Best Perfumes for Women

7 Best Smelling Tuberose Scented Perfumes

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Tuberose is one of the most popular white floral notes that is used in women’s perfumes. It’s sweet and what is often compared to a ‘bubble gum’ sort of smell is both distinct and lovely when done right. On this page, I want to keep a running list of the best tuberose based fragrances for ladies.

What are the Top Smelling Tuberose Fragrances?

Popular Spicy Designer Option

L’Interdit Rouge by Givenchy– The entire L’Interdit lineup features a tuberose note, for a sweeter floral experience, you might try the original: L’Interdit

With Rouge, you’re going to get a spicier take on the formulation, and the best of the lot in my mind. Blood orange, ginger, and orange blossom all have a large role early on in the wear. However, that orange blossom will fade in favor of our target tuberose note.

The end is a blend of the ginger, patchouli, tuberose, and sandalwood. The tuberose becomes much more dominant, as we move into the middle and final acts of this perfumes development. It’s a nice mix of earthy spice and creaminess.

A fairly bold sillage and L’Interdit Rouge lasted about 8 hours on my skin during testing. L’Interdit Rouge Review

An Armani Prive

Rouge Malachite– Armani has its Prive line of more high end fragrances. Rouge Malachite is a perfume from their Les Terres Precieuses series within the Prive lineup.

However, you also get a fresh sage top, benzoin and amber in the base, along with other floral notes like jasmine. In the opening, you get a sweetness with spice. Then benzoin and amber join the main tuberose thrust to give it a smoother fizzy creaminess.

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.

Green and Fresh

Joyeuse Tubereuse by Guerlain– This entry from Guerlain adds some greenish/dewy facets to the tuberose note. Also, there is a pretty substantial lily note in the mix, at times.

Joyeuse Tubereuse is lighter and fresher than some of the denser perfumes that are on this page. It gives you a really nice white floral dynamic with the lily note. Greener in the earlier stages, but more of the tuberose and sandalwood as you progress.

There is also vanilla, but it isn’t a high level of that note.  Sillage isn’t massive, but the longevity is pretty good, just don’t expect a complete beast.

That Gucci Ambrosia

Ambrosia di Fiori– This is similar to the original Bloom, but with more power and a greater use of our target note. Ambrosia di Fiori has a great opening honeysuckle and a big use of tuberose later on in the wear.

Ambrosia also has a rose note, which makes it distinct from the original, and does add something to an already familiar blend. The rose doesn’t completely overpower everything else, though. It has a nice balance.

If you want a bigger, bolder, and heavier version of Bloom with some slight differences, this is the one to get. Very solid performance to go along with everything else. Ambrosia di Fiori Review

top gucci bloom

Suede and Tuberose

Tubereuse Nue by Tom Ford– Like a lot of Tom Ford fragrances, Tubereuse Nue is a bold take on a tuberose-centered perfume. This one does have a lot of projection and the overall performance is fantastic.

However, this won’t be one that everyone enjoys, but can be the top pick for a smaller percentage of tuberose wearers. Our target note is joined by a big suede note, some oud, and a fuzzy blend of musk, styrax, and benzoin. Nice leathery touches.

Yet, outside of the suede, those notes don’t completely dominate throughout. You do indeed get a great white floral scent. Lily, jasmine, and that brilliant tuberose are a true delight here. I don’t find it to be super heavy and still one that is very much at home in the springtime.

Ylang-Ylang Tubereuse

Tubereuse Imperiale by BDK Perfumes– Tubereuse Imperial is a true floral which gives you that blend of sweetness with the buttery creaminess of ylang-ylang/vanilla, and an additional jasmine.

The opening does feel fresher and cleaner, with a geranium and pink pepper mix that helps to keep this one clean and with a livelier aroma in the top half of this perfume.

The tuberose does have that ‘bubblegum’ presence here, but it doesn’t completely take over or make it too sweet for some tastes. The ylang-ylang and vanilla notes give this the unique and beautiful signature that makes it such a joy to wear.

Spicy & Earthy

Tubereuse Indiana By Creed For Women. Millesime Spray 2.5 Oz– Tuberose Indiana brings on a nice smelling bouquet of white floral notes highlighted by the tuberose, but not really dominated. In addition, one gets a hint of bergamot, and a creamy vanilla at the top.

Then, there is the ambergris and fairly heavy musk.  This is an older school type of scent. The citrus is a nice light addition in the opening and the vanilla gives it a further touch of sweet/creaminess to balance off the heavier aspects of the ambergris.

This one is smooth, but it has an underlying earthiness and much more of a spicy presence than some of the others on the list.

Notes include vanilla, ambergris, tuberose, white flowers, and bergamot. Captivating smell.

Tubereuse Indiana

Versace Bright Crystal vs Yellow Diamond

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In today’s ladies perfume comparison, we have a head to head match up between two Versace fragrances: Bright Crystal vs. Yellow Diamond. Now, which one of these popular scents, smells the best? As usual, I am going to break down each one of these fragrances, and compare them in different categories. Then, I will declare a winner.

Tale of the Tape

Yellow Diamond

Notes include: citron, pear, neroli, bergamot, nymphea, freesia, orange blossom, mimosa, amber wood, musk, palo santo

Click here to try: Versace Yellow Diamond Eau de Toilette Spray, 3 Fluid Ounce

Read my original review: Versace Yellow Diamond

Bright Crystal

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

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

Read my original review: Bright Crystal Review

Opening

Bright Crystal does indeed open bright with yuzo and a blast of juicy pomegranate. This fragrance has a crisp profile due to the iced accord within. It starts out with these fruity notes and then moves into something that is more floral, mostly from peony.

Yellow Diamond also starts off with citrus from citron, but this is tempered by floral notes including mimosa and freesia. It doesn’t have the same level of fruitiness as Bright Crystal. It’s also bright but is like being surrounded by greenery and flowers.

Which Versace is better after first spray? I think that Bright Crystal starts off better. The cold juiciness of the fruits are very nice and the peony is a great addition that doesn’t overpower the fruit top notes.

Edge: Bright Crystal

Projection

Both of these scents are light to moderate throughout the wear. There isn’t a huge difference between them, n my mind. However, I think Bright Crystal does have a bit better sillage than Yellow Diamond.

It might just be that its particular notes feel stronger and just come across as so.

Edge: Bright Crystal

Longevity

Yellow Diamond would last around six hours on my skin, which is decent, but not amazing. It was pretty consistent about vanishing at about that six hour mark. Meanwhile, I could get 8-10 hours out of Bright Crystal on a regular basis during testing.

Yellow Diamond isn’t terrible, but Bright Crystal performs very well in every aspect.

Edge: Bright Crystal

Versatility

Both of these scents can be worn year round. I’d peg them both more as spring/summer. Neither one is super sexy, but both are quite pretty and pleasant to be around. Each can be worn casually or even more dressed up. There really isn’t a distinction in this category.

In either case you get a very versatile scent, more useful for daily wear, but that can venture into other uses. No real complaints about their versatility.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Yellow Diamond is a very solid everyday wear, if you like florals with enough citrus to keep it from being annoying. It’s a good perfume, but never blows me away.

The mimosa is an interesting choice for the floral notes, with the freesia, it gives this one something a bit different from the usual fare. It’s also got some greenish qualities, a bit of pear, and other random floral notes.

Nonetheless, it’s still not all that exciting or super memorable. Nice, sure. Though, I don’t think it ever gets to the same level of attractiveness as Bright Crystal.

In comparison, I really enjoy the way that Bright Crystal smells. It offers better performance than does Yellow Diamond and a more unique aroma.

The fruit notes at the top, the iciness, the juiciness, and then the floral/musk in the dry down are great. It never becomes too floral and strikes the right balance.

They each have some light aquatic qualities and juiciness, along with the floral aspects. But, Bright Crystal has more of each in a more pleasing composition.

It is simply a better Versace perfume than is the original Yellow Diamond.

Winner: Bright Crystal

R.E.M. by Ariana Grande

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R.E.M. by Ariana Grande is a review that I forgot to do last year, after testing it out. Luckily, I had another sample tucked away in a box, so I recently tried it once again in order to do a full write up of the perfume. This one was released back in 2020. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

What does REM Perfume Smell Like?

Notes include: fig, caramel, lavender, zefir, quince, pear blossom, salt, sandalwood, musk, tonka bean

Click here to try: R.E.M by Ariana Grande

My Full Review

Here’s how REM is described: An intergalactic dream of femininity and power, R.E.M. draws you in with a cosmic blend of Juicy Fig and Warm Salted Caramel. Lavender essence takes you to dreamy new heights, while sparkling Pear Blossom explodes like a supernova in the night sky. Intoxicating Musk wrapped with Sandalwood creates the perfect ending to your unforgettable journey.

R.E.M. opens up sweet, creamy, a bit juicy (sparkling), and familiar. It certainly has overlap with the styles and some notes of the other perfumes in the Ariana lineup. However, the aroma itself would be closest to Cloud, while still being a lot different with how it smells.

Here, the fig is the star early on. It is rich and sweet, while not being overpowering. It is joined by a light quince, that quickly disappears, and the creaminess of zefir. That note adds an additional sweetness also.

REM feels more substantial than Cloud, not overbearing, but thicker and bringing a definite warmth to the mix. Salted caramel thickens things up creating a further gourmand like sensibility.

As things progress, the opening creaminess will start to take a back seat. This one becomes more lavender dominant and has a powdery finish to it. That caramel note, is one that really burns off, mostly sticking around as a generic sweetness. Much less salty.

Lavender and musk have their moment in the spotlight together. The musk actually sticks around to the end, but in a weaker state. The lavender doesn’t weaken. It’s interesting how this becomes powdery, since the tonka bean/zefir have more of a creamy quality.

To me, it’s like a 65/35 split between powdery and creamy towards the back half of the wear.

Finally, the dry down is lavender with a sweet finish. Musky and some sandalwood, if you pay really close attention. Not super complicated at the end.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, I think this one is on the upper bounds of moderate. It’s not massive, but with a good amount of sprays, the scent trail lasts a while. Plus, the projection is solid for more than a few hours.

It’s not massive, but I can spray REM on a shirt and pick it up across the bedroom with ease. It does lighten up and dry down more to the skin. Still, I don’t find this to be one of the weaker Ariana perfumes.

On my skin, this one will go for 7-7.5 hours. Again, most of these perfumes don’t have great longevity. But, this one is pretty decent. Those last hours are skin scent level, but it is indeed still present.

REM is best worn from autumn through springtime. Much better in weather that’s somewhat chilly. Though, it gives you enough versatility to go day or night with it.

It’s not a formal fragrance. It’s good for casual, school, maybe some workplaces, or just going out on the town.

It’s not so much ‘sexy’ as it is pleasing and attractive to smell. This gets called a unisex fragrance due to the presence of the lavender note. To me, nope. This is feminine, there are plenty of lavender colognes for men, and they’re much more forceful than R.E.M. is.

Nevertheless, if you’re not a fan of the lavender note on yourself, you might want to skip this one.

Overall Impressions of REM

Overall, do I like R.E.M.? I do. It’s not the most amazing fragrance that I’ve ever come across, but it’s in the top half of the Ariana Grande releases, thus far.

I’m not usually a big fan of scents that use lavender heavily. Yet, this is one that I find enjoyable, in ways that I don’t with Cloud. In my opinion, it’s just better, even while that one gets all of the attention due to its overdone BR 540 comparisons.

I am, though, a big fan of using fig in fragrance. The one here doesn’t get all that much shine, but it’s nice while it lasts. I like the opening with the caramel, the sweetness, and that later back and forth between the creamy and the powdery.

Performance for me is decent. Not crazy good, but it seems to work on me better than what some people have reported.

R.E.M. is worth trying out. It’s not going to be everyone’s favorite, but there are a portion of people for whom this will be the best Ariana perfume.

5 Best Smelling Nicki Minaj Perfumes

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Nicki Minaj made a name for herself as a rapper, but then quickly gained a lot of mainstream appeal. As is often the case with many celebrities, once they get that pop star level of fame, they have to put out a fragrance line. Nicki’s is actually quite good and has some real gems among them. In this post, I am going to cover what I think are the five best smelling perfumes by Nicki Minaj.

What Nicki Minaj Fragrances Smell the Best?

Underrated Minaj Fragrance

Onika by Nicki Minaj– Onika is still kind of an under the radar pick from this line, but it is absolutely among the best of them. It is sugary sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, and that’s mostly during the start.

After that, you get a great pear note with musk and light floral ingredients. It kicks off with pear and starfruit, but the latter fades away. It brings a freshness, but doesn’t have that ‘little girl perfume’ style of hyper-sugar. It feels more well put together, has an awesome fruity profile, and a touch of orchid at the heart.

Best Summer Pick

Trini Girl by Nicki Minaj– Trini Girl does have a tropical fruit vibe, without going overboard with the fruitiness. It’s actually a pretty chill fragrance, with a light coconut, that is paired with blood orange and litchi.

The fruitiness and sweetness, is aided by a helping of sorbet, with a floral/musk base. It is light, fresh, with a watery semi-aquatic tropical sensibility, at times.

Trini Girl is probably has the juiciest fruit notes of any of Nicki’s fragrances. That tropical vibe without the vanilla, tonka bean, or other heavier notes that can be found in the others.

Creamy Fruity Gourmand

Nicki Minaj Minajesty Eau de Parfum Spray for Women 3.4 Ounce– The bottle with the pink hair, looks absolutely wild. But, like the others on this list, Minajesty gives you a healthy dose of fruits. Though, it pairs it with a sweet creamy middle of tonka bean and vanilla.

It kicks off with a tart cranberry, lemon, and some peach. It sort of reminds me of Polo Red for Men, when those first two notes hit. This is definitely not as sharp as that scent, actually the notes feel light, and subdued by the vanilla sitting underneath.

Minajesty is warm, sweet, and has a floral touch provided by magnola and frangipani.

Most Popular Perfume

Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday perfume, leans more towards the fruity side of things, but has a smell that is quite similar to the often more expensive, Viva La Juicy.

Pink Friday is really girly, starts off with pear and starfruit, which gives it a crisp fruity juiciness.

Beyond that, there is the orange and blackberry note, which makes this a super juicy fruit scent at the beginning. Later, the familiar vanilla/caramel come in, to change things up. Decent longevity, not amazing, but quite good for this price point.

A lot of celebrity perfumes, mimic this same sort of style, so it won’t be the most unique fragrance to wear. But, it is a nice example.

Another One to Check Out

Queen by Nicki Minaj– Queen gets attention nowadays, because it has some resemblance to Cloud by Ariana Grande.

But, there’s plenty to like here on its own and it’s not an exact match of that scent either. This is kind of a stripped down and cleaner version of cloud. More use of fruits, less creaminess, and a greater use of the musk note later on.

You get a bright opening of bergamot citrus and sparking pear. That sweetness is enhanced with the same praline note, that is found in Cloud. With those sweeter notes, you get a floral heart and woods in the base.

Queen doesn’t top the list, but it’s worth trying out, if it sounds interesting. Onika and Trini Girl are for sure ahead of this one, in my opinion. But, Queen could be as high as third or fourth.

11 Best Smelling Guerlain Perfumes for Women

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Guerlain is a French design house which has been around for seemingly ever. They have a ton of fragrances for both men and women, many of which are simply fantastic.

Seeing as they have had decades upon decades to put out work, it is no wonder that any attempted list to capture the best would be incomplete no matter what.

However, for this one I have selected eleven of what I feel are the best smelling perfumes, that are available today, representing different styles and levels of popularity.

Favorite Ladies Fragrances from Guerlain

Most Popular

Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum–  Mon Guerlain has become a best seller since its release over the past few years. The EDP opens up as a very sweet and warm fragrance, in a similar vein to both, Black Opium and BonBon.

As it moves along, it moves away from those two, but the opening are quite a bit alike.

What Mon Guerlain ultimately becomes, is a blend of vanilla, lavender, and jasmine notes. The perfume is very smooth and a sweet floral. It isn’t too heavy of a fragrance or overly complicated.

Mon Guerlain is a scent that is great for daily wear and obviously enjoys a mass appeal. Even with its moderate sillage, this is one that can indeed last a full work day and go beyond. Great balance and an easy choice. Mon Guerlain Review

Sunny, Salty Ylang-Ylang

Embruns d’Ylang by Guerlain– This one is a high-end ylang-ylang fragrance from Guerlain. The company itself, seems to be the only one selling full bottles right now. With the price, you’d do well to track down a sample on eBay or somewhere else.

That being said, Embruns d’Ylang is a bright and coastal yellow floral fragrance. It has a beachy sea salt ‘spray’ note that gives the perfume a nice contrast with how it plays off of the ylang-ylang note.

I have only smelled this once, but I didn’t find it to be all that salty. Beautiful, just not heavy on that aspect.

It’s a bit sweet, but that saltiness seems to pair with the wood, upon first applying. Then, some jasmine. The ylang-ylang feels pretty thick in this and it has a rather strong sillage, at least early. Still, I’d try before buying to see if it vibes with you.

Springtime Floral 

Champs Elysees By Guerlain Eau-de-toilette Spray, 1.7-Ounce– A moderate floral fragrance featuring notes of mimosa, black currant, lilac, and almond wood. A green powdery type of scent reminiscent of a spring day.

It opens up with soft and sweet fruits, with that light almond note poking through the aroma. Then, the floral notes being to emerge, mainly lilac at first. Mimosa follows with lily-of-the-valley, before the whole thing blends together in a beautiful oneness.

Leans more floral than fruity, but it does have enough balance, to actually enjoy the fruit notes. Champs Elysees has undergone a few incarnations, over the years, and this latest iteration has been a well-loved edition for over 20 years now.

The Orange Blend

Aqua Allegoria Nerolia Bianca– One of my newer entries to the list, from the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria collection. The orange blossom note here actually shares the spotlight with neroli and bitter orange notes.

Very orangey and each seems to get its own time to shine in the top weighted spot.

Petitgrain joins the mix, but the overall scent is pretty darn linear with how it presents. Bitter orange early, orange blossom middle, and neroli is probably the most prominent during the ending stages of Nerolia Bianca.

This has a great freshness of orange and has a definite greenish aroma in the beginning. The soapiness isn’t to the same degree as some of the others on the list. Nice performance for this style of scent, also.

A Classic Guerlain Perfume

Samsara By Guerlain For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces– One of the most popular choices on this list. Violet, vanilla, sandalwood, rose, and iris. Floral, woodsy, and slightly spicy. Oriental in its aroma. Feminine floral with sandalwood.

Intoxicating jasmine and iris create that familiar powdery aroma with a creamy finish. It’s been around for decades, so, there are different formulations at this point…which yield slightly different results.

Samsara still opens with it’s fruity notes of peach and citrus, leading the way, and its light floral ingredients just beginning to come through.

That phase is short-lived and the flowers really take on a stronger role, with ylang-ylang, iris, rose, and jasmine being the major players.

Finally, the rest of the wear becomes sweeter and warmer, with tonka bean, vanilla, and our sandalwood note. Powdery, fresh, warm, creamy, and sweet. Beyond that, a fantastic performer, that will last for many hours.

Creamy Sweet White Floral

L’instant De Guerlain By Guerlain For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.7 Ounces– Another floral that is sweetened by a honey note. Definitely a feminine scent for daily wear. L’Instant de Guerlain opens up with its fruity notes soaked in a honey sweetness.

Light citrus and apple, which soon fades in favor of the floral ingredients, iris and magnolia. It is super smooth and warm, at times powdery from the iris, but more about the honey and magnolia. Plus, a creamy vanilla note, which only adds to the appeal.

Coconut Awesome

Aqua Allegoria Coconut Fizz by Guerlain– A unique smelling coconut dominant perfume, that seems to be getting tougher to track down in stores, nowadays. Yet, it is a great option from Guerlain.

Rather than the usual vanilla creaminess getting paired with coconut. This one has a fresher and watery element to it. Bergamot, coconut fruit, coconut water, and what I think are melon notes? Something smelling sort of like watermelon, at least.

Light and airy, freesia delivers the floral aspect and some of the watery elements to this one. It doesn’t go too aquatic for that long and you do get some of the usual creaminess between the coconut and later tonka bean in the base.

I imagine this one will be pretty expensive soon. I wouldn’t pay a very high price for a bottle as it becomes scarce, but if you can find one at a lower cost, it can be worthwhile to pick up.

Bold Smoky Classic

Guerlain Shalimar Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3 Ounce– An absolute classic of a scent. Shalimar is an exotic blend of vanilla, citrus, rose, jasmine, leather, and musk. It’s got a nice bit of citrus, that floats around in the smokiness of incense, and plays well off of the leather note.

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

The EDP is still my favorite. I like Parfum Initial, also. EDT is good, but not to the same level as those two.

At times, you will get more of a powdery feel from Shalimar, then, the smoky and warmth with sweet vanilla. It’s been around forever, still appreciated, and still a great performer.

There have been many flankers of Shalimar, that have been released over the years, but I have to give the original its due. Shalimar EDP review

Powdery Berry Scent

Insolence By Guerlain For Women, Eau De Toilette Spray, 1.6-Ounce Bottle– A sweet blend of juicy berries and floral notes like violet, iris, and orange blossom. Insolence is long lasting and has a pronounced powdery finish, as is to be expected, when violet and iris get together.

Nonetheless, it isn’t a stuffy or overly-heavy fragrance, the raspberry and other berry notes keep things dynamic. Towards the end, there is a light musk, and a great sandalwood note at the base. This is a great floral fruity wear, rather simple, but delightful.

 

Pear Delight

Pera Granita– Pera is another one that I’ve tried and enjoyed from the Aqua Allegoria series from Guerlain. And, I’m not even a huge fan of pear as a note.

It starts off with a host of citrus note. Lemon, bergamot, and grapefruit. Those notes will have more power than the pear, in the very opening of the scent.

It’s a sour/tart beginning, but it will become sweeter rather quickly. Sparkling pear, jasmine, and cedar notes will be the main attraction. The tail end is the pear, musk, and floral notes coming through.

Not super complicated, but a really nice wear for the spring and summer months. Bits of spice and greenish aspects are also hear, but plenty enjoy with the pear alone.

Best Woodsy Perfume

Mitsouko by Guerlain 75ml 2.5oz EDP Spray– An earthy/woodsy type of scent which dates back to 1919. This is another classic, which has been somewhat modernized, over time.  Has a bit of spice up top and some sweetness provided by peach. More of a mature scent.

The oakmoss and vetiver, are the real stars of the show, providing a fresh woodsy dryness to the wear. As it dries down further the spices, including cinnamon, really support the woodsy notes well.

Hints of floral ingredients, such as rose, have their time in focus before they recede back into the mix.

Nevertheless, even with updating, Mitsouko is still going to be a niche wear for many who aren’t used to the older styles. It is a big time performer, with a loud sillage, that can take a while to settle in.