Best Perfumes for Women

Irresistible EDP by Givenchy

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Irresistible is one of Givenchy’s main fragrance series for women. I got samples of each of the perfume options from this line to test them out and review for the site. The eau de parfum was released in 2020. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Irresistible EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: rose, pear, ambrette, iris, cedar, musk

Click here to try: Irresistible EDP

My Full Review

Here’s how Givenchy describes it: A magnetically powerful contrast between two opposite accords: luscious rose and luminous blond wood. Irresistible Givenchy Eau de Parfum entices you to feel charmingly, irresistibly you.

Irresistible kicks off fresh, juicy, with a sweet muskiness. The rose is advertised as the dominant note in this one, to some extent that becomes true later. However, early on there’s a good deal of pear.

The pear note alone gives you that usual sweet and watery juiciness. But that ambrette, gives it a further sweetness and is really better than just a standard musk would be by itself in this composition. Though, you do get that as well.

That opening is bright, sparkling, with a nice fizziness from the notes coming together.

As it moves forward, Irresistible does start to show more of it rosiness. That, with a further powdery punch from the iris note. But, it never strays into full baby powder mode, and the powder is simply complementary.

This isn’t super complicated. The pear does take a step back. you get more of the standard musk, rose has a greater weighting, with the iris and cedar freshness coming from the base.

More of a floral musk, with some fruity sweetness. To me, this doesn’t get too soapy or shampoo-like with how it comes across. Sure, to some extent, but it stays balanced and attractive.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s a bit moderate. The opening actually has a decent amount of strength, with a fairly short-lived but pronounced scent trail. This all projects well off the area you applied Irresistible to for a few hours.

Thereafter, it’s going to be a lighter scent. Not a skin scent, but maybe a 2-3 foot scent bubble.

The longevity is pretty run of the mill, but slightly above average. I get about 7 hours on the high end, but somewhere in the 5.5-7 hour range is about what to expect on the skin. Not great, but I didn’t find it to be entirely weak.

Seasonally, this is a versatile fragrance, but mostly for spring and summer. Though, it’s fine in the autumn, when it’s not too cold outside. Maybe a bit too sharp or bright for the dead of winter, but fine outside of that.

Irresistible is a pretty sort of perfume, that will get complements, and less of something that might be called sexy. But, it’s one that is a crowd pleaser and nothing that should offend.

It’s fairly wearable. Light and upbeat. More of a daily wear, casual, and semi-formal. Again, I’d probably skip using this as a nightlife sort of scent.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Irresistible

Overall, do I like this perfume? Yes, to me, this is the best of the Irresistible lineup thus far. The EDT and Fraiche aren’t as enjoyable or long lasting. Plus, this is nice fragrance overall. Not completely amazing, but I like it. 

The performance could be better, but I didn’t think that it was too bad. Irresistible doesn’t have that beast mode performance, however. 

The pear and ambrette are the highlights of this one to me. The latter part goes more in the musky floral direction, tried and true, yet it’s a simple formula which works well. 

As a daily wear, this one will work just fine for most people. Maybe you don’t want to pay full retail for Irresistible, but it’s worth a try, and a great option at a discount. 

Beautiful Magnolia by Estée Lauder

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Beautiful Magnolia is a perfume entry from the Estee Lauder ‘Beautiful’ perfume series. It was released in 2021. I received a sample of this at some point with another order, and so, decided to put this fragrance through its paces for a review. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Beautiful Magnolia Smell Like?

Notes include: magnolia, gardenia, sandalwood, cedar, musk, solar notes, mate, lotus, Turkish rose

Click here to try: BEAUTIFUL MAGNOLIA by Estee Lauder, EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 3.4 OZ

lauder perfume review

My Full Review

Beautiful Magnolia stays close to its name, from the very jump. That magnolia note is already present and very prominent in the composition.

But, it is also very fresh and semi-aquatic thanks to the lotus flower that about equals the magnolia for the first part of the wear. It comes across as very clean and watery, with a light herbal tea aroma from the mate, that’ll fade fairly quickly.

While rose is apparently a note in this one, I don’t get any on my skin. Maybe it’s just tough to pick out, but this is mostly the magnolia’s show. Some gardenia, at times, and the opening lotus influence.

Outside of the floral notes, this becomes a muskier perfume, as we dry down. The lotus aquatic smell begins to subside, the magnolia gets stronger, and the musk and cedar base intensifies.

Pretty simple in the close. Magnolia, musk, woods, and a generic floral impression. The musk and wood do turn this into more of a shampoo kind of fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a lighter moderate fragrance. It’s not going to leave a huge scent trail and will become more of a skin scent about half way through.

However, the performance for the first few hours is pretty solid on my skin. If I spray Beautiful Magnolia on a shirt, I can pick it up from up to about 5 feet away. It’s not a complete powerhouse, so don’t go in expecting that.

The longevity hits the 5-6 hour range. Again, it’s pretty run of the mill. It’s not going to last a full work day it seems, but can get somewhat far into it. Maybe, some people will get better longevity from this one. Though, my skin doesn’t really ‘eat’ perfumes.

Seasonally, break Beautiful out in the warmer weather of the spring and summer months. It can be a bit too sharp or even aquatic feeling for the wintertime.

This is a daily wear type. Safe for work. Casual. Semi-formal. Not a nightlife perfume or anything that would be classified as sexy. It fits the ‘beautiful’ moniker or at least could be called pretty.

Overall Impressions of Beautiful Magnolia

Overall, do I like Beautiful Magnolia? Yes, it’s enjoyable to some extent, but wasn’t something that I’m crazy about.

As far as shampoo-clean floral perfumes go, this is a nice example. The magnolia and lotus give it more of a unique identity than some along with the tea aroma, found early on. At the end of the day, it’s a musky floral that’s clean and inoffensive.

The performance is run of the mill, but it is one that you should get plenty of use out of if you enjoy magnolia as a note. If not, I don’t think that this Lauder fragrance would change your mind.

It’s on about the same level as Hermes’ Un Jardin Sur le Toit, another magnolia perfume, which is more expensive.

Worth a try, but not an absolute must have.

English Pear & Freesia by Jo Malone

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Jo Malone has a whole host of fragrances that are great by themselves or layered with another perfume from the line. That’s what they’re made to do. I somewhat recently received a sample of what I consider to be one of the better scents from this designer, which gave me the opportunity to retest it and finally give English Pear & Freesia a full review. What does it smell like? How long does it last?

What does English Pear & Freesia Smell Like?

Notes include: King William pear, melon, freesia, patchouli, rhubarb, rose, musk

Click here to try: English Pear & Freesia

english pear review

My Full Review

Here’s how Jo Malone describes it: The essence of autumn. Mellow. Cool. Golden.

So, Jo Malone scents are designed to be both worn solo or layered with other offerings from their line. If you go with English Pear & Freesia they have the following suggestions. Try layering this one with (according to Jo Malone): Wild Bluebell for a fresher scent. Velvet Rose & Oud for a warmer scent.

The pear note here is probably the highlight of the entire wear. It’s crisp, bright, and has less of the sparkling quality than some other perfumes, but it smells better to my nose. The light melon note helps add that juicy or watery sort of fruit aroma to the opening act.

Early on, the fruity notes are in charge. But, I do get plenty of musk in the early stages of this perfume. Musk flanked by the rose note, which plays more of a role than you might think by the name alone.

However, the freesia is ultimately the star here. A lovely white floral impression with hints of green stems and the underlying patchouli note.

The dry down will pretty much be a shift away from the pear dominance, to a more traditional floral soapy sort of perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one has a nice opening burst of strength and can project itself well for the first hour or so. Then, it’ll become pretty moderate, with about a 3 foot radius of a scent bubble on the wearer.

Finally, the last couple hours are lighter still. It isn’t a weak fragrance, but not exactly a beast either. That opening is pretty substantial on me, however.

This one actually lasts a decent amount of time, on my skin. Somewhere in the 6.5-7 hour range, at its best. It’s not a long lasting powerhouse scent, but it’s not terrible for what it is.

Seasonally, this is at its best in the spring and into the summertime. But again, what you’re layering it with can determine whether it can venture further into the heat or the cold. That’s great, if you’re looking for a super versatile scent to base things off of.

On its own, this is a pleasant and clean smelling fragrance that can fit in a variety of situations. Not really a sexy or nightlife scent, though. Outside of that, it’s going to give you most of what you’d want in a perfume.

This is technically a unisex scent, but I will say that it definitely leans more traditionally feminine than being down the middle.

Overall Impressions of English Pear & Freesia

Overall do I like this fragrance? Yes, English Pear & Freesia is simple, but ultimately a lovely experience. You just have to understand what you’re actually getting with this perfume.

I do enjoy that sparkling, almost champagne-like opening, with the rather unique pear note and the melon coming through. Juicy, fresh, sweet, with the underlying musk that will be more prevalent in its support of the floral notes later.

The performance actually isn’t bad for such a simple and somewhat linear fragrance. The performance on my skin, is solid, but others report that it doesn’t last long for them. So, maybe this Jo Malone perfume is more dependent on your own skin chemistry, versus some other scent on the market.

I do think that this one is worth a try on its own. The tail on of the scent isn’t completely unique or earth-shattering, but it does smell quite good. I do still think that this is one of the better options in the Jo Malone catalogue, even after all these years.

Flora Gorgeous Jasmine by Gucci

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Flora Gorgeous Jasmine is the latest flanker fragrance from the Flora line here in 2022. I’ve had a chance to try it out here recently, a fairly short time after testing Gorgeous Gardenia for the site. But, how does this one actually smell? Does it last a long time? Is this jasmine perfume even worth a try?

What does Flora Gorgeous Jasmine Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, mandarin, black pepper, jasmine, magnolia, Damask rose, benzoin, sandalwood, and patchouli

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it: Gucci Flora Gorgeous Jasmine Eau de Parfrum bursts with a radiant composition led by Grandiflorum Jasmine. Tender wreaths of noble Jasmine are transformed through extraction into the heart and spirit of Gucci Flora Gorgeous Jasmine, resulting in an enlightened expression of this precious flower. Blended with base notes of Sandalwood and Benzoin, its sensual notes create a skin imprint unique to the wearer.

Gorgeous Jasmine opens up with a bright burst of citrus surrounding the titular floral note. Bergamot is there, but I pick up more of the mandarin orange. It’s a bit watery, lightly green, with some fresh spice.

There’s apparently pepper here, which contributes to that opening bit of spice, but it is light and pretty darn short-lived.

The next phase, gets cleaner, almost has a musky quality to it. The jasmine is certainly dominant throughout the wear. But, that opening citrus has a nice little run near the top, and the magnolia also has its second place moment.

Any Damask rose that is here, must be getting outdone by that jasmine and magnolia, as I really don’t get any.

Soft and soapy clean/fresh, but with some sweetness there, before we transition to a sandalwood and patchouli infused base. Much more of the sandalwood, to my nose, versus the patchouli.

Finally, the only real noticeable difference, will be a bit of a resinous finish thanks to some benzoin. However, this one dries down like a jasmine shampoo thanks to the floral combination and the Australian sandalwood.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is above average. Gorgeous Jasmine is not at all a weak fragrance, but it’s also not an absolute bomb that’s going to take over a room.

It’ll mostly provide a solid scent bubble around the wearer, with some early projection ability, that can reach rather far from the skin itself.

This one also has fairly good longevity, not elite, but it’s another aspect of this Gucci perfume which is above average. Somewhere around 8 hours on me, before it finally fades away entirely.

Seasonally, this is an obvious choice for the spring and summer months. The floral aspects, the citrus, the cleanliness all combine to make it a warm weather wear. Moderate to warmer temperatures is when it’s at its best, probably skip wearing it at the extremes.

This is a daily wear. Casual, work, semi-formal. It’s pretty and attractive, but not a sexy date night fragrance or one for the nightlife. Much more of a subtle and easy to wear perfume versus something that is going to scream for attention.

Overall Impressions of Gorgeous Jasmine

Overall, do I like Flora Gorgeous Jasmine? I do. It’s not the best or most ‘naturalistic’ smelling jasmine scent out there. However, it still is quite good for what it is.

The mandarin orange and the light spice add some dynamic qualities to this fragrance. I enjoy the opening act a lot. The dry down is where you really get into the jasmine, joined by a sandalwood note, and general soapy clean aroma.

It doesn’t blow my socks off, but I enjoyed Jasmine the whole way through. It gives you a worthy performance and an opportunity to wear it in a variety of situations.

If you’re a jasmine fan or just want a nice mainstream floral perfume, this is a good one to check out. Might be a little on the expensive side for what it is, but it also isn’t a complete ripoff or anything.

Tease EDP by Victoria’s Secret

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Tease is another of the more popular fragrances by Victoria’s Secret line. It’s been in lotion, body spray, and eau de parfum form. In this post, I am going to be review the latter, and seeing just how this EDP performs. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Tease EDP by Victoria’s Secret Smell Like?

Notes include: anjou pear, gardenia, black vanilla, litchi

Click here to try: Tease EDP

tease edp review

My Full Wear Review

Tease is a sweeter perfume at times, but it actually starts out fairly tart. The pear and litchi combination will do that. Maybe a little apple thrown in the mix to boot. 

On the whole though, it is more of a light fruity sweetness than a sugary kind of perfume. A gourmand with a larger age range than just being for teenagers. Some VS scents are too youthful for women above 25 to wear them, but I think this one has a broader appeal. 

Vanilla and gardenia really star here. The pear early, these two notes later in the wear. That shift will come at about 45 minutes after application, that’s around when it happened for me.

There is slight resinous quality from an amber note in the base. Keeps it warm and smooth.

There does seem to be some other white floral notes in the mix. But, this is at least 85% gardenia in how it presents. Maybe a little bit of jasmine, but that’s about all I get distinctly. Otherwise, it’s a mishmash. 

Less fruity more vanilla floral with some touches of woods and amber. Pear and it’s sparkling quality start to play the background.

Tease EDP isn’t a very complicated fragrance. So, you pretty quickly get to experience most of what you’ll get for the duration of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty moderate. You get a fairly big and bold start with a normal amount of sprays. Though, that’ll last maybe a little less than an hour. Then, it’s noticeable, just not anything bold or with a far reaching projection.

On my skin, Tease lasts between 6-7 hours. Not amazing, but honestly better than many of Victoria’s Secret’s other fragrances. Though, overall it’s pretty basic, and what you’d get from most other brand’s perfumes. 

Seasonally, Tease is an interesting fragrance. I’d say it’s a bit better in the colder weather than warmer, but it isn’t exclusive to autumn or winter. Really, I’d mostly just stay away from the extreme heat of summer days.

It’s not the most formal fragrance ever, but it can serve its purpose as a casual scent or daily wear. It’s attractive enough for the nightlife and will gather compliments, as these sorts of gourmands to have a mass appeal.

Tease isn’t a difficult fragrance to wear around and versatility is one of its strengths. Not the most mature or serious perfume out there, but that’s not what everyone needs either.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Tease EDP

Overall, do I like Tease? Yes, it’s a very nice entry from VS. Not the most unique, but it smells nice, and gives a good enough performance.

I do slightly prefer something like Eau So Sexy from Victoria’s Secret to this one. But, it’s not an overwhelming preference. 

The anjou pear note is really great up top and one of the highlights of the scent for me. You might think with vanilla, amber, and some other gourmand influences that this might be a heavier/thicker fragrance.

Not really, it has substance, but isn’t going to completely melt if venturing into warmer temperatures. This is a very balanced and versatile fragrance. Pretty, straightforward, and likeable for most people. 

Not a must have, but for sure worth a try, if this is your style.