Best Perfumes for Women

Jersey Les Exclusifs de Chanel

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When I picked up my last batch of Chanel fragrance samples, I made sure to get a few from the Les Exclusifs line of fragrances. One of those was Jersey, which I didn’t have any prior experience with, and wasn’t particularly clued into what it was all about. Now that I have given this perfume a fair shake, I’m going to share my thoughts on Jersey. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a buy?

What does Jersey by Chanel Smell Like?

Notes include: lavender, musk, Bourbon vanilla, wildflowers, rose, tonka bean

My Full Review

This Les Exclusifs Jersey opens up with an initial blast of the familiar Chanel aldehydes. Close to what you get with No.5, but I’d says it’s more like L’eau No. 5. It’s got a very cold and fresh aroma, at the start.

One thing I get immediately is the lavender. There is a lot of it in this mix. Surrounded by a heart of wildflowers and a pretty herbal/grassy aroma. It’s pretty sharp in the early stages.

As it moves along, Jersey gets smoother and with a muskier finish. The lavender is tempered by the other floral notes somewhat. A bit powdery with a sweetness, there might be a violet note or something resembling that in here.

This one doesn’t get all that complicated. It’s a simple scent, but what’s interesting is that the aldehydes last for the duration, at varying levels of strength. In many of the other Chanel’s, those notes have a tendency to fade.

Jersey dries down to lavender, musk, and a touch of creaminess from the vanilla/tonka bean. The vanilla and tonka bean do become more noticeable the further along you get into things.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Jersey has some decent ability to project itself, but isn’t super heavy or one that is going to reach across a room. Expect more of a moderate scent bubble, that will at times extend to the 4-6 foot range, but settle much closer to the skin.

The longevity is solid, but again, not amazing. On my skin, I got around 7.5-8 hours of wear during testing. It’ll provide you with plenty of opportunities to wear it, and Jersey, is by no means a perfume that performs poorly.

The strong suit of Jersey is probably its versatility. While it’s not a romantic wear or something that is going to scream for attention, it can be worn in a wide variety of situations and basically year round.

It does strike me more as something to wear during the spring, but it really wouldn’t be out of place in most climates. Maybe avoid the extreme heat and cold, but in moderate to warmer temperatures, you’ll be golden.

This one could serve as a daily wear or something for casual to semi-formal wear. I think Jersey is listed as a unisex perfume, but it really leans much more towards being a traditionally feminine wear.

Outside of having to test it for the site, I don’t think I’d be wearing it as a man.

Overall Impressions of Jersey

Overall, do I like Jersey by Chanel? It’s pretty nice, but not something that I’d be clamoring to wear or would go crazy for smelling it on a woman. You definitely get that Chanel vibe right from the get go and it is a pretty pleasant and somewhat unique floral.

I like the chilled aroma and the vanilla finish with this one. It’s got an attractive freshness. The lavender isn’t too overpowering here and the perfume still manages to come across as feminine. There’s nothing that stands out to me, as being ‘bad’, in this composition.

But, nothing that truly jumps out to me as being spectacular. There are many other Chanel perfumes, that are better than this one, and I’d rather wear or be around.

However, if it sounds appealing to your personal tastes, the performance is quite good and while it probably isn’t a value play…it’s a fair deal.

Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori by Gucci

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Gucci Bloom is a series that seems to keep cranking out new flankers every year. I grabbed samples of the whole collection up to this point, in order to provide full reviews for these popular ladies’ perfumes. Today’s entry will be Acqua di Fiori, which was released back in 2018. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Bloom Acqua di Fiori Smell Like?

Notes include: cassis, lemon, galbanum, tuberose, musk, sandalwood, jasmine, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori for Women 3.3 oz Eau de Toilette Spray

My Full Review

After spraying Acqua di Fiori on myself, I am immediately hit by a scent that has a watery clean freshness full of greenish highlights. The opening act does have an almost grassy feeling to it.

Galbanum is the note that I get a lot of early on. That, along with a slight hint of lemon. The citrus is very light and doesn’t add any real sharpness to it, does lend some juiciness to things.

Acqua di Fiori has a cooler vibe, slightly aquatic, and feels like sitting next to a garden pond on an early spring day. This Bloom is pretty naturalistic with the way it smells. Throughout the wear, honeysuckle and cassis aromas will be present and add some nice depth here.

When it transitions into its more floral stage, I notice that there isn’t as much of the tuberose note, as other Gucci Bloom fragrances. Instead, lily-of-the-valley and freesia really take center stage, and will be the focus for the rest of the wear.

More of a green floral than the typical white floral from this line. You get the watery garden scent with some grassiness and bits and pieces of sweetness, which will waft up during the wear. Not a very complex perfume and you’ll know what you’ve got, about an hour in.

There is a greater muskiness here, later on. To me, the sandalwood is one of the weakest notes, and doesn’t really do all that much.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

In terms of its sillage, Acqua di Fiori starts off pretty moderate and then is light for the rest of the wear. I’d say it projects on my skin or off of a t-shirt, about 3-5 feet, more towards that lower end once it has settled in.

It’s not a beast, rather, this Bloom is a low key kind of fragrance with an airy vapor.

The longevity is actually pretty decent, though. With the sample, I was getting 6.5-7 hours of wear out of Acqua. Not super marathon level of performance, but it will be useful for most purposes, when you don’t want to overtake a room.

Seasonally, this will fit right in with the spring and summer months. The cooling sensation is a nice contrast from when it is warm outside.

Acqua di Fiori is a nice choice as a daily wear. It’s safe for work. Not a total formal perfume, better used casually or in semi-formal situations. I wouldn’t expect to use this one in the nightlife. It’s not sexy or anything attention grabbing.

Something you want to reach for when you want a simple semi-aquatic floral. It’s going to be a perfume that more for your own personal enjoyment.

Overall Impressions of Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori

Overall, do I like this scent? I do. It’s very much a Gucci Bloom perfume, but it also will give you more of a variation than many others in the series.

The opening act is intriguing and gives you that mix of citrus, grass, and the floral notes coming up from the heart. I do like the lower reliance on the tuberose note, as other Bloom’s can start to smell way too much like one another.

You should be a fan of lily-of-the-valley and freesia, if you’re going to give this one a go. They are pretty well behaved here and nothing overwhelms the composition. Just expect a greener semi-aquatic with a solid floral middle.

Very versatile for daily wear and a good enough performance. This is worth a try, if this sounds at all interesting to you. Pretty safe as a blind buy, as it probably won’t disappoint most people out there.

But, it also might not ‘wow’ you either. Acqua di Fiori is a solid fragrance, just not spectacular.

Update: I’m pretty sure this one got discontinued. I’m still seeing some bottles online, but they’re pretty expensive.

Ariana Grande Cloud vs. Ari Comparison

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Ariana Grande has a whole line of fragrances now, but the first of the series was Ari. While it isn’t the absolute best of them, in my opinion, it still ranks pretty highly. Meanwhile, Cloud has become one of the uber-popular perfumes from the pop star, and now exceeds the original release in terms of sales. But, which one is actually better? In this post, I break it down.

Tale of the Tape: Cloud vs. Ari by Ariana Grande

Cloud

Notes include: pear, lavender, bergamot, praline, whipped cream, vanilla orchid, coconut, musk, wood

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Cloud Eau de Parfum Spray, clear, 3.4 oz

Read my review: Cloud

Ari

Notes include: marshmallow, pear, orchid, grapefruit, raspberry, musk, rose, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Ari Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)

Read my review: Ari by Ariana Grande

Opening

Cloud opens up with a blend of notes lead by pear, that is both sweet and bright. The lavender note makes itself known early on, but has sort of a rough finish to it. Cloud itself has a light, fluffy, and sort of airy style to it.

Later on, more of the praline, musk, and whipped cream will emerge in support of the main stars of this perfume.

The opening act of Ari is mostly about the fruit notes, which are sweet, and compelling. The marshmallow note at the base, is always present, but becomes much more noticeable later on. For now, it is playing a support role for the raspberry and grapefruit.

Raspberry is the strongest aroma to my nose at first, then, grapefruit. To me, the pear will get a little bit stronger and have its moments in the light. Though, it’s not all that powerful on my skin.

Then, after 15 minutes the vanilla orchid and marshmallow play a greater role. The fruits will move into supporting those two.

Between the two, it’s actually pretty close. Personally, I prefer the opening of Ari to that of Cloud. The raspberry and grapefruit are a nice mix of fruity and sweet, without the lavender of Cloud. Though, it’s not a huge win.

Edge: Ari

Projection

Neither sillage is too heavy and they aren’t projection monsters. Interestingly, they both have that airy or fluffy marshmallow-like softness in terms of sillage. It’s a very close comparison.

Though, I think Cloud has an ever so slight edge over Ari. Cloud Intense is stronger than Ari and that’s somewhat more powerful than the original.

Is it a huge distinction? No. It might not even be completely noticeable, but Cloud takes it.

Edge: Cloud

Longevity

So, neither of this fragrances are super long lasting, nor are they complete disappointments. Just don’t expect all day wear without reapplying.

With Ari, I consistently got around 5 hours during testing. Pretty middle of the road, but useful.

Cloud, on the other hand, goes for about six. It isn’t above and beyond better than Ari, but it does have a distinct edge.

Edge: Cloud

Versatility

Seasonally, Ari probably has a better use case. Outside of the hottest days of the year, it’s fine. With Cloud, it’s best served to be worn autumn through the spring.

Neither of these is a formal fragrance, but can be used in a wide variety of circumstances.

I think that the distinction for Cloud is that it is a bit more mature. Ari is closer to a teenager or early 20s type of perfume. Cloud isn’t super mature, but the age range extends further. That gives it the edge here for me.

Edge: Cloud

Overall Scent

Cloud is a nice perfume that has gotten a lot of attention. Most of that seems to be less because of its own unique aroma and more of its association as a Baccarat Rouge like fragrance.

The early stages of this fragrance are my least favorite. The lavender needs time to settle. Though, once it has the airy sweetness of coconut, praline, and whipped cream is great. I like the fluffiness and how it gives you whiffs of it throughout the day.

It’s also a bit better than Ari with its intangibles. You get more power, longevity, and maturity. It’s got a wider use case than its competitor.

However, I think Ari smells better. Yes, you do have to probably be in the younger demographic to wear it, but that’s most of Ariana’s fragrance audience anyway.

The marshmallow and orchid in the dry down is great. I like the fruitier opening better and the overlap between these scents, doesn’t give cloud much room to take this win.

It’s super close, but just going off of smell, I’d go with Ari.

Winner: Ari

Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

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Baccarat Rouge is the most popular perfume in the world right now (or it at least seems that way). So naturally, the more concentrated Extrait version has also garnered a lot of attention.

As a man, neither is something that I particularly want to wear for myself, but I do enjoy them. I grabbed new decants of each recently to finally post my reviews. How does BR 540 Extrait smell? Does it last long? Is it worth the high price?

What does Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait Smell Like?

Notes include: almond, saffron, ambergris, jasmine, cedar, musk

Click here to try: Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait at Saks

My Full Review

The opening of Extrait is sweet and powerful with the almond note and saffron. Well, call it bittersweet. It actually reminds me a bit of a more well put together (and unisex) version of 1 Million Lucky.

That cologne has a hazelnut in lieu of the almond. However, they have shared notes of  jasmine, cedar, musk, and amber. Here is is ambergris versus a much more synthetic smelling amberwood. Definitely not as sharp or harsh as the Paco Rabanne, but they do have a similar profile early on.

As Maison Kurkdjian describes the saffron note: “Its very powerful perfume is bitter and slightly metallic, blowing hot and cold on the rest of the composition with also a leathery, tarred facet.” 

Saffron gives it a bit of spiciness yet it’s all very smooth. I smell a pinch of salt in this mix. The impression of faded cotton candy, like walking along a boardwalk where they’re selling that fluffy pink stuff.  Like it was made earlier in the day, just remnants hanging in the air. 

The next phase comes across as more watery and sweet. Very clean with jasmine taking the reigns and feeling closer to the original Baccarat Rouge. The opening almond fades mostly away on my skin.

The musk, woods, and ambergris play the supporting role to the jasmine note for the rest of the way. It’s mostly about the floral with a very fresh and musky cedar coming in second. This is more of a unisex fragrance than what I get from the original.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is pretty powerful at first, but it really settles closer to the skin. It will project itself pretty darn far off of the skin or a piece of clothing. Though, once it has calmed down a bit, I don’t find it to be too strong.

I mean, I definitely notice it throughout the day and it’s less airy than the EDP, but I never feel completely overwhelmed by Extrait. Yet, you don’t need to apply very much to make it work. Nice balance. 

Longevity wise, Extrait is an absolute workhorse. This perfume just keeps going well past 10 hours. I’m not sure exactly when it ends but I’ve worn it for 13 hours and it wasn’t quitting. So, you could probably tack a few more hours to that total. 

Seasonally, I like this mostly in the colder weather of autumn and winter. Not a super heavy scent, just not one that I’d reach for in late spring or the summer. Depending on where you live, you might get use out of Extrait for 2/3 of the year.

It does have great versatility. It can be worn by all ages, is unisex, and can be worn on a variety of occasions. I don’t really think of it as a nightlife perfume or one that is all that ‘sexy’. Outside of that, it can generally fit in and does have an attractive quality.

 

 

Overall Impressions of BR 540 Extrait

Overall, do I like Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait? Yes, while it is very expensive, this one is a great perfume and I do like it a bit better than the original. 

I enjoy the opening act with the almond and saffron. Particularly, the saffron since it is one of my personal favorites. You get plenty of the DNA of BR 540, but with its own uniqueness and personality. It’s a bit more refined and smooth.

Performance wise, you’ll get your money’s worth. It goes on and on and doesn’t seem to want to quit. It is one of the longest lasting perfumes on the market. Which is cool, because it also smells great, and doesn’t need to use any odd notes to achieve that longevity.

Is it worth the price? If you like the smell, absolutely. If you’ve never smelled it before, you should probably grab a sample before committing to a full bottle. For most people, I don’t think it would be too much of a mistake. But on the off chance that you don’t enjoy the sort of perfume, it could get pretty costly. 

Baccarat Rouge 540 vs. Burberry Her

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Baccarat Rouge is a super popular fragrance that seems to keep growing in status. The catch is, it is also wildly expensive for most people. Thus, there have been many cheaper scents or similar smelling perfumes that have been released, that people want to try out.

One of them, Burberry Her, just happens to have been created by Francis Kurkdjian and has a somewhat similar profile to his best seller. How does it stack up to BR 540? Which lasts longer? Can it actually compete?

Tale of the Tape: BR 540 vs. Burberry Her

Baccarat Rouge 540

Notes include: saffron, ambergris, cedar, fir resin, jasmine

Click here to try: Buy from Saks

Burberry Her

Notes include: strawberry, citrus, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, wood, musk, amber, jasmine

Click here to try: Burberry Her Eau De Parfum Spray

Read my review: Burberry Her EDP

Opening

Burberry Her EDP starts off with a strong use of its citrus and berry notes. The fruitiness is powerful in the early stages. Strawberry is the strongest note of the lot, with some additional raspberry and brightness of the citrus notes.

It can be sharp and sour versus being sugary sweet or anything. The floral notes aren’t all that strong, but there is a decent amount of jasmine at times.

Baccarat Rouge 540 kicks things off with the saffron and jasmine note sharing the stage. It’s clean, sweet, and presents a lemony tinge to it from the hedione (jasmine).

Sitting under that, is the amber and wood notes giving this a invigorating and resinous quality early on…which will become greater as it develops.

Which is better? While I do like the fruitiness of Burberry Her, is does begin to wear on me. It’s a good start, but I prefer that of 540.

Edge: BR 540

Projection

In terms of how far they project at their peak, it’s actually pretty even. They both start out strong, but not insanely overwhelming, and then settle into something much more moderate.

I’d say that Baccarat Rouge has a longer run at the top of its strength. Then, it is also projects itself to a greater degree in the dry down. By no means, is it way more powerful than Her, but it does have a slight edge.

Edge: BR 540

Longevity

BR 540 has a wide range of hours for how long it lasts. Sometimes, it’s 8 hours, and other times it’s 12. Split the difference and it can last a consistent 10 hours, on my skin. It’s got a great long lasting wear.

Burberry Her will go up to 8 hours. So, at its peak, it can hit the baseline of what I get with Baccarat Rouge. The Burberry isn’t a bad performer at all, it will hit that 7-8 hour mark regularly.

But, between the two, the Maison Kurkdjian perfume easily takes this category.

Edge: BR 540

Versatility

Seasonally, Burberry Her can work better in the heat than BR 540. So, that’s one area that it can have an advantage. Though, Baccarat Rouge is also great during the rest of the year, so not too big of a deal.

I will say that Her is a much more youthful fragrance, that can have a teenager perfume vibe. Not completely childish or anything, but it does skew younger.

BR 540 does have better versatility, since it can pretty much be worn anywhere and fit in just fine. While the sweet-tart fruitiness of the Burberry might not always be appropriate.

Edge: BR 540

Overall Scent

Overall, this isn’t really much of a contest, and it will be a clean sweep for Baccarat Rouge. Really, it should absolutely be the outcome based on the price of this perfume.

I like Burberry Her for its differences, but it also becomes grating. The opening strawberry and citrus is fun and uplifting, but it gets old after a while. Very sweet/sharp with musky woods in the base.

Her gets a lot of play due to its similarities to BR 540. It’s nice, not a must have. A teenager or younger woman can absolutely get use out of the Burberry and find it plenty enjoyable. If affordability is a major factor, you may very well want to go with Burberry Her.

But, I’d probably just get something else in that price range, instead of just trying have a sort of smell alike of Baccarat Rouge. Burberry Her isn’t even the best Br 540 clone, anyway.

For BR Rouge, it’s an easy win. The fragrance is well ahead of the Burberry by every metric. If you can afford a full bottle, go with that. Actually, Extrait is the best BR 540 version.

If you aren’t familiar with how this fragrance smells, get a hold of a sample, and test it out. There are plenty of people who won’t enjoy Baccarat Rouge, despite its popularity.

Winner: BR 540