As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an Amazon affiliate link on my pages, I receive a commission based on that qualified purchase. It doesn't cost you any more money and it helps keep the site running.
Cloud Intense (aka Cloud 2.0) was released in 2021 as a follow up to the super popular Ariana Grande perfume of the same name. Bottles were kind of scarce to come by for a while, with the limited release, but I grabbed a decant from eBay in order to test it out. How does Cloud 2.0 smell? Does it last longer? Is it actually worth the buy?
What does Cloud Intense Smell Like?
Notes include: lavender, bergamot, musk, ambroxan, praline, whipped cream, vanilla orchid, coconut, cashmeran, wood
Click here to try: Ariana Grande Cloud 2.0 Intense Eau De Parfum Ulta Exclusive 3.4 Ounce
My Full Review
Cloud 2.0 opens up very similar to the original. Though, less of the sparkling pear note is present in this new formulation. It is bright, sweet, and quite clean with its aroma.
The ambroxan is present, after a few minutes. That is a noticeable difference with 2.0, how much play the ambroxan gets here. The lavender also feels smoother and stronger here, on my skin. The lavender in the first Cloud could come across as pretty rough/harsh, but it’s quite nice in this one.
When we get to the second act, I do notice more of a difference. Cloud Intense is creamier and less of a fluffy ‘cotton candy’ scent. While the lavender starts off stronger, it settles more into the background versus its predecessor.
The whipped cream, praline, vanilla, and coconut play a stronger role during this period. I do like this slight change in the structure. Smooth and pleasant.
Finally, we get to the dry down stage. The Cloud 2.0 dry down is basically the original with more wood and musk. Much of those sweeter and creamier notes have begun to evaporate and that is what you’re left with.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
Cloud Intense does indeed open up with a powerful sillage, not too much more than the original, but it’s noticeable. It packs a punch early on, though, it will quickly quiet down and reside most of the wear rather close to the skin. It’ll project 3-4 feet, it seems like.
On my skin, I get 7-7.5 hours of wear from Cloud 2.0. It goes for longer than the original formula, maybe an hour more versus what I get with that.
An improvement? Yes, but definitely didn’t come across as a powerhouse in comparison or even versus the Kurkdjian fragrances.
Overall Impressions of Cloud Intense
Overall, do I like Cloud Intense? I do. Though, I’m not a huge fan of the original Cloud, I did like this 2.0 a bit better. It has a deeper profile and an overall smoothness in comparison.
The lavender note is preferable in the 2.0 version. It gets a boost, isn’t as harsh, and then plays more of a background role. I do like the creamier and more voluminous style that Cloud Intense has, much to the credit of the ambroxan and vanilla.
That being said, it isn’t miles better. If you already have Cloud, there’s no real reason to get this, unless you are a collector. Especially, considering the prices for this newer version. Maybe they will come down in the future, but just get the original and save yourself some money.
Sure, they’re not exactly the same perfume, just close enough, and not a significant enough difference to justify paying that much more for a bottle. If the performance was way better, it might be a different story. It’s really not a wide gap in that category, in my experience.
I do like Cloud Intense, however. It is the better of the two Cloud fragrances, but still not among my favorite of the Ariana Grande lineup.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.
User Review
( votes)
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.