two of them are Dior scents from the J’adore line and today, I am starting with the original eau de parfum. J’adore eau de parfum was released in 1999 and has enjoyed wild success ever since then. I will cover what’s in it, how it smells, performs, and whether or not I think it is worth a buy.

What does J’adore EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, orchid, plum, rose, mandarin, musk, ylang-ylang, blackberry

Click here to try: Christian Dior J’Adore Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of J’adore is a very clean and refined blend of floral notes. Mostly, I pick up on jasmine, ylang-ylang, freesia, and orchid.  Rose is also apparently in there, but it isn’t a strong rose scent, to me at least.

The florals have a juicy/watery aroma to them, this isn’t a ‘dry’ smelling perfume. Nice green undertones. Lily and melon, give it that juicy almost aquatic sensibility.

J’adore has a light fruitiness to it. It is mostly a floral dominated composition, but the melon/plum/mandarin trio do come through. and add to the juiciness of the fragrance.

It is very bright and uplifting but with a sophisticated air to the aroma. Sharp and pretty. During the latter stages, pear and melon are the main fruit notes that remain, and really don’t have intense aromas associated with either.

Finally, I’m left with lots of jasmine, some light musk, fruits, and a bouquet effect of various floral notes coming together. To my nose, it becomes rather difficult to distinguish between each.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on J’adore is pretty good. It isn’t a loud fragrance, it’s actually quite soft. However, that doesn’t mean that it is weak, you’ll know that J’adore is still there.

I also got a full day of wear out of this one. 8+ hours of solid performance, so there won’t be any problems on that end. Coming back to J’adore and trying it out a few more times, has produced very similar results. Not a perfume that will disappoint with its longevity.

Seasonally, I guess I would say that it is more of a springtime smell. Though, it really wouldn’t feel out of place in any season. It’s pretty solid year round, but performs best in warmer weather. During the summer months, J’adore can handle the humidity without completely falling apart.

It’s a good choice for office or casual daytime wear. Fits an age range of 20s+, as it retains a mature sensibility without being too ‘grandma’. J’adore doesn’t particularly strike me as sexy, I’d say that it’s attractive and pleasant.

This is a daily wear scent, if you’re looking for something more specific, J’adore isn’t going to fit a mold. Clean, floral, with greenish hints throughout.

Overall Impression of J’adore

Overall, would I recommend J’adore? It pretty much is a classic perfume from Christian Dior at this point. I like it and find it to be a well put together floral. If floral fragrances aren’t your thing, you would probably do well by looking elsewhere.

J’adore isn’t flashy and might not be a go-to perfume for all occasions but it does just about everything, extremely well.