Best Perfumes for Women

Sun Song by Louis Vuitton

by

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

by

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

by

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

by

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.

Nolita by Bond No. 9

by

Another Bond No. 9 sample I received, is of their new 2017 release, Nolita. It is a citrus/floral mix and the full bottle comes with a lipstick as a part of a product combination. In this post, I’m going to explore how Nolita smells, performs, and whether or not I think that it is worth a buy.

What does Nolita by Bond No. 9 Smell Like?

Notes include: freesia, tangerine, lily, amber, rose, sandalwood, musk, jasmine

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Nolita Perfume + Lipstick Duo: 3.4 oz (100ml) Eau de Parfum Spray for Women

My Full Review

The opening of this fragrance gives me the scent of the tangerine note, the freesia, and some light rose. The citrus is the dominant note for the first five minutes or so before becoming well-blended with the rest of the composition.

In my mind, the tangerine is the most prominent throughout, but not by much after that initial five minutes.

As it moves along, Nolita, starts to give off a warm and slightly powdery aroma. It is much more of a floral at this point in time than it had been with the emergence of the lily and wonderful jasmine. However, the rose almost became non-detectable for me.

I really like how the amber note supports the floral notes and gives them that intriguing warmth. The tangerine is what keeps this from becoming too much of a green floral bouquet and brightens it all up.

Nolita is a fairly straightforward perfume. After that initial citrus burst, it is pretty much the floral notes jockeying for position the rest of the way.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The projection on this is rather light. Nolita is a soft fragrance, that you’ll have to be close to in order to detect. That is of course, unless you’re spraying a crazy amount. Not necessarily a bad thing, just don’t think you’re going to be getting an absolute bomb here.

The longevity for me was roughly 5-6 hours and after that it was very sparse, if anything. Not that great for something at this price point, but not absolutely terrible. Close though.

Bond No. 9 describes this fragrance as ladylike and I have to agree. It’s very soft, fresh, and powdery. Something to be worn casually or at the office during the daytime. Nolita is attractive but not really ‘sexy’ or ‘seductive’, just a pretty floral with a citrus top.

Very much a warmer weather fragrance, but not really for the extreme heat of summer. Rolling out of winter and through the springtime is the best opportunity to wear this one.

Overall Impressions of Nolita

Overall, would I recommend Nolita? It’s nice but not spectacular. It’s supposedly almost an identical twin of Bond No. 9’s Mother’s Day scent, which I think might be the only sample I didn’t get of the I Love NY line.

So, I’m not sure whether the comparisons are apt or not. As a standalone, it’s a decent fragrance that is safe and non-offensive. Do you want more from a fragrance with this cost? Probably. Maybe the lipstick it comes with is better…