Best Perfumes for Women

Elie Saab Le Parfum Review

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I’m getting really close to making it through the write ups, for my latest haul of sample fragrances. One of them, and the subject of today’s review, I’ve been meaning to do a full write up on for a long time. That would be Elie Saab Le Parfum, which was released in 2011. How does this one smell? How long does it last? Is it even worth a try?

What does Elie Saab Le Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, orange blossom, cedar, rose, honey, patchouli

Click here to try: Elie Saab Le Parfum Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce

My Full Review

Elie Saab Le Parfum opens up with a sweet floral aroma. Orange blossom is the dominant note, especailly at the start, and is joined by a noticeable honey and patchouli.

The patchouli and rose note, seem to be intertwined in this composition, and form a singular ingredient. So, from the start you get orange blossom, with a light soaking of honey, rose/patchouli.

It feels like a blend of sweet floral, with an underlying freshness. After some time, the jasmine note moves up in the ranks, to join but not overtake the orange blossom. Whatever rose note there is, falls back to being nearly imperceptible.

What I get for most of the wear, is an orange blossom note, with jasmine undertones. Honey, patchouli, and cedar round things out. However, Le Parfum is mostly about those top two floral notes, working in conjunction.

Really late into the wear, there is more of a cedar presence, at the base. Clean woodiness, but nothing that overwhelms the scent overall.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

While this Elie Saab isn’t a complete bomb, with its projecting capabilities, it does indeed have a strong sillage. There’s really no need to go heavy, with this one. The performance is really a positive.

It will also last, around a full work day. Somewhere in the 7-9 hour range, on my skin. Not an elite level of longevity, but good enough for what most folks will need to get out of it.

Climate wise, this one is best for cooler to mild days. I wouldn’t use it on the really warm and humid days, as it wouldn’t hold up to well. Though, when worn in the right climate, it comes across beautifully.

This is a great option for daily wear. This can be worn to the office, school, casually, or to events. While it has a pretty aroma, it’s not a sexy sort of perfume, nor is it really built for the nightlife.

Very balanced all around.

Overall Impressions of Le Parfum

Do I like this fragrance? I do. It comes across strong, in the opening act, but it settles nicely. The opening feels too fresh, underneath that orange blossom and honey mix.

I do like it when, the jasmine comes in fully, and lends stability to the composition. The performance is great and it gives you a nice versatility for daytime wear.

You’re going to have to enjoy orange blossom and jasmine, to really like this fragrance. Those two notes, along with honey, are mostly what this is all about. A fresh white floral perfume, with a bold presentation, and sweet underpinnings.

Le Parfum is an easy fragrance to add to the rotation or rely on as a daily wear. There’s no particular weakness with this one. Everything about it is well above average, but just missing a higher level of greatness. Still, one that’s worth picking up.

Bonbon by Viktor & Rolf

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I got a hold of a sample of Bonbon perfume for women and have tested out its candy-like fragrance over the past few days. This scent from Viktor & Rolf followed the ever popular, Flowerbomb, and while the two do share some similarities, the notes are different enough for them to be definitely distinct perfumes. Bon was released back in 2014.

In this post, I want to share my thoughts on how Bonbon smells, perfumes, when it should be worn, and if I think it is worth a purchase.

What does Bonbon Smell Like?

bonbon perfume review

Notes include: caramel, orange, peach, mandarin, amber, sandalwood, jasmine, orange blossom, and cedar

Click here to try: Viktor & Rolf Bonbon Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.04 Ounce

My Full Review

My initial impression of Bonbon is of how bright, sweet, and delicious that it smells. The caramel is the main attraction here, so if that’s not your style, Bonbon isn’t the fragrance for you. However, I do love how it pairs with the orange and peach notes to create an underlying juiciness.

It does have a somewhat similar opening to Black Opium because of the orange note and the sweetness of coffee in that one versus the caramel in Bonbon.

The opening is quite juicy with the fruit notes and there are the light floral notes, mostly orange blossom. The caramel is there, right from the start, but it takes a bit of time for it to fully take over.

When it does, the amber note joins it, giving Bonbon a warm and slightly salty feeling. Salty, in addition to the caramel itself.

As it dries down further, the citrus fades, but the peach note hangs around in a support role. Sandalwood lends its usual creaminess to the composition, but it honestly, isn’t that strong in this perfume.

The final dry down is heavy with caramel and amber, with solid portions of peach and orange blossom. The rest of the notes are light and fairly well-blended.

Some might think that Bonbon is too sweet of a perfume, but it really isn’t, in my opinion. I find it to be really appealing in how gourmand and pretty it smells. It is very creamy and feminine but maintains a youthful energy throughout.

I sprayed some on my wrist and found its presence to be delightful, even though, I’m a guy and it’s completely out of place on me. The dry down is the best part in my opinion, when the amber note adds a bit of warmth to the caramel. Very nice.

Sillage, Longevity, When to Wear

Projection wise, it is good without being overpowering. I sprayed a shot of it on a sweatshirt about six feet away from me before I began writing this post and I can get that faint aroma of Bonbon from here.

I might have to just use this sample as an air freshener, since I can’t really wear this perfume, as a guy.

Longevity is also really good, the night I sprayed it on my wrist, it stayed strong until I went to sleep and I could still faintly detect it the next morning. Since then, on the skin, it seems to hit a good 8 hours without issue. It can go longer, depending on the climate.

Bonbon is an option for the cooler months of the year and is safe to wear to work or school. I’d stay away from it during hotter days or if you live in a more tropical climate. I don’t know that I’d call it sexy, but it is appealing, and I honestly would like smelling this on a woman.

It is a more youthful scent but I don’t think it is quite as ‘girly’ as some of the Britney Spears fragrances or something along those lines. Bonbon feels a bit more mature, like in your twenties, instead of teens.

All in all, it is a versatile fragrance, so long as you don’t go overboard with the sprays. I’d lean toward saying it is more appropriate for casual or nightlife situations, but it won’t be out of place when worn lightly, in an office.

Overall Impressions of Bonbon

Is Bonbon worth a buy? Maybe. I actually find this perfume to be really attractive, but also understand that if you’re not a fan of the sweet scents, keep away from Bonbon. It’s not amazingly complex or sexy or mature but it does smell good.

It can be pretty pricey, however, and that might be the biggest strike against it for some people. Is such a straightforward scent worth that much? That depends entirely you and your tastes.

I really like caramel as a note and the opening pairing of citrus/peach, is very well done. It’s juicy, sweet, with a warm saltiness. The amber and caramel dry down is appealing, serves as a nice platform, for the other ingredients to waft out of from time to time. Bonbon isn’t the greatest thing on the market, but certainly qualifies as a good perfume.

Live Irresistible EDP by Givenchy

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I’m still making my way through a lot of women’s perfume samples, and so, the reviews will be coming for the foreseeable future. Today’s entry is a scent from Givenchy, Live Irresistible. This original release of the series, came out back in 2015. How does this one smell? What’s the performance like? Is it worth a try?

What does Live Irresistible Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, amber, pineapple, vanilla, praline, passion fruit, pepper, musk, and patchouli

Click here to try: Live Irresistible by Givenchy Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 oz for Women  

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my own review of this perfume, let’s see how Givenchy describes it: Your Motto: We only live once. Your perfume: A fruity floral, fizzy and spicy. Your mood: Happy & Irresistible!

Live Irresistible opens up with a blend of citrus and pineapple, with a very noticeable rose, lurking underneath. It’s a very sweet and fruity perfume with a rose.

The praline note, provides a chocolate-like sweetness, which will come in more later on. Up top, it’s there and gives the scent a somewhat baked goods kind of smell. A warm sweetness, which is only enhanced by the earthy patchouli note.

As it moves along, it initially gives off a spiciness with some further floral development, wrapped up in a warm amber.  Pepper and patchouli bring the spice and take away some of the tart sharpness provided by the pineapple note.

Finally, I’m left with a fruity chocolate fragrance, with amber, rose and patchouli floating around the edges of this perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Live Irresistible starts off with a pretty strong ability to project. Later on, the sillage settles down, but it’s never a weak fragrance. It’s solid and you’ll know it’s there for the duration.

On the whole, I say that it’s well above average with how it projects and leaves a scent trail versus the baseline perfume out there. It just doesn’t have that cloying heaviness, since this is a fresher and fruitier fragrance with those heavier gourmand notes not bogging it down.

On my skin, this Givenchy perfume, gave about 9 hours of wear. It’s somewhere in that range, as I lost the exact track of time, but there aren’t any performance issue here at all.

Climate wise, I think it’s best for mild to warmer weather. The fruity and floral blend, definitely gives this a spring/summer feel. It’s nice and really worked well outside, in the sunlight, right after a few sprays.

It’s got an energetic and uplifting aroma, that makes it great as a casual or daily wear. Not something that is super sexy or one built for the nightlife.

Overall Impression of Live Irresistible

Do I like this perfume? Somewhat. I’m not too sold on the first part of the wear. There’s a lot going on and some of the notes clash, in my opinion. Fruity, chocolate, spice, rose…pick a lane.

Later, this scent does get better, and it’s a nice aroma. I like the sweetness of the whole thing, it’s not amazing, but Live Irresistible is still attractive and has a fun energy. On the plus side, the performance here is solid.

So, if you do enjoy the scent itself, you’ll get your money’s worth. Overall, it’s a good, though not great fragrance. If you can get it at a discount, and it sounds interesting to you, I’d say go for it.

Athalia by Parfums de Marly

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For this fragrance review entry, I have a perfume from the women’s lineup of Parfums de Marly called, Athalia. PdM is a high end luxury fragrance brand, which has produced a lot of amazing scents over the past decade or so. This one was released in 2016.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at this one in particular. I will share my experiences wearing Athalia, discuss what it smells like, when it should be worn, and if it’s worth a try.

What does Athalia Smell Like?

Notes include: incense, rose, orange bitter, iris, orange blossom, amber, vanilla, and vetiver

Click here to try: PARFUMS DE MARLY Athalia, 2.5 Fl Oz

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see what Parfums de Marly says about Athalia: “Athalia is highly sensual with an opening of encens, rose, and orange bitter followed by a bouquet of iris and orange blossom on a base of amber, vanilla, and vetiver, giving the fragrance a floral amber accord. Seductive and attractive, this feminine perfume is one that is a perfect day regardless of the occasion.”

The opening of Athalia is quite lovely. There is a light incense note, at the top, which gets a bit smokier as the wear moves on (but never too much). However, what I mainly pick up at the start of this is orange blossom, orange, and some rose.

The iris powdery quality is hanging in the background, with a clean aroma, but it is secondary at this point.

After about 10 minutes, Athalia begins to shift more into becoming an iris-led floral perfume. The rose is not really that powerful to my nose, I mostly get the iris and orange blossom, with some of the smoky quality of the incense.

Athalia gets warmer, as it moves along, but I wish that orange bitter note still hung around. I really enjoyed that, in the opening act of this fragrance. Nonetheless, this perfume moves forward, with a surprisingly nice blend of iris, amber, and vetiver.

There is still some orange blossom and vanilla, but those two notes flank, these main three. That’s about what you get for the rest of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Athalia has a fairly moderate sillage. It’s not too powerful, even at the start, but you’ll know that it’s there throughout the wear.

Though, it will stay in that 2-4 foot range from where you sprayed it for a good portion of the wear.

The longevity is really quite good, as well. It seems to sit somewhere in the 8-10 hour range, on my skin.

It’s about what I get with most of the perfumes from this brand. Some will go deeper into double digits, but most get to the level that Althalia is at.

Seasonally, this is a warmer fragrance, so it’s best in cooler climates. Wouldn’t be bad for springtime either, just not a summer wear, at all. A lot of iris fragrances, can get too powdery, and not have that appealing side to them.

However, Athalia actually does deliver as seductive aroma, as promised, and is something that I enjoy smelling thoroughly.

It’s also not just stuck in being a nighttime fragrance. It isn’t anything to out there, that it couldn’t be worn at the office or even more casually. Athalia can check a lot of boxes, as to when it can be applied.

Overall Impressions of Athalia

Overall, do I recommend Athalia? Yes, I think that it is a wonderful fragrance overall. My favorite part is the opening, but it is still nice during the rest of the way, also.

The incense is really well done, how it is paired with the rose, orange, and orange blossom, is fantastic. I’m not even a massive fan of that smoky note, but it’s so approachable and beautiful in this mix.

This is a fragrance, where you’re going to have to enjoy the iris note, because that’s the leader. That’s what you’re going to get a lot of in the dry down period versus it being more in the background in the opening act.

I might be a bit higher on this perfume than some other people, as I do enjoy a good iris scent.

But, there is still other things to enjoy from the orange bitter to the amber or the vetiver. The performance is very solid and it’s a joy to wear in totality.

It’s also just a perfume that can fit in a lot of places and has the potential to be a signature scent. At the $300+ price point, you might still want to test it out for yourself before committing to a full bottle. That can be a costly mistake, if you don’t enjoy the scent itself.

Good Girl EDP by Carolina Herrera

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Good Girl by Carolina Herrera has become a massive hit since its release in 2016. Since then, it has spawned a bunch of flanker perfumes in various decorated high heel bottles. How does it smell? When can it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Good Girl Eau de Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, coffee, bergamot, tuberose, almond, rose, tonka bean, cocoa

Click here to try: CAROLINA HERRERA Good Girl Eau de Perfume Spray, 2.7 Fl Oz

My Full Review

The initial spray Good Girl gives me a blend of citrus and white floral notes for the first few minutes. It’s somewhat of a lemon and jasmine blend with hints of almond coming through. There is a secondary layer of tuberose.

Quickly after that, the citrus really fades away on my skin. Then, the gourmand notes begin to move in. Up first is the aforementioned almond, which is joined by coffee. Later, cocoa and tonka bean will play a greater role.

This perfume does have a sweetness to it, but it isn’t sugary or candy-like. Actually, it’s very well blended and there is a certain spiciness that is persistent throughout. That, mostly comes through if I press my nose to the skin.

On my skin, I do get a greater share of almond and jasmine with some lighter coffee and tonka bean notes. However, when I have smelled this on women, it comes across as more of a mocha latte with floral highlights.

In either case, the latter stages are semi-sweet, a bit powdery, and almost exclusively jasmine (in terms of the floral notes). Coffee, tonka bean, and jasmine are what I pick up during the absolute final stage. Though, it gets more difficult to distinguish, as no one note dominates completely.

It doesn’t have a ton of development past that transition to the middle notes. Doesn’t necessarily need it, but Good Girl isn’t a very complex fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Good Girl isn’t a super heavy scent or one that is going to fill the room. However, I think that it projects itself to a greater extent than people give it credit for.

It’s not a constant bombardment of my sense of smell, but I do keep getting whiffs and impressions of it throughout the day. It’s not fading fast, rather, it can be subtle.

Longevity is also quite good, at around 8 hours. I’m not saying this Carolina Herrera fragrance is elite, but it does a solid job for most purposes.

Seasonally, this is a colder weather wear. Autumn through early spring, is when it is going to be of use. Not the most formal fragrance, but isn’t so sickly sweet or overpowering that you cannot lightly use in a variety of situations.

Casual wear to a night out to a party kind of fragrance, would all work with Good Girl. Very versatile and mass appealing.

Overall Impressions of Good Girl

Do I like this scent? Yes, I do. It’s popular for a reason. Not the most original or greatest perfume on the market, but it does everything well, with an appealing presentation. It gets copied a lot and there are more alternatives to Carolina Herrera Good Girl than ever.

I like that it doesn’t go completely gourmand or sickly sweet. The floral notes and overall balance lend themselves well to its overall appeal. I really like the coffee and almond notes, the most in the composition.

It’s one most are already probably familiar with. It performs well enough, has a nice scent, and can be worn for a good chunk of the year in a multitude of scenarios.

There have been a ton of flankers released after this initial one and it doesn’t seem as if they’re going to stop anytime soon. Some are better than this one, while others are forgettable.

Nothing groundbreaking here, just an easy to wear perfume, that is sort of a jack of all trades. Though, it certainly has some charm.