Best Perfumes for Women

Nuits de Noho by Bond No.9

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I’m still working through writing up all of my Bond No. 9 sample reviews, and I think all but one of the last of them, are ladies’ fragrances. Today’s review is no exception, Nuits de Noho for Women. As usual, I want to break down what’s in this scent, how it performs, what it smells like, and whether or not is should be considered for purchase.

What does Nuits de Noho Smell Like?

Notes include: pineapple leaf, mandarin, bergamot, patchouli, musk, jasmine, rosewood, and vanilla

Click here to try: BOND No 9 Nuits De Noho, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Nuits de Noho immediately reminds me of another Bond No. 9 fragrance, I Love NY for Holidays (which is also similar to Mugler’s Angel). While that one, opens up with a blueberry/mandarin baked goods type of aroma, Nuits de Noho, takes on more of a blend of pineapple/vanilla.

Both of these scents are patchouli bombs and share the mandarin orange note and overall fruity profile. However, Holidays has a praline note that makes it even more of a gourmand while Nuits de Noho goes in a bit of a different direction.

The patchouli and musk are rather strong from the start before it settles in about 10-15 minutes after application. It’s rather intense and I don’t particularly enjoy the perfume at that point but it does settle down into something sweeter and more pleasant.

While the pineapple leaf is there during wear, it doesn’t feel too strong in my opinion. The vanilla note takes up position behind the patchouli and musk combo and adds the sweetness.

Then, the jasmine note emerges with its familiar clean/powdery/smoothness. The floral aspect of Nuits de Noho is what most separates it from I Love NY for Holidays and it gives the scent a very ‘green’ feel underneath the warm sweetness/spiciness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it felt pretty strong. Not completely overpowering but I always knew it was there while wearing. I’d rate the performance as very good, in those terms.

Longevity, 7-ish hours or thereabouts, is what I was able to manage on my skin. Again, not crazy good but definitely a solid wear. Update: Coming back to this scent again, yeah, 7-8 hours seems like what it is capable of achieving.

Taking a look at the notes, it could seem like a spring/summer wear, but how they’re structured actually makes it the opposite. Nuits de Noho is a cold weather scent. In fact, I think it’d get kind of messy in the heat of summer.

I’d say that it has good versatility as an everyday wear during the cold parts of the year. It could be worn casually, at the office, dressed up, or even on a date (though, it’s not super sexy or anything like that).

Overall Impressions of Nuits de Noho

Overall, is Nuits de Noho worth a look? I’d say yes, for some women. If you like Mugler’s Angel perfume, this will be something you might enjoy even more, as it is a slightly different and I’d say more refined take on that.

Patchouli, vanilla, musk, floral, and pineapple is what you should expect, so, if that’s not appealing to you…go ahead and skip this one.

However, it does smell good and gives a nice performance, so this one should appeal to a decent amount of people.

Miss Dior (Cherie) EDP by Christian Dior

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I’ve already done a few review of the various Miss Dior flankers on this site and will have another one upcoming in the next few weeks. However, until now I haven’t done one on the main eau de parfum version of Miss Dior.

The naming is all a big mess, but this review will be on the 2017 version, which is the latest one as of writing. In this post, I will cover: how it smells, what’s in it, how it performs, and if Miss Dior EDP is even worth a look.

What does Miss Dior (Cherie) Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, blood orange, patchouli, mandarin orange, rose, rosewood, pink pepper

Click here to try: Christian Dior Miss Dior, 50ml/1.7 oz.

My Full Review

As if there weren’t already 80 million different Miss Dior fragrance to lead one to a state of confusion, the Miss Dior Eau de Parfum is a renamed and reformulated version of the previously released, Miss Dior Cherie.

That was 2012, then, Dior reformulated that version for the 2017 version of Miss Dior Eau de Parfum.

Anyway, let’s see how Dior describes this fragrance: The beauty of a Grasse Rose wrapped in a ribbon of fresh notes and woven with a lively Rosewood. The modern and confident femininity of a sensual floral. 

The opening of the 2017 Miss Dior presents my nose with an offering of citrus fruits, patchouli, and rose. The citrus and patchouli are actually more dominant than the rose, at this stage, and I think that they play off of one another extremely well.

I’m not a huge patchouli fan, but it is well done in this perfume. The citrus smells like a blend of orange and lemon, with the lemon aspect being just a dash of that juice.

After 10-15 minutes of wear, the citrus aroma recedes, and rose begins to take the lead. From here on out, it is rose and patchouli, but even with that being the case there is a level of sweetness that is present in Miss Dior.

It’s that mix of the floral notes, sparkling citrus still lingering, warm spice of pink pepper, and the smooth rosewood keeping it all together.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this projects decently, but it’s not very loud at all. I’d call it a softer moderate perfume. However, the longevity is good, and it hung around on my skin for around 8 hours. Not a super beast, but really good enough for most any occasion.

Seasonally, this incarnation of Miss Dior seems to be a cold to moderate weather scent. So, pretty much any time besides the height of summer. In the extreme heat, it would probably fall apart quite a bit, despite any citrus notes.

It is very pretty but not really sexy, more of something that could be worn daily for a mature woman or for a more formal event. Not that it’s overly ‘serious’ or anything, just has that touch of elegance.

Overall Impressions of Miss Dior EDP 2017

Overall, do I like the 2017 version of Miss Dior EDP? I do. I’m not blown away by it, but I actually enjoy the scent quite a lot. It is fresh, citrus/floral, with a bit of sweet and spice to round it out. The rosewood note is the anchor and was a nice touch to the composition.

This Christian Dior fragrance should have plenty of fans, as long as they don’t reformulate it once again,  while keeping the same name…which is stupid.

Romance by Ralph Lauren

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Romance has been one of the most popular fragrances from Ralph Lauren for decades now. I was sent a sample of the latest batch, with a fragrance order that I put in a few months ago, and so I of course had to write a review finally. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Romance by Ralph Lauren Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, rose, musk, mandarin essence, pink pepper, marigold, geranium, patchouli, oakmoss 

Click here to try: Ralph Lauren Romance Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Full Review

A romantic heart of rose Damascena blended with a delicate veil of jasmine absolute.

Romance opens up with a light mandarin orange essence, that feels quite watery within the composition. This is a well put together floral blend with a certain herbal green-quality coming through the mix, probably the geranium.

It’s fresh and has a chilled sort of aroma. Early on, I do pick up plenty of that rose note, but it isn’t super distinct from the rest of the floral heart. In some ways, I think that the floral notes are hidden by the ever-present pink pepper and musk notes.

As it dries down, I get just a musky and fresh floral fragrance. Sometimes, the jasmine will peak through or the rose will have its turn again. Mostly, it is just the impression of a bouquet. Clean with a spicy kick from the pink pepper note and the woodsy green-ish aroma still coming through.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here, isn’t too powerful. It’ll project somewhere in the 4-6 foot range, at its peak, in my experience. A moderate wear that is clean and unobtrusive.

I can go above 7 hours of wear with Romance, on my skin, maybe it’ll hit 8 under certain circumstances. But, mostly that 7 hour mark should be what to expect.

Seasonally, spring and summer mostly. Anywhere from a temperate climate to a hotter one. It would probably be a bit out of place during the coldest days of winter time.

Romance is quite versatile. It would fit a wide age range. It can venture into work, school, casual, and nightlife. It does have a romantic kind of vibe, as the name implies, but isn’t really a super sexy scent. Nice and attractive, but not something that I’d go crazy for.

Overall Impressions of Romance

I’m pretty sure that this fragrance has undergone some reformulations, over the years. This review is for the latest batch here in 2021. After over 20 years, it’s not surprising that they have changed things up.

Do I like this version? I do. It certainly has its pluses, but doesn’t completely wow me. It is a very green/watery/musky sort of floral. Very attractive and has enough going for it to not smell completely like a garden.

The performance is good, but not outstanding. I can get nearly a full workday of wear from Romance without much trouble. It’s a nice smelling and versatile scent, that can be beautiful on the right person.

Tory Burch EDP by Tory Burch

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Tory Burch eau de parfum was the first women’s fragrance released by the designer back in 2013. Since then, it has garnered a lot of popularity as a daily wear fragrance, with a bold citrus opening. While already familiar with this scent, I have never posted a full review here, and it’s time to rectify that situation. So, let’s get into it.

What does Tory Burch EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: neroli, grapefruit, cassis, bergamot, peony, tuberose, jasmine, vetiver, sandalwood

Click here to try: Tory Burch FOR WOMEN by Tory Burch – 3.4 oz EDP Spray

My Full Review

Feminine and tomboy. A bright mix of citrus and florals, anchored by earth vetiver.

Tory Burch EDP opens up with a strong citrus accord of grapefruit, bergamot, and neroli. It does have that bright juiciness that you would expect, but you also get the floral accord wafting up from the heart immediately.

To me, the grapefruit is the strongest of the bunch. The bergamot is there, but it isn’t much of a factor to my nose. It’s a bit spicy from the jump, as I’m picking up the cassis  note, but I think that there might be some unlisted pepper in there as well.

As it dries down a bit more, the floral notes emerge much more. Personally, I get a lot of peony, but there is also a nice amount of tuberose and the remaining neroli in here too. The citrus has settled at this point and Burch EDP becomes more of a floral/musk fragrance…with some of the orange still hanging on.

Still further, Burch EDP is a tuberose/peony blend with a vetiver base and musk. It’s fairly different from that sharp citrus start, but still appealing and some residual spiciness still coming through.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Burch EDP isn’t super powerful, but I’d put it down as a moderate, maybe close to the upper end of that range. It will project in the 4-7 foot range, for much of the wear. You could overspray it, if you went crazy, but not with a normal application amount.

The longevity is also good, just not elite. I usually get at least 7 hours of wear from this one and it can venture into the 8 territory in the right circumstances.

Seasonally, I’d stick to the spring and summer months with this. The citrus could be too much in the cold and crisp air of winter. Though, within those seasons, this a very versatile fragrance.

Tory Burch EDP is more of a daily wear scent. It can be worn to work, school, or casual. While it is a fairly pretty scent, it really isn’t a sexy club beast or anything like that. You’ll get plenty of wear out of it, sort of an easy to wear perfume that you really don’t have to think about.

Overall Impressions of Tory Burch Eau de Parfum

Overall, do I like Tory Burch EDP? I do. It can certainly have its place in any woman’s collection and it does have a close resemblance to the ever-popular Clinique Happy. So, if you like that, you’d enjoy this one. If not, you know that you can probably avoid.

The opening act of citrus notes is really a highlight for me. Although, I do like the peony and tuberose mix that comes later. The performance is good enough and this is one that can be worn in a variety of situations.

No, it’s not a completely unique fragrance or one that will really stand out. However, it does its job well and is good in every facet of what you’d want from a fragrance. It’s a solid daily wear that can be appreciated by a wide swath of people.

Coach EDT by Coach New York

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Coach New York has revamped its fragrance lineup over the past 5-6 years and among these newer releases is Coach eau de toilette for women. I received a sample of this perfume with an order a few months back and have been testing it out for the site. How does it smell? When should it be worn? How long does Coach last? Is it worth a buy?

What does Coach EDT Smell Like?

Notes include: pear, cedar, white Alba rose, grapefruit, musk

Click here to try: Coach Eau de Toilette from Coach New York

 

My Full Review

Before I get into my thoughts about Coach EDT, let’s see how the brand describes it: Coach eau de toilette is inspired by the spontaneous energy and chic downtown style of New York City. Fresh pear gives was to timeless and elegant white Alba roses, before drying down to a sensual cedarwood base note.

Coach Eau de Toilette starts off with a bright and juicy blend of its fruit notes. Pear, is going to be the major focal point of the top notes, but the citrus shares a fairly equal weight in the beginning. The smell is very pretty and fresh. 

As the perfumes settles, it will move into its more fruity floral phase. The citrus will begin to subside and the pear takes over. However, it is also joined by the Alba rose and some jasmine.

Coach EDT isn’t super complex. It takes on a bit of a clean shampoo sort of aroma, once the musk and cedar fully arrive. At that point, it is a rose/pear/jasmine blend, that’s sitting on top of the musk and cedar base. 

You’ve almost undoubtedly smelled something similar, if you’ve tried any sort of perfumes before. Though, this is a great example of this style of scent.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty light to moderate. You’ll notice that it is there, but it isn’t going to take over the room. It’s about what you would want with a fragrance like this, non-offensive and non-intrusive. A nice balance, without being weak.

It’ll go for as long as 7.5 hours, on my skin. I’d say it’s mostly in the 6-7.5 hour range, depending on the day. Not a complete workhorse, but this Coach is still plenty useful. 

One of the main selling points with Coach EDT is just how versatile it is. It can be worn by any age group, works well in different seasons, and can be worn in a variety of situations.

Seasonally, I’d say that it is best in the spring and summer months. Maybe you’d want to go with something else in the winter, that reflects that season, but this wouldn’t be bad there either.

It is safe for work, school, casual situations, and is attractive enough to venture into afterhours if needed. It might not be the stand out in your collection, though, it will will get plenty of use.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Coach EDT

Overall, do I like this scent? I really do. Not a super unique fragrance, but it smells very nice. The opening with the pear and citrus is my favorite part.

This is a great choice for a simple daily wear perfume. Well balanced, a simple fruity floral, but enjoyable to wear. The performance is solid, just not extreme. If you need something that’s clean, fresh, and versatile…this is worth a try.

Really kind of a no-brainer scent, but not one that’s going to set the world on fire.