Best Perfumes for Women

10 Best Smelling Armani Perfumes for Her

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Giorgio Armani has been a powerhouse in the fashion world for decades now. It’s fragrance line has smash hits on both the men’s and the women’s side of the equation and it’s really no surprise as they produce some great and universally appealing perfumes.

On the ladies’ side of things, Armani has a whole variety of scents to fit with different styles and even seasons of the year to capture a certain mood or attitude.

What are the Best Armani Perfumes for Her?

Best for Summer

Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gioia Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce
An aquatic citrus infused fragrance that really shines during the warmer months of the year. Notes include: lemon, sugar, mint, cedar, and jasmine.

Acqua di Gioia is a pretty straightforward fragrance with a crisp and aquatic aroma led by lemon citrus.

Then, there is the cooling sensation of a spicy green mint note, which gives Gioia a refreshing summery air about it. The fragrance gets some added floral depth with light jasmine, which starts to come through a few minutes in.

An extremely good choice for those who want a daily wear for warm weather and like a citrus perfume that isn’t overbearing.

Woody and Sweet

Giorgio Armani Si Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce
Sensual and complex perfume that has a sweet, woodsy, and mysterious vibe to it. Very well balanced and striking. It opens with a blend of vanilla, black currant, and rose.

Si is sweet and candy-like, at this stage, with rose leading the way.

Then, patchouli comes in, to add an earthy spice underneath the now dominant black currant note. Finally, you get powdery floral and woody dry down.

Si has a moderate sillage, nice performance, and smells great. This is a fragrance that hits so many chords and is versatile, as well.  Si Full Review

An Armani Prive

Rouge Malachite– A selection from Les Terres Precieuses collection of the more upscale Armani Prive line. Rouge Malachite is an interesting white floral fragrance, that is led by its tuberose.

However, you also get a fresh sage top, benzoin and amber in the base, along with other floral notes like jasmine. It’s sweet, with spiciness up top, and then more of an ambery/benzoin finish and touches of being creamy.

It is a strong floral fragrance, but has a surprising amount of depth, which should keep one catching new facets of its aroma. Again, this is an expensive one, so you might want to find a sample before committing to a full bottle.

Classic Clean

Emporio Armani By Giorgio Armani For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces
A feminine fragrance with vanilla and sandalwood sitting at the top of the composition.

Emporio Armani is warm with a powdery scent and citrus notes coming through the aroma, ever so gently.

It is a clean classic sort of scent that has solid longevity and an attractive smell, while being safe to wear in daily situations. I’m going to keep this one on the list, even though it is becoming more difficult to find, as of late.

Your Way?

My Way by Giorgio Armani– My Way is a newer entry to the list, but a really nice easy to wear floral perfume, that enjoys mass appeal. Tuberose and jasmine are the two main floral ingredients, however, they will emerge fully later on in the wear.

First, it has a sweeter and fairly citrus profile with orange blossom and bergamot. That lasts into the first hour or so, before the tuberose really starts to come through.

My Way is fairly fresh with a really pleasant fruity opening act. The performance is solid, but not insane in terms of its sillage or staying power.

The Other Armani Si

Giorgio Armani Si Fiori Eau de Parfum Spray, 50 ml– This might be the best of the Si series. Although, I actually do like the original and Passione, as well. But, I think I may be in the minority.

It opens up with a bright citrus and currant blend, that is supported by floral notes and an underlying patchouli note. Yet, Si Fiori doesn’t go into full on heavy gourmand category, and is very wearable in warm weather (just not the hottest days).

The real star of the show is going to be the vanilla note. The fruity notes take a back seat to the floral notes (I get rose, but neroli is also there), and then, the vanilla comes in full swing. It actually does have an overall freshness to it that is great.

Creamy, sweet, nice performance and enough of that Si DNA to be enjoyable…but also a different take.

Parfum Way

My Way Parfum– Obviously, this is going to have at least some overlap with the original perfume in this series. However, My Way Parfum really is a distinct perfume that stands on its own.

Iris and tuberose take their turns in the mix. The opening does have the sparkling quality from the bergamot citrus up top. It has that bubble gum like tuberose aroma at times, powdery aspects from the iris, and muskier aroma in the dry down.

Definitely darker, heavier, and more intense versus the original My Way. I don’t think that this will be the best bet for everyone, but some people will absolutely love Parfum.

Most Popular/Best Seller

Armani Code By Giorgio Armani For Women. Eau De Parfume Spray 2.5 oz
Sweet, warm, and spicy take on the Code name. Citrus, honey, vanilla, and jasmine. Sexy and sophisticated scent, that is versatile enough to be worn on a night out on the town, as well as during the day.

Code has a creaminess provided by the jasmine and orange blossom notes, while maintaining a vanilla and musk combination. Code for Women is the type of scent that envelops the wearer in a cozy cloud of warmth and captivates those around her.

The opening has a good deal of citrus with some additional ginger freshness/bite. It gets smoother, as it moves along, but always stays attractive and bold.

Aquatic for Warmer Weather

Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani for women Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounces
Simple, fresh, and straightforward aquatic and floral scent that screams to be used in the summertime. This one dates back to the 1990s and has a light and clean dry down period, with peony and lily of the valley.

The opening is interesting, because it uses a vodka note, which you really don’t see often in fragrances (especially for women). It is interesting because this women’s version doesn’t have the same level of citrus and salty sea air as the men’s.

Acqua di Gio isn’t really oceanic, as it is more like a refreshingly cold drink, with watery elements. Great freshness and an interesting depth for a warmer weather fragrance.

Another Summer

My Way Ylang- This one is a tropical take on the My Way formula. Does have some similarities to Fame (but better) and better than the Parfum version of that Rabanne scent.

Anyway, Ylang is a softer and lighter summertime blend of My Way. Opening with coconut and mango, to go along with the usual bergamot note.

Yes, one difference is the inclusion of the ylang-ylang as a floral highlight, but it is still sharing the stage with the tuberose in the middle. Plus, there’s still the presence of orange blossom throughout.

This is juicy and bright up top. Quite sweet, but doesn’t get bogged down and has a nice fresh element to its aroma.

Best Smelling Elie Saab Perfumes for Women

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Elie Saab isn’t a mega brand when compared to some of the biggest sellers in fragrance. However, it has had a lot of success and launched plenty of great scents over the past decade or so. In this post, I wanted to introduce five ladies’ perfumes that could be considered the best of the line thus far, and have something for each kind of style.

What are the Best Perfumes by Elie Saab?

Popular Elie Saab Fragrances

GIRL OF NOW EDP 90ML– Girl of Now changes the pace of many women’s fragrances by not going for something that is purely floral or fruity. Instead, it opts for notes such as pistachio, almond, and tonka bean to head things up.

It’s an all-day wear that is sweet and still retains the underlying femininity. The opening is quite fruity and nutty, with highlights of pistachio and the pear. Now, the almond is present throughout, but it will grow in strength as the wear moves forward.

Girl of Now becomes very smooth and retains its sweetness. The fruity notes, loses strength during the duration of its life, but becomes replaced by a great tonka bean and the light floral touch of orange blossom.

Best Spring/Summer Wear

Elie Saab Le Parfum L’Eau Couture FOR WOMEN by Elie Saab – 3.0 oz EDT Spray– Like Girl of Now, L’eau Couture utilizes the almond note.

However, this one becomes much more of a floral and less of the sweetness of the first entry. It is light and refreshing and a good choice for a casual perfume.

You also don’t get the pistachio here, nor the tonka bean. That is instead replaced by a creamy vanilla note.

Le Parfum L’eau Coture takes the almond and orange blossom of Girl of Now; making these notes the absolute building blocks of this perfume. 

This one is still somewhat sweet, but towards the middle of the dry down, you get more of a jasmine and orange blossom combination. It comes across a floral and somewhat green smelling finish to the scent.

Orange Blossom Floral Fragrance

Elie Saab Le Parfum Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce– An original perfume from the Elie Saab line that has spawned a ton of flankers of itself. Le Parfum is a very feminine floral highlighted by jasmine and orange blossom. Quite the springtime, traditional floral perfume.

Elie Saab Le Parfum kicks off with a large dose of the orange blossom, that is then paired with, honey and patchouli. It’s of course sweet and floral, with a rose note beginning to creep into the picture.

However, the rose never quite catches on completely. Instead, you get jasmine and orange blossom occupying the top. Underneath that, is: patchouli, honey, and a cedar base. Great sillage, with 7-9 hour range of wear. Le Parfum Review

 

Bold Elie Saab Fragrance

Elie Saab Nuit Noor Eau Parfum Spray– Bold and darker entry to the list.  With notes of pepper, wood, honey, patchouli, rose, and more. Nuit Noor is dark, woody, with a spicy sweetness that is never linear and has a full personality to develop.

The spice in Elie Saab Nuit Noor consist of peppers and patchouli, mostly. The pepper is most noticeable in the opening, but gradually fades in favor of the earthiness of patchouli.

This one will get sweeter and woodier, as it moves along, but maintains its warming embrace. Honey soaked wood, seems to be the basis of the aroma at times, dotted with floral notes and spice.

best saab perfumes

The Other Girl of Now

Girl of Now Forever– While the original Girl of Now, uses nutty notes, Forever focuses more on the fruity side of things.

Black currant, raspberry, and citrus. The almond note is still there, but it is a bit player in this perfume. The sweet and tart blend is energetic and also has a certain sexiness about it.

These notes are flanked by rose and orange blossom, which are even less prevalent than the almond.

This is probably a bit below the original in terms of how I rate it. Though, awfully close and better than Shine, which was okay.

What you get is a fun juicy fruit fragrance with hints of vanilla and almond, with a muskiness in the dry down. Solid performance. Great for the spring and summer months, but not an immature or super sugary mess.  Girl of Now Forever Review

Winter Suede and Vanilla

Cuir Bourbon– A very nice scent for those who enjoy a smooth and rich vanilla during a colder day/evening. The vanilla is paired with suede to create an understated yet refined aroma.

The suede when paired with saffron, comes across as more of a rich leather. The vanilla dominates, but it is warm and not a super sweet version of the note, as it is tempered by the underlying musky base.

This is a great option for the autumn and winter months, with solid performance, and a delightful aroma.

Sweet Myrrh 

Elixir by Elie Saab– This one is a nice option that I think will be a good fit for some women, but might come off as too sweet for others. It’s also a heavier and syrupy aroma. 

Elixir has a rather strong use of neroli early on and it’s iris note will emerge more in the middle as it develops. Not too much powder emphasis in this perfume (more lipstick), just a pleasant sweet floral that develops into a somewhat more smoky and a tad resinous finish.

The base notes are led by myrrh as the focus, along with amber and benzoin. So, plenty of amber-like or adjacent notes to enjoy here. Super unique? Not really. Though, it’s a nice enough fragrance to warrant checking out.

 

 

Pacific Chill vs City of Stars

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City of Stars and Pacific Chill have ended up being two of the more popular Louis Vuitton fragrances since their releases a few years back or longer. That being the case, they can often be the final choices that people have to make a decision on, in terms of which they should buy.

I have reviewed and tested each of these perfumes and in this post, I will compare and contrast each, and share which one of them I prefer.

Tale of the tape: City of Stars vs Pacific Chill

City of Stars

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

My full review: City of Stars

Pacific Chill

Notes include: blackcurrant, lemon, orange, ambrette, cedar, coriander, basil, carrot seeds, peppermint

Read my review: Pacific Chill by Louis Vuitton

Opening

Pacific Chill opens cold, sharp, and intensely fresh. Citrus leads the charge, but there’s also a strong greenish quality running through it.

Peppermint, coriander, and basil shake things up, making for a really distinctive first impression.

On my skin, peppermint takes control among those three, with the others playing more of a support role. This shifts as time goes on and the  basil starts pushing forward and eventually takes over from the mint.

Blackcurrant brings out the sweet and tart side that Chill projects and stays pretty strong for a decent stretch. But both the mint and blackcurrant eventually begin to fade

Pacific Chill transforms into something more citrus and basil-driven. On me, orange and citron come through clearly, joined by this apricot-like smell that develops.

The opening of City of Stars is obviously going to be citrus-heavy just from the listed notes. Lime really jumps out as the main focus. You can pick up some blood orange and bergamot too, but it mostly reads as a blended citrus mix for most of the wear.

The citrus here doesn’t completely take over like it does in Afternoon Swim, for example. Instead, the tiare accord and musk claim their own strong territory right from the start.

Louis Vuitton calls this a nighttime fragrance, but it honestly feels quite beachy. I guess night could work too. The citrus and tiare give it this tropical vibe that seems more sunny and daytime to me.

One thing you’ll notice during the wear is this ongoing balance between powdery and creamy qualities. The musk, tiare, and sandalwood keep trading off to create that effect.

Which do I prefer? I like what’s going on early with Pacific. It’s cool and fresh, which plays well off of the fruits.

But, I think Stars has the better opening between these two Louis Vuitton fragrances.

Edge: City of Stars

Projection

City of Stars has pretty moderate sillage. It does hang in the air and creates a nice scent trail behind you for about the first hour.

The projection probably peaks around seven feet. After that, it settles into a 3-4 foot range for most of the wear. It’s a personal bubble of fragrance for you to enjoy.

I think that Chill is slightly more substantial and has a further reach than does City of Stars. At least, initially. Pacific Chill is stronger out of the gate then it compatriot.

It doesn’t blow out City of Stars, but it has an advantage.

Edge: Pacific Chill

Longevity

With City of Stars I get in the 6-7.5 hour range. It’s capable of hitting that upper band, but doesn’t always do so. It’s pretty mid with how long it lasts.

Pacific Chill I also get around 7.5 hours, but it seems to be more consistent with that outcome versus City of Stars. I didn’t notice this LV fragrance quitting very much before that and it might be more capable of going into the 8-ish hour range.

Not a huge difference, neither is spectacular, but I think Chill takes this category.

Edge: Pacific Chill

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these are in spring and summer territory. Definitely warm weather fragrances, that aren’t overly serious.

Pacific Chill is unisex, but leans more feminine. It doesn’t go completely into that zone, but those fruity shampoo qualities certainly push it that direction.

It also feels much more youthful than the other LV summer fragrances. Not particularly mature.

This one’s more for daytime casual wear anyway. Not something you’d reach for during nightlife or even formal summer occasions. So even if it reads somewhat immature, it shouldn’t be much of an issue.

City of light is also unisex territory, leaning feminine. Tiare usually shows up in women’s perfumes, so, it does lean that way.

Again, I’m not sure why this gets marketed as nighttime wear. Maybe for warm summer evenings out, but this really reads as casual to semi-formal daytime territory.

It’s pretty and appealing. Not super seductive or attention-grabbing. More about clean powder and musky cream.

I might give a slight edge to Pacific Chill for its shampoo-like clean in the dry down. But, there’s not too much of a difference here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two LV fragrances do I prefer?

I was excited to try Pacific Chill back when it came out. I was looking forward to the perfume based on the notes and came away somewhat underwhelmed. I like the fragrance well enough, but I am somewhat puzzled as to why it became so popular.

I guess I’m more in the minority who just thinks that its fine. The early stages are interesting, but it’s nothing special in the back half.

I’m going with City of Stars versus what I get with Pacific Chill. Since the performances are basically the same, it comes down to how each smells and City is just better to me.

The mix of the citrus and the tiare flower is fantastic. I really enjoyed wearing this one while I made my way through the sample.

That’s my pick. They’re extremely close in every other way, but the scent itself really separates them, in my opinion.

Now, if you don’t want something that has that creaminess or that more traditional beachy sort of aroma, you should probably go with Chill versus City of Stars.

Winner: City of Stars

Paradoxe by Prada

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Paradoxe eau de parfum is the first release in this series from Prada. It was released back in 2022. It has since spawned a number of flankers and has enjoyed a good amount of popularity.

I recently found a sample of this that I had initially tried a few years ago, but never got around to doing a full review for. So, let’s change that.

How does Paradoxe EDP smell? How long does it last? Is this Prada worth a try?

Prada Paradoxe Overview

Notes include: neroli, pear, tangerine, bergamot, orange blossom, white musk, jasmine, vanilla, amber, benzoin

Click here to try: Paradoxe by Prada

Full Review

Paradoxe kicks off sweet, fruity, and bright. Neroli dominates as the main note for those first 20-30 minutes of the wear.

But it shifts pretty quickly on my skin, moving more toward orange blossom, as it hits the heart.

The fruit here smells more like a candy flavoring than fresh, natural fruit. There’s some effervescent pear in there, but citrus really drives the opening. The pear smells more natural to me, than the citrus.

Sort of a less intense version of what comes with something like Devotion by D&G. Tangerine being the most prominent fruit note in this initial stage, but it won’t be too much of a factor, as it develops. 

After that bright opening fades, this Prada becomes more floral focused. For me, orange blossom takes the lead over jasmine. Neroli still lingers around, but orange blossom clearly has the upper hand at this point.

The vanilla will come through, the fuzziness of the benzoin, and amber too. However, none of these are super heavy in the mix. More of a support, sort of musky in the finish. Though Paradoxe is mainly a orange blossom and jasmine blend at this point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Paradoxe isn’t a heavy fragrance. It’s moderate in terms of its sillage, that scent trail isn’t too massive, and I don’t feel like it’s too cloying. Yet, those first few hours of wear do have a pretty far and above average projection.

After that, it’s still noticeable and very solid in comparison to a lot of the other mainstream designer perfumes, along these same lines.

The longevity is also above average. Not elite by any means, but I have been getting between 8.5-10 hours, on my skin. You should get your money’s worth with this one (and the Intense version is even better).

Paradoxe to me, is at its best in the autumn or springtime. It can venture into the summer and the winter too, but it smells better when it’s a moderate day.

This is going to be more of a daily wear scent. It is very versatile, not super formal, but not too sweet as to feel juvenile. It’s one of those fragrances that can hit a wide variety of use cases and not be too out of place.

You might use this as your main scent and then break out something else for evenings or more special occasions. This is more of a pleasant perfume, that smells nice, but isn’t truly going to stand out as being all that ‘unique’.

Overall Impressions of Paradoxe

Overall, do I like Paradoxe? I think that it’s pretty good. There’s nothing that is bad about this perfume from its smell to its performance, but it’s just not a great fragrance. Likeable and a good daily wear, just nothing amazing.

The pear and tangerine are nice and add some more personality to the opening act. Benzoin and the musk further deepen it. However, you’ve probably smelled plenty of other perfumes that are at least sort of like this Prada scent before.

I think that it’s worth a try. Paradoxe EDP is fresh and pretty and an overall enjoyable experience and it seems at this point, you can find it for a decent price. It may not be your absolute favorite, but this one can serve as a workhorse of your perfume collection.

D&G Devotion vs Burberry Goddess

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Devotion from D&G is their latest hit series of fragrances that will probably be expanded upon many times in the coming years. The EDP often gets compared to the original Goddess EDP from Burberry.

While both of these scents have already spun off newer versions of their original formulas, I wanted to compare both of these first editions, as they are still the most popular. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Which should you buy Goddess or Devotion?

Tale of the Tape: Devotion vs. Burberry Goddess

Devotion

Notes include: candied citrus, orange blossom, rum, pana cotta, vanilla

Click here to try: Devotion EDP

Read my review: Devotion EDP

Burberry Goddess

Notes include: lavender, vanilla, cacao, ginger, vanilla absolute, vanilla caviar

Click here to try: Goddess by Burberry

Read my review: Goddess

Opening

After first spraying of Devotion EDP, lemon dominates but it settles into a more balanced supporting role as we move forward.

Orange blossom provides the floral element, while there’s also what seems like a distinct orange note. To me, it’s more like fresh zest or peel.

The top is bright with a touch of spice and carries a slightly juicy feel, though the lemon leans more toward having that candied, synthetic quality.

This Dolce & Gabbana fragrance is essentially a straightforward sweet gourmand, but it does evolve through distinct stages.

The next phase brings together lemon cake vibes with the orange blossom. The spice notes retreat as vanilla starts making its presence known.

Goddess leans into its sweetness rather than tartness, leaving the fruity notes behind. Vanilla shows up early alongside cacao, but ginger brings this nice fresh lift right from the opening.

Even though vanilla leads the way, the fragrance feels surprisingly light and cool compared to what you’d normally expect from vanilla-heavy perfumes.

Which is better?

It’s a close call, but I think I’ll go with the D&G scent. The lemon, spice, and how it ultimately moves into its lemon cake phase is just a tad more interesting to me. Sugary? Sure, but Devotion is very likeable.

Edge: Devotion

Projection

Neither of these is a massive projector nor a super heavy fragrance. Devotion is substantial and has a good reach. It doesn’t bog you down, even though it is a gourmand scent. There is a freshness underneath that prevents it from being a thick cloud.

I’d say that the D&G perfume is on the upper end of what could be considered moderate, if not crossing over into ‘strong’ territory. Not a beast, but very solid.

With Goddess, it’s also a moderate, but a step down from what I get with Devotion eau de parfum. The first few hours are good, still more of an intimate scent bubble, and then devolves into a skin scent.

Pretty good, but Devotion easily takes this category.

Edge: Devotion

Longevity

With Goddess, I’ve only been able to ever get somewhere in the 6-7 hour range, while wearing it. Not great, but fairly decent.

Does Devotion outdo the Burberry? Yep. I can get around 9 hours of wear from the Dolce & Gabbana fragrance. It’s also nothing too crazy, but does the job well for the needs of most people.

Edge: Devotion

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these are autumn through springtime wears. If it’s too warm out, I’d probably opt for something else. Outside of that however, these will work quite well.

Neither goes too heavy and maintain a lightness that can move beyond just a standard winter gourmand fragrance.

Neither of them are a formal perfume either. They’re mainly going to fit into more of a daytime wear role, casual, and maybe some nightlife. I think either could be a potential signature scent, most like for a younger woman, or those who love the sweeter fragrances.

Not much of a difference here, as they really do overlap in terms of use case.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these two perfumes do I actually prefer more?

With Burberry Goddess, it’s a very pleasant mainstream fragrance. Nothing too bold or unique about it, but I like the use of vanilla and that light easy to wear feeling that I get while wearing it.

I never have thought that the name Goddess actually fit with what the scent actually is, but it’s a nice fragrance overall.

However, I like Devotion by D&G more than the Burberry option.

It’s not a massive preference for me, but I lean more towards Devotion being the better perfume. It does have better performance, so, that is another notch on its belt.

Devotion EDP isn’t as reliant on its vanilla notes and I think that the lemony baked goods and spice is just more interesting and smells a bit better, in my opinion.

You actually might prefer Devotion Intense versus either of these (I do). It’s not way ahead of either of these but the sugary citrus doesn’t have the same grip over the formula as it does in the EDP version.

Winner: Devotion