VIP Private Show by Britney Spears

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I’ve recently reviewed a couple other Britney Spears perfumes, on the site, and this marks the third and final sample from this line out of my last batch. VIP Private Show was released as a flanker to Private Show in 2017 and is one of the latest releases from the brand. So, how does this one stack up? What does it smell like? What are the notes? How does VIP perform?

What does VIP Private Show Smell Like?

Notes included: mango, blood orange, apple, orange blossom, magnolia, amber, musk, violet, and wood

Click here to try: VIP Private Show by Britney Spears Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml

My Full Review

Immediately upon opening, one will notice how drastically different this is from the original Private Show. To the point, you wonder why they share the same name. That one was much more of a warm, sweet, and wintery fragrance.

Private Show VIP is a blast of fruit notes, mainly the raspberry, then blood orange, and a red apple. There is also some mango hanging around in there. I really enjoy the blood orange in here, how it plays off mainly the raspberry and mango notes.

This is mainly going to be a fruity perfume, so don’t expect too much of the other notes to be very pronounced. There is a violet that adds a very slight powdery aroma to the composition, but it never fully breaks through, at least to my nose.

If I pay very close attention, I can pick up musk and amber. Those notes mostly come through as an overall dose of warmth to the perfume.

Private Show VIP is sweet, mostly fruity but with a dash of sugar to it. However, the sweetness isn’t overwhelming, as the fruit notes have that air of juiciness to them.

It’s got a playful and flirty vibe with a tropical sensibility. This is a very linear fragrance, outside of that opening, you get mostly amber, but some violet and musk as well.

Sillage, How Long Does it Last, Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage of VIP is actually pretty strong. It isn’t crazy heavy or anything, but it can make itself known. It’s not a weak fragrance and you get your money’s worth from it. What’s great is, that it has the ability to project well, without being a heavy/thick perfume cloud.

It will become more intimate after a few hours, with a normal sized application. Though, I always noticed it sticking around until those very back end of the wear.

The longevity is also very good for something at this price point, I got about 8 hours of use from it. On the low end, it might go 6.5. On the high end, it might just exceed that 8 hour mark.

Most of the Britney Spears’ lineup of perfumes, seem to have solid performances. There may be a few that don’t really hold up for that long, but VIP does. It’s probably among the top performers, from the brand.

Seasonally, this is another spring/summer scent from Britney, more akin to Sunset Fantasy rather than the original Private Show. It’s also a versatile fragrance, as it can be worn casually during the day, but is also attractive enough to be worn for a night on the town.

More of a bar or nightclub type of evening, but still has its uses. It can be worn by teenagers, but it isn’t really a typical ‘teeny’ scent, that can’t be worn by anyone older. For a casual sort of wear, older women could pull it off and will probably enjoy it.

Overall Impression of Private Show VIP

Overall, do I like Private Show VIP by Britney Spears? I do. It’s another delicious smelling fruity perfume from the line, that has sort of a bubble gum like aroma. It is a pretty straightforward fragrance, but one that smells great and also has performance to boot.

It’s up there with my favorite Britney perfumes that have come out. Including, Private Show. Not the most popular for sure, but one that flies under the radar.

If you’re not a fan of fruity fragrances, especially one’s with raspberry or blood orange, than this is probably a scent to skip. For anyone else, this another fantastic value perfume for the warmer months of the year.

Nothing about this feels like it’s ‘too much’, the sweets aren’t too sweet, and the strength isn’t overwhelming. VIP Private Show is actually a unique blend with a tremendous blood orange and nice bit of mango, to really bring it home. The price is usually very inexpensive, so, it can definitely serve as a value buy.

Nomade EDT by Chloe

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Nomade EDP is one of my favorites from the Chloe line, so, I was looking forward to giving the EDT a try. I bought a bunch of samples from this brand, in order to finally work my way through doing complete reviews for the site. Nomade eau de toilette was released in 2019. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

Chloe Nomade Overview

Notes include: freesia, lychee, oak moss, citrus, mirabelle, rose, davana

Click here to try: Nomade EDT

My Full Review

Here’s how Chloe describes it: A radiant interpretation of Nomade. The vibrant sweetness of the scent of lychee, mingled with the delicate floral facets of freesia notes and the assertiveness of an oak moss accord.

The opening with Nomade EDT does give you some of the tart/sweet fruitiness you’d expect from lychee and citrus notes. But, it’s also clear from the start, that this isn’t going to be a fruit heavy edition of this formula.

Freesia and the oak moss note coming from the base, are already apparent at the very start of the wear. There’s also a bit of pinkish rose in there, but it’s really about that freesia, in terms of the floral notes.

The mirabelle and citrus are light in the mix, but delightful. I do like the limited aspect of the rose here, as a heavier use might make this one annoying.

But, Nomade actually stays fresh and light, while having a pretty far reach in terms of how it projects. Sort of airy with how it comes across, but has a dry greenish finish with the oak moss, which also is somewhat bitter (the davana? I presume).

That’s essentially what this one is for the rest of the way. A light greenish floral with some remaining hints of fruits to keep it from being totally enveloped by the oak moss.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The first hour or two, this one has a pretty far reaching power. It projects well and will leave a scent trail in one’s wake. Even after that initial two hours, it still feels substantial and above average with its sillage. Nomade isn’t weak, by any stretch of the imagination.

This one does last well on the skin. For me, it was in the 8-8.5 hour range during testing. That’s where Nomade seems to settle. Nothing incredible, but actually quite good for an EDT.

Seasonally, I actually like it most in the mild temperatures of autumn. That’d include springtime for many people. It’s actually not too bad when it’s warm outside, but I may stay away from the extremes of heat and cold.

Nomade EDT is the type of scent that you can wear pretty much anytime. I’d probably exclude romantic wear or nightlife as this isn’t really a ‘sexy’ sort of fragrance. But, during the daytime you can wear this casually or dressed up without issue.

Overall Impressions of Nomade EDT

Overall, do I like Nomade EDT? Yes, I think it is a good perfume. Not great, but it does everything well and is enjoyable throughout the wear. I already expected to like this version coming into it and wasn’t surprised by the result.

It a balanced fragrance that gives you hints of fruitiness and some drier notes mixed into what is overall a mossy floral affair. I like it, it has personality and develops enough so that it isn’t completely boring.

The performance is quite good for an eau de toilette and it is one that can be worn in a wide variety of situations. Nomade EDT can absolutely be a workhorse type of perfume in your collection.

If this is your style of scent, Nomade is one that I’d at least test out, as it provides a well done experience and pretty far reaching coverage with how it can be used.

Eau Sauvage Cologne by Dior

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Eau Sauvage Cologne is a flanker of the 1966 classic Dior fragrance, which was released back in 2015. I bought three of the Eau Sauvage scents to test out and finally do full reviews on and Cologne is the last one on the list. How does it smell? Is it long lasting? Is Eau Sauvage Cologne worth a try?

What does Eau Sauvage Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: grapefruit, mandarin orange, bergamot, galbanum, hedione, petitgrain, pink pepper, and vetiver

My Full Review

Right away, one thing that is noticeable is the resemblance of Eau Sauvage Cologne with Dior Homme Cologne. Now, this one is more complex than that fragrance, but the bergamot and grapefruit are the shared commonalities.

However, the differences are also very noticeable. Eau Sauvage Cologne is spicier, greener, and has a good amount of orange in the mix. Galbanum and petitgrain really give this one a green and somewhat bitter smell early, while the pink pepper kicks in the spice.

A bit further in the galbanum and pink pepper will subside a lot. It’s still more green than spicy underneath the influence of the citrus. The hedione gives it a light floral feel, with an additional stem-like smell, and the bergamot and grapefruit take charge in the citrus accord.

The rest of the way, this gets drier and fresh, rather than herbal green. I mean, the petitgrain stays for the duration, but everything else has pretty much burned off save the bergamot, grapefruit, and increasingly strong vetiver. That’s essentially the dry down.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This one doesn’t come across as huge or having some long trail sort of sillage. It is though, one that creates a nice and somewhat far reaching aroma for that first hour to hour and a half.

There after it is a lighter moderate, but I don’t find it to be weak at all. Of course in the latter stages, it will sit closer to the skin. That’s not a problem because it does hold up better than similar colognes.

On my skin, this one lasts somewhere in the 6.5-7 hour range at its best. For this sort of summer scent, that’s not bad. I wasn’t expecting some long-lasting powerhouse, but I did get enough power and time to spend with Cologne that I was pleasantly surprised.

Seasonally, again, this is spring and summer all the way. It’s suited for that environment and is actually very nice in the warmer weather. I’ve had some days like that to test it out in during this winter. Eau Sauvage Cologne is awesome with a light breeze going.

This is more of a casual daytime scent or a fresh garden party sort of wear. You can also wear it during business you may have during the summer. It has a clean and fresh appeal, while still holding a level of maturity.

Overall Impressions of Eau Sauvage Cologne

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I do. It might have a slight edge over Dior Homme Cologne, due to its depth and slightly better performance, though it isn’t crushing its compatriot in terms of enjoyment.

The herbal green element here gives a nice change of pace and you still get the great citrus notes found in the other Eau Sauvage scents. It’s a very nice pickup for the spring and summer months, when you want something well put together but isn’t going to fall apart in the heat.

The citrus notes are great, I like the orange, but I actually prefer once it has settled and I get more of the grapefruit and bergamot. It might have to do with the galbanum taking a back seat, as well.

This is worth getting, if you’re in need of a summer cologne. Fresh, cold, and clean. Really one of the better designer warm weather citrus fragrances. Better than Allure Homme Sport Cologne, also, which shares plenty of overlap too.

Musk | 12 by Kayali

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Musk 12 is another perfume that was included in the Kayali sample set that I bought by Huda Beauty. This is one which was released back in 2018. I wasn’t too sure if I was going to really like another musky perfume, but I wanted to test it out and review it anyway. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Musk 12 Smell Like?

Notes include: lotus, jasmine, musks, vanilla, sandalwood

Click here to try: Musk 12 from Sephora

My Full Review

The opening here is interesting. You get a burst of fresh floral notes, led by the lotus, with a bit of that watery cleanliness sitting underneath the main aroma. But, you will also get hints of vanilla, plus a powdery grouping of the musk notes.

It’s very soft and clean. Becomes more of a blend of white floral notes. The jasmine doesn’t really stand out much on its own, but I get its influence on the entirety of the scent.

The lotus will settle down a lot and just be a part of that more generic floral blend. The stars here are the musk and vanilla. Powdery and slightly sweet with a decent amount of sandalwood appearing for a time.

Musk isn’t a very complicated perfume on its own. It’s one of the stronger candidates from Kayali for layering though.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Musk 12 is pretty moderate as a fragrance, even during the initial sprays. It’s not going to project super far nor leave much of a scent trail. Well, maybe that first hour, you’ll have some of that going on.

After, it will be much more of an intimate fragrance and is going to stick to that 1-3 foot range from the skin.

The longevity is also pretty mid-range, the lower end of that spectrum. On me, it will stick around for maybe 5 hours total. That last hour or so, is very light, but it is actually still there. You may just need to press your nose closer to detect it.

Seasonally, this perfume is wearable year round. The versatility is probably its greatest strength, as it isn’t too heavy for the heat, but also has an aroma that does well when it’s kind of cold out.

It can cover a lot of bases on its own. If you want a low key daily wear, Musk 12 can probably fit the bill. Light, smells nice, and isn’t going to beg for attention. Plus, you have the optionality of successfully pairing it with a host of perfumes.

Overall Impressions of Musk 12

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I do. This is one of the Kayali scents that I wasn’t too sure that I would enjoy, but it is actually one of the better options from the line.

Again, a simple scent that will probably get a lot of use as one to layer with other perfumes, but it actually holds up well enough on its own.

I like the softness, the powdery aspects, vanilla, and how clean Musk 12 feels without being heavy or off-putting. It’s got a great balance and is absolutely one of their better releases.

The performance isn’t all that great, so just be aware of that before you commit to a full bottle. On smell alone, I think that it is nice and pleasant. A perfume that should get plenty of use in one’s rotation.

Girl of Now Shine by Elie Saab

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Girl of Now Shine is one of the releases from the ongoing Girl of Now series by Elie Saab. I bought samples of some of these scents many months ago, for testing and review. Shine was released in 2018, but is it a fragrance which deserves more attention?

What does Girl of Now Shine Smell Like?

Notes include: almond, white flowers, orange blossom, patchouli, vanilla, pistachio, pear, pineapple

My Full Review

I actually came into this test expecting that this was going to be a super fruity fragrance. On me, not so much. Sure, it has a sweetness, sort of a syrupy vibe.

However, the pineapple isn’t a juicy attention grabber. The pear stands out more, but I get a lot of almond from the jump. This time, it is paired with a pistachio. Add to that, orange blossom is very noticeable early on.

Yet, I do recognize the Girl of Now formula here. The almond is still great and the floral notes will shift more towards an iris, with vanilla taking over for most of the initial fruitiness. Really, that iris seems fairly massive on my skin, but it will then fade almost entirely.

The dry down is where I feel this one is most similar to the original. It’s sort of a fresher and sweeter take on that formulation, with a hyped up vanilla in lieu of tonka bean.

The floral notes in the end, are pretty blended together, and I can’t really pick them out entirely from one another. Aside from that, a touch of patchouli, and maybe wood of some sort.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Shine has a similar ability to project to other fragrances in the series. It too, starts off with a pretty powerful blast, that will create a not too thick cloud around the wearer before moving back in closer to the skin.

Yet, it has a good amount of time staying above average with its sillage. Then, it’ll fully mid-range, but doesn’t ever come across as a weak perfume.

The longevity is somewhere in the 7-7.5 hour range on my skin. Maybe an hour less than what I get with Girl of Now Forever. Still quite decent performance and I didn’t have any tests in which it completely disappeared early.

Seasonally, this one feels more autumn and springtime than anything. Not super heavy, but probably still a bit much for the heat of summer. In the cold, it’d be fine, but Shine is at its best when it is slightly chilly to temperate.

Shine does strike me as being a slightly more mature scent than Forever. Still, skews to being something worn more by the younger set. But, this isn’t nearly as youthful as the other one. It’s a nice daytime scent that can be worn casually or semi-formally.

Overall Impressions of Shine 

Overall, do I like Girl of Now Shine? It’s fine. Close to being as good as Forever or the original Girl of Now, but a small step below both. If I only had the notes to go off of, I probably would’ve said that this would’ve been my favorite of the lot. That’s not the case in reality.

I thought it was going to be way fruitier than it is. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and you do still get plenty of sweetness.

Almond, pistachio, and orange blossom with a mostly pear influence coming from the fruity accord. It’s likeable, the heavy iris comes and goes, and then you’re pretty much left with the original scent of Girl of Now.

So, it’s a few hours of something different before you get most of the same.

The performance is solid and the scent itself is very wearable, even if not being completely amazing. It’s worth a try if you like the others in the series. I might try to test it out before buying a full bottle, unless you get a huge discount. It’s pretty safe, though. You just might not love it, but I don’t think it’d be a complete scrubber for most.