Mod Vanilla EDP by Ariana Grande

Mod Vanilla is one of the two ‘Mod’ offerings (along with Blush), that was released at the tail end of 2022. I got a hold of each of them in a travel sprayer size in order to test each out and see how they rate versus other perfumes in the catalog. How does Mod Vanilla smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

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What does Mod Vanilla Smell Like?

Notes include: pink freesia, dark plum, vanilla, musk, praline, cocoa butter, orris butter, jasmine

Click here to try: Mod Vanilla at Ulta

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My Full Review

Mod Vanilla opens up with a plethora of lighter notes, that will eventually fade to the very back of the line, but aren’t too overpowering even upon first spraying.

The pink freesia is already noticeable along with some fresh musks. Now, the musk will be noticeable throughout, but I don’t find Mod to be too dependent on that note but it is the strongest of the three top notes.

Along with those two, is a very light plum. Adding an additional tart quality, to the already quite sweet aroma.

Also from the very beginning, you are going to already be picking up on some of the main attractions. Vanilla, obviously. There is also praline and cocoa butter. The praline is going to become a big facet of how this one smells.

That initial phase wears off, as the freesia and plum go extremely light in the composition. That praline at this point, reminds me of the one in Angels’ Share, but it is joined by a general sweet creamy and somewhat powdery blend.

The orris will start to become more involved, I don’t personally get any jasmine on my skin. Still a light powdery aspect, even when the orris butter is at its peak.

The sweetness, musk, and whatnot does cause Mod Vanilla to have a similar smell to Cloud. It’s not exactly the same or anything, but the overlap is hard to ignore.

The final dry down has less of the praline and more of the vanilla note. It’s a musky vanilla, with some sugary sweetness, and some warm powdery highlights.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this actually does have a good amount of power in those first two hours of wear. I was kind of surprised with how well this projects and leaves a scent trail in your wake. Not super strong, but well above average.

After those two hours, it sits closer to the skin, but it didn’t turn into a skin scent until 4-5 hours in for me. Mod Vanilla didn’t just disappear after a bold start.

The longevity was actually really good in comparison to other Ariana fragrances. This goes for over 8 hours on my skin. Maybe between 8.5-9, is when it finally becomes undetectable. Better than how Cloud worked for me.

Seasonally, I’d lean towards wearing this in the cold of winter. However, it’d be fine anytime it’s moderate outside. Just stay away from high heat and humidity and this one will have no problem.

It is a sugary sweet perfume, so don’t expect something formal or to wear to the office. It skews younger, but some older women would still enjoy this. It has a delicious gourmand sort of aroma, fun, but not sexy or seductive. Casual and cozy.

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Overall Impressions of Mod Vanilla

Overall, do I like Mod Vanilla? It’s a pretty good release, but still not my favorite Ariana Grande perfume or coming close to the top of the list. I wasn’t a big fan of Cloud, as of now, I think Mod Vanilla is a bit better than that…just not far and away superior.

Mod Vanilla is better than Mod Blush, as part of this series, though.

If you already like and have Cloud, you probably won’t need to get this one. Different scents, ultimately, but they cover much of the same ground.

I like how this one starts off and I like when the vanilla gets going in full. It does have a lot of that Cloud like DNA, but that vanilla goes a lot harder in this perfume. It’s not super original versus other scents that Ariana Grande has put out. God is a Woman was better in this regard.

The performance was probably the greatest part of this fragrance for me. It lasts and projects quite well.

If you’re a fan of the other Ariana perfumes, you’ll almost certainly enjoy this one. But, if the others haven’t been your style, it’s pretty safe to skip Mod Vanilla.