Best Perfumes for Women

Bright Crystal EDT by Versace

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In an effort to satisfy a larger percentage of this site’s demographics, I thought that I’d begin to do more reviews of women’s perfumes. As a man, it can feel a bit out of place wearing something that is so overtly feminine, but some of these fragrances are just so pleasant that it works out in the end.

In this post, I want to take a closer look at a scent from the house of Versace, Bright Crystal. This one was released back in 2006 and has been a massive seller ever since. I want to explore what makes up this perfumes, how it performs, how it smells, and whether or not it is worth getting a bottle. Please continue reading below for my full impressions.

What does Versace Bright Crystal Smell Like?

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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

My Full Wear Review

The initial opening of Bright Crystal is a blast of juicy pomegranate, a citrus scent provided by the yuzo, and a heart of floral notes which provides it with balance. I totally get why the word ‘bright’ was added to the name because this perfume does have a very pleasant and upbeat kind of feel to it.

Yuzo has a similar, albeit distinct aroma from other citrus fruits, and pomegranate is almost always a pleasure to smell in perfumes.

Versace did a great job at not letting it become too floral or too fruity and instead let the juicy/aquatic elements gradually fade a bit into the background to provide Bright Crystal with that extra bit of something that makes it so attractive.

The top of the composition is tart while being juicy, while there is a watery-like smell that sits underneath it all. Then, the floral notes begin to emerge, and take away some of that tartness.

Out of the floral notes, I can detect the peony, most distinctly. The lotus note is also present but doesn’t come through as strong for me and the magnolia, I don’t really pick up at all. Maybe that’s just me?

As Bright Crystal wore on my skin, I became more and more attracted to this scent. Frankly, I think its beautiful and never gets bogged down by being too complex.

The latter stages of this Versace EDT, consist mostly of peony and yuzo, to my nose. Outside of that, it is the watery lotus flower, and a light bit of wood in the base. The wood doesn’t draw much attention, but I can pick it up, if I focus in.

Sillage and Longevity. How Does it Perform? When Can it Be Worn?

Projection wise, it is a soft to moderate scent. It isn’t weak but it isn’t going to choke people out either, with its sillage. Initially, it will project somewhere around 6 feet from the skin or thereabouts. After that, it’ll be 3-4.

However, while it isn’t a heavy scent, it does last all day. In my testing of Bright Crystal, I got over 8 hours out of it and close to 10. The performance for an EDT, is very good, especially one with citrus as a main draw.

This perfume could honestly be used on just about any occasion, I wouldn’t say it’s a ‘sexy’ fragrance, but it is very attractive and I wouldn’t mind smelling this on a woman at all.

Update: Yeah, this is one that I’ve really come to enjoy over the years. However, it is better suited for daily wear, and isn’t a bold nightlife type of scent.

It’s brightness and fruity/floral scent, make Bright Crystal an ideal fragrance for the warmer days of the year. Yes, it’s fine in the cold of winter, but feels right at home in spring/summer.

Overall Scent. Does Versace Bright Crystal Smell Good?

Overall, Bright Crystal is a fantastic option for women who want something that is light, elegant, and pretty. I enjoy this Versace offering much more than Versus, which I actually liked and I think that it has a much more ‘universal’ appeal than some of the other fragrances on the market.

I would rate Bright Crystal as a buy and its straightforward simplicity is one of its best attributes.

While the opening act, can be pretty tart, I do love the yuzo and pomegranate combination. It’s juicy and delicious. The performance here is really good and I like how it doesn’t just become a bouquet of flowers.

The peony and yuzo form a solid dynamic duo, which sticks around for the rest of the wear. It’s still a best seller, and for good reason, Bright Crystal is a wonderful perfume.

Update: Coming back to this one years later, Bright Crystal is probably among my favorite mainstream designer women’s perfumes to smell. It has always done everything well, from that opening act to the use of peony to the performance.

It’s just a perfume that fits in so many places and is extremely easy to like. Nowadays, it feels like more of a capture of that late 2000s era with so many other perfumes that fell by the wayside like Dior Addict 2. Bright Crystal is still going, still super clean, and a great daily wear pick up.

Gabrielle Essence EDP by Chanel

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Gabrielle Essence is the follow up release to the popular Gabrielle by Chanel. It came out in 2019 and has enjoyed a good deal of attention itself. I purchased a sample of this scent, with my latest batch, in order to test it out and review it for the site. How does it smell? What’s different? Is it even worth a try?

What does Gabrielle Essence Smell Like?

Notes include: tuberose, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, jasmine, coconut, peach, citrus

Click here to try: Gabrielle Essence by Chanel Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 oz / 100 ml (Women) 

My Full Review

Gabrielle Essence opens up much better to my nose versus the original EDP. With that one, it seems harder to distinguish between notes, at first.

Essence doesn’t have the same sparkling brightness as the original, but the fruity notes are better and juicier overall. Not sharp, but smoothed out by the white floral notes, that make up the Gabrielle DNA.

This is a blend of peach and citrus, with a bit of coconut that becomes more noticeable deeper into the wear.

While the fruity opening is better here, it also is shorter lived to my nose. This one gets down to the floral notes rather quickly, but I actually like that phase of Essence.

The main difference with the floral notes for me is, Essence has a stronger emphasis on orange blossom and jasmine, at first. With the EDP, it was jasmine and tuberose. The tuberose in Gabrielle Essence doesn’t play that big of a role.

Eventually, the jasmine, orange blossom, and ylang-ylang are sharing most of the duties. That’s what I get for most of the rest of the wear. It’s a bit sweet and has a nice, but not thick creaminess about it.

Light musk and woodiness, at the base, but this is mostly all about those floral notes. Nothing overly complicated, just a variation of what you’d expect.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage with Gabrielle Essence is pretty moderate. It does project itself better than the original, but it isn’t a massive difference. Not super powerful and dries down fairly softly.

There will be a scent trail left behind you for that first hour or so. After that, it’s going to be more noticeable in a 3-4 foot radius from where you’ve sprayed Gabrielle Essence on.

I also get just over 8 hours of wear on my skin with Essence. Yes, it stays as a skin scent for a good chunk of that time, but it is still there…just not in full force. That’s about what it consistently seems to be. Maybe it’ll get to 9 hours, at times.

Seasonally, it’s at its peak in the spring. Summer and autumn are great, but the spring is where the Gabrielle perfumes shine. In the warmer air, this Chanel really hangs beautifully and you catch whiffs of the full floral array.

Gabrielle Essence is a versatile daily wear, just like the original. It isn’t super formal and can actually serve better as a casual or semi-formal scent. It’s a lovely and attractive scent, just not a super sexy club beast.

Overall Impressions of Gabrielle Essence

Overall, do I like Gabrielle Essence? I really do. It’s a beautiful perfume and better than the original (which I liked). Essence is a very well balanced and well put together floral. The fruity opening is great, without being over the top.

Also, I like how the floral notes are weighted in this one when compared to the original. It’s performance is a bit better, but that could’ve been bumped up somewhat. It’s not bad, by any means, just not outstanding. Both longevity and power are above average, however.

This is more than just a solid entry from Chanel. One that does everything well and has the versatility to become a daily wear for many women. More modern than some of their past releases, even if it’s not entirely unique.

It’s not their absolute best, but I enjoy what they’ve done with this Gabrielle series so far, and Essence in particular.

11 Best Smelling Bond No. 9 Perfumes

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After I wrote my post for the best Bond No. 9 fragrances for men, it became clear that I would have to do one for women as well.

The New York boutique house has even a larger selection of perfumes for women, so the task of cutting them down became even more difficult, so don’t freak if your favorite scent isn’t on here.

I narrowed it down to what I consider to be the ten best smelling Bond No. 9 perfumes for ladies and I think there is something on here for everyone to enjoy. Plus, I will link to my full review of each individual fragrance, as I write them.

Also, check out the men’s list because there are some unisex scents on there that are great as well.

Other posts to check out: Sexiest Women’s Perfumes, Top Smelling Ladies Fragrances

What are the Best Perfumes for Her by Bond No. 9?

Awesome Clean Daily Wear

Bond No. 9 The Scent Of Peace Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Fluid Ounce– A clean fragrance based on citrus notes whose airy aroma will have people wanting more. It opens with a blend of grapefruit and black currant, creating a juicy fruit-laced vibe that has a similar effect to D&G Light Blue, but better in my opinion.

The Scent of Peace is extremely bright and pleasant perfume, that constantly had me sniffing my arm during my testing of it.

Later on in the wear, lily and cedar note emerge among other florals, to create a green outdoorsy aroma. This second layer is in complement to the beautiful fruit top notes.

The Scent of Peace has light to moderate sillage with a solid longevity of around 7 hours, on my skin, at least. It utterly screams spring/summer, with it’s pretty composition, and the sweetness doesn’t have that ‘teenager perfume’ intensity. It’s refined yet playful.

Notes include: Blackcurrant, Grapefruit, Cedarwood, Hedione, Musk, Lily of the Valley. Read my Scent of Peace Review

scent of peace

Night on the Town

New York Nights by Bond No.9– New York Nights is one from Bond that I didn’t try out for a long time, but it quickly became an absolute favorite of mine.

Gardenia, caramel, and aquatic notes start things off here. Strange combo? Maybe, but it’s great. Smooth, sweet, with a freshness/saltiness.

I get a spiciness from carnation and patchouli, especially as this one transitions into being more of a standard floral with the gardenia and jasmine notes. The aquatic notes fade away, the caramel loses some steam, and you get more sandalwood and patchouli.

It’s not one that everyone will love, but it seems to have plenty of fans and I think it’s worth trying out. New York Nights review

Most Popular/Best Seller

Chinatown New York by Bond No.9 For Womens Eau De Parfume 3.3 oz– A spice laden perfume which is further blended together but floral and fruity notes to evoke the experience of Chinatown.

It opens with a white floral twosome of tuberose and gardenia, that is balanced out a top note of bergamot citrus and peach blossom, which prevents it from having that super floral quality.

The cardamom really sets Chinatown apart from many other perfumes and adds a layer of depth, that takes it to another level of attractiveness.

This Bond No. 9 perfume is best in the cooler months of the year through springtime. The heat doesn’t really do it any service. However, the rest of the time, Chinatown could be a signature scent for a lot of women.

Notes include: Bergamot, Peach Blossom, Guaiac Wood Gardenia, Cardamom, Vanilla, Tuberose, Peony, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Orange Flower, Cedarwood.  Chinatown Full Review

chinatown

Gorgeous Jasmine Gourmand

Tribeca by Bond No. 9– This one has become very popular since its release, a few years back. It gets attention for its similarities to Baccarat Rouge 540, but they are ultimately fairly different perfumes.

This one has a great blend of caramel, cacao, and hazelnut. Mainly, the nutty accord and more of the caramel versus a chocolate smell. Tribeca is warm and creamy, but isn’t a heavy fragrance, as it kind of hangs gently in the air around you.

Next, the jasmine will really come into play. A very beautiful rendition of the flower, joined by a potent ambroxan note, that doesn’t feel annoying. The dry down is kind of woody/mossy, but it’s mostly about the jasmine.

The initial sweet notes are still there, just not with the same intensity.

Fruity, Aquatic, Rose

Bond No. 9 Gold Coast for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Gold Coast is a fantastic and somewhat newer release from Bond No. 9. As a spring and summertime wear, Gold Coast is a fresh and semi-aquatic fragrance with juicy notes, such as watermelon.

Lychee and apple add a further crispness to the scent, before the rose note really starts to move in. The lychee and watermelon are the strongest of the fruity notes and it feels more like a fruity/floral.

It’s clean, light, and fresh with a bit of vanilla creaminess coming through the base.

The final stage is a sandalwood and musk infused rose note, with the remaining fruitiness still coming through. Very nice wear and well worth a try.

Great Casual Springtime Perfume

BOND NO.9 ASTOR PLACE EDP SPRAY 3.3 OZ– Smart, pretty, and unique. Astor Place delivers as a go to fragrance for women who like floral notes that don’t overpower but do perform.

It features a zesty bit of mandarin orange as the top note, which sits on top of the floral composition made up mainly of: violet leaf, freesia, and red poppy.

The florals really dominate the first few hours of the wear, before the scent turns more musky and woody with the teak note, but the freesia seems to stick around the most. Astor Place is a low key fragrance in terms of its projection, but is one that will last around 8 hours.

It has an upbeat feel and great for casual or everyday wear. Notes include: Amber, Mandarin, Violet Leaf, Teakwood, Iris root, Freesia, Musk, Red Poppy. Full Astor Place Review

astor place

Nights with a Spice

Chelsea Nights by Bond No. 9– Another one like Tribeca, that starts out with cacao and hazelnut. This time, the cacao is stronger, and it for sure goes in a different direction than its compatriot.

Chelsea Nights isn’t a sugary chocolate bar, though. It’s got great touches of saffron, oud, a light rose, and myrrh. Yes, it’s sweet but it has a cinnamon sort of kick that comes through, warmth, a bit of smokiness floating underneath.

The end has a good deal of suede and vanilla. It has settled down in terms of both spiciness and sweetness. Smoother and creamy. Chelsea Nights hits so many different levels with its depth and is well worth checking out.

Garden Greenish Floral

Bond No. 9 Madison Square Park By Bond No. 9 For Women Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 oz– A light and crisp floral which comes in the cool, hot pink bottle.

An airy fragrance yet long-lasting perfume, Madison Square Park,  is at times grassy, blueberry-laden, and then rose dominant.

It really does have the sensation of a day in the park, in that it is green, with that light aroma of flowers in the air.

Bond has released several bouquet or greenish floral perfumes and this is one of the best. Others like the I Love New York Marriage perfume, was too much for my nose. Way too green and not as balanced as Madison Square Park.

Notes include: hyacinth, rose, blueberry, grass, vetiver, and more.

madison square park

Bold Powdery Rose

Bond No. 9 Broadway Nite Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.3oz– Energetic and exotic are two words which come to mind when describing Broadway Nite. A very floral scent that starts out with the heliotrope, rose, and rose notes.

This is joined by an undercurrent of vanilla and musk. Vanilla, musk, and iris are of course going to create a pretty powdery aroma. As such, if you’re not a big fan of florals or powdery scents, probably stay away from Broadway Nite.

This is more of a niche sort of perfume than the others on the list. Still has its fans, but not for everyone. Notes include: Rose, Honeysuckle, Iris, Aldehyde, Green Violet, Cedarwood, Musk, Sweet Amber, Heliotrope, Vanilla Beans. My Full Review

broadway nite review

Awesome Fresh Gourmand

Greenwich Village by Bond No. 9– Greenwich Village is a great release from Bond and one of the best that they’ve put out over the past few years.

This one starts out with a fresh fruitiness, with a somewhat tropical aroma. Lychee and mandarin orange with a bit of watery/aquatic feeling from the waterlily note. Cassis is also present up top. It’s both fresh and sweet.

The dry down gets warmer with praline, vanilla, and musk. The latter stages give you a nice creamy gourmand perfume.

Greenwich Village has a sugary vibe to it at times, but also a floral heart and a really fresh kind of scent…all at the same time. Very interesting, nice performance, but not super powerful.

Cold Weather Gourmand

BOND No 9 Nuits De Noho, 3.4 Ounce– A complex and seductive scent that can add a great deal of sophistication to a woman’s style. Nuits de Noho opens with a pineapple and vanilla mix that sits in the middle of a patchouli wrapping.

It’s gourmand and has a sweet, baked goods sort of quality to the aroma. The patchouli and musk are pretty strong for the first 15 minutes or so before, this Bond No. 9 perfume settles itself into something sweeter and gentler.

To me, the floral notes like jasmine, are powdery and green but mostly stay in the background to only come out a brief whiffs.

This has a lot of similarities to something such as, Angel by Thierry Mugler. Nuits de Noho is more suited towards colder weather.

Notes include: Mandarin, Pineapple Leaves, Bergamot, Rosewood, Grey Musk, Vanilla, Patchouli, Jasmine. Nuits de Noho Full Review

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Cloud vs. Cloud Pink Perfume Comparison

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With the massive popularity of her fragrance Cloud, there was of course going to start to be a stream of flankers based on the Ariana Grande scent. In 2023, the third Cloud perfume was released, Cloud Pink. In this post, I am going to compare and contrast it with the original. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Cloud vs. Cloud Pink

Cloud

Notes include: pear, lavender, bergamot, praline, whipped cream, vanilla orchid, coconut, musk, wood

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Cloud Eau de Parfum Spray, clear, 3.4 oz

Read my review: Cloud

Cloud Pink

Notes include: dragon fruit berries, pink pineapple, coconut water, vanilla orchid, blush ambrette, musk, praline, amber woods, magenta moss

Click here to try: Cloud Pink at Ulta

My Full Review: Cloud Pink

Opening

Cloud begins with its brightness and sweetness coming on strong. The lead off is highlighted by the pear note with bergamot and the lavender peaking through at the start. The lavender never feels all that heavy to me early, but it is for sure there.

I get a bit of the citrus, which adds a bit more sparkle to that pear juiciness. The lavender here, has a certain roughness which takes some of the softer and fluffier qualities of this fragrance away…not entirely, though.

Cloud Pink is very much still a Cloud fragrance. But, it is sweeter in that opening act. I notice the lavender absence early, which is more apparent in the dry down.

We also get a boost with the coconut water note. Plus, the introduction of dragon fruit and pink pineapple. The tropical influence is definitely the coconut, rather than a pineapple aroma. The other fruit notes are pretty candy-like (a light berry kind of smell with dragon fruit) and less of a pure fresh fruit.

Which do I prefer? I like Cloud Pink and how it starts. The fruitiness is attractive and gives it a sweeter and more distinct smell.

Edge: Pink

Projection

Cloud does hit a moderate range with its sillage, but for most of the wear, it is light and airy (yes, cloud-like) with how it projects. Honestly, not bad, and doesn’t feel like a complete skin scent. Just something that is lighter and not a monster.

That opening is pretty strong with its projection. It could feel like it’s over-sprayed, but that will generally calm down after an hour or so.

I get the same experience with Cloud Pink. Somewhat of a softer feeling, with still the same ability to project. An opening that can grab attention, but fairly moderate thereafter, still with the cloud-like effect. It’s essentially a tie.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Longevity is also basically the same between these two fragrances. With Cloud, I got 5-6 hours of wear. With Pink, exactly the same amount.

No real difference or separation that I’ve noticed during testing.

Edge: Cloud Pink

Versatility

Seasonally, Cloud and Pink are best in the autumn and winter months, but it can easily venture into the springtime.

More of a casual daily wear. Not very formal, but clean and pretty. It’s actually not a total teenager specific fragrance.

Yes, the sweetness is there for each, but they do have some depth of character. Still, not going to be something that’s going to be the ‘dressed up’ or date night perfume for most people.

Really, these two are basically the same here, as well. The fruity top doesn’t lend Pink to the summer months, as it still has the sweetness and creamy bit of heaviness that’s not going to be super conducive to the heat and humidity.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, these two are obviously going to share a lot of similarities between them, but I do have a preference out of the two. The core performance of each, is basically identical, in my experience.

With the original Cloud, I was never completely sold on it. Sweet, sure. But, I didn’t like the lavender all that much in the mix. I did like the pear in the opening and the creaminess, with which it could dry down on my skin.

However, I think Cloud Pink is a bit better. The opening act with the fruitiness is sweet, with some tropical flair. I like that more of the coconut water comes out in this formulation when compared to the original.

Winner: Cloud Pink

Angels’ Share vs Grand Soir

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Angels’ Share by Kilian and Kurkdjian’s Grand Soir are two of the more popular high end perfumes. Both of them are unisex, which only serves to heighten their appeal. Since there is some overlap in style and purpose, these fragrances will often be compared. But, which one actually smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Grand Soir vs Angels’ Share

Grand Soir

Notes include: amber, vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin, labdanum

Click here to try: Grand Soir from Saks

Read my full review: Grand Soir Review

Angels’ Share

Notes include: cognac, tonka bean, oak wood, cinnamon, praline, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Angels’ Share at Sephora

Read my review: Angels’ Share by Kilian

angels review

Opening

Grand Soir starts off with it’s amber already on full display. Yes, the amber with the labdanum and some benzoin are going to be contributing heavily early on.

When pulled together, there is a light spice to the warmth and even some smokiness. The vanilla isn’t too strong at the beginning of the wear. However, that and the tonka bean will increase in strength into the middle of the act giving Soir some creaminess and powdery hints.

Meanwhile, Angels’ Share starts of with its signature cognac, oak, and its tonka bean note. The cognac has an apple-like sweetness to it, which is fantastic.

The sweetness is enhanced by the inclusion of vanilla and praline. Which all plays well off of the spicy punch of the cinnamon note.

Which is better? The Kilian has more going on. Grand Soir has some spice and smoke, but Angels’ Share is boozy, warm, sweet, and spicy with an array of notes coming on board early for the ride.

I’ll go with Angels’ Share.

Edge: Angels’

Projection

With my use of Grand Soir, I get a fairly strong opening and then it’ll hang 2-3 feet from the skin, for most of the way.

Angels’ Share starts off with about the same strength initially. However, I think it stays in what could be considered an upper moderate zone for much of the wear. It has a slower decline with its strength versus what I got from Soir.

Edge: Angels’ 

Longevity

Both of these fragrances last a very long time. With Angels’ Share, I get 9-13 hours of wear on my skin.

You’d think that’d be enough to overcome Grand Soir, but nope. Grand Soir will also hit the double digit hour mark easily.

Really, there’s no real separation here. It’s just a tie between them in this category.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Seasonally, Grand Soir’s amber and vanilla richness is suited for the autumn and winter months. With Angels’ Share, it’s the same. I’d avoid both when it’s too warm out.

Both are mostly for casual to semi-formal wears, but I think Soir fits better at the office or dressier functions, since it doesn’t have a cognac note like the Kilian.

While each is more for daytime use, I have worn Angels’ Share in nightlife situations and got plenty of attention from it. Not a club beast, but it’s got the boldness to stand out.

Overall, it’s pretty split. I think the edge goes to Grand Soir, however. It fits in more environments and is probably more of a true unisex versus Angels’ Share.

Edge: Grand Soir

Overall Scent

So, overall, which of these is the better fragrance? Despite the splitting of most of these categories, this is an easy call for me personally. I am a massive Angels’ Share fan. I bought a full bottle almost immediately after first testing a sample.

Grand Soir is also a very good scent. It’s one I thought that I’d love wearing, but it was more of a like. Mostly, I just get bored of the amber and vanilla combination after a while. It’s not a very dynamic perfume beyond that opening act.

Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. I do like that Maison Kurkdjian and it’ll be a good fit for those who don’t want the sweet, boozy, and spicy mix of Angels’ Share. Some people will prefer the low key warmth of Grand Soir.

For me, the winner is Angels’ Share. It smells better to me, has a bolder profile, and a more unique aroma than its competitor.

Winner: Angels’ Share