Best Perfumes for Women

Mandarino di Amalfi vs. Neroli Portofino

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In this edition of the head to head fragrance comparisons, I want to take a closer look at two Tom Ford perfumes, that utilize citrus and floral ingredients. These are: Neroli Portofino vs. Mandarino Di Amalfi. Which of these unisex scents is the better of the two? Which popular fragrance gives the best performance? Which is the top buy?

Tale of the Tape: Mandarino di Amalfi vs. Neroli Portofino

Neroli Portofino

Notes include: neroli, orange flower, amber, mandarin, bergamot, jasmine, lavender, lemon

Click here to try: Tom Ford Neroli Portofino 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray

Review: Neroli Portofino

Mandarino di Amalfi

Notes include: grapefruit, lemon, wildflowers, mint, tarragon, orange blossom, sage, amber, vetiver, basil, black pepper, black currant

Click here to try: Tom Ford Mandarino Di Amalfi Eau de Parfum, 1.7oz./50ml

Review: Mandarino Di Amalfi

Opening

Portofino opens up with lemon and other citrus notes to go along with orange blossom and the neroli. The top is a bright citrus smell with a zesty quality and floral notes sitting underneath and providing a soapy feeling.

The jasmine and neroli together, really give it that bath soap sort of smell. That’s fine and this is a good example of it. I like the citrus notes, but they aren’t as prominent as the floral trio.

Mandarino Di Amalfi opens up with lemon and grapefruit, which are juicier than what is found in Neroli Portofino. There is also an additional black currant note, which is familiar, but not overly sharp within this composition.

Under all of that, is basil, tarragon, and mint. It gives the composition a cool spice and a lighter soapy quality than its competitor.

Which is better? I like Mandarino better at the start. The juiciness of the citrus is better and the herbal spice gives it another dimension, then, just being a soapy floral.

The black currant adds a nice distinction here versus Portofino. Plus, those spicy herbal notes, give Mandarino di Amalfi some more depth early on.

Edge: Mandarino

Projection

Neroli Portofino’s sillage starts out as a moderate, but quickly moves into something that is much lighter. Meanwhile, Mandarino di Almalfi, has very solid projecting abilities for a citrus based scent. It isn’t insane or anything, but it is better than Neroli, in this regard.

Edge: Mandarino

Longevity

Neroli Portofino will hit the five to six hour mark of wear, on skin. If you’re willing to spray on fabric, you can of course get a bit more. It’s really not on of the marathon type of perfumes on the market.

Mandarino di Amalfi isn’t much better, if at all. It too seems to strike that six hour mark and be gone from my skin, thereafter.

In this category, the two are very evenly matched. I get about 5-6 with Neroli and about 6 with Mandarino. This is after plenty of testing of each. Neither are great, but are passable…just don’t expect beasts.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Again, these two pretty much occupy the same space. Spring and summer wears, that can go casual or dressy, during the daytime. They are unisex fragrances, that lean more feminine, than masculine. No real distinction.

With each, you’re going to get more of that coastal summertime outdoorsy vibe. No nightlife monsters, just attractive fragrances to wear during the warmer months.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Neither of these scents really wows me, at all. They’re nice, but just not amazing. Neroli Portofino is a very simple perfume with citrus top note, neroli, and orange blossom.

Later on, it becomes even more floral, with lavender and jasmine coming in. Clean, bright, soapy, floral. Pleasant to wear and won’t offend.

Mandarino Di Amalfi, doesn’t reach some rarefied air, but I think that it is better than Neroli Portofino. The opening citrus is better, then the herbal spice brings in a different dynamic (also does it better than Neroli Portofino Forte), and then you get orange blossom and wildflower.

The floral element smells better to me in Mandarino, as well, and goes well with the green herbals.

Obviously, if you’re a super fan of neroli, you may have your leanings for Portofino. To me, I think the citrus, less soapy aroma of Amalfi is the better of the two.

The performance is pretty good, but not great. I like Mandarino and during parts of the wear, I thoroughly enjoy it, it just never brings it all together. However, it wins this Tom Ford perfume match up.

Winner: Mandarino Di Amalfi

7 Best Smelling Chloe Perfumes

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Chloe has produced elegant and feminine clothing dating back over 60 years. This French design house has become a staple in the fashion world for a very long time and continues its relevance to this day. It’s perfumes represent the firm’s image through scent and it’s roster of fragrances are very good and romantic indeed.

For this post, I am selecting what I feel are the best perfumes from the line, which you can still get a hold of today.

What are the Best Smelling Chloe Perfumes?

The Classic Fragrance

Chloe By Karl Lagerfeld For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.0 Oz

The classic scent from the Chloe line dating back to 1975. Clean, fresh, and evocative. Chloe is a warm and memorable fragrance who’s staying power extends through the day. Notes include: honeysuckle, jasmine, orange flowers.

It is a fresh floral scent that is led by tuberose, but is supported by fruity notes such as peach and even coconut. Starts off with a sunny semi-sweet aroma, before moving into its tuberose bouquet phase.

Yes, this one has been replaced in many ways within the Chloe lineup. However, it is still a great, and attractive scent for women. Just an old school aldehydic floral scent with plenty of depth.

chloe

Most Popular Chloe Perfume

Chloe New for Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5-Ounces-A nice, moderate scent by Chloe. New is a complex and feminine scent that isn’t too bold but will add a bit of warmth and class to any woman. Notes include: Magnolia, rose, lily of the valley cedar wood base, amber.

The rose is the most prominent of the floral notes, with a somewhat powdery aroma, and the addition of a very solid peony.

Chloe EDP has a nice woodiness in the dry down, that helps to give it a more solid base, and the performance on this one is pretty outstanding. Its sillage can be powerful and will go the full day.

chloe new

Powdery Citrus 

Chloe Love Story Sensuelle Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.5 Ounce– Eau Sensuelle is probably the best from the Love Story line of fragrances. The original is nice, but I think the citrus opening and orange blossom, are quite attractive in this flanker.

It has a nice blend of fresh, sweet, and pretty soapy in the opening act. The floral notes, really contribute to that. A touch of light sparkling pear, early on, that will give way to a powdery heliotrope note.

I does dry down to something less citrus laden. Creamy, powdery, musky, and woody. The performance is nice and Eau Sensuellle can essentially be worn for most occasions, as it isn’t going to offend of choke out a room.

Clean Earthy Fruity

Chloe Nomade Eau De Parfum Spray For Women 2.5 Ounce–  Chloe Nomade is one for those who may want less of a straight fruity floral and something earthier and woodsy.

It is still fruity with citrus top notes and peach, so, don’t expect a completely niche fragrance with limited appeal. Freesia and rose are going to be the main floral notes here, with the freesia getting more of the weighting within the composition.

The base is fresh woody notes with a greenish/mossy kind of finish. The dry down actually can get a bit powdery versus the more fresh clean start and middle. Great choice for a daily wear that doesn’t overwhelm a room, but has a pleasing aroma.

It’s also worth considering Nomade Absolu, which really goes pretty heavy with the mossy forest sort of aroma, but while actually being a slightly sweeter version.

Beautiful Floral Scent

Love by Chloe for Women, Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.5 Ounce- As its name suggests, Love is for the romantically inclined. This wonderful scent is full of life and beauty. It’s a clean floral scent with undertones of powder to it. When iris is the main note, you’re obviously going to get that familiar powdery scent.

Plus, you have the other floral notes, like violet coming through strong, and an underlying musk to the whole composition. You don’t need to spray very much for it to be effective. Notes include: iris, lilac, hyacinth.

Nonetheless, this is a very pretty and clean scent for daily wear. Love performs well and has plenty of versatility outside the heat of summer. Nice floral scent, without too much greenery, but that wonderful makeup-ish powder aroma.

lovechloe

Springtime Apple-Floral Fragrance

Parfums Chloe Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, See, 2.5 Ounce– A well-done mix of florals creates a light and airy fragrance that is effective for daytime wear. See By is a confident and memorable perfume that can be a staple scent for the right woman.

Fresh and moderate with an apple floral blend and musky undertones coming through, in the later stages of the wear.

See is an upbeat fragrance with a crisp opening that is laden with white floral notes, to create a great balance. Notes include: bergamot, apple blossom, jasmine, ylang-ylang, musk.

See is sort of a mid point between different Chloe offerings. You get powdery musky ingredients, with the apple blossom and citrus. It’s a balance with a clean and fresh personality. Mostly floral, but the apple and bergamot touches, tie things together.

seeby

Top Summertime Scent

Chloe L’Eau De Chloe Eau De Toilette Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce 

A newer addition to the Chloe roster of fragrances. L’Eau de Chloe is a fresh floral scent perfect for those spring and summer months. Underneath its floral notes is a hint of spice to add a bit more mystery and elegance. Notes include: rose petals, moss, and grapefruit.

This is a very interesting rose-based fragrance, as it isn’t just a primarily rosy affair. You get a great citrus grapefruit and lychee. Then, comes the magnolia and woody notes which takes it to another level.

It still does have a nice rose note, but with a light green freshness, and a summery disposition. This is a Chloe fragrance that is a must try. L’eau de Chloe is a modern scent with a vintage feel.

l'eau

La Belle EDP by Jean Paul Gaultier

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JPG’s La Belle is a sample that I received by mistake, when I was supposed to get different men’s fragrances and received women’s instead. But, not a big deal, since I have to do writeups for this site anyway. I’d encountered this one a few times before, but never spent that much time with it. How does La Belle EDP smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a buy?

What does La Belle by JPG Smell Like?

Notes include: pear, vanilla, bergamot, leather, floral notes, amber, musk, vetiver

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle for Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce

My Full Review

Before we get into my review, let’s see how JPG describes this scent: Jean Paul Gaultier created La Belle in his own image, an ultra sensual feminine fragrance with an addictive sillage. A green oriental perfume born of the encounter between addictive vanilla pod, fresh bergamot and a burst of pear.

Upon first spraying La Belle EDP, I immediately think that this is the female version of Ultra Male, by this designer. Two different scents, with overlaps, and really the same concept.

Juicy pear and bergamot kick things off here. The background is warm and a bit spicy, but the overall aroma is one that is sweet, somewhat thick, but retaining a light and watery freshness about it. I get amber early on, as well.

The sweetness has a gourmand caramelization going on. The bergamot note will subside and that’s when the vanilla note really starts to come into its own. The vetiver note comes in towards the middle act, with a general impression of floral notes.

But, this isn’t really a floral fragrance, just a sweet fruity one. The leather, if it is there, must be hidden underneath the layers of the rest.

In the end, it’s about the vanilla, amber, musk, and vetiver notes. That’s what it dries down to. The pear and bergamot are pretty much just an impression of sweetness later on.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This stuff is pretty massive. The ability that it has to project is very far reaching, much like Ultra Male. Literally, only need a spray or two. I can catch whiffs of it from a shirt that I sprayed from 10 feet away.

So, you know, don’t go crazy with this stuff.

The longevity is pretty top notch. Well over 11 hours, on my skin, during testing. La Belle is an absolute beast and workhorse that isn’t just going to quit. This is a perfume that is bold and commands attention for a long time.

Seasonally, autumn and winter. Maybe, the early part of spring. I wouldn’t wear this when it is too warm out, but it does hang very nicely in the cold air, here in January.

The versatility is probably the biggest weakness. Not a formal scent. Not for work. Probably not for many daytime situations. However, it is a nightlife gem. This can be worn to a bar, club, and out on a date.

It does have a sexiness and attractive qualities to lure someone in. Provided you don’t over-spray and choke them out first.

Overall Impressions of La Belle

Overall, do I like La Belle EDP? I do like it. It’s not a complete love for me, because it is very sweet and kind of overwhelming at times.

Nonetheless, it is a fragrance that smells very nice and it’s a solid gourmand. The bergamot and pear opening is great. It does quickly get wrapped up in that vanilla embrace.

It can be cloying, and frankly, it does wear on my nerves after a while. The vetiver and amber and vanilla dry down, isn’t my favorite…but still pretty good, on the whole.

If you want a monstrous sillage and love sweet gourmand fragrances, this is one to check out. Understand, it isn’t for everyone or one that you’d necessarily want to wear on many occasions. But, it is a perfume that can for sure have its place within a rotation.

A Drop d’Issey by Issey Miyake

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Issey Miyake released A Drop d’Issey in 2021. I happened to get a sample vial of this fragrance with one of my orders, so I of course eventually tried it out, in order to do a review for the site. I had no clue, as to what I should expect with this perfume. How does it smell? Does it last long? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does A Drop d’Issey Smell Like?

Notes include: lilac, almond, damask rose, solar notes, jasmine, star anise, musk, vanilla, and more

Click here to try: Issey Miyake A Drop d’Issey for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 3 Ounce

My Full Review

Here’s how Issey Miyake describes this perfume: A solar lilac accord enlightened by a musky note and an almond milk facet.

A Drop d’Issey opens up with a light and floral aroma. The damask rose and lilac are the main attraction up top, along with the solar notes. It’s light, musky, and the rose dominates on my skin for the first bit, before this fragrance starts to shift.

As it moves along, the lilac will become more noticeable and sort of split the strength with the rose note. Almond and vanilla come in and indeed give this perfume a milky creaminess. Definitely a clean lotion sort of vibe coming from this Issey Miyake.

However, the almond milk will fade out too. The jasmine note will rise with the lilac and this takes on more of a powdery quality. A musky/powdery floral, full of solar warmth and light creamy touches throughout.

For me, this dries down into a fresh musky floral with some sweetness. Much of the creamy and powdery aroma will subside. The lilac fully takes control, on my skin. So, if you’re not big into that note, this might be a skip.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is actually quite powerful. It will project itself extremely well. I can spray the sample vial on a shirt and smell it from 6+ feet away without issue. I was actually surprised by the performance of this one.

The longevity is also great. It seems to quit in the 8-9 hour range, on my skin. So, you’ll get about a full workday out of it. All in all, this one really delivers the good with how well it sticks around and let’s itself be known.

Seasonally, this is a spring and summer scent. Wear it in moderate to warmer temperatures during the daytime.

A Drop d’Issey is something to be worn casually, semi-formally, or maybe to the office. This isn’t a club beast or something that is particularly sexy. Probably best served for women in their late-20s and up.

But, the lilacs don’t strike me as old lady-ish either. Clean and pretty pleasant to be around.

Overall Impressions of A Drop d’Issey

Overall, do I like A Drop d’Issey? I do like it. I think that it’s a very good perfume all around and doesn’t have any particular weaknesses. Maybe originality?

I will say, that you’re going to have to know what you’re getting into with this one. It does have an aroma very much like soap or a fine face cream. Lilac is a big part and it’s not one that is particularly sexy or dynamic.

But, if this sounds like the type of scent that you enjoy, it is one that is well worth checking out. The smell is attractive, the performance is great, and it’s available at an affordable price point.

I do like the opening with the rose, solar notes, and lilac. As well as, that almond milk creaminess. I’m not a huge lilac fan, but I don’t completely dislike it either, especially with this perfume. Nice smelling, purple flowers, with a creamy/powdery finish to it.

5 Best Smelling Vera Wang Perfumes

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Vera Wang has been a very popular person in the world of fashion design for decades now. Along the way, she has of course expanded her wares into many categories, including the perfume market. She has scored some big hits, like the original Princess, and has overall enjoyed plenty of fans who dig the inexpensive fragrances.

In this post, I want to take a bit of a closer look into the brand’s releases, and choose five of what I feel are the best. Some are lesser known, while others are best sellers.

What are the Best Perfumes by Vera Wang?

Most Popular Scent

Vera Wang Princess by Vera Wang for Women – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray– Princess has been a popular fragrance for a long time now. It’s a very nice blend of sweeter notes like vanilla and chocolate, with fruits such as, apple and guava.

This gives it a nice back and forth, as a gourmand scent. Princess has a yummy sweet profile, but not insanely sugary, the guava and floral notes give it a clean heart without the hyper-candy aroma.

Vanilla and chocolate can make a perfume feel heavier, but this one remains pretty light and enjoyable to wear. The performance is also quite good. Definitely a younger feel to Princess, but a good option for those who love sweets.

I think most of its appeal, is that it doesn’t go too heavy with the thicker chocolate and vanilla notes. Those lighter fruits really give Princess a softer finish.

Sweet with Powder

Vera Wang Rock Princess By Vera Wang For Women Edt Spray 3.4 Oz– One of the many Princess flankers, Rock Princess, retains much of the sweetness of the original but with musky/woody notes.

This one starts off with coconut and raspberry, as the top fruity notes, but there is a powdery and slightly spicy quality that is also present. As it dries down, you get more of the cashmere wood, but still plenty of coconut goodness.

Not really as edgy, as the name and marketing would make it seem. Sweetish and interesting, though. There are periods, where a bit more spice comes through, and then that powdered aroma. The dry down is where it smells the most powdered, but the iris, heliotrope, and jasmine are a nice pairing.

Best Floral Perfume

Vera Wang Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounces– The namesake fragrance, sets itself apart from the much more girly, Princess line. Vera Wang EDP is a floral affair. Lily, lotus, gardenia, and Bulgarian rose dominate the composition.

This is a clean classical sort of perfume, with a somewhat soapy/musky quality to it, but still light and wholly feminine. It’s not a complete flower bomb bouquet, there is a bit of sweetness here, and a great sandalwood note holding it all together.

Vera Wang eau de parfum is an awesome option for those who need a daily wear fragrance. It is inexpensive, low key, and gives you an old school feel with modern sensibility. A white floral, with some light greenish elements in the opening act.

Floral with Fruitiness 

Love Struck Eau De Parfum Spray for Women by Vera Wang, 3.4 Ounce– Lovestruck also goes with the guava note, as its main fruity attraction, along with a tiny bit of citrus. This one is pretty simple, but surprisingly great.

Lovestruck features a nice musky aroma, with floral notes of tuberose and lotus. The lotus brings about a somewhat aquatic element to the scent, sort of like the floral ingredients in the men’s cologne, Nautica Voyage.

As it dries down, it becomes muskier, but still retains that charming guava note. Very nice for the price.

At times, this does smell a bit like a less sharp Light Blue by D&G, or something along those lines. Different ingredients, but a fairly similar experience, for a little while. Then, the musky floral notes really take it over.

What’s cool is that it gives you those tropical/exotic fruits in the mix up top. This gives it a bit of a different feeling versus the typical musky floral scents. Plus, there a powdery aroma that peaks through at times.

Best Overall Vera Wang

Vera Wang Princess Night Eau De Toiletter Spray, 3.4 Ounce– This one could be the best Princess flanker, even better than the original. Princess Night, opens up with that familiar vanilla of the original, but it is joined by juicy berries, watermelon, and raspberry.

The perfume feels sugary, in the start, by dries down with a musk, rose, and a solid spiciness. It’s delicious, and then does, give off a nighttime vibe.

For much of the wear, it won’t feel like a ‘night’ fragrance, but the base notes can kick in and take it away from the Princess vibe. It gets some added light spiciness and a warmer and less fruity aroma. Berries, sugar, and then a vanilla embrace. There are some nice layers in this one.