Best Perfumes for Women

No.5 EDP by Chanel

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No. 5 is probably the most famous fragrance on the planet. The original parfum dates back to 1922, but today I am going to review the eau de parfum which was released in 1986. This is the more affordable of the two and probably the best selling, at this point. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is it actually worth a try?

Chanel No. 5 EDP Overview

Notes include: aldehydes, iris, ylang-ylang, peach, neroli, bergamot, sandalwood, rose, jasmine, lily of the valley, vanilla, oakmoss, patchouli

Click here to try: No. 5 EDP from Chanel

My Full Review

The opening of the EDP version blasts you with the cold aldehydes found in Ernest Beaux’s original formulation. That synthetic smell was designed to capture his memories of the frozen sea air of his youth. Cold air/ozone, that’s the only way I can describe it.

With that you get a bright use of a bergamot and peach note, along with a spiced neroli, giving the aroma a general fuzziness early on. Cold, dry, fresh, spicy, and floral. The sandalwood is already coming through.

1986 EDP Ad with Original Bottle

So, the original is infused with a lot of jasmine from Grasse, and I do get plenty of jasmine early on in the wear. But, it doesn’t seem to the same strength. I mean, I am going off memory of what the Parfum smells like, but this doesn’t have the same degree of iris and jasmine as I remember it…could be wrong.

Anyway, the jasmine that is there is joined by the ylang-ylang which presents itself powerfully in this mix. Sort of reminds me of Gabrielle, at times, since they have so much floral overlap. But, the rest of the blend is distinct.

That original blast of the bergamot, neroli, and peach are greatly reduced moving into the next phase. The aldehydic floral really comes out. Soapy, sort of powdery at this point, and dry.

Really, the oakmoss is there, but man there’s a period where this fragrance is a super sandalwood on my skin.

From there, it’s basically a soapy floral I can get some of the rose, jasmine, and remaining ylang-ylang. But, the iris does pick up and adds to the powdery smell. Sandalwood floral with some of the same aldehydes. Overall, it feels like a warmer perfume at this point.

chanel parfum ad

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, EDP is strong early and can leave a nice scent trail for about 2 hours or so. It’s not overwhelming, unless you go crazy with the sprays. For most of the wear, it’ll be above average and detectable while sitting much closer to the skin.

On me, I get about 8 hours of wear with No. 5 Eau de Parfum. Not a crazy long-lasting perfume from Chanel, but it serves most purposes well enough.

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Seasonally, this is probably best in autumn or springtime. The mild climate and being away from the extremes on either end of the temperature spectrum, is where No.5 fits in. That being said, I’d rather wear this in winter versus the height of summer, if I had to.

This is more of a mature fragrance. Though, for me it’s less of an age issue versus fitting in with your own style. It is a classic scent, it’s different from much of what is offered nowadays, and that makes it feel anachronistic to some.

It can still be worn by younger women or older. It can be a daily signature or something that you put on for special occasions. It’s attractive, but I’ve personally never particularly found it to be sexy.

It’s nice and comfortable and can fit in while dressed up or even in a more casual situation.

Overall Impressions of Chanel No.5 EDP

Overall, do I like this version? I do. I’ve got to try the Parfum again, but I think that one is just better than this, in totality. Greater concentration and sort of different in the formulation. Though, I’m kind of still more of a fan of Shalimar, myself.

However, I really appreciate the timeless qualities of the essential No. 5 structure. Some people say it smells old or ‘old lady-ish’. I mean, it’s the quintessential modern perfume, and over 100 years old at this point. Like, of course, it’s not going to be cutting edge…but it can still be an absolute killer scent.

Funny enough, it was at the time thought and created to be a very sexy and liberating perfume.

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The floral aspects here are great, when paired with the aldehydes. Fresh and more intense up top, with a clean soapiness in the finish. Drier with a cold coziness. Then, warmer into the finish.  Very well put together with layers, that can take time to fully get into.

I really like the sandalwood phase, when the iris and jasmine are in balance. That’s really a quality aroma.

Is this a fragrance for everyone? Probably not. It is one that should be tried out by everyone. Not just once, either. Come back to it, let it develop, and see if it draws you in.

Not Your Baby by Phlur

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Phlur’s Not Your Baby is another fragrance that I received as a part of the brand’s discovery set of samples. This was one that I was completely unfamiliar with prior to testing it out for the site. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Not Your Baby Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, cardamom, violet, mimosa, vanilla, sandalwood, and tonka bean

Click here to try: Not Your Baby

My Full Review

Here’s how it’s described: Provocative, playful, and anything but innocent, Not Your Baby is an undeniably sexy, intriguing, and addictive spicy floral.

There’s a very light bergamot sparkle sitting on top of a ton of cardamom, here at the start. When I saw that this was a powdery cardamom scent, I thought that this would be the female version of La Nuit.

Nope, that’s a way better scent than this. Though, I kind of like the opening here and the rest isn’t too bad. Cardamom, some of the powdery violet, and sweetness from vanilla/tonka bean. Fresh spice, with some decent sweet powdery facets.

That bergamot gives it a nice spritz of juiciness, as this transitions into its more floral phase.

But, this one gets sweeter. I do have to admit, violet is one of my least favorite floral notes. Thankfully, it’s not dominant and you get more of the mimosa (which is fine enough).

The powder aspect of this will get stronger and the sweeter milky side of things, diminishes, but never really goes away.

Some may actually prefer this part of the wear, depending on how you feel about that warm spice of cardamom. It can be somewhat weird paired with certain sweeter notes.

The final dry down is also a highlight for me. The tonka bean actually overtakes the vanilla milk, with mimosa still the lead floral, and an attractive sandalwood base. It’s a sweetish fresh and powdery floral scent.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here isn’t anything crazy. It’s got some decent projection early on, but that’s short lived and this is going to be a softer scent for the rest of the wear. 1-4 feet for the duration. Just know you’re not getting a sillage bomb.

The longevity is okay. 6-6.5 hours, on my skin. I’d probably want more out of my perfume, at this price point, but it’s not the worst I’ve come across either.

Seasonally, this one works best in the spring and can extend into summer and autumn. I’d pick cooler days in the summer and not be out in the blistering heat with it. Not Your Baby does have freshness, so, it won’t be a complete mess once it’s warm out.

This is more of a daily wear type of perfume. It’s clean, youngish, floral. Nothing too fancy, not sexy, but can be a nice enough powdery type of scent. Casual, school, work, etc. Not a nightlife fragrance.

Overall Impressions of Not Your Baby

Overall, do I like this perfume? It’s actually pretty good at times, just uneven with how it comes across during its development. I’m never completely in love with what I’m smelling, but it isn’t terrible.

I’m glad the violet isn’t overpowering, just adds a fresh quality to the blend. The cardamom start, is intriguing to me. The next phase is meh. But, I like the back half of the middle and final dry down.

The price is what makes me lean towards saying no to this. I mean, you can also buy the sample set to see which you like, but a full bottle? Not unless you’re sure.

The performance isn’t great. It sticks around for a passable length of time, but the sillage is pretty darn light.

It’s all average to slightly above average for the most part. Nothing spectacular, but I don’t hate Not Your Baby, either.

Cherry Smoke by Tom Ford

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Cherry Smoke is one of the latest offerings from Tom Ford, along with, Electric Cherry. Both of which are piggy backing off of the massive success of Lost Cherry. This one was released in 2022.

Now, this hasn’t nearly gotten the fanfare of their initial cherry perfume foray, but does that make Smoke not as good of an option to wear?

I bought two samples of Smoke only, since I couldn’t yet find Electric, and have been testing this perfume out. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

Cherry Smoke Perfume Overview

Notes include: dark cherry, osmanthus, cyproil India, saffron

Click here to try: Cherry Smoke from Sephora

My Full Review

Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: AN EXPERIENCED HEDONIST, CHERRY SMOKE PLAYS WITH FIRE, BURSTING WITH THE SCENT OF DARK CHERRY, IGNITED BY SEDUCTIVE OSMANTHUS AND SMOLDERING, SMOKED WOODS. 

Cherry Smoke kicks off with one of the familiar cherry notes, found in Lost Cherry. The black cherry without the booziness. That cherry is matched with the osmanthus accord and saffron.

The osmanthus, according to the TF website, has facets of: leather, olive, and apricot aromas. The apricot aspect is noticeable upon the initial spray, but will fade along with the cherry note.

Yes, the cherry in Cherry Smoke, is not actually the main attraction. It is up top and sticks around, but it will lurk more in the background.

The saffron and osmanthus accord do give off a combined leathery aroma, with a warmth and slight smokiness from the base. Cyproil India and more of a generic woodiness provide that part for us. It sort of comes across like an oud note, but I don’t think it actually is.

Honestly, this one isn’t a super cherry nor super smoky scent. It has some of each, especially early, but not to the extent you’d expect based on the name.

Once the cherry has stepped back, that olive and cyproil become noticeable, and Cherry Smoke has a somewhat bitter aspect to it. Still a leathery freshness, but woodsy, dark, and a touch bitter. Again, that cherry sweetness is still a part of the show.

The final dry down is less leathery and geared more toward the woody notes. Kind of a suede-like finish, but a full expression of that osmanthus accord and remaining cherry.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is a perfume that doesn’t really project all that far nor does it seem heavy. It’s warmth and the smokiness that it does have, makes it feel like it has more ‘weight’ to it than it actually does.

Early the sprays are noticeable probably up to 7-ish feet or so. After that, it’s going to come into the 1-3 foot range. That’s kind of how it was for me with Lost Chery too, but this one to a greater extent.

On my skin, this will go 6.5-7 hours. Again, those last few hours are very weak, but still somewhat detectable. It is definitely there, though.

Seasonally, I’ve obviously been testing this out in winter. But, it’s not too cold right now, which has given me a few chances in the chilly to moderate temperatures. That’s probably the right zone for this one.

Autumn through mid-spring, depending on where you live. Summer it’s a hard pass.

I think that Cherry Smoke leans more masculine, but is still very unisex overall. The versatility, is probably its greatest strength. Pretty much anyone can wear it, in most situations, and it can even extend into the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Cherry Smoke

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I certainly like aspects of it, but during these first tests, I was never completely blown away by Cherry Smoke. It’s still good.

As of now, I’m not really sold on it being better than Lost Cherry. That could change and I’ll update, if that’s the case. I do still give an edge to the original, in totality.

The opening cherry with the saffron and apricot aroma of the osmanthus is very nice. I enjoyed that a lot. That olive aroma and cyproil are also interesting in their own way.

On the whole, it never hits an elite level for me. I was excited to give this a try, but it’s a mild disappointment, that could have been classic.

Update: Yeah, coming back to this one, it’s nothing that great. It’s likeable at times, but really never brings it all together into something that’s a must have scent.

The performance is mediocre for what you’re paying. It doesn’t need to be an absolute bomb, but it also doesn’t really give me enough in terms of power or length of time.

Obviously, the price is a limiting factor for who is going to buy this scent. I don’t think this is worth the reach for most people. Some fraction are going to love this one, but most will probably just like it.

There’s not a lot of value here, at end of the price range that Tom Ford perfumes occupy. It’s worth trying to see, where you fall on this one, before shelling out hundreds of dollars.

Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain

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Shalimar is a fragrance line that is approaching 100 years and is beyond famous, at this point. However, Guerlain does still create flankers of its classic formula, like 2011’s, Parfum Initial. I got a sample of this one, since I hadn’t ever tried it out before. How does Shalimar Parfum Initial smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Shalimar Parfum Initial Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, orange, iris, vanilla, caramel, rose, jasmine, patchouli, vetiver, tonka bean, musk

My Full Review

Here’s how Guerlain describes it: An initiation into Guerlain’s most legendary fragrance. A luminous interpretation with ambery floral notes

Parfum Initial opens up with a focus on its citrus notes, but I catch a good deal of vetiver, in the opening moments. Fresh, somewhat smoky vanilla, with a slight greenish vibe, and an additional patchouli.

The iris in the midst of this environment, smells dustier than the eventual more powdery dry down. It’s all dynamic and interesting, without too much connection to the original Shalimar. Though, you can tell it’s related.

The citrus notes fade, the vetiver calms down, and I start to get more of the floral notes and sweeter touches. Rose, never takes over the iris, but it certainly has a place in the first 30-45 minutes of this one.

Vanilla, tonka bean, with a touch of caramel. It is interesting, sometimes that caramel feels stronger, and other wears I basically get none.

Anyway, we start to get more of the powdery force of the iris note. Powdery floral warmth, with musk, and the sweeter notes start to clump together. I do like that the woodiness sticks around to provide Shalimar Parfum Initial a solid base.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, I found this one to be pretty powerful for at least a few hours, and above average for the rest of the way. Not weak stuff, but will comfortably pop off of the skin and leave a trail in your wake.

Pafrum Initial is really good with how long it lasts, but doesn’t hit the double digit hour mark for me. During testing, it was somewhere in the 8-9 hour range. Which is what you’d need for just about anytime you’d want to use it.

Seasonally, with the iris and vanilla and whatnot, this Shalimar is best for the autumn and winter months of the year. It’s just fine in the more moderate temperatures, but is at its best in the chillier weather.

It also does have plenty of versatility within that. It does lean more feminine, but could be a unisex type of wear for some people. As a man, I’d personally go with something like Dior Homme Intense instead, if I wanted an iris fragrance. Though, this works too.

This Shalimar is also quite approachable as a daily wear. It’s has style and class, but isn’t too heavy or serious. Can fit a variety of situations and not feel out of place.

Overall Impressions of Parfum Initial

Overall, do I like Shalimar Parfum Initial? I do. This is a great perfume from Guerlain, with nice balance, and a more modern interpretation of the fragrance.

From the citrus, to the smoky vanilla, the vetiver opening, and the use of the iris note. This is a perfume that does everything well. It’s not going to be declared my favorite scent or anything, just one that is enjoyable the whole way through.

The performance doesn’t disappoint, and while you know it’s a Shalimar perfume, it has enough of its own character to stand as a distinct and separate fragrance.

It’s one that’s worth trying out, if you can still get a hold of it.

Toy 2 by Moschino

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Toy 2 is another entry from the Toy line of fragrances. This one is much more geared towards women, so, keep that in mind if you’re a fan of Toy Boy. This perfume was released back in 2018 and I recently grabbed a new sample, to finally do a review for the site. How long does it last? How does it smell? Is Toy 2 worth a try?

What does Toy 2 by Moschino Smell Like?

Notes include: Granny Smith apple, mandarin orange, white currant, magnolia, peony, jasmine petals, musk, ambery woods, sandalwood

Click here to try: Toy 2

My Full Review

The initial spray from Toy 2, does give you a more balanced aroma of the fruit notes involved here. The mandarin is actually quite prevalent for 10-15 minutes. Add to that, the white currant, which helps give this one it’s shampoo-like freshness.

It’s bright and does have an aldehyde sort of presence. Sunny, colder, and fresh in this mix.

But, the main note of the opening and during much of the wear is that Granny Smith apple. It’s candy-like to me, not in the sense of being sugary, but more artificial and not the same as you’d find in a body wash.

As you move along, the mandarin and white currant notes will start falling by the wayside. That’s when we get to the floral heart. Jasmine is the strongest on me, magnolia is pretty heavy early, but peony doesn’t come across too much.

Drying down, it gets muskier and more like a fresh soap/shampoo. Closer to what you’d get emerging from a shower versus the lather itself.

Apple crisp and clean, with musk, jasmine/magnolia, sitting on a base of various woods. Sandalwood, sure, but everything runs together to something more generic. I blame the amberwood for that.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Toy 2 does have some power to it, early on, and is above average with the sillage in total. That initial burst, creates a nice scent trail and projects  probably 8-10 feet right after spraying. But, that’ll come down to the 3-4 foot range for much of the wear, before dissipating.

Probably not going to choke out a room with this Moschino, but it’s not going to be undetectable, either.

This one is pretty good at lasting on me. Not amazing, but I get somewhere in the neighborhood of 7.5 hours of wear from Toy 2. Again, most of that is going to be pretty stable and not veering into skin scent territory.

Seasonally, Toy 2 is built for the spring and summer months. In warm weather, this becomes much lovelier, while in the cold it is kind of too much sharp freshness.

It’s one that can be worn daily for those two seasons. Not completely casual, but also not entirely ‘serious’. Not one for the nightlife or more formal affairs, but fits in well otherwise, pretty much.

Overall Impressions of Toy 2

Overall, do I like Toy 2? I like aspects of it, it’s pretty good in totality, but nothing that’s super amazing or demands an immediate purchase.

The coldness, aldehyde-like aroma, the mix of fruits, and the up top freshness are the highlights. The dry down is pretty basic and something you’ve probably come across before. Not that it’s bad, but you basically get what you expect to here.

The performance is a bit above average, though, not going to blow the doors off. It’s fine as a daily wear and just general clean scent for much of the year. It’s versatility is its greatest strength.

If you’re in the market for a very clean and fresh perfume, this is indeed one to try. If that’s not your thing, look elsewhere, because it probably won’t impress you.