Perfume Reviews

Eros Pour Femme by Versace

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Eros Pour Femme is a sample fragrance, that I unexpectedly received with another order recently. I thought that I had already done a review of it, but it turns out, I did the EDT version instead. So, this became another scent on my list that I needed to test out. How does this one smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Eros Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: pomegranate, lemon, bergamot, jasmine, lemon blossom, musk, peony, sandalwood, ambroxan

Click here to try: Eros Femme EDP

My Full Review

Here’s how Versace describes it: Attraction, desire, passion. Eros in a perfume. An alchemy of seductive, luminous and feminine notes. A refined accord of lemon and jasmine, enhanced with soft and sensual woods.

So, the original Eros Pour Femme starts out much more concentrated on the lemon note than the EDT version. Pomegranate is there too, but doesn’t play the same role as the raspberry sorbet does in the EDT.

Here, it’s a lot of citrus. Lemon, lemon blossom, and bergamot. It is sharp, bright, and doesn’t have the same sugary appeal. I do still kind of like it, after a few minutes, as that pomegranate does get to come out more.

When I saw the ambroxan note, I thought that it might be a heavy use of that note. Nope, not on my skin, at least. I do get hints of it, but this has more musk. Even that, isn’t super powerful.

Lemon, jasmine, pomegranate, and some peony is what I get for basically most of the wear. It actually does get a bit sweeter, after that sharp opening, which is a nice change of pace. But, it’s never too candy-like or anything.

The last bit of wear is a drier affair, less juicy. Still lots of citrus and a generic floral aroma. But, the musk still hangs around with woods and I still don’t get much ambroxan.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is actually quite powerful. This one easily leaves a scent trail behind it and projects far off of the skin. Seriously, this is a strong perfume. Not the boldest out there, but very much above average.

However, the longevity isn’t as good as I thought it’d be, based on that powerful opening. I get somewhere in the 7-8 hour range, on skin.

Terrible? No, but I was sure this one was going to hit double digit hours. That initial power is steady for a while, then, begins to fall off from that immediate peak performance.

Seasonally, this is a warm weather choice for the spring and summer months. Outside of that, it isn’t going to get as much use.

Mostly, a daytime casual sort of aroma. You can wear it as a daily wear, so long as you go easy with the sprayer early on.

Eros Femme, despite the name, isn’t really sexy. Not a romantic or nightlife perfume, unlike its male counterpart. Which is sort of strange.

Overall Impressions of Eros Femme

Overall, do I like Eros Femme? Ehh, I don’t hate it, but it wasn’t terribly enjoyable either. The EDT version is much better to me and something I actually did like.

This one is too sharp for my taste, at times. The opening has that effect, it’s nice enough, but can also be bothersome. Lots of citrus and the jasmine note.

I do always enjoy pomegranate and it gets some decent play here. It’s cool. The first third of this fragrance, definitely has its moments.

The back end, is kind of boring. Not too much development, but it gets dry and the generic floral isn’t too exciting. The early stages feel unique, but that isn’t the case later on.

Performance is fine. Didn’t do what I expected, but still no real issue there.

Overall, I’d go with the EDT instead. This isn’t that bad, but I don’t think Eros Femme is all that great either. Versace definitely has better options.

Chelsea Flowers by Bond No. 9

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Bond No. 9 is an American niche brand that has released a ton of very successful fragrances for men and women over the years. One of the early ones, is Chelsea Flowers. I rediscovered a sample vial of this perfume, that I got back in who knows when. So, it was time to test it again and give this a proper review on the site. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is is worth a try?

What does Chelsea Flowers Smell Like?

Notes include: musk, peony, hyacinth, rose, tulip, sandalwood, magnolia

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Chelsea Flowers Eau De Parfums Spray, 3.4 Ounce

chelsea flowers review

My Full Review

Before getting into my review, let’s see how Bond No. 9 describes it: The Scent of the Ingenue: dewy, freshly-picked blossoms, gathered in a paper wrapper, worn to perfection at New York’s newest art gallery-club-restaurant scene. An exuberant but slightly insolent all-day floral bouquet.

True to its name, Chelsea Flowers, is all about those floral notes. Early on, this one is dewy and has greenish qualities. Later, it is more like flower petals in a shampoo-like composition.

Opening up, I get a pretty big dose of magnolia. That along with a tulip note. It is pretty aquatic smelling, not completely watery, but more than a sprinkling of dew.

I’m concluding that this early dew/green aroma is coming from the hyacinth and tulip. It never takes a pole position, but sits underneath the top two throughout this opening act. Pretty distinct.

The next phase sees the rose and peony notes emerge. On my skin, the rose really isn’t all that heavy. I get a lot more peony, than I ever do from rose, which might be the fourth or fifth strongest of the floral notes.

Chelsea Flowers becomes much more appealing to me, once the hyacinth has calmed down. It becomes a fresher and muskier floral, that’s actually very pretty with its soapy vibe.

The final dry down is an amalgamation of the floral notes, on my skin. None of them feel all that separate from one another. Maybe still some magnolia and tulip I can pick out…sometimes.

But, the rest of the notes really bring home the dry freshness and shampoo aroma. Musk, vetiver, and moss. A greater dose of the moss and musk. The watery side of the perfume is basically gone.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this will leave a scent trail for the first couple hours especially. It’s not a massive cloud of scent, but Chelsea Flowers, is above average and projects itself very well. 

At it’s peak, it’ll project itself to around seven feet or so. That’s about where I could pick it up from, after spraying the fragrance on a shirt.

The longevity is good, not elite. Somewhere in the 8.5-9 hours of wear range, on my skin. Is that amazing? No, but really no reason to complain for most purposes.

Seasonally, it would best be served in the spring and summer. Though, it can be used during the more temperate days of autumn, as well. Keep to wearing it above a certain temperature, since this doesn’t fit in for winter.

Chelsea Flowers isn’t a sexy scent, nor is it a nighttime party animal. However, within the daytime, it is very versatile.

It can be worn by girls or older women, without issue. It’s fine for office wear, casual, or pretty much wherever else one might need it. Not the most formal scent, but it’s clean aroma wouldn’t be out of place.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Chelsea Flowers

Do I like this fragrance? It’s pretty good, but nothing all that unique or special. It’s not among my favorite from the Bond No. 9 line, though, you could do worse.

The opening act isn’t all that great, the hyacinth is somewhat bothersome here. I like the dewy and aquatic aspects of this scent. But, this really comes alive when the rose, peony, and musk have their turn taking the reins. 

The latter stages are like a dry floral shampoo. Fresh and very presentable, just nothing super memorable or groundbreaking. It’s not bad, just know what you’re getting here.

The performance is solid, on the whole. It lasts a good amount of time and really doesn’t need to be super powerful.

I don’t really want to recommend this to everybody, since it might not have the most exciting scent out there. But, if this sounds like your type of perfume, Chelsea Flowers is a good example, and worth trying. Buying? Maybe not.

Guilty Love Edition Pour Femme by Gucci

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Guilty is the long running franchise for Gucci, in both their men’s and women’s line. In 2020, they came out with the first of their Love Editions. I’ve been doing my reviews on the Guilty Pour Femme line and so I picked up a sample of Love to try. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Gucci Guilty Love Edition Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: narcissus, musk, violet, raspberry, grapefruit, bergamot, mineral amber, water notes, patchouli

Click here to try: Love Edition

guilty love review

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it:  The new scent is a tribute to the vintage character of the narcissus flower. Opening with a transparent and green crystalline freshness composed of bergamot, grapefruit and a watery accord, a narcissus accord is elevated by the tangy notes of raspberry. 

The opening does have raspberry, grapefruit, and bergamot in the mix. Really though, Guilty Love is never all that fruity. Actually, from the jump, the powdery aroma really takes over.

Powdery early on, with a nice dose of that narcissus floral note. The musk and the violet sit underneath that, but as it dries down these notes will flip, and the violet and musk will be stronger than the powder and narcissus.

Beyond the powder, it does smell like the narcissus is floating in water. There is a watery accord in Love Edition that lightens this one up.

This one really isn’t too complex. Violet infused soap is basically what this turns into. More musk, less powder, and the patchouli note also comes in to add some light earthiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is on the lighter end of what would be considered moderate. It’s not too weak, in my experience. I’d say the first two hours or so are just fine, in terms of how it projects off of my skin.

That doesn’t last, though. The rest of the wear is pretty light and stays close to the skin.

The entire wear lasts somewhere in the 5-6 hour range before fading out completely. The performance is really pretty baseline average and not going to wow you.

It’s main strength lies in its versatility. Outside of the depths of winter, this one should be just fine. it works well enough in the heat and is probably at its best in the moderate to warm weather.

So, spring through the early part of autumn is Guilty Love’s reach.

It’s a clean and easy to wear scent. The powdery notes and soapiness aren’t really at all sexy. But, just as something to wear around or to work or wherever, it’d be quite suitable.

This isn’t a Gucci built for the nightlife, however.

Overall Impressions of Guilty Love Edition

Overall, do I like Guilty Love Edition? Not particularly. The whole Love Edition line hasn’t really seemed to gain traction. Personally, I like the men’s version and have a bottle for myself. The women’s…meh.

It’s powdery, watery, and ultimately like a bar of soap. There’s nothing here that is too exciting or noteworthy. That’s fine, but even while being boring, it doesn’t really smell all that good. Not horrible, but very forgettable.

It’s my least favorite of the Guilty line. I compare it to Absolute, for example, and that one just blows it away.

I do like some of the powdery aspects early on, especially when you do get some of the opening fruit notes. After that passes, I’m not too keen on Guilty Love.

Add to that, even if you like the smell, it’s still maybe going to get you six hours of wear tops. Which is pretty average, but costs much more than average with Gucci’s pricing.

I can’t really recommend this one as a blind buy or that it’s even worth a try. If you do like the soapy clean perfumes, violet, or narcissus…maybe this will appeal to you. But, at least see if you can find a bottle at a discounter.

Baiser Vole EDP by Cartier

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Cartier has a whole host of good perfumes, which can get overlooked in comparison to the best sellers in the world of fragrance. Yet, they are always consistent with releases and multiple flankers will get released of these formulas thereafter.

One of the more popular lines is Baiser Vole. It’s a rather simple scent that I’ve appreciated for quite a while. How does the EDP smell? When should it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Baiser Vole Smell Like?

Notes include: lily, citrus, green notes

Click here to try: Cartier Baiser Vole Eau De Perfume Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce

cartier vole edp review

My Full Review

Here’s how Cartier describes it: The fragrance of a majestic yet elusive flower: the lily is recreated for the first time, from the freshness of the leaf, the floral scent of the petal and the powdery fragrance of the stamen.

Baiser Vole EDP is one that is pretty simplistic in its presentation. For one, you have to know up front that this is almost all about the lily note.

It starts off green with watery undertones. Maybe a bit of the citrus. However, it isn’t a heavy juicy citrus. More like water flavored with some squeezed citrus juice.

Very clean with a bit of spiciness to it. The petals of the lily are pretty prominent early on. The powdery stamen, as Cartier talks about, is there as well.

At times, this is a greenish dew covered stem and floral. At other times, you get more of the powder. Basically, the entire experience of the lily in a Cartier bottle.

A fresh and clean floral scent with spicy undertones from Cartier. Baiser Vole is a beautiful and elegant perfume that never overpowers. Baiser Vole is a lily heavy fragrance, so, enjoying this floral note is a requirement for this one.

It starts out with a green, somewhat watery lily, with citrus notes playing a support role. Then, it becomes much more of the petals of the flower itself, with a sweet creamy undertone. It’s a lightly projecting fragrance, with naturalistic notes, and solid longevity.

Baiser Vole keeps things extremely simple, but it still makes the cut as one of the best from this brand. Lots of lily petal and stem, with a watery quality and the citrus influences coming in.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this one leaves a moderate scent trail behind the wearer with enough sprays. It’ll project off of the skin well, just not super far. Maybe 4-6 feet, during the first two hours or so.

After that, it is more of a personal scent bubble or one for those who get closer to you.

But, the performance in terms of longevity is actually pretty good. It seems to stick on my skin for up to 7.5 hours, at least during testing. I’m not sure that it is much more capable beyond that, but it isn’t bad even in its lighter strength.

Seasonally, you’re going to want to wear this one in the spring and summer months. That’s when it’s at its most beautiful. Moderate temperatures to warmer weather is when Baiser Vole shines.

Wearing it outside during the day, with a nice breeze going, was a very nice experience.

Baiser Vole is more of a daytime wear. But, within that it is safe for work, can go casual, or even more dressed up. Lots of opportunities to wear this fragrance.

Not a particularly sexy or nightlife beast, though. If that’s an important quality you’re looking for, go with something else.

Overall Impressions of Baiser Vole

Overall, do I like Baiser Vole EDP? I do. But, this is also one that won’t be on everyone’s radar. You’re going to have to like lily as a note and understand that it is the entire basis of the fragrance going into it.

I like the clean and green freshness that you get with Baiser Vole. The dewy aroma and light spice is enjoyable, if not being all that complex. It’s an easy to wear and rather elegant perfume, that can definitely serve as one’s signature scent.

The longevity is pretty good, even with the lighter to moderate sillage that you’re going to get with this Cartier. I don’t find it to be weak or anything, just not a spectacular performer on the whole.

Simple? Yes. Boring? I don’t think so. Maybe some others find Baiser to be bland, but I enjoy the focus on lily, even though it isn’t a favorite floral note of mine. Still, this Cartier perfume has plenty to offer and is well worth trying out.

Guilty Absolute Pour Femme EDP by Gucci

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Gucci Guilty is the staple of both the brand’s men and women’s fragrance lineup. There have been updates and new flankers over the past half-decade plus once Gucci got a new creative director. The Pour Femme line has a multitude of choices, that I’m working my way through reviewing. Absolute Pour Femme is today’s entry to the reviews. How does it smell? Is it worth a try?

What does Guilty Absolute Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, blackberry, pink pepper, Bulgarian rose, cypress, golden wood, vetiver, patchouli, amber

Click here to try: Absolute Pour Femme

absolute femme review

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it:  Gucci Guilty Absolute Pour Femme is created using a particular blend with a structure that remains unchanged from the first time it is applied to the skin. Goldenwood is complemented with a mysterious note of blackberry, creating a non-traditional chypre fruity fragrance for a contemporary woman. The fragrance’s composition is intensified with patchouli oils and Bulgarian rose.

The blackberry note is the main focus here and it’s great. I love the juiciness and pairing with a light bergamot citrus as well. The pink pepper gives it a tiny bit of spice, but really doesn’t have too much of an impact.

Like the men’s version of Absolute, Pour Femme is a very woody take on the Guilty name. The same cypress and golden wood notes are present here. However, that’s about all they share, as this one is way less intense and smoky.

Aside from woods and fruits, you get further support from a nice pinkish rose and the patchouli base. The patchouli actually doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb here, more so helps to add an edible quality to the blackberry.

Guilty Absolute does a fantastic job at avoiding becoming too much of a girly/sugary/fruity mess. No, this one is dark and has a well-rounded sexiness about it. Deep woods, naturalistic green smells, and that awesome berry note highlighting it all.

Rose has its time to shine, after about an hour of wear. That will subside and the blackberry will sit on top of woods with some of that smokiness that’s found in the men’s version. Once again, the men’s version is a lot bolder on that front.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one isn’t super powerful and is pretty moderate for the duration. I do get some power out of it early on. I’d say it’ll hit about 7 feet from the skin at its peak. Closer to 3-5 for the majority of the wear.

Not crazy, but you get a nice bubble.

The longevity also goes for like 7.5 hours on me, maximum. On clothes, it goes for days. I sprayed it on an old t-shirt and it hung around for a long time. But, if you don’t want to ruin your fabric, the performance is just above average.

Seasonally, it’ll work in any, so long as it’s not too hot. So, most of the summer will be a no go, in most regions. Outside of that, it’s go time. Personally, I think if it’s a little chilly, Absolute Pour Femme would be awesome.

This is also a great perfume for those who want some versatility. It’s not obnoxious, so, it’s safe in most daytime scenarios. But, it’s also stylish and attractive enough for the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Guilty Absolute Pour Femme

Overall, do I like this fragrance? Yes, I think that this is the best of the Guilty Pour Femme lineup. It’s a very good perfume.

The blackberry and deep woods combination helps to give this one a different feeling from others in the line and it stands out from the bunch, in my mind.

I love the fruit note, the darkness here, and the mix of the traditional cypress and their own smoky golden wood ingredient.

The performance is good enough. It isn’t amazing, on me at least. I do wish it had a bit more consistent strength. Though, I wasn’t all that disappointed.

Guilty Absolute also feels pretty unique. There’s nothing that I can think of which smells exactly like it, but it seems familiar at the same time.

You get a versatile, sexy, and easy to wear scent that doesn’t do anything poorly. It is definitely worth a try and a pretty safe blind buy, as well. Is it the greatest thing ever? Nope, but it delivers most of what you want in a perfume.