Perfume Reviews

Fame Parfum by Paco Rabanne

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Fame Parfum is the follow up to the original Fame release from Paco Rabanne. This one was released in 2023. I got a hold of a sample of this newer perfume, in order to test it out, and review it for the site. How does it smell? Does Fame Parfum last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Fame Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: mango, jasmine incense, musk, pink pepper, bergamot, patchouli, sandalwood, benzoin

Click here to try: Fame Parfum

My Full Review

Fame Parfum definitely does smell quite a lot like the original. One of the main differences that I notice, is an amped up mango note at the start.

The one in the original was short lived. Here, is sticks around for longer, and this Parfum version is a bit of a heavier scent. Still, I don’t find it to be completely enveloping.

Early, it’s a blend of sweet and spicy, with the tropical fruity influence having the upper hand. Then, things will shift and I start to get more patchouli and jasmine on my skin.

The pink pepper is still there a bit, the mango will also hang around. However, neither has the same level on influence for the rest of the wear.

For me, the dry down is mostly about the jasmine and sandalwood notes. There’s still a light fruitiness, some incense hanging about, and fuzziness from musk and benzoin.

Feels like a warmer and clean kind of perfume, with some different weightings versus the original Fame. This is sort of a Polo Black style, but for women. Lots of overlap in the notes between those two.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Fame Parfum does have slightly heavier profile than the original, which was pretty moderate. However, the projection here is much better and sticks around at this higher level for a longer bout of time.

Not massive with how it’ll go across a room, but still above average and it’ll take a good while before it starts to degrade into a skin scent.

The longevity here is really good and indeed better than the original. On my skin, it’ll last somewhere in 8.5 hour range. On clothes, it’ll go into the double digit range pretty easily.

The good thing about this fragrance, is that it can basically be worn in all seasons. The tropical nature of the smell is great for warmer days in spring and summer. While, it has enough substance with its heavier notes to do well in the cold.

I’d probably stay away from the extreme heat with it, but Fame Parfum does walk the line, and manages not to turn terrible in most climates.

Like its forerunner, Parfum is more of a pretty daytime wear. Not a formal fragrance, but it could work for just about anything else you’d want to wear it for during the warmest days. It’s attractive without being super sexy, a romantic, or nightlife wear.

fame parfum review

My Overall Impressions of Fame Parfum

Overall, do I like Fame Parfum? I think that this is an improvement versus the original (which was decent). Though, it’s not far and away better than the previous incarnation.

It’s clean and tropical, with a great use of the mango note, early on. After that, it becomes much more of a floral and fruity blend with a good amount of sandalwood coming up from the base.

This Fame line has a similar style to the Mugler Goddess entries. This one is about equal to the EDP of that, but I prefer Goddess Intense to any of them. Again, they’re only similar and not the same.

All around, I think this is good and worth checking out if you like the original or anything of this sort. It’s not amazing, but Parfum does everything well and has no obvious weak points.

Vanille Abricot by Comptoir Sud Pacifique

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Vanille Abricot is a fragrance from Comptoir Sud Pacifique which has been popular for a long time. It was released all the way back in 1993 and is still going strong. I’ve been planning on doing a whole host of reviews of scents from this brand and got a sample of Vanille Abricot to kick things off.

How does it smell? Does Vanille last long? Is this classic fragrance worth a try?

What does Vanille Abricot Smell Like?

Notes include: jackfruit, papaya, apricot, sugar candy, vanilla

Click here to try: Vanille Abricot by Comptoir

My Full Review

Here’s how Comptoir Sud Pacifique describes it: An irresistible accord that is velvety, sensual, rich and fragile. A subtle contrast between tender fruit and a bitter heart note. Just like the sun at the exact moment when it dries the myriad drops of water on your skin after a dip in the water and when it burns the teakwood under your feet on the decks of sailboats anchored at port.

The vanilla and sugar candy are prominent from the start. I was expecting there to be a strong representation from the fruit notes, but they don’t seem to get the top spot, at least on my skin.

I do get a slightly tropical smell and the apricot itself is distinct. However, this is a warm and sugary baked goods kind of aroma. To me, Vanille Abricot is like a cookie. It’s more sweet, rather than being juicy and fruity.

The dry down is a sugary vanilla with some slight hints from the fruit notes. Very simple perfume, but enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This Comptoir Sud Pacifique perfume doesn’t have a huge radius of projection, nor does it feel like a heavy perfume, even with its sweet and sugary scent.

It will hit maybe the six foot mark as far as its peak reach. Then, it will end up being a more intimate fragrance, in the 2 to 3 foot range for much of the duration.

On my skin, this perfume will stick around for 5 to 6 hours. Doesn’t want to go beyond that, it seems. Performance is middle of the road with Vanille Abricot.

Seasonally, this is light enough and has just enough of a fruity influence to be fine in warmer weather. I wouldn’t call this a pure summer scent, but it might work on certain days. Mainly, a more mild autumn and spring day would seem appropriate to wear this.

It can be worn by any age group. It’s not so immature that it is limited to teenagers. It’s light enough to be worn in a lot of different scenarios, but may not always be formal enough. More of a daytime wear versus a nightlife star.

Overall Impressions of Vanille Abricot

Overall, do I like Vanille Abricot? Yes, it’s not a complicated fragrance or one that is going to appeal to everyone, but if you like sweets…this Comptoir perfume delivers the goods.

This one is less about the apricot and much more tilted towards the very sugary vanilla note. Still, even with that being the case, Vanille Abricot is a scent that can be enjoyable from time to time.

The performance is pretty average, so don’t expect much on that front. It’s a nice smell that more than likely isn’t going to last the equivalent of a full work day.

It’s worth checking out if this sort of perfume appeals to you. The price for a bottle usually isn’t too high, so, a blind buy might not be too much of a stretch. It may be too boring for some or too sugary for others.

But, Vanille Abricot has stuck around long enough to have capture a mass audience, so it’s pretty darn safe to get without a lot of regret.

Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree by Hermes

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Twilly d’Hermes continues to spawn flanker fragrances from its popular name and formula. Today, I want to write a bit about Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree which was released by Hermes back in 2019. How does this perfume smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree Smell Like?

Notes include: pink pepper, rose, patchouli

Click here to try: Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree

My Full Review

The pink pepper comes on quite strong in the beginning. I wasn’t expecting a heavy spice, when I first tried Poivree, but that’s what I’ve gotten each time.

That will calm down, but then, Poviree will move into its earthy, woodsy, rosy phase. The patchouli note is quite strong in the mix. The spice of the pink pepper does soften, but the rose note isn’t massive on me.

It’s a lighter and lovely rose, paired with a powerful patchouli note, and the pink pepper. There is some sweetness here and this isn’t completely a patchouli play throughout. Just be ready for something a bit on the rougher side in the first hour.

Later, it will dry down with more rose , and it’s an easier to appreciate basic floral perfume.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one does start off with some punch. The pink pepper and patchouli phase, really does have some good reach and ability to leave a scent trail. As I’ve said, it does have a heaviness to it.

Then, it will become a slightly above average projecting and lighter moderate perfume. It will sit pretty much in that 3-4 foot range for most of the wear.

On my skin, Eau Poivree will stick around for up to 6.5 hours. Somewhere within range of that number, each time that I’ve tried it. It’s okay, but nothing really that going to blow away your expectations.

Seasonally, this Hermes seems like it can fit in well, pretty much anytime outside of the height of summer. It wouldn’t be too awful then, either, but I think that Eau Poivree would be at its worst.

Autumn or any mild weather, is ideal for this.

So, Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poviree, isn’t a perfume for everyone. It lacks a lot of the mass appeal that you get with the original. Some are going to be turned off by the patchouli and/or pink pepper.

Others, will think this one comes across as being too mature. It definitely seems to skew that way, at least it’s style is more of an old school flavor. Plus, it’s a daily wear type of fragrance and nothing built for nightlife or romantic wear.

Overall Impressions of Eau Poivree

Overall, do I like Twilly d’Hermes Eau Poivree? It’s fine, but it’s not my favorite from these Twilly perfumes.  The original EDP and Eau Ginger are both better fragrances than this one. Poivree will have a much more limited fan base versus those two.

I like the back half when the intensity has fallen a bit by the wayside. The opening is fine, but the pink pepper and patchouli come on too strong for my taste.

That balanced rose, sweetness, and patchouli part of this one is nice enough.

Still, it’s a fragrance with an okay performance and one that you’d probably want to test out before committing to a full bottle. For the retail price, Eau Poivree isn’t going to be one that most people will want to pick up.

It’s fine, not great, and not a true mass appealing fragrance.

Joy Intense by Dior

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Joy Intense is the 2019 follow up the popular, but not super well loved, Joy by Dior. I have never done a review of this one, since I sort of forgot about the series, after the original was pretty much only decent. How does Intense fair? Is it an improved upon formula? Is the performance good? Is Joy Intense worth a try?

What does Dior Joy Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: neroli, bergamot, Grasse rose, jasmine, vanilla, sandalwood, musk, tonka bean

Click here to try: Dior Joy Intense

joy intense review

My Full Review

Here’s how Dior describes it: Floral fireworks, concentration of joy. The dazzle of juicy citrus mingles with colorful sparks of Grasse rose and jasmine, heightened by an enveloping, woody echo of sandalwood tinged with vanilla.

The original Joy has a blend of peach and orange up top, that Intense lacks. Sure, you get citrus influence here, but the bergamot doesn’t seems as strong as the other two.

Early on, I get a lot of the jasmine, neroli, and powdery aroma that was in the original. Here, the jasmine shows up earlier. There is still indeed a freshness to this one early on, the bergamot is there, creating a bright and sparkling undertone.

As we get to the next phase, Joy Intense is fully displaying its jasmine and Grasse rose combination. With that is the vanilla and tonka bean notes. Very much a floral-vanilla, at this point.

Has some sweetness and creaminess, but it’s mostly a light powder/musky aroma wrapped around the floral core.

For the rest of the way, it’s kind of like the original. Jasmine really stands out. This time, there is more vanilla, less powder in the dry down than Joy. None of the patchouli. It’s hard to tell, but I feel like less of a sandalwood influence in Intense.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is the stronger of the Joy fragrances, as the name suggests. It’s definitely strong in the opening, but isn’t massive really. You will get a scent trail for a few hours, good projection, but not a super heavy scent.

It’s solidly above average throughout the wear, though.

With the original Joy, it lasted up to about six hours on my skin. Does Intense do a better job of sticking around?

Yes, but, it’s nothing to crazy. Maybe 7.5 hours or so. A definite improvement, but it still doesn’t blow anything out of the water. Though, I am glad that this one is better than the disappointing performance of the original.

Intense covers much of the same ground that the original does. However, I will say that it’s a notch below, as I would skip wearing this in the summer. The rest of the year is fine, but the original (while not being a pure summer wear), holds up better in the heat than this.

Pretty much a daytime sort of wear, that can fit in anywhere without causing any offense.

Overall Impressions of Joy Intense

Overall, do I like Joy Intense? I do. This version certainly isn’t amazing, but it is better than the first. Both in terms of smell and it’s performance. It’s a lot more balanced across the board.

The jasmine and vanilla dominance, isn’t exactly the most original fragrance out there, but it smells quite nice. The citrus isn’t too powerful of an influence, just a touch to highlight the rest of the composition.

It’s got enough of a difference from the first Joy, to be worth checking out, if you didn’t care too much for that one.

I probably wouldn’t want to pay full price for a bottle. However, if you can find Joy Intense at a discount, it’s a good perfume from Dior that you could get plenty of use out of.

Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger by Hermes

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Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger is a sample that I picked up along with the Eau Poivree version. Eau Ginger was released in 2021 as a flanker to the very popular original release from Hermes. I’ve been putting this fragrance through its paces to see what it’s all about. What does it smell like? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

What does Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger Smell Like?

Notes include: candied ginger, peony, cedar

Click here to try: Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger

My Full Review

Here’s how Hermes describes it: The joyful spirit of a luminous fragrance revealed by candied ginger, generous peony, and tender cedar

The opening is a blast of the sugary and spicy candied ginger note, along with the peony. To me, the candied ginger has a slight orange-like aroma to it. Fresh, sweet, and a similar floral aspect to the original Twilly.

Eau Ginger is a very clean fragrance, the peony is well balanced with the ginger note itself. I think it becomes more of a standard ginger smell versus the opening, where it has a sugary smell.

Closer to the ginger in Un Jardin Apres la Mousson, also by Hermes. Less of the overall spiciness, but some of that same aquatic-like freshness (not to the same extent either).

As it dries down, this one feels soapier. The cedar and peony really team up and the ginger, while it hangs around, is less of a factor overall.

That’s basically it for the rest of the way.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Eau Ginger isn’t a massive projector nor a very heavy perfume. It is in the upper range of what could be considered average. It’ll leave a decent scent trail for a time and has a nice reaching scent bubble effect.

But, I never felt like it was going to be overwhelming, unless you really went nuts with the sprays. Even then, that might be only for a limited time.

On my skin, Eau Ginger lasts a little more than 7 hours on my skin. Call it, about 7.5 hours. It’s pretty good, but nothing elite in its performance.

Seasonally, this one can be a nice pickup for the spring and summer months. Or, any other time of the year that is mild to temperate. I feel like it’s better in the mid-range temperatures versus the hottest and most humid days of summer. Good, if indoors, however.

This is mostly going to serve as a daily wear. Something clean and fresh to wear around with a nice sweet and spice blend up top. It’s not really a nightlife fragrance or one that is particularly sexy. Can be quite likeable though.

Overall Impressions of Eau Ginger

Overall, do I like Twilly d’Hermes Eau Ginger? I do. I think that it’s one of the best entries so far in the series. Perhaps the best, depending on your tastes. I like it more so than Poivree.

I’m a fan of ginger as a note. I like the candied sugary version that is presented with this Hermes release. That, with the orange note is really great. The fragrance isn’t too complex, but it delivers a fairly beautiful experience.

If you liked the original, this one should also appeal to you. If you’re a fan of ginger and need a daily wear that utilizes that note, this can be a great option.

Now, I don’t think it’s going to be for everyone, but it certainly has a mass appeal. Eau Ginger is pleasant and never strays to far into niche fragrance territory. It’s worth a try, if it sounds like something that you’d be interested in.