Best Perfumes for Women

Best Incense Scented Perfumes for Women

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Incense is such a familiar part of culture from across the globe, that for many people, it has become synonymous with comfort and spirituality. Beyond all of that good stuff, it can also be infused into fragrance to create that warm smokiness , that adds just a bit of an edge to a perfume. For this post, I have selected seven fragrances that have an incense element to them. Some will be more than others, but I wanted to get many options for differing tastes.

Incense Perfumes: What are the Top Smelling Fragrances?

Woody Resinous Incense

Full Incense by Montale– This one goes exactly as the name describes. It’s pretty much a linear fragrance with not too much depth. However, the resinous quality, woods, and the familiar smell of incense makes this one fantastic.

Full Incense does have a sweeter quality, not as smoky (it still is), as some might like. Fresh cedar with greenish aromas peaking through during the duration of the wear.

Great Guerlain

Guerlain Shalimar Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce– An absolute classic fragrance. Again, this is one that isn’t a ‘pure’ incense perfume, though it is prominently featured. An absolute classic of a scent.

Shalimar is an exotic blend of vanilla, citrus, rose, jasmine, leather, and musk. It’s got a nice bit of citrus, that floats around in the smokiness of incense, and plays well off of the leather note.

The citrus is pretty strong up front, but then the smoky, vanilla, and leather trio will move in and push the fruits aside.

At times, you will get more of a powdery feel from Shalimar, then, the smoky and warmth with sweet vanilla. It’s been around forever, still appreciated, and still a great performer. There have been many flankers of Shalimar, that have been released over the years, but I have to give the original its due.

Citrus, Rose, and Incense

INCENSE ROSE 1.7 OZ. BY ANDY TAUER by Andy Tauer– Quite a dark perfume with the warmth of incense and sweetness of rose. But first there is the mandarin note which brings the citrus front and center. Very unique and performs well.

Incense Rose can be somewhat difficult to find, at least at a good price. Nonetheless, the opening act is less about the incense and more about the citrus and rose. That phase gives this perfume an attractive and bright aroma.

Later, the smokiness and spice will come through much more. Light spices, rose, and the incense note that we’re looking for.

Smoky Sweetness

Tom Ford Black Orchid By Tom Ford For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4-Ounces– Black Orchid is a complex blend that features a wonderful incense note which only increases the wonderful mysteriousness of this fragrance. Unisex scent that is dark and sweetened by chocolate and vanilla notes.

Dark, rich, and spicy. A loud and sensual gourmand fragrance featuring notes of black truffle, black orchid, plum, and patchouli. Bold and sexy wear that can sometimes be polarizing.

Black Orchid is not only a top level fragrance with its sillage, but it seemingly lasts forever. Yes, Tom Ford fragrances are priced on the higher end, but you get every penny’s worth with this perfume’s performance.

It’s sweet, it’s dark and dry, it’s smoky, and then powdered. Black Orchid is complex and deep, with plenty of personality.

Woody Incense

Giorgio Armani Prive Bois D’Encens Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.4oz– A dry and more earthy take on incense. This Armani formulation is a pretty simple and straightforward one but it is still unique, if familiar at times.  This one is probably one of the most ‘pure’ on this list.

Dark, woody, resinous, with hints of spice and sweetness. All of which is wrapped up in a light incense haze. The pepper can be strong at first, but it will settle to a more gentle form within the composition.

This came out well over a decade ago, so, bottles are tougher to come by. Worth a try, at a decent price.

Cathedral Myrrh

Incense Avignon– This one was a part of Comme des Garcons series of incense inspired scents. Avignon is the classic Catholic church aroma of frankincense and myrrh.

It’s pretty tough to come by a bottle these days, but could be a go to for those looking for that old Cathedral scent. This one is quite a bit like Montale’s Pure Incense, except with the additional myrrh being a bit heavier in this one.

Complex High End Option

AMOUAGE Epic Woman’s Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 fl. oz.– Typical Amouage, a very loud and long lasting scent with the oriental flavor. This one feature caraway and rose, which creates a floral based incense perfume.

The opening act has a huge amount of spice, mainly from that caraway note and cinnamon. There is also a bit of fruity sweetness, floating around, but the incense note in the dry down is great.

It settles down into a smoky, lighter spiced, sweet vanilla and warm amber blend. Oh, and a big dash of oud, to really give it that woody smoke.

Bright Crystal vs Chanel Chance Comparison

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Chanel Chance EDP and Bright Crystal by Versace are two best selling fragrances for ladies on the market today. They aren’t exactly duplicates of one another and offer quite different experiences from one another in the floral perfume space. Which is better? In this post, I will break down each before declaring my ultimate winner between them.

Tale of the Tape: Versace Bright Crystal vs Chanel Chance

Chanel Chance

Notes include: vanilla, jasmine, iris, patchouli, pink pepper, and musk

Click here to try: Chanel Chance EDP

Bright Crystal

Notes include: yuzo, peony, pomegranate, musk, magnolia, iced accord, lotus, amber

Click Here to try Bright Crystal: Versace Bright Crystal Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Bright Crystal Review

Opening

Bright Crystal kicks off with its fruity notes taking center stage. A delicious blend of yuzo and pomegranate peak through with a cold and icy demeanor, as there is a so-called iced accord in this perfume. Once that initial phase passes, the peony and other floral notes start to really come into their own.

Chanel Chance EDP has much less of the patchouli note, than the EDT version. This one is a floral scent with clean vanilla highlights. It is led by both jasmine and iris, as its main floral notes.

You get a mix of sweetness, with musk, and enough earthy spice to make it pop a bit. There are some light fruit notes, but it isn’t very prominent. The patchouli, will develop more in the later stages of this fragrance.

Which is better? I think I enjoy the opening of Bright Crystal more. I love the yuzo and pomegranate, very cool and juicy. Chance is nice, but I just get drawn into the Versace.

Sillage

Neither of these has a monster ability to project themselves. Bright Crystal is much more of a moderate fragrance than Chance EDP. The Chanel is strong, but on the lower end of that spectrum. However, it definitely is stronger on me than is Bright Crystal.

Edge: Chance EDP

Longevity

Meanwhile, that strength doesn’t seem to give Chance a longer lasting wear. For me, they both fall into the 8-10 hour range, which is what you will want in most any situation. Nonetheless, they are equals in this regard.

Edge: Push

 

Versatility

Both of these are highly versatile. Can be worn year round, in a variety of situations, perhaps, the Chanel is a bit more formal. Nevertheless, they pretty much assume the same space in terms of use. 

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Which is better? It’s a tough call, as they are both great fragrances.

Chance gives you more of a fresh and floral wear, with an awesome pink pepper note. Patchouli, jasmine, musk, and pink pepper are prevalent in the dry down. It does everything that you want well. You can’t really go too wrong with this one from Chanel.

Bright Crystal as more of a fruity/floral balance, with the fruit notes really taking hold at the start. Then, the peony, magnolia, lotus, and musk notes reveal themselves more. 

Between the two? It really depends on whether you prefer the fruity notes and peony or jasmine, spice, and patchouli. Also, consider that Bright Crystal is a lot less expensive than Chance EDP. For me, I tend to enjoy the smell of Bright Crystal in comparison. I like both, but the Versace gets the edge to my nose.

Winner: Bright Crystal

4 Best Smelling Ellen Tracy Perfumes

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Ellen Tracy is a newer addition in the world of fragrance, but has already carved out a niche in the space for the lineup of perfumes produced under its banner. These perfumes while available at a highly affordable price point, are actually extremely well put together, have style, and aren’t the typical run of the mill ‘cheapies’.

In this post, I want to go over what I would consider the four best smelling ladies’ scents that have come out from this designer thus far.

What are the Best Ellen Tracy Perfumes?

Top Daily Wear

Ellen Tracy By Ellen Tracy For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces– The namesake fragrance and the one that has enjoyed the best seller status. Ellen Tracy for Women is a beautiful and very well put together scent, at this price point.

It is a very clean woody/floral perfume with a warm musky undertone. It is elegant and vibrant with fruity notes of plum and peach giving it a very small dash of sweetness. Mainly, you’re going to get a light floral bouquet aroma. It dries down as powdery with a bit of soapiness.

This is a easy to wear scent, that is great for daily wear, office, or casual situations. Very nice and welcoming during the spring and into the summer months.

Fruity Floral

Ellen Tracy Pretty Petals Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.5 Ounce– With notes including peach and blackberry, Pretty Petals is a fruity mix with floral undertones, featuring rose.

It’s a strong fruity bomb at first, but will settle down into something with a subtle warmth and vanilla smoothness. Pretty Petals is sweet, youthful, and kind of girly but has an energetic charm about it. The name suggests it’d be more about the floral notes, but that’s not the case.

A bit sweet, with some early tartness from the blackberry. Not a heavy fragrance, and so, this can venture into the warmer months.


Cold Lemonade and Floral

Ellen Tracy Bronze 3.3oz Eau De Parfum Spray For women– Bronze has a lemonade note that is mixed with floral undertones. Sounds weird? Maybe, but it is also a sneaky good fragrance.

It’s more of a casual wear with the violet note and the cool lemonade blending to make a somewhat sugary, powdered scent. The latter half of the wear is more about the floral notes like: heliotrope, violet, honeysuckle, and orchid.

I’d say that the familiar somewhat baby powder aroma (not entirely) that Bronze takes on, is probably its main appeal, and may deter those who don’t enjoy that smell. I really enjoy that chilled opening act of lemonade and soft freshness. Read my full review

Clean, Powdery, Floral

Tracy By Ellen Tracy For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 oz– This perfume has a creamy smooth profile with a floral powdery aroma. Tracy is a softer everyday wear that is clean and has a very nice almond note doing the heavy lifting that is flanked by violet.

An inexpensive option for those who want to be low key while smelling delightful. It can come across as semi-aquatic early on, mainly from the water lily. As it progresses, more iris, rose, and peony come through. Particularly, the peony note.

5 Best Smellinig Bijan Perfumes for Her

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Now, I’ve already written up a list of the best smelling men’s colognes by Bijan. As such, I thought it’d be a good time to tackle the women’s side of their lineup. Now, there have been decades of releases from this design house, and it became pretty difficult to narrow it down to only five. However, the list below is a good representation of some of the top scents from Bijan, and as good of a place to start as any.

What are the Best Smelling Bijan Perfumes?

Floral Chocolate

Bijan Nude Women’s Eau De Toilette Spray 2.50 Oz– A floral, led by the very prominent iris note, and joined by lilac. Also, a supporting sweetness is provided by the white chocolate note.

Overall, it has a lighter aroma, but it can start off quite strong. Bijan Nude features musky and woody undertones to balance out the floral. It’s an interesting fragrance, with the usual floral and musky soapiness, but with that chocolate note and iris powder.

The white chocolate really starts to come on more after the initial wave of fragrance settles down. A nice candidate for daily wear, that is safe enough to wear to the office, but with enough to set it apart from the crowd.

The Namesake

Bijan By Bijan For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Oz– A throwback to the 80s, with a lot of depth, character, and a great smell. Bijan is warm and sweet with an amber heart, which is surrounded by sweet notes, and florals.

However, it evolves throughout the wear and there are bits of citrus, spice, and woody notes that all take their turn on the throne. Still a fantastic fragrance, many years after its release.

Dark, Woods and Patchouli

Bijan Wicked FOR WOMEN by Bijan – 2.5 oz EDT Spray– Lotus and jasmine, sitting on top of a sea of warm amber with a dry fresh vetiver and earthy patchouli note. It opens up with citrus and a somewhat tart red currant.

It becomes more about the floral notes for a while, before it moves into its final phase of patchouli, vetiver, and amber. Warm, woodsy, earthy, and somewhat masculine finish. Great performance, strong and long lasting.

Sweet Delicious Floral

Bijan Black By Bijan For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 OZ– A very fresh floral with a bit of a twist at the start, where you get a sweet and creamy, tonka bean/pomegranate blend that is absolutely refreshing.

Ultimately, it retains that sweetness but becomes much more of a floral with notes such as rose and gardenia. This one is getting tougher to find a bottle of for cheap. I wouldn’t pay an exorbitant amount of money for it, but it’s a good fragrance for a reasonable price.

Spicy Vanilla Floral

BIJAN B EXQUISITE by Bijan EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 1.7 OZ– A very warm and quite spicy scent at the beginning, but ultimately more of a vanilla and sandalwood blend, that is dotted by flowers.

Early on the vanilla is joined by the berry notes and B Exquisite really lives up to its name, as something that smells quite expensive and luxurious. It can come across quite a bit like the fragrance Flowerbomb.

Sublime Vanille by Creed

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So, among multiple Creed samples, I received a few from their Royal Exclusives line of scents. These are even more high end (read: expensive) scents than their usual already high-priced fair. Sublime Vanille is a fragrance that is built for those who love vanilla, but is it any good?

In this review, I’m going to cover what’s in this unisex fragrance, how it smells, performs, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Sublime Vanille Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, musk, tonka bean, bergamot, lemon

Click here to try:  Sublime Vanille

My Full Wear Review

The opening of Sublime Vanille is a mix of citrus and the fantastic vanilla note. In fact, it smells like an orange Creamsicle to me, except changing the orange for a lemon note.

The first ten minutes or so it stays like this until the vanilla note becomes dominant along with the creaminess of the tonka bean. Honestly, this is one of the best vanilla notes that I’ve smelled in any fragrance, it’s really good.

The whole thing feels warm, almost like the vanilla is baked in, and it has a syrup sweet quality to it. The citrus note still hangs around but it plays the background exclusively after the beginning. While this is a unisex scent, Sublime Vanille does seem to lean more toward the feminine end of the spectrum.

One thing that I enjoy, is how the musk note is subtle and doesn’t overpower the composition. This scent is pretty straightforward, it doesn’t change all that much from the start, and is consistent from then on.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Sublime Vanille is decent but not amazing. It’s a fairly soft fragrance but you’ll know that it is there during wear. Longevity, is disappointing but not terrible I can usually steal 4-5 hours with this beauty before it fades away.

With many vanilla and tonka bean scents, you are limited to the colder months of the year but with the citrus notes in this, you can get away with wearing it in the summer. In fact, it’s pretty great when its warm outside, with that typical Creed bergamot note.

I would call it a casual scent, but it smells good enough to be a romantic wear. I guess you can call it a dressed up casual fragrance. It is not however, a night club scent.

Overall Impressions of Sublime Vanille

Overall, is Sublime Vanille a buy? OK, I’m going to assume that anyone who is researching a bottle of Creed, can actually afford to pay for it without selling a kidney.

I do think that this is a really nice vanilla fragrance, but I do have some reservations about the longevity. The aroma itself? It’s beautiful and one of the best vanilla notes that I’ve ever experienced. Top notch.

I feel that if you’re going to spend $500-1000 a bottle, you should get something that lasts throughout the day, and this doesn’t. Personally, I’d rather spend that money on several fragrances instead of just one, but if you’re a well to do vanilla lover…I say, go for it.