Best Perfumes for Women

11 Best Valentino Perfumes for Her

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Valentino is a name in the fashion world which is synonymous with elegance, class, grace, and looks that are completely classic. Of course, the perfume line from Valentino tries to embody the image which the name tends to invoke in women from around the world, and in most cases, succeeds completely.

For this post, I have selected eleven scents which I feel are the best from the designer. Some of these may be discontinued, but still available online at various stores. But, I’ve updated it recently with newer picks, as well.

Also, check out: Sexiest Women’s Perfumes, Top Kenzo Scents, Our Homepage

Favorite Smelling Valentino Perfumes

Best Winter Scent

Valentina Myrrh Assoluto– Myrrh is an underused note in the perfume world and even when it is included; it can be poorly done. Myrrh Assoluto is a definite exception, as this is a fantastic fragrance.

It’s warm, with sweet vanilla, and hints of rich leather peaking in throughout the wear. It is bold and enveloping, like a wrapped blanket around your body. This type of fragrance is going to be a cold weather scent, so, avoid if you’re in a tropical location.

Sort of a unique offering from Valentino, though, it has an amazing darkness to it and is overall very beautiful.

Soft Daily Wear

Valentino Rock ‘n Rose by Valentino For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 1.6-Ounces – As the name suggests, the heart of this fragrance is its rose note. It combines with other florals and sweeter smells to create a memorable, light, and highly feminine perfume that is unique in its own right.

It opens up with a mix of sweetness and a somewhat sharp aroma, provided by black currant. As it dries down, it can take on a bit of creaminess and feels powdery at time. Sandalwood and gardenia are flanking the namesake rose.

Best Born in Roma

Donna Born in Roma– So, the best of the Donna Born in Roma series is the original (at least thus far). Yellow Dream is second, in my mind.

Initially, this one has a good deal of tartness between the black currant and bergamot notes, but this will gradually become sweeter, without feeling sugary. The citrus seems like it is stronger than the currant on first spray. Pink pepper also gives it some warm spice, before it transitions.

Really, vanilla and smooth cashmeran wood will eventually emerge to lead Born in Roma. But, jasmine dominates the middle and gives this a nice floral heart pairing with the vanilla. Sweet, easy to wear, and softer than it may initially seem.

The woody and vanilla dry down is fairly simple, but highly enjoyable for a popular designer fragrance.

Dreaming Roma

Born in Roma Yellow Dream– Updating this page, I’m not sure if this one is still my second favorite in the Donna Born in Roma series or not. However, it is still near the top.

It starts with a lemon note up top, which surprisingly isn’t too sharp or intense in that opening act. Underneath that, is a soft rose, which shares the beginning of the wear with that lemon and the two work very well together.

As we move forward, it’s a musky rose fragrance with a light hint of that initial lemon. It’s somewhat sweet and it feels like there might be another unlisted floral note in here also, that is supporting the rose.

This one is very simple and a nice clean daily wear. It might be too pricey for what you get, but I think it’s nice overall.

Golden Roma

Born in Roma The Gold– I could’ve also went with Born in Roma Intense, but I think this one is a bit different enough from the others, that it deserves spot on the list.

This one is a gardenia based fragrance with that ‘solar’ sort of smell they put in perfumes and a creaminess added by a coconut. To me, the coconut note isn’t too heavy, but more blended into the rather simple bright white floral mix.

So, that top is going to be slightly juicy and tropical with a mandarin orange and that coconut, but that will start to fade and this will be more dominated by the gardenia.

This also gets compared to Alien Goddess by Mugler. However, I think that Born in Roma Intense is closer to the mark there.

Very pretty, somewhat has that fluffy aroma at times (ala Cloud), but this one is an easy to reach for perfume if you enjoy gardenia.

Unisex Leather Option

Valentino Donna Noir Absolu– Donna Noir Absolu has overlaps with the men’s version of this, but is unisex at the same time. A blast of peppery spice in the opening, settles down into a smooth leathery joy.

On top of that leather is a sweet/tart fruitiness and just a hint of booze, at least early on. The further along you get, the drier that the perfume becomes, with an incense smokiness permeating the fragrance. Not super heavy, not too sweet, just a well-blended and great smelling perfume.

Valentino Jasmine Blend

Valentino Valentina Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.7 Ounce– Citrus notes blended with vanilla, sweet floral ingredients, and woodsy notes like cedar. It has a refined air of elegance to it along with something that is strikingly natural.

Jasmine is the main floral note here, at times it is supported by strawberry, and later a fairly large bit of truffle. The fruity notes, don’t really seem all that strong, and it has more earthiness than a super fruity vibe.

In the end, jasmine and tuberose, with cedar and truffle, and a bit of strawberry remaining. Very inviting and surprisingly wonderful fragrance for daily wear.

Light Scent for Spring/Summer

New by Valentino Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 1.70 Ounce – This is another very classy and sensual scent by Valentino. Like the others it contains some delightful floral notes including, mimosa, orange blossom, violet leaves, vanilla orchid, and pear blossom.

A very versatile perfume that can be a star performer for the right lady. Pomelo and orange flower give it a citrus fruit character, especially up top. It provides a bit of juiciness to the composition, sitting underneath a bouquet of flowers.

The floral notes that stick out are the mimosa, orange blossom, and heliotrope. There is a powdery finish and Valentino EDP also delivers a solid performance with an upbeat personality.

Frangipani and Pear

Donna Acqua by Valentino– This flanker fragrance to the original Donna, has enjoyed some popularity over the past few years, becoming one of the best selling Valentino perfumes (though, I think Born in Roma gets more attention). It also, happens to be one of the most attractive.

It is led by frangipani, with a sweet nuttiness sitting underneath from the almond note. However, I think that the main support is the pear note, whose crisp juiciness provides much of the ‘Acqua’ feeling that is present.

Light, fairly sheer, with a dose of creaminess from sandalwood and frangipani. There is a jasmine note, also, that comes through more after a few hours.

Discontinued but Great

Valentino V Absolu By Valentino For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 1.6 Ounces – Great perfume, if you can still score a bottle of it. It is an interplay between sweet and spicy, the sweet eventually wins out and a beautiful and warm dry down makes this an absolute winner.

V Absolu has plenty of creaminess from the frangipani, sandalwood, and delicious vanilla. There is a woodiness and some fig, especially upon the initial spray. Again, it’s been discontinued, but it’s good enough to keep a spot on the list.

Simple, Easy to Wear, Very Nice

Valentino Voce Viva 3.4 oz / 100 ml EDP Women Spray– This one seems to have gotten some critical reviews since its release, maybe because it’s not super original? However, I think it’s actually a pleasant and attractive fragrance.

It opens up with orange blossom, a general citrus aroma, and vanilla. It’s bright, sweet, and creamy. You’ll also get some ginger, and later, a gardenia note. It will be a citrus floral fragrance for the opening act.

Then, it will shift to be a floral, vanilla, and mossy scent. Vanilla and gardenia, with a clean and dry aroma coming up from the base. All in all, a perfume with a lovely profile. Not super unique, but it does distinguish itself and gives you a great performance.

Voce Viva is extremely versatile and one that can be worn pretty much anywhere in the spring and summer months. My full review

City of Stars by Louis Vuitton

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City of Stars is one of the new fragrance releases by Louis Vuitton for 2022. It was a perfume that seemed to get more attention than the others recently, so I was interested in seeing if it was actually any good. How does City of Stars smell? When should it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

City of Stars Overview

Notes include: red mandarin, bergamot, lemon, lime, blood orange, musk, tiare flower, sandalwood

city of stars review

My Full Review

Here’s how Louis Vuitton describes it: Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud offers a festive ode to Los Angeles by night, its excitement and extravagance, from star-studded boulevards to the constellations shimmering above the skyline. As darkness falls, the city’s lights surge in a sensual olfactory tableau.

The opening is obviously going to be a mix of citrus notes, just by looking at the ones listed. The main one that sticks out is the lime. Some blood orange and bergamot are also detectable. But, it is mostly a blend for much of the wear.

However, the citrus here doesn’t go full blast like how it does in Afternoon Swim. No, instead the tiare accord and musk have their own strong presence early on.

Louis Vuitton describes this as a nighttime fragrance, but the perfume is honestly quite beachy with the citrus and tiare giving it a tropical flair. Feels more sunny and daytime.

One thing to notice, during the wear, is how there is a balance of powdery and a creamy aroma throughout. The musk, tiare, and sandalwood notes all go back and forth to create this effect.

City of Stars has a similar style to Soleil Blanc and Virgin Island Water. But, I get reminded of Dior Homme Cologne, which is citrus, musk, and white floral. However, City is more complex and more feminine than that cologne.

Still, even with those comparisons, City of Stars still feels distinct from all of them.

The dry down is a slightly powdery white floral fragrance. There is a lime juiciness still around, just not all that powerful. There is still the muskiness and that lotion-like creaminess, neither really takes over the composition, though.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This fragrance has a pretty moderate sillage. It does hang in the air and leave a nice scent trail in your wake, for about the first hour.

The projection probably maxes out in the seven foot range. After that, it’ll stick around 3-4 feet for the bulk of the wear. A nice bubble of perfume for yourself and those who get closer.

Just know that this isn’t going to be a powerhouse. I found it to be good enough, in this department.

The longevity here, seems to be in the 6-7.5 hour range. After that, it is gone on my skin. But, it has hit in that range, each time that I’ve tested City of Stars out.

It doesn’t have that marathon performance, but it is passable in this regard.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summertime fragrance. It’s bright and lightly tropical vibe, is built for the warmer months of the year.

This is a unisex fragrance. The tiare is usually a note for women’s perfumes. While it does for sure lean that way, it isn’t too ‘girly’ that a man couldn’t pull this off.

Again, I don’t know why this is marketed as a nighttime wear. I suppose, on warm summer nights out, I’d wear this. But, this really comes across as a more casual to semi-formal daytime wear.

It’s pretty and attractive. Not a super seductive scent or one that begs for attention. Clean powder, musky cream.

Overall Impression of City of Stars

Overall, do I like City of Stars? I do. It’s not completely amazing, but I like it about the same as I enjoy Afternoon Swim or Cactus Garden by Louis Vuitton. Two of their better fragrances, in my opinion.

Much better than On the Beach. More recently, this has been getting overlooked by Pacific Chill, but this is the better perfume.

The citrus is nice, giving it the usual summertime vibe. City does do a good job with the tiare flower, letting it have a tropical influence, but also giving it a nice powdery aroma to balance out some of the creaminess.

So, you get a beachy sun tan lotion aroma, that is lightened by that nice fresh powder. It keeps things light and clean. It’s so bright, sweet, and just lovely.

I really love the lime note when it’s playing off of that powdery touch. Really quite phenomenal at times.

It’s not a super complicated or heavy scent, but it has its distinct facets, which give City some more character.

The performance is decent, not terrible but not amazing either. For this style of summertime fragrance, it is pretty good. But, Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc does have a better longevity.

Is it worth the money? It’s worth sampling to see if you want to spend almost $300 for a bottle.

(Update: even pricier since I first published this review in 2022). Louis Vuitton scents are very pricey and I don’t recommend most people just hopping in with a blind buy. The Dua brand has their inexpensive take on this formula, called: City of Dua. 

If you’re in the market for a good summertime beachy or tropical scent, this is one that I’d look at. It might be worthwhile in your specific case. Otherwise, I’d find a sample, if it sounds like one you might get a kick out of.

9 Best Smelling Marc Jacobs Perfumes

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Marc Jacobs line of fragrances have many options that are always in the mix of the top sellers. These perfumes aren’t cheap but aren’t breathtakingly expensive either, so you can find some gems to fit your style at a moderate price point.

For this, list I have selected nine fragrances by Marc Jacobs that can be considered the best. Where, I have done a full review on the perfume, I have linked to it. I will also update this, as needed, over the ensuing months or years.

What are the Best Marc Jacobs Perfumes for Women?

Best Seller

Marc Jacobs Daisy by Marc Jacobs 3.4oz 100ml EDT Spray– The most popular fragrance by Marc Jacobs. A feminine and playful floral perfume with notes of violet, vanilla, grapefruit, gardenia, jasmine, and musk.

Very sweet and elegant. It opens up with a water floral bouquet, consisting mainly of the violet, but joined by gardenia and jasmine. You also get that bit of citrus a the top, supplied by the grapefruit note, which adds a nice touch away from just being a straight floral fragrance.

The dry down gets musky/powdery and the perfume has good performance, in the 7 hour range, on the skin. It’s a best-seller for a reason, it’s quite lovely. Daisy Full Review

Fresh Fruity Floral

Marc Jacobs Daisy Women’s Eau de Parfum Spray, Dream Forever, 1.7 Ounce– Daisy Dream brought you wisteria and jasmine, but Dream Forever, amps up the fruity notes, that flank those florals. The result is a more attractive and balanced aroma versus the original.

Dream Forever kicks off with a pairing of blackberry and pear, mostly. The blackberry strikes the nose as quite sour at first, but I think the sharpness of the grapefruit, is behind most of that. Nevertheless, this scent settles down and becomes a great fruity/floral perfume.

Dream Forever gets sweeter, with a fresh finish, and a light almost aquatic aroma. The sillage isn’t overly powerful, but Dream Forever hangs around quite nicely.

Best Decadence Scent

Marc Jacobs Decadence Eau So Decadent- This is the best of the Decadence line for me, even if none of the others are all that great, in my opinion. However, Eau So Decadent is a very nice daily wear sort of fragrance.

You get a fruity top blend, which aids the overall floral aroma. Blackcurrant and raspberry, give this perfume a somewhat sour berry smell. Meanwhile, pear is the real star of the show. The floral notes are lily of the valley, magnolia, and jasmine.

In the end, this fragrance is made up of: lily, magnolia, pear, and amber. It’s very versatile, a bit green, has enough sweetness to keep it interesting, with a solid performance. Eau So Decadent Full Review

Classic Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs Dot Eau De Parfum Spray for Women- More fruity than floral and built for the spring and summer months. Dot is soft, vibrant, and youthful. Dot features notes of red berries, dragon fruit, jasmine, honeysuckle, coconut, and more.

It isn’t a powerhouse perfume, but will give you 6-7 hours of solid wear, and can be worn in a variety of situations. Dot is clean and has a juicy and somewhat tropical aroma. It opens up with a punch of the red berries, dragon fruit, and delicious coconut water.

The fruits, definitely dominate the composition, but the flowers do build strength as it dries down. I personally detect jasmine and the honeysuckle, as the two most prominent floral notes.  Dot Full Review

Best Summer Perfume

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Eau de Toilette Spray-125ml/4.25 oz.– A fruitier take on the original Daisy with raspberry and pear notes. Much more intense and brighter than the original as well. You get fresh and sweet fruits, that are less juicy, and more tempered by the floral notes, such as violet.

This one is a simple and straightforward wear, with more earthy and floral elements emerging after the opening. The sillage isn’t huge, but Eau So Fresh, is a fantastic option for daily wear during the warmer months of the year.

Under the Radar Fragrance

Marc Jacobs Honey Eau de Parfum Spray for Women– Soft blend of really sweet fruits and honey. It’s not a totally loud or in your face perfume, rather, one that is subtle and good for the teenage/college set.

When one of the main notes is fruit punch, you should know what to expect, especially when you add in orange and the title ingredient. As it dries down, further, you do get more of a creamy/musky scent, which is clean and does take on a honey smelling aroma. Fresh and dynamic.

Top Spicy Floral Scent

Marc Jacobs Lola By Marc Jacobs for Women Eau De Parfum Spray- A rose based floral with some notes such as pear and grapefruit to give it an air of fruit. Pink pepper provides some spice and warmth. Mainly, you get a good amount of rose, with some peony, and an underlying blend of sweetness and pink pepper.

An underrated scent, that is very simple in its presentation. It might be discontinued at this point, but you can still find bottles.

So, there you have the full list, as of now. Each of these fragrances does represent a different style and will provide an option for just about anybody who is looking for a Marc Jacobs scent to wear.

C’est Parfait

Marc Jacobs Perfect Women 3.3 oz EDP Spray– Perfect is a newer addition to the line and currently one of the most popular from Marc Jacobs. It’s also a very nice fragrance.

It kicks off with a mix of rhubarb and strawberries, giving it an initial fruitiness that pairs well with the underlying greenish aroma. 

That is a sweet and tart beginning to the perfume, which will then give way to daffodil and almond milk. The sweet tart will fade away and daffodil, musk, cashmeran will dominate this one.

Clean, floral, and woody. A very balanced aroma on the whole. The performance is solid with 7-8 hours of performance and Perfect provides a sunny and upbeat experience for the warmer months. Perfect Review

Another Perfect

Perfect Elixir– Updating things here, I think I like this one a bit more than the original EDP and for sure more than Perfect Intense. 

This one is warmer, thicker, and somewhat resinous in comparison to the EDP. This does still have the fruitiness, but it adds a plum note to the rhubarb, instead of that strawberry.

Yet, it’s still not a super heavy perfume even with the honey note. The dry down utilizes more orange blossom and that resinous mix of amber notes and the plum note seems to hang around for a long time, also. 

If you liked the Perfect line or this one sounds interesting to you, Perfect Elixir is worth checking out.

9 Best Smelling Gaultier Perfumes

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Jean Paul Gaultier has always had a distinct style, especially in the world of fragrances. For both men and women, his perfumes really have their own character and are pretty much immediately recognizable to be from the designer.

Especially, the favorite pear note. In this post, I want to keep a running list of the top JPG perfumes for her, as new ones cycle in and older ones move out.

Favorite Jean Paul Gaultier Fragrances for Her

Bold Pear and Vanilla

Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle for Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– La Belle was sort of the women’s version of Ultra Male to me, as they both shared a lot of the same characteristics. Mainly the use of pear, vanilla, and being sillage bombs.

La Belle opens with that pear and a citrus bergamot note, that comes across as bright, sparkling, with the mid and base notes adding a further bold sweetness.

Yet, early on there is a watery, semi-aquatic aroma that keeps it from being just a thick messy cloud of perfume. Amber and some nice touches of spice.

The bergamot will fade and that vanilla will move fully into place. Smoothness, musk, vetiver, and that amber join the vanilla and pear. The fruitiness is still the main focus, however. La Belle EDP Full Review

Which Divine?

Divine Le Parfum– So to me, the original Divine and Le Parfum are pretty close in terms of how much I enjoy each of them. But, I do give the nod to Le Parfum.

Now, not everyone is a fan of the Divine line from Gaultier, but I think that it actually has a nice vibe.

With Le Parfum, it has less of the salty aquatic/marine aroma that the original did. Which, I think goes a long way towards making it more palatable for the masses. It’s still fresh up top, along with amber, solar notes, and frangipani.

Less of the salty melon aroma of the original, with 10+ hour performance, and a more floral blend. Taken together, I think it makes Divine Le Parfum a JPG perfume worth wearing.

Classy Scandal

Scandal Absolu– The Scandal line is very well represented on this list. Scandal Absolu might be the most well put together and lovely of the bunch.

The opening does have a similar feel to Scandal by Night, but that will quickly change and Absolu goes its own way. Tuberose is the star here, but doesn’t have that same level of sweet intensity up top.

It is still sweet up top, but here we move into a fig heart and sandalwood dry down to go along with the tuberose. It’s creamy and at times feels a bit powdery. I’m not sure if this has coconut, but it feels like it or maybe it’s just the way that the fig is blending with that tuberose and the honey.

Still has good performance, but doesn’t have to be as loud as some of the other perfumes that are in the scandal line.

Summer Classique

Jean Paul Gaultier Classique (Betty Boop) Eau Fraiche Eau De Toilette Spray 100ml/3.4oz–Eau Fraiche is a more summer friendly version of Classique from that extensive line.

Most bottles have Betty Boop on them, but I also think that some don’t…just check the name ‘Eau Fraiche’ to make sure it’s the correct one.

Anyway, I actually got the floral notes first early on, versus the sweeter side. Jasmine, tiare, and the Classique orange blossom. With hints of ginger and musk. Quite white floral, upon initial spraying.

Then, the sorbet, sugar, and vanilla come through. The sorbet here is a delicious lemon sorbet aroma. It’s light, creamy, and sweet. The final dry down will shift more towards the vanilla versus the sorbet, but it still retains that warm weather vibe.

The sillage and longevity are actually both really great here, also. While it is a lighter version of Classique, it’s still a powerhouse versus most other summer wears. Classique Eau Fraiche Review

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Nightlife Beast

Scandal by Night– Take the original Scandal and amplify it, mix in cherry, and some tonka bean creaminess. That’s a good deal of what you get with Scandal by Night.

Tuberose is the main floral versus the gardenia of the original, but even that doesn’t have the same level of involvement in this fragrance.

Honey, vanilla, cherry, light citrus, tonka bean, and sandalwood. It’s loud, thick, sugary, and definitely built for the nightlife. I mean, what a powerhouse this one can be.

Sexy and Delicious

La Belle Le Parfum– Le Parfum is similar to the original EDP, but it is good enough to stand on its own and grab a spot on the list.

This one is thicker, sweeter, with a powdery finish to it. Not super heavy baby powder or anything like that, but that quality is there.

The jasmine is the most heightened note to me versus the original. You still get the brilliant pear note, vanilla, and strong sillage and longevity. Le Parfum gives you a greater floral leaning sweetness than does the original, at least initially.

But, the dry down goes full vanilla, tonka bean, and the pear note. The jasmine seems to fade almost entirely. It’s built for those cooler days and nights, has a definite sexiness to it, and isn’t completely girly or immature.

The Best Seller

Classique JPG– Now, there have been many versions of Classique to follow this one. Eau Fraiche is a sweeter warm weather version, while the original Classique goes the white floral note route led by orange blossom.

Classique is creamy, sweet, amber-laden, and has its fruitier moments also. Lighter on the pear, orange, and bergamot here. Ylang-ylang is probably the second strongest floral, with some bits of iris thrown in too.

The latter dry down is more soapy and floral. Though, it is going to retain much of that vanilla creaminess, and even some spice that is found throughout. Classique is a loud and bold perfume, which really set the tone for the rest of the series.

jean paul women

Simplified Scandal

Scandal A Paris– Scandal a Paris cuts things down, while increasing the impact of each note. With the original and By Night, you get a different mix of notes, but sharing a similar DNA. Paris is like that, just boiled down to its base.

Honey, pear, and jasmine. All cranked up to the max weighting, but not as intense as the other Scandal scents. Initially, it will be more of a honeyed jasmine, with that usual white flower soapiness and familiarity. Later, the honey and pear while give Paris a fruitier sweet vibe.

It’s got that great honey note without being too sweet, with that sparkling pear note. Really a nice wear in the springtime.

Popular Original

Scandal by Jean Paul Gaultier Eau de Parfum Spray 50ml– Finally, getting to the original Scandal, which is still quite nice…but might be my own personal 3rd pick from the Scandal’s listed here. Nevertheless, it is a super popular perfume.

The opening is a mix of floral and honeyed notes (beeswax and honey). It will become sweeter and more towards the candy side of things with the gradual intro of the caramel note, but it is more of a warmer natural smelling sweetness early.

As it moves forward, the gardenia note will stick around, but it will be mostly about the caramel, honey, and patchouli notes.

The longevity here is awesome. It lasted around 11 hours, on my skin. Again, probably not the best of the bunch, but Scandal is still very enjoyable. Scandal Review

9 Best Smelling Serge Lutens Perfumes

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There are a ton of fragrances that have been released by Serge Lutens. Also, they are mostly all listed as unisex, even when the perfumes lean more feminine or masculine depending on the individual fragrance.

So, for this list I have selected nine scents which I feel are the best of the bunch. Naturally, I had to leave off some very good contenders but there is a good mix here.

Favorite Smelling Serge Lutens Fragrances

orange blossom perfume

Great Sandalwood Scent 

Serge Lutens Eau de Parfum Spray for Men, Santal Majuscule, 1.7 Ounce– Simple and rather straightforward affair. Santal Majuscule has a certain darkness to it underneath the rich sandalwood with the bitter sweetness of unprocessed cacao.

Not for everyone, but a very interesting scent, indeed. Santal Majuscule is a Serge Lutens scent which gives you a very dry element, that gets paired expertly with creamy and sweeter notes. You get a mix of bitter, then sweet, then creamy, and always warmly delicious.

Best for Winter

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 50 Ml– If warm amber-y fragrance are your thing, then, Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens is an affordable choice versus some of the higher end specialty scents out there.

It has enough spice to make it stand out, mostly of the herbal variety, with a smooth resinous amber note. Great.

Ambre Sultan kicks off things with that beautiful amber note, with its resinous qualities in full effect, and the opening spicy kick. It’s quite exotic, yet familiar, with smoky hints of incense and myrrh.

This is a great options for colder weather, for those who like a solid performing, Oriental perfume. An awesome niche fragrance for those who love amber and spice. Ambre Sultan Review

Best Selling Serge Lutens Scent

Serge Lutens Chergui Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce– Probably the most popular Serge Lutens fragrance and somewhat reminds me of Pure Havane.

Though, this one is more feminine and sweet than is that Thierry Mugler scent, Chergui is an ultra smooth and well blended perfume that lightens up one’s mood.

It does differ from other tobacco scents and the like with its use of both iris and hay. Yes, hay, in all of its dry glory. The iris gives Chergui a powdery finish, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on your feelings towards the rest of the composition.

Sure, it’s popular, but Chergui is still kind of an odd duck. Sort of like some perfumes, but all its own, and way more niche than it would initially seem.

Add some Cacao

Ecrin de Fumee– This is an interesting blend and has some definite appeal as a smoky blend. That’s how it opens up with its smoky notes taking center stage, before being pushed to the edges by rum and spices.

It’s also quite woody early on and solidifies into that as it dries down. In between? Rum, sweet tobacco, and a semi-sweet cacao note. It’s warm and pleasant in the mid, the tobacco and smokiness isn’t too overbearing, and the rum is awesome while it sticks around.

Now, the effect these notes have is like that of a humidor, as the translated name of Encrin de Fumee might suggest. 

This one does have a certain mass appeal in its notes, while being unique and having a slightly more challenging wear than the average designer tobacco fragrance.

 

Smoky Semi-Sweet Vanilla

Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce– As the French name suggests, this is a woody vanilla scent. Not candy-like sweetness, rather, it is smoky woods with an addition of a coconut note.

Un Bois Vanille is another very popular fragrance from the brand. It has honey touches with other notes like licorice.

Still, the sweetness is ultimately tame, and it is another one with plenty of smokiness. Smoky seems to be an element important to many Serge Lutens fragrances.

Top Woody Perfume by Lutens

Serge Lutens Fille En Aiguilles Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 1.6 Ounce– Wow. What a unique scent it’s full bodied and woodsy with pine note being the main player.

It has a dry sort of aroma to it but don’t think, ‘pine car freshener’, as the sweetness of the non-juicy fruits, brings an added layer of depth and intrigue.

I really don’t know what to compare this to, but it’s awesome. Fille en Aiguilles kicks off with a mix of the pine (which will get stronger), fruits, and a spiciness from among other things, bay leaf. Strange brew, right?

Later, the pine takes over fully and you get an underlying smokiness from the incense and other woods. Unique and niche fragrance, but can be a fun one during the colder months.

Unique Spicy Woods for Her

Serge Lutens Feminite du Bois Unisex, 1.7 Ounce– Woods with cinnamon and plum is mostly what I detect. The spice adds warmth but it isn’t overly heavy in the composition.

It’s another one that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there are plenty out there who will think it is divine. The cinnamon and clove, can put folks off, but I think it’s one worth sticking to.

Later, it has a light touch of the plum and other fruit, blended with the very present cedar note. Smooth and wood, at times feeling quite a bit herbal. Feminite du Bois is much more of a ladies’ perfume, not really keeping up with the unisex offerings.

A Strange Yet Compelling Scent

Jeux de Peau– Wheat, coconut, milk, licorice, and apricot. These are some of the notes found in Jeux de Peau. So, it’s obviously not going to be to everyone’s liking.

Yet, this Serge Lutens perfume is actually rather well done. Very unique, maybe not something that you’d want to reach for everyday, but surprisingly solid perfume.

The fruitiness from the coconut and apricot isn’t too heavy. Instead early on, you’re going to get more of a wheat note with some milky tones and just a touch of sweetness from those top notes.

Eventually, it will dry down into a warmer toasted wheat note with an amber base and a milky coconut playing a supporting role. I actually started to like this one, after thinking there’s no way that I’d enjoy Jeux de Peau. My review

 

Lovely, Intense Amber

SERGE LUTENS LA COUCHE DU DIABLE by Serge Lutens, EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 3.4 OZ– Diable does have somewhat of a similar profile to Fille en Aiguilles, but you don’t get the pine for the wood notes, and the amber is much stronger in La Couche du Diable. 

This one is very rich and warm, with a distinct amber thickness. The other notes in the composition sort of act like dots in a sea of amber, but you do get fresh wood, a bit of juicy tangerine, and cinnamon spice. 

The opening is where you’ll get the most of the citrus note, which is great with the labdanum. As it moves forward, you get periods of spice and then much more of a rich woody freshness. Really interesting fragrance, though, probably not for everyone.