Perfume Reviews

Cherry Smoke by Tom Ford

by

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.

Toy 2 by Moschino

by

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.

Eden Juicy Apple | 01 by Kayali

by

Eden Juicy Apple is a part of the Kayali Fragrances sample set that I bought fairly recently. I’ve been working my way through testing out each of them for review, and am going to kick things off, with this one. How does Eden Juicy Apple Smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Eden Juicy Apple Smell Like?

Notes include: juicy red apple, wild berries, jasmine, lychee, vanilla flower, musk

Click here to try: Eden Juicy Apple at Sephora

eden apple review

My Full Review

Here’s how Huda Beauty describes it: Playful and vibrant, this succulent scent is a tempting, mouth-watering fusion of crisp and juicy red apples, sweet berries and fresh floral notes that will keep you wanting more and more…

Eden starts off very sweet, tart, and quite juicy. It does indeed have a similar start to Thank U, Next 2.0, with it’s apple juice top note. I did like that perfume’s opening act. There’s also an aspect of Angel Nova here, with it’s massive fruit hit, in its opening.

Yes, it has a candy-like and sugary sort of aroma. You’re going to have to enjoy that aspect, to appreciate this perfume.

The red apple is the main focus. Initially, though, there is a battle for the second spot between lychee and the berries. The berries will win out and act as a fruity support to the apple. Early though, this one is a fruit bomb.

Within 20 minutes or so, that hyper fruitiness will subside. I mean, this will stay an apple-centric fragrance throughout, but the berries and lychee will retreat, especially.

The rest of the way isn’t super complex. There is a jasmine note which sits underneath musk which sits underneath the apple/fruit blend. A very vague hint of vanilla, if I press my nose to the skin. That’s about it.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

That opening with the fruit does hit a high peak. At that point, it feels like it will be a massive projecting perfume, that leaves a scent trail of substance behind anywhere you walk. That’s true, for that first 20 or so minutes.

After that, it’s all mid-range. This one never feels weak, a hair above average. Not one that was jumping off of the skin, after that opening bit.

The longevity here, is about 6-6.5 hours on skin. I sprayed on a t-shirt, also, and that lasted noticeably for hours beyond that. But, if you’re not spraying on fabric, the performance isn’t outstanding. Not terrible, either.

Seasonally, this would probably be best in the springtime. Summer, also. It’s freshness feels pretty sharp in the cold weather. I tested it out in more moderate temperatures and that felt right for Eden Juicy Apple.

On it’s own, this is more of a fun, daily casual. Or, even something for the younger crowd. It’s attractive in a playful way, but nothing that you’re going to wear to the office, date night, or in more formal situations.

Overall Impressions of Eden Juicy Apple

Overall, do I like this perfume? Sort of. The opening 20 minutes is fun, not really anything amazing or unique, but if you like these sort of candy-like fruit aromas…this is a cool example.

After that, it’s pretty basic. Musk, jasmine, and fruit give it a good deal of a shampoo sort of vibe. Perhaps not as clean and juicier than what you’d get from that, but fairly in line with what you’ve probably experienced before…just in perfume form.

It does have a lot of popular shampoo or body spray aromas. The quality here is better than those, just don’t expect a super formal fragrance.

The performance is decent. For some, it may even be below average. On me, it was pretty good.

As it stands on its own, it might be worth a try. Not one to blind buy a full bottle of. Unless, you have plans to use it as a layering scent. In that case, it’s probably going to have more value than a solo perfume. Eden is a nice enough entry from Kayali, but nothing special.

Lady Million Lucky by Paco Rabanne

by

Lucky is another of the flankers from the long-running Lady Million series of perfumes from Paco Rabanne. I’ve been testing this one out for a while, in order to post a review for the site, and figure it out. How long does it last? What does it smell like? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

 

What does Lady Million Lucky Smell Like?

Notes include: raspberry, honey, hazelnut, rose, orange blossom, vanilla, cashmere wood, vetiver, sandalwood

Click here to try: Lady Million Lucky

My Full Review

Here’s how Paco Rabanne describe it: A euphoric rose in all its states. Olfactive audacity that gives substance to sensations:- vibrant florals.

Lucky starts off with its fruity note out in full effect. Raspberry with a hint of orange. The latter, doesn’t have much of a role in this perfume beyond this opening act. While the raspberry, will hang around for the duration.

The notes get listed differently in different places. For instance, on the Paco Rabanne site, the honey and hazelnut notes aren’t mentioned. It instead lists vanilla, but this scent does come across more like there is a honey note in the background with a distinct nuttiness. 

Neither of those are super important to the overall structure, as this one will shift more towards its floral and woody notes, to join the ever-present raspberry.

Damask rose is the main floral attraction, with a notable but ultimately short-lived orange blossom. The base comes in with a solid sandalwood note, some vetiver and cashmere wood splitting duties, and whatever remains of that nutty aroma.

The dry down is the raspberry with the impressions of the other notes creating a generic sweetness. Along with that, the sandalwood really stands out, and the other fresh woody notes.

Silllage, Longevity, and Versatility

The first hour or so of Lucky has a very good ability to project and leaves a scent trail. It’s not massive or something that takes over the room, but it is firmly in the ‘strong’ camp, during this time.

After that, it is moderate. I could always detect it, right up until the last few hours of wear. It’s more going to stay in that 3-5 foot range, from where you sprayed.

While it isn’t a complete bomb with how it projects, Lady Million Lucky does have a good ability to last on skin. For me, I could get up to 8-8.5 hours of wear. But, it could also fall in the 6-7 hour range, sometimes. 

With a full bottle sprayer, it’d probably be closer to that high end. Nonetheless, I found it to be solid as a performer.

Seasonally, this one fits in well with the moderate temperatures of autumn or springtime. That being said, if it’s not too hot or too cold, Lucky will do just fine as something to grab.

Lady Million Lucky, like the men’s version, is a scent that is geared to younger people. This is a relatively affordable option for teens through early 20s, mostly. Though, older women could wear this one casually, if they love that raspberry and wood aroma. 

Within these seasons and demographic, Lucky does offer some good versatility. Mainly, as a daily wear or something relatively casual. It’s pretty, not a super formal fragrance or nightlife bomb, but quite likeable. 

Overall Impressions of Lady Million Lucky

Overall, do I like this perfume? I do like it. Lucky is a fragrance that skews younger, but it certainly has its charms.

The raspberry is a nice note to focus on. You get warmth and sweetness. Orange blossom and the rose, give it a floral flair. Plus, the sandalwood paring with the remaining raspberry is enjoyable. 

It’s nothing too special, just very wearable and has an attractiveness to it. The performance is solid enough, while not spectacular, and it can get plenty of use as a daily wear for some.

Again, for most older women, this will probably be a no. For teens through college, Lucky is much more approachable and something worth checking out.

Flowerbomb Bloom by Viktor & Rolf

by

Bloom is another of the Flowerbomb series, that I have recently been testing out. This is one that came out back in 2017 and I was unsure of whether or not I had come in contact with it already. Turns out, no. But, I’ve put it through its paces, in order to give it a full review. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Flowerbomb Bloom Smell Like?

Notes include: pomegranate, living liquid air, freesia, rose, jasmine, wood, orange

My Full Review

Here’s how V&R describes it: Flowerbomb Bloom is a new interpretation of the iconic fragrance, an explosion of fresh flowers caressed with a breath of cool mountain air. A surreal floral bouquet is intertwined with the delicious notes of patchouli and musk and enveloped in innovative pure liquid air molecules.

Bloom opens up much colder and fresher than the others in the series. You can still tell that it’s related, but I’d say that this is probably the most unique distinct from the rest.

The mountain air note actually does provide that thrill of an atmospheric freshness and plays well off of the woody base note. That being, a pretty generic wood, rather than anything specific.

The pomegranate note is the most noticeable, up top. Yet, it’s kind of disappointing, as I expected a juicier and fuller ingredient based on the description. It’s got more of a melon watery quality. Still nice, but it’s been done better elsewhere. There is a slight citrus for a little bit, just not too long or intense.

Bloom lacks a lot of the thickness and the patchouli that is found in the rest of the series. This allows it to have a greater range of use in the warmer weather. The main floral note here is freesia, which also sets it apart.

The final dry down is a cool blend of freesia, a touch of rose, wood, maybe some musk, and the remaining pomegranate note.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one is pretty moderate and not nearly as heavy nor with the same ability to project as most of the other Flowerbomb’s. This isn’t completely soft or weak, still above average, just nothing that explodes off of the skin.

I get around 7 hours of wear from Bloom. It’s fine for most occasions, just nothing that goes above and beyond what you’d expect from a scent like this.

Seasonally, this is a springtime wear, primarily. Not as summery as Bomblicious, but kind of too cold for the winter. If it’s not too hot or too cold, Bloom should work though. The name kind of reveals its role.

Within that space, it’s more of a casual or daily wear. It’s not really going to offend, it’s pleasant for what it is, but not much of a sexy nightlife option or anything.

Bloom has its prettier moments and should have plenty of use in a collection. It just might not be a signature scent for most people.

Overall Impressions of Flowerbomb Bloom

Do I like this one? It’s pretty good, but nothing that I get too excited about smelling. It’s not the worst of the Flowerbomb flankers, but it isn’t as good as Nectar or Ruby Orchid, in my opinion.

The mountain air accord was a touch that I enjoyed with Bloom. The pomegranate isn’t as good, as I had hoped for, but still nice enough.

The rest of it, is decent, somewhat attractive, but rather bland. The freesia is good for what it is, but there’s just not much of interest here.