Best Perfumes for Women

Wonderlust by Michael Kors

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Wonderlust is probably the most popular Michael Kors fragrance with the public right now. I’ve had a sample sprayer sitting in a box for many months now, for me to revisit and finally post a full review. Well, that day has come to review this 2016 release. How does this one smell? Does it last long? Is Wonderlust worth a buy?

What does Wonderlust Smell Like?

Notes include: almond milk, sandalwood, dimanthus, bergamot, pink pepper, heliotrope

Click here to try: WONDERLUST by Michael Kors 3.4 Ounce / 100 ml Eau de Parfum (EDP) Women Perfume Spray

My Full Review

Discover a place filled with wonder, where endless adventure awaits. Almond milk dianthus sandalwood from Sri Lanka.

Up top with Wonderlust, I get the creamy almond milk, along with a nice citrus spritz. This gives Wonderlust a somewhat tropical feeling, with a bit of jasmine peaking through. However, the citrus moment is pretty short lived and that’s when this scent is at its sweetest.

The next phase, is the true introduction of the dianthus, which adds a slight spice to the mix, and the almond is still persisting for the duration. It’s not a floral note that I’m too familiar with, but it stands out for a time, and I enjoy how it works in the composition.

For a while, that sweet/spice of dianthus meets a might powdery heliotrope, and the sandalwood emerges from the base. This middle phase is probably my favorite part of the wear, since it’s actually sticking around for more than that opening semi-tropical act.

Finally, it moves into being mostly about almond and sandalwood alone. Though, there is some remaining powdery qualities. It’s warm, creamy, and has an attractive coziness to the aroma. That’s what it ends up being for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This Michael Kors perfume is fairly moderate in terms of sillage. It will project in the 4-6 range, for much of the wear. It’s not a beast, but it isn’t so light as to go unnoticed.

On my skin, I get right around 8 hours. Very good, just not elite. How long it lasts is the stronger portion of its performance, it just isn’t going to choke out a room with its presence.

Seasonally, Wonderlust is very balanced. It has elements of a summer perfume, but it’s creaminess lends itself well to colder weather, also. It’s not a heavy fragrance, so it has really great seasonal versatility.

I do kind of like it a bit more, when it is a bit below average temperatures. A slight chill, makes this one really pop.

Beyond that, it can be a completely appropriate daily wear fragrance. Go casual or even a bit more formal. I wouldn’t call Wonderlust a nightlife scent, but it does have enough attractiveness, to not be totally boring either.

It’s basically one that you can have in your rotation to handle the heavy lifting. Then, break out something else on special occasions or when you want to really grab attention.

Overall Impressions of Wonderlust

Overall, do I like this scent? I do. I think that it smells very good and does everything well. Wonderlust is a versatile fragrance, with some unique aspects and undergoes enough development to be interesting.

It’s already a popular perfume, thanks to its ease of wear, and ability to be a versatile go to on a daily basis. It might not be the highlight of your fragrance collection, but it can certainly be an anchor.

I do wish that there was a longer experience with the bergamot note, in the beginning, but other than that I don’t have any real complaints.

Since it’s release, this one has spawned a bunch more from the series. Though, I still think that this one is a really nice jumping off point, at the right price.

Sun Song by Louis Vuitton

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Sun Song was one of the Les Parfums Louis Vuitton releases, with bottles designed by Alex Israel, that they brought out back in 2019. I’m still working my way through reviews of the Louis Vuitton decants that I have and figured I’d finish out this series. What does Sun Song Smell Like? How long does it last? Is it worth a buy?

What does Sun Song Smell Like?

Notes include: orange blossom, lemon, bergamot, neroli, jasmine, musk

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how Louis Vuitton describes this fragrance: An ode to the orange blossom to brighten summer. The euphoria of those first beautiful days. Feeling the warmth of sunlight on the skin.

I really don’t like the opening act of Sun Song. The citrus is too sharp and the orange blossom (which I generally like) feels overwhelming. I imagine that plenty of folks will be turned off by that start, but it does get better.

Once it does settle down, this fragrance does greatly resemble Sole di Positano by Tom Ford. The citrus notes there are way better. The main differences are that the Tom Ford has some herbal spiciness early on and Sun Song gets somewhat musky.

As soon as I get past that harsh opening, I do begin to enjoy Sun Song much more. The floral notes start to balance out, while still being led by the orange blossom. Neroli is very present and there’s also a touch of jasmine.

The citrus falls into the background and the musk in the base rises, but never overtakes the strength of either orange blossom or neroli.

At this point, you’re getting exactly what you get for the rest of the wear. A smooth floral with citrus and musky highlights. Not too complicated, but very attractive.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sun Song is pretty strong on my skin. Especially, in the early stages of the wear. Overall, it’s a moderately projecting perfume, probably towards the upper end of that range. Quite a bit like its comp, Sole di Positano.

On skin, this Louis Vuitton will go for 7-8 hours. The last 90 minutes or so, stayed really close to the skin. I’ve also sprayed it on a t-shirt and it just goes and goes. Nice performance for this style of perfume.

Seasonally, Sun Song is made for the spring and summer months. Once it settles, it is a pretty fragrance and fairly delightful to catch whiffs of throughout the day.

Sun Song is a unisex fragrance. I will say the opening, is closer to a traditional ladies’ perfume, but it comes back more toward the center of things. As a man, you’re just going to have to enjoy wearing citrus/floral scents.

Within the context of spring and summer, this is a fragrance that can pretty much be worn anywhere. It’s classy enough for more formal occasions, while not being too stuffy to wear casually.

Overall Impressions of Sun Song

Do I like this fragrance? I do like it, except for the start. Once it dries down, the citrus notes lighten up and the orange blossom, neroli, and jasmine blend for a nice balanced aroma.

Also, the performance is solid and it isn’t going to just drop off after a few hours of wear.

But, the price point is the major hold up. Sole di Positano is the better fragrance. It smells better overall and is available at a better price.

This isn’t a bad fragrance from Louis Vuitton, but I think that the others in this series like, Cactus Garden or Afternoon Swim are more interesting and better.

Fleurs D’Oranger by Serge Lutens

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I do have some samples of Serge Lutens fragrances lying around that I need to do write ups on. One of them, is today’s entry: Fluers d’Oranger. This is a floral fragrance highlighted by the use of orange blossom. How does it smell? Does it last a long time? Is it worth a purchase? Please continue below for my full take after testing it out.

What does Fleurs D’Oranger Smell Like?

Notes include: orange blossom, musk, jasmine, cumin, tuberose, hibiscus, rose, and more

Click here to try: Serge Lutens Fleurs D’oranger Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce

orange blossom perfume

My Full Review

Fleurs D’oranger is listed as a unisex fragrance but this one definitely strikes me as feminine. It opens with orange blossom, a spicy musk, and jasmine as the main notes that I detect. Very floral, like white flowers and cut stems, on a sunny spring day.

This perfume is quite bright and has an expensive soapy quality to it. I think there might be citrus fruit itself here (not just flowers), but it is never a ‘juicy’ aroma, Fleurs D’oranger is dry and has an outdoor garden vibe from this bouquet of floral notes.

As it dries down, I distinctly begin to pick up on the tuberose note, and it retains it’s animal like spice an warmth. Further along, the orange blossom seems to take center stage and never really relinquishes its hold on the composition.

I think that the cumin and musk combo give it a middle eastern sort of spice and that is what complements the orange blossom for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s strong but not obscenely so. In fact, it dials back into more of a moderate, after a little while wearing it. After about 40-60 minutes, it has settled into a fairly moderate scent.

It does however, have very good longevity, 8-9 hours is what it usually lasted on my skin while testing the perfume out. It’s a solid performer, just not absolutely elite.

Again, I’d call this more of a women’s perfume than unisex, but if you’re a man who likes white florals…you could wear this one. Fleurs d’Oranger is a spring/summer kind of wear. I like it as a casual to business wear fragrance.

It is pretty and well put together but not sexy to my nose. It feels adult oriented and not something that would suit most teenage girls. This Serge Lutens scent is mature but not ‘old lady’.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Fleurs d’Oranger

Overall, do I like Fleurs d’Oranger? I like it, just not for me. It’s way too feminine and floral for my tastes. However, for those in the market for an orange blossom perfume, this one from Serge Lutens is near perfect.

For a more masculine orange blossom, I’d wear L’Homme Parfum Intense by YSL, which gives me amber and citrus notes to pair with the floral. Fleurs d’Oranger does deliver on it’s floral promise and as a bouquet type of perfume it executes very well.

Bvlgari Pour Femme EDP

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For this entry, I have another sample fragrance vial from Bvlgari, and this one is Bvlgari Pour Femme eau de parfum. The have released and re-released this scent under the same title with different formulations at least once and possibly more times. How does it smell? What’s inside? Is it worth a buy?

What does Bvlgari Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, violet, iris, sandalwood, musk, orris, orange blossom, peach, raspberry, other floral notes 

Click here to try: Bvlgari By Bvlgari For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces

My Full Review

The opening of Bvlgari Pour Femme doesn’t strike me as pleasing. Honestly, it is pretty harsh, and smells like astringent to my nose. It does calm down, but, I’m really not into those first few minutes. This is a floral scent, so, going into it you’re going to have to love floral perfumes to dig this one.

It opens up with a iris and violet leaf leading the way, a noticeable powdery orris, and a hint of fruits. The fruity notes aren’t really that noticeable to me, but I can tell that they’re there, if I focus in.

Most of what you’re going to get throughout the wear, is orris and a whole host of flowers, including mimosa and carnation which make appearances.

From what I can detect, the two main flowers are violet and rose, and boy are they noticeable. The perfume itself isn’t super heavy, but it does seem lopsided with how the composition is put together.

It has a more mature disposition and is a subtle and sophisticated sort of perfume. It does get quite powdery with the floral notes and orris combining, which can feel overwhelming at times.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of Bvlgari Pour Femme is soft to moderate. It’s never huge, but it was noticeable on my skin throughout the wear. The longevity, however, is fantastic. This one lasted all day long without any trouble.

Now, I did eventually scrub it off of my skin, but 8 hours in and it was still going strong. So, performance isn’t an issue.

Seasonally, it is quite versatile. It wouldn’t perform badly in any sort of climate, but probably fits in best during spring/summer. It is more mature, so Pour Femme, isn’t going to be a great choice for teen to college age but can be for professionals.

More of an office or elegant dressed up perfume. Not a romantic wear or even something sexy.

Overall Impressions of Bvlgari Pour Femme

Overall, do I like Bvlgari Pour Femme? Personally? Not very much. But as a guy, I don’t have to wear this, but during testing I really didn’t enjoy the smell that much. Very floral and powdered, which was somewhat headache inducing.

It’s not a bad perfume, just not the type for me. You need to be into floral perfumes, to be into Pour Femme, because that’s what you’re going to get and you’re going to get a lot of it.

However, if that’s what you’re into, expect lots of violet, rose, and iris with very good performance. This fragrance has been discontinued, so, you’ll have to buy it online.

Delina by Parfums de Marly

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It’s been a little while since I’ve posted a new Parfums de Marly review, even though, I think I have four more to do after this one. So, I figured that I might as well jump in and get to work. Today, we have Delina, from their women’s line of perfumes.

How does this fragrance smell? What’s it sillage and longevity like? Is it versatile? Is Delina even worth a buy? Please continue below for my full take, after wearing this scent around.

What does Delina by PdM Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, rhubarb, litchee, musk, vanilla, peony, and vetiver

Click here to try: PARFUMS de MARLY Delina, 2.5 fl. oz.

My Full Review

Before I get into my own review of Delina, let’s see how Parfums de Marly describes it:

This fragrance is an ode to femininity and sensuality. The blooming top notes of Delina hold fruity scents of lychee and rhubarb. Then the fragrance expresses its personality through a delicate and velvety Rose Essence of Turkey. Its caressing petals unveil delicious and warm musky and vanilla base notes.

So, from the opening, wow! Delina is gorgeous and a very pleasant aroma. The rose note here is prominent but soft at the same time and its a fruity powdered fragrance.

I don’t mean to suggest that this Parfums de Marly fragrance is a baby powder-like scent, it isn’t, because there is a juicy fruit elements that keeps the whole thing interesting.

The lychee is the main fruit here and it is joined by the sharpness of bergamot that sits in the background during the wear. Add to that, the rhubarb is tart, and I think gives this scent its distinct personality.

It is sweet but not overly so, as the fruit notes aren’t too strong, and there’s not much of a ‘sugary’ element within Delina. As it dries down, get much more of the peony note than I do the rose, and this is when I become even more intrigued by this scent.

Vanilla and musk emerge well into the wear and provide a base for this perfume. It’s all very well done and a pleasure.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Delina doesn’t have a huge sillage. This is more of a moderate fragrance, that can be worn everyday without causing a huge fuss. It’ll project itself in the 4-6 foot range or thereabouts.

However, it’s longevity is great, and I believe I got right around 9 hours of wear out of it on my skin.

Update: Testing it out again, 9.5-10 hours seems like what it is fully capable of on my skin.

Seasonally, Delina works best in the warm weather. This would be enchanting in the spring and summer months. It’s a daily wear, that’s pretty enough to be worn on formal occasions, as well as casually.

I enjoy how it smells, but it doesn’t strike me as being super ‘sexy’ or seductive, it is very appealing. It’s more of a pleasant and enjoyable sort of perfume to be around. Can really fit in well, in a wide variety of situations.

Delina will continue to be signature scent worthy for a lot of people.

Overall Impressions of Delina

Overall, do I like Delina? Yes. This is a great fragrance by Parfums de Marly. It is a fruity floral with interesting depth and character.

The performance is exactly what you would expect from a luxury brand like this and you get something that smells wonderful.

This has become one of the most popular, if not the best selling fragrance from the women’s PdM line. While it has also spawned the Delina Exclusif flanker.

The opening fruitiness is great, with the bit of a powdery finish early on, Delina develops nicely into a sweetish rose and peony perfume that is really versatile, fun, and does everything well.

This is a Parfums de Marly scent that you should try out, if you’re interested in it. At least get a sample of it, even if you cannot afford it. There are also lots of similar perfumes to this one.