Hanae Mori EDP for Men

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Hanae Mori is a Japanese designer, that really hasn’t been known as, someone with a large line of men’s fragrances. In fact, there’s only been a few releases. However, Hanae Mori EDP, has become a go to option for many guys since its release in the late 1990s because of its light price tag and great features.

But, how does it actually stack up? What does this cologne smell like? Is it even worth a try?

What does Hanae Mori Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, lemon, chocolate, cedar, lavender, tonka bean, iris, jasmine, amber, cedar, sandalwood

Click here to try: Hanae Mori By Hanae Mori For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz.

My Full Review

Hanae Mori EDP opens up with a strong blast of lemon and black currant. It is sharp citrus affair, the can really take you aback, but no worries because it will settle down.

Some folks don’t really like this opening 15-20 minutes, but I dig it, even if it can feel somewhat harsh. I don’t think it has the same effect, as something like Aventus’ opening act.

I believe that the reason for this, is the prominence of sweeter notes like vanilla and chocolate, even towards the start of the wear. Plus, the fact of a strong lavender ingredient, which is later joined by some other light florals.

After the initial opening, Hanae Mori EDP, becomes a bit drier and much more woody in its presentation. The citrus dies down somewhat, vanilla really comes through, and sandalwood peaks through with tonka/amber.

It still feels sweet and gourmand, but in a more refined way, as the aroma smells smoother with a creamy undertone.

This stuff is so interesting in how it develops. I get fruitiness, then a floral stage, then a forest stage, and all the while it is gourmand.

About an hour in, the was a nice powdery iris note, with what I suspect is rose, not strong but present. After that, it shifted toward having a more robust cedar/sandalwood combo.

The point is, that Hanae Mori EDP, is going to develop and really interact with your skin chemistry. This just seems like one of those scents, that gives each individual a slightly different take.

Ultimately, what I get is: a sweet citrus/woody fragrance with floral notes and a slight spice. It’s actually very appealing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is strong at first, with that citrus opening. You think that it’s going to be complete beast mode throughout, but it actually is quite moderate. You’ll notice that you’re wearing this fragrance, but it isn’t going to overwhelm, past the first half hour.

On my skin, I can get up to 9 hours with the EDP. Usually, it’ll be in the 7 hour range, but depending on the situation, this will go an extra few hours.

This is a very versatile scent. I’d probably avoid wearing it during the hottest days of summer, but outside of that, it is fair game. It’s a good everyday wear, for men who want something inexpensive. While it can function as a date night cologne, this isn’t a club beast or anything like that.

Hanae Mori EDP is highly wearable for all ages of men, and honestly, some women could rock this without issue. It’s not a hyper-masculine sort of cologne, but one that smells attractive, and is just pleasant to be around.

Overall Thoughts on Hanae Mori EDP

Do I like Hanae Mori cologne? I do. This is such a great value buy for men, who want a do everything sort of scent.

The fragrance is both unique and attractive, while having familiar elements. It doesn’t try to do anything weird, but still manages to have its own style and aroma.

I love how this stuff develops and gives me something different, throughout the wear. It’s got an awesome smell, with really good performance, at a super affordable price point. You could do way worse with $30, but you’re not going to do much better.

21 Best Smelling Perfumes for Women 2021

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2021 has already had a few months pass and is pretty much flying by.  With that being the case, I figured I’d update this page of the best women’s perfumes, with some newer 2021 entries.  

While this is by no means a complete list and there are of course many other great options, these are the ones that have stood out and developed a reputation of having beautiful scents.

I’ve tried here, to have a diversified list of potential options from more casual to sexy to fruity to woodsy/spicy perfumes for ladies, in order to satisfy many different personal styles. There should be something for almost anybody. Also check out: Sexiest Perfumes for Women, Top fragrances for College Girls

What are the Best Smelling Ladies Perfumes in 2021?

Versace Daily Wear

Versace Bright Crystal Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 3 Ounce This highly popular Versace fragrance opens with a blast of juicy pomegranate and yuzo citrus, which creates that ‘bright’ and upbeat effect of the perfume.

For a fruity/floral blend, Bright Crystal has a bit of an aquatic feel to it, but never strays into marine territory. However, this one is mainly a floral, and is led by a lovely peony note and a hint of lotus flower.

For a classy everyday wear, Bright Crystal performs very well. It’s sillage is none too intense and I’d classify it as light to moderate. The great thing is, it will last on the skin for 8-10 hours without much of any problem. Overall, it’s an elegant choice for ladies, that’s been a best seller for over a decade for good reason. My Bright Crystal Review

Warm Gourmand Guerlain

Guerlain Mon Guerlain Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml/3.3oz– Mon Guerlain was released in 2017 and quickly grabbed my attention as one of the top newer perfumes out there.

Its opening 20 minutes or so has a lot of similarities with other insanely popular fragrances like, Bonbon and Black Opium, but this Guerlain separates itself thereafter.

Yes, it warm and sweet but loses some of that candy-like sweetness in exchange for becoming a lavender and vanilla laden beauty. There is also jasmine thrown into the mix which gives Mon Guerlain a bit more of a floral influence. It’s long lasting and has a moderate sillage, with enough versatility to be worn both at the office and on a date. Read my full Mon Guerlain Review

Lancome Classic

TRESOR by Lancome EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 3.4 Fluid OZ for WOMEN– Sweet, creamy, and powdery fragrance that has been a massive hit since its release many years ago. Notes include peach, apricot, vanilla, tonka bean, rose, and sandalwood. A long lasting composition which develops and changes its colors as the day goes by.

The peach and apricot duo of notes, give Tresor a fruity lift, but with notes such as: iris, rose, and heliotrope; it of course will head more toward the flowery end of the spectrum.

It is a bit warm with its amber while mostly staying within its powdery profile, and an effervescent quality, particularly near the start. Sweet but unique and can be quite alluring.

Tresor

Best Chance Fragrance

Chanel Chance Tendre Eau de Toilette Spray For Women 1.7 OZ./ 50 ml.– Chance Eau Tendre is a floral and citrus fragrance, with a grapefruit opening, and notes such as jasmine, iris, and hyacinth.

It is a lighter scent, with a lovely personality, but it also has great longevity. Eau Tendre is very popular and is a really good choice for those looking for an everyday wear perfume.

The citrus is crisp, the bouquet of flowers is beautiful, and there is a slight powdery and musky undertone to it all. To me, this is the best of the Chance line of fragrances from Chanel. 

Most Popular YSL

Yves Saint Laurent Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, Black Opium, 3 Ounce– Black Opium has become an uber popular choice in the women’s perfume space, since its release a few years back. Black Opium’s name would make you think that it is some heavier or darker Oriental sort of smell, but it is actually quite sweet.

It is led by coffee and vanilla, as its main notes, along with warm pink pepper and cedar. This is delicious, sweet, and powerful. You have to like the sweet and enveloping sort of fragrance, to truly appreciate this YSL creation. Otherwise, you may find it to be too much. . Black Opium Review

Tropical White Floral

Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc Spray, 3.4 Ounce, Eau de Toilette Spray–Soleil Blanc is a great fragrance from Tom Ford, which brings you floral notes: jasmine, ylang-ylang, and tuberose. Also, a unique pistachio, and enough amber to make it inviting. 

Soleil opens with that coconut note, and a very juicy bergamot, with an underlying tuberose floral note. These ingredient pair well and add the sweet creaminess of the perfume, but this is made spicier by the cardamom and just a hint of warm pink pepper.

The dry down becomes more floral and creamier. The cardamom sticks around, but this is ultimately a white flower bouquet and coconut experience with a bright personality. It has really good performance and delivers that day at the beach vibe to perfection. The sillage isn’t super strong, but Soleil Blanc will last for 10+ hours.  Soleil Blanc Full Review

tom ford perfume

Givenchy Rose

Very Irresistible By Givenchy For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Ounces
This Givenchy scent is a floral but totally works in the winter time.  Very Irresistible is a gorgeous and feminine fragrance that will gather complements with regularity. It is a blend of rose and peony notes with a soft anise spice lingering in the background. 

This is definitely a rose lovers fragrance for everyday use. It has a powdery aroma underneath it all and a nice sillage that isn’t too overpowering. Very Irresistible is energetic and youthful with good longevity to boot.   Very Irresistible Review

very

Gucci Floral

Gucci Bloom for Women Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Gucci Bloom is a fairly recent addition to the Gucci lineup, that has already gained plenty of popularity, and spun off flanker perfumes of its own. It is a tuberose led scent, that maintains a balance, and becomes a gorgeous floral perfume.

It’s a clean floral with a solid dose of jasmine, with a hint of honeysuckle. Fresh, green, with some spice at the top. Bloom gives a good performance, with a not too powerful sillage, and a creamy sandalwood ending.

Powdery Rose Chloe

Chloe New for Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5-Ounces-A nice, moderate scent by Chloe. New is a complex and feminine scent that isn’t too bold but will add a bit of warmth and class to any woman. Notes include: Magnolia, rose, lily of the valley cedar wood base, amber.

The rose is the most prominent of the floral notes, with a somewhat powdery aroma, and the addition of a very solid peony.

Chloe EDP has a nice woodiness in the dry down, that helps to give it a more solid base, and the performance on this one is pretty outstanding. Its sillage can be powerful and will go the full day.

chloe new

My Favorite Hermes

Hermes L’Ambre Des Merveilles for Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce– A very underrated and not too well known entry from the Hermes lineup. L’Ambre Des Merveilles, takes the popular caramel and citrus blend found in many other best selling ladies’ fragrances, and just does it better. It starts off with that beautiful caramel note and what smells like orange, with floral undertones.

To my nose, I detected a really nice peach note, which takes over the orange and plays off of the salty caramel. This is wrapped up in a creamy vanilla and surrounded by the warmth of amber. L’Ambre isn’t super heavy, rather, it is softer and airy.

The aroma will hit the wearer throughout the day in bursts. This Hermes scent is quite versatile and can be worn at the office while being attractive enough for date nights. Full L’Ambre Des Merveilles Review

The Now Classic Dior

Hypnotic Poison by Christian Dior for Women 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray
A rather pricey designer fragrance but Hypnotic Poison is a beautiful and sexy fragrance for women by Dior.

There are two other Hypnotic Poison variations by Dior and each one stands out on its own. This one, however, is still the top dog out of them all. Vanilla, bitter almond, and sandalwood help to lead the way in a layered and rich composition.

Hypnotic Poison is bold and versatile, with a very sensual aroma. There is a warm and sort of powdery feel to it, although it does have enough sweetness complements of the vanilla and coconut. When it dries down, the vanilla wins out, and is supported by musk and some white floral notes such as jasmine. This is great stuff and has been going strong for about 20 years now.  Our top fragrance selections from Chrisitan Dior

hypnotic poison

Great Byredo

Byredo Bal d’Afrique 1.6 oz Eau de Parfum Spray– A very popular Byredo scent, with pretty unisex, sensibilities. Bal d’Afrique starts off with some great citrus ingredients, before introducing more flowery notes, along with a clean vetiver.

Much more of a citrus fruit fragrance, with floral highlights. It’s bright and clean with that great vetiver note, sitting right in the background.

The opening with the fruit can be fairly sharp, but it dries down with a softer sillage, and a really beautiful presentation.

 

Popular Bond No. 9

Chinatown New York by Bond No.9 For Womens Eau De Parfume 3.3 oz– A spice laden perfume which is further blended together but floral and fruity notes to evoke the experience of Chinatown. 

It opens with a white floral twosome of tuberose and gardenia, that is balanced out a top note of bergamot citrus and peach blossom, which prevents it from having that super floral quality. The cardamom really sets Chinatown apart from many other perfumes and adds a layer of depth, that takes it to another level of attractiveness.

This Bond No. 9 perfume is best in the cooler months of the year through springtime. The heat doesn’t really do it any service. However, the rest of the time, Chinatown could be a signature scent for a lot of women.

Notes include: Bergamot, Peach Blossom, Guaiac Wood Gardenia, Cardamom, Vanilla, Tuberose, Peony, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Orange Flower, Cedarwood.  Chinatown Full Review

chinatown

Citrus Floral Tory Burch

TORY BURCH Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce– Tory Burch EDP is the original scent release from this designer. It is a citrus led floral perfume with powerful mandarin orange and grapefruit notes.

It is a clean and safe scent for daily wear with peony and neroli. The sillage isn’t huge but it is an upbeat and soapy scent that can be worn casually or at the office to great effect and a scent that smells quite nice.

Super Sweet Best Seller

Viva La Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum Spray, 0.5 Ounce
A great fruity/floral perfume from Juicy Couture. This is also a sweet gourmand type of fragrance that has a sugary confectionery vibe to it. Viva La Juicy opens up with a citrus mandarin orange top note to go along with that familiar creamy aroma of vanilla and delicious caramel. 

It opens with that sweet, upbeat, and girly vibe. However, Viva La Juicy starts to dry down and the floral notes begin to emerge, namely jasmine and honeysuckle. It is much softer and less sweet, once you reach the base of the fragrance, where you’ll get a smooth sandalwood and musk to bolster the composition.

This one starts out rather strong, but will quickly turn into a perfume with essentially moderate sillage. The longevity is good, though, it doesn’t have some crazy 10+ hours of wear.

Viva La Juicy is best used as an everyday wear for the colder months of the year. It really shines in the bitter days of winter, but absolutely can melt in summer.

VIVALAJUICY

Spicy Floral

Guilty by Gucci for Women, Eau de Toilette Spray, 2.5 Ounce
This perfume from the Italian design house is not too heavy but has a bold blend of floral and spicy notes. Guilty has a beautiful opening and an amber spicy dry down, that helps to set it apart from so many other ladies’ fragrances on the market.

It features a warm pink pepper notes and an amazing use of lilac that gets surrounded by vanilla and the cloudy amber. The top of the scent utilizes citrus, black currant, and peach to give Guilty its dash of fruit. This is a solid everyday wear and has a more mature essence.

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Fresh Armani

Acqua Di Gioia by Giorgio Armani Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 1.70-Ounce
Acqua Di Gioia is a very crisp and refreshing fragrance that is led by citrus notes and a cool mint note. This Armani scent has a mojito-like sweetness, that really reminds me of a feminine version of Guerlain Homme.

This perfume is very versatile, almost an aquatic, but doesn’t just get limited to the summer months. Acqua Di Gioia can shine year round and fit occasions from casual to the office.

It is fresh and light with peony and jasmine sitting underneath the lemony and minty surface. All around a pleasant wear that smells delicious and well-blended.

acqua di gioia

Bvlgari Floral Bouquet

Bvlgari By Bvlgari For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces
Violet, jasmine, and orange blossom notes make this fragrance from Bvlgari a winner. It has a powdery floral profile and isn’t too heavy but delivers a very good performance.

Bvlgari Pour Femme is layered and complex with a multitude of notes playing off of one another, particularly those floral notes, which creates a wonderful bouquet effect.

Bvlgari is clean and reminds one of a spring day. It is super safe for office wear and will last the entirety of being on the clock. It is a classic styled fragrance, with a refined elegance, and is wholly feminine.

bvlgari

Top Miss Dior Scent

Christian Dior Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet Eau De Toilette Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– This light and feminine fragrance from Christian Dior, opens up with a duo of bergamot and peony. The citrus sits on top of the floral and gives Blooming Bouquet a slight juiciness that a lot of straight floral perfumes, just don’t have.

It is fresh and soft without the garden ‘green’ aroma, so not a straight bouquet with stems and all.

As it dries down, Blooming Bouquet becomes more floral and there’s also a solid use of musk. It smells modern and womanly but doesn’t stray into ‘old lady’ perfume territory. It is versatile with a solid 7 hours of wear, pretty enough to be attractive, though not particularly sexy. My Full Blooming Bouquet Review

Bright Citrus

Bond No. 9 The Scent Of Peace Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 Fluid Ounce– A clean fragrance based on citrus notes whose airy aroma will have people wanting more. It opens with a blend of grapefruit and black currant, creating a juicy fruit-laced vibe that has a similar effect to D&G Light Blue, but much better in my opinion.

The Scent of Peace is extremely bright and pleasant perfume, that constantly had me sniffing my arm during my testing of it. Later on in the wear, lily and cedar note emerge among other florals, to create a green outdoorsy aroma. This second layer is a perfect complement to the beautiful fruit top notes.

The Scent of Peace has light to moderate sillage with a solid longevity of around 7 hours, on my skin, at least. It utterly screams spring/summer, with it’s pretty composition, and the sweetness doesn’t have that ‘teenager perfume’ intensity. It’s refined yet playful. Notes include: Blackcurrant, Grapefruit, Cedarwood, Hedione, Musk, Lily of the Valley. Read my Scent of Peace Review

scent of peace

Woodsy Marshmallow

Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3 oz
Warm and complex scent that was released in 2012. This is a really great and bold mix of fairly unique notes, which stand out on one’s skin. Marshmallow is the main attraction, which lends its soft and gourmand aroma, perfectly to the rest of the composition.

However, it’s not just about the sugary sweetness as Pour Femme Intense has a bouquet of floral notes from tuberose to neroli to orange blossom.

All of this sits on top of a sandalwood base which gives it a smooth woody aroma in the background. Notes include: green mandarin, neroli, tuberose, orange blossom, sweet marshmallow.

dolce pour femme intense

12 Best Celebrity Perfumes for Women

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Celebrities have lines of clothes, make up, and of course perfumes. Some of these perfumes are quite frankly underwhelming while others are actually very well done. The following list of perfumes are the best fragrances for women released by celebrity personalities. I have selected 12 scents to round out the list and each one brings something different to the table. As always, I have included a link to their individual purchase page.

Other perfume posts for women: Sexiest Women’s perfumes and  Best Affordable Perfumes for Women

What are the Best Celebrity Perfumes for Women?

Musky Floral

Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker for Women, Eau de Parfum, 3.4-Ounce Spray Bottle– Let’s start of with our celebrity list, with one of the best sellers in this category, over the past decade plus.

Lovely starts with somewhat sharp citrus notes and an undercurrent of apple martini, which provides an interesting aroma, with not too much booziness.

It is brought together with lavender, orchid, and musk. Quite clean and musky with floral notes peaking through to create an attractive aroma. Can be soft, but very appealing, and one that will garner complements.

lovely

Popular J-Lo Scent

Glow By Jennifer Lopez Eau-de-toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– Jennifer Lopez’ Glow is a good everyday wearer for women who want to smell good, but don’t want to be overbearing about it.

Glow opens up with grapefruit and orange blossom, leading the way. As it moves along, it takes on more of a soapy clean character, as you get plenty of neroli and musk.

The final dry down, features rose and jasmine pairing up with the musk and amber. Simple and easy to wear. Glow is fairly straightforward and not something you need to put too much thought into, since it is so versatile.   Notes include: Amber, vanilla, fruits, and floral.

glow

Fruity Floral and Amber

Jessica Simpson Fancy Love by Jessica Simpson for Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4-Ounce– A romantic perfume from Jessica Simpson full of unique and exotic notes including blush champagne, lotus blossom, goji leaf, and amber.

This one is still surprisingly underrated, especially considering the value you get for the price. It doesn’t seem to get the same level of attention, as others from this line.

Nonetheless, Fancy Love is a great and attractive wear, with very good versatility. Champagne, citrus, and peach blossom open things up for an exciting and fruity start. Then, the creaminess comes in fully with the floral notes, and a warm/salty amber. Really pretty stuff. 

fancy love

Unique Winter Wear from Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga Fame Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce– Very sweet perfume, up front, that is seductive and sexy over the longer haul. Notes include: Belladonna, Orchid, Saffron, Incense, Honey, And Apricot.

Fame kicks its presentation off with, a good bit of saffron and orchid. The apricot, gives it a sweet fruitiness, that is then overlapped by the thick honey note.  Actually, not a super dark fragrance, as the bottle would suggest. 

Not as much of a crowd pleaser, as some of the others on the list, but one which will appeal to a certain number of women. For those who love it, it can be a signature for the colder months of the year. 

fame

Best Beyonce

Beyonce Beyonce Midnight Heat Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce
Midnight Heat is a fresh blend of fruits and florals that will set the tone wherever you go. You get a deep and dark plum note, with the starfruit giving the composition a unique edge.

Then, patchouli spice, and the usual Beyonce orchid set in the background. Really attractive and interesting. The plum and the starfruit, really give this perfume its driving power.

I’m not really sure, where the midnight comes into play, but the attractive fruit notes really are a joy. Notes include: Starfruit, plum, patchouli, and sandalwood.

midnight heat

 

Clean Daily Wear

Just Me Paris Hilton By Paris Hilton For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces– Very clean and light scent with floral and vanilla notes. Just Me has a feminine charm and elegance that will draw plenty of positive attention.

While it does have that vanilla and even raspberry notes, it isn’t a very sweet fragrance for the most part. Pink pepper gives you a warm spice, with further sandalwood, and other woody ingredients during the dry down.

Plus, a prominent rose, leading the floral end of things. The wood is at the heart and supports the raspberry top note, before the floral notes take over that role.

just me

White Floral Perfume by Britney

Curious by Britney Spears for Women, Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.3 Ounce– A light, beautiful, floral fragrance from Britney Spears that is quite lovely and sensual. Curious lasts for a long time, but without having a heavy or overwhelming sillage. Notes include: tuberose, magnolia, sandalwood, vanilla infused musk, pear, and jasmine.

Curious is a nice option for those who want a Britney fragrance, but aren’t wanting to venture into the sweeter candy-like or pasty-like scents.

This is much more floral with a juicy pear note, giving it that sucrose scent. White floral, with particular emphasis on the magnolia and tuberose. Very well done and balanced. 

curious

Energetic Nightlife Scent

Paris Hilton Can Can Eau De Parfum Spray 3.40 oz– Can Can is a really engaging and wonderfully smelling fragrance. Great for a night out. The nectarine note is wrapped in a warm amber embrace and joined by other sweet fruit notes.

It takes on a sugary sort of aroma when all paired with the musk and floral notes. Can Can is a lively scent that can come through with energy, on days and nights, during the winter months. Paris Hilton’s lineup, has a bunch of good fragrances for cheap.

can can

Youthful Perfume by Katy Perry

Katy Perry Meow Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Meow opens up with the fruit infusion from pear and tangerine citrus, which is then joined by a creamy vanilla. This perfume is both sweet and leans toward the younger set, so, don’t expect something refined and ‘grown up’.

Though, I wouldn’t call it strictly a teenager’s fragrance. However, in its innocent sweetness, Meow is still utterly enjoyable. It’s light and pleasant, with a bit of musk, but an overall sweet and creamy profile. This is probably the best option, for younger ladies from Katy Perry.

meow

Sweet & Spicy by Rihanna

Reb’L Fleur by Rihanna, 3.4 Ounce, Eau De Parfum Spray– Reb’l Fleur is a moderate, feminine scent from Rihanna that works well for all occasions. It’s a clean fragrance that blends sweet and spice. The top is made up of fruits, but you get vanilla and coconut-infused creaminess, underneath it all.

These two notes, eventually take over the composition during the dry down. The peach, berries, and plum are delicious up front and then you get enough patchouli to make it earthy and slightly more gourmand.  Notes include: red berries, hibiscus, plum, vanilla, peach and coconut water.

reb'l fleur

Top Ariana Grande Pick

Ariana Grande Sweet Like Candy Eau de Parfum, 3.4 Ounce– Ariana Grande, loves to add marshmallow to her scents, and this is probably the best performing example.  Yes, it’s sweet but doesn’t feel like a heavy sugar laden mess.

Actually, Sweet Like Candy is fairly light while being yummy. Vanilla, blackberry, whipped cream, and of course, marshmallow pull together to form a warm and youthful perfume with solid perfomance.

Best Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian True Reflection Women Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.4 Ounce– True Reflection a lighter fragrance in terms of its sillage but it, has a darker sweets vibe, reminiscent of chocolate. It brings in the patchouli to give it that familiar, baked goods warmth and aroma, that is found in so many other scents.

Sure, it’s been done plenty of times before, but this is actually a great example at a low price.

The rest of the wear gives you a nice plum note, creamy floral highlights, and a fresh woodsy/musky finish. True Reflection is balanced, giving you an array of different smells during the wear, from sweetness to floral to more earthy. Light sillage, but plenty of depth to keep one’s interest. 

5 Best Colognes that Smell Like Baby Powder

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Most of us grew up with the smell of baby powder being around. It’s probably one of our earliest sensory memories, at least from an aroma standpoint. That clean and fresh smell, the white talcum powder, and just a pleasant memory of our youth. To this day, I still enjoy the scent.

As such, I like to throw on some cologne from time to time, which brings back those memories without the actual white powder mess. In this post, I am going to give you five different options, that will deliver the baby powder freshness in a perfume form.

What Men’s Fragrances Smell Like Baby/Talcum Powder?

Designer Powder

Prada L’homme Prada L’eau for Men Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4 Ounce– This isn’t my favorite of the Prada L’Homme line (that’d be Intense), but it is the one with most powdery aroma. It is lead by iris and neroli with woody notes at the top.

L’eau is an airy sort of fragrance, but actually hangs around quite well. Later, I pick up the light spice of the ginger note. This isn’t a full on baby powder smell, but it is close, and has enough of a masculine edge to separate itself. L’Homme L’Eau Review.

Greenish Rose

BURBERRY Brit Eau De Toilette for Him– Brit takes the talcum powder smell and adds spice and the scent of roses to it. This men’s fragrances is super fresh and green. It opens with ginger, nutmeg, and a great tonka bean note.

Along with that, is a light mandarin orange note, which adds a dash of citrus to the composition. As it dries down, Brit, really starts to take on the powdery quality. The rose and cedar combine with the tonka bean, and dominate the composition.

You do still have the ginger and nutmeg spices underneath. I really like wearing this one, as you do get that powdery scent, but delivered in a unique way. The sillage is moderate and I tend to get 8 hours of wear from this perfume. Burberry Brit Review

Clean Ginger Baby Powder

Bvlgari BLV By Bvlgari For Men Eau De Toilette Spray 3.4 Oz– This one also has a ginger spice, but it Blv has a warmer profile with a great cardamom note, and then the awesome smell of juniper berries.

Beyond that you get teak wood and tobacco flower, but all of the notes sort of blend to create, a really clean baby powder aroma. What’s great is that this Bvlgari cologne, isn’t a heavy one, and is still enjoyable to wear when the temperatures are high. Bvlgari Blv Review

Citrus and Iris Powder

Baby Blue Jeans By Gianni Versace For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 1.6 Ounces– Baby Blue Jeans isn’t as good as the original Blue Jeans, but it is still a very good option for the baby or talcum powder segment. 

This Versace scent starts out with some powerful citrus notes, mostly consisting of lime, and finishes with the inclusion of iris and sandalwood. The lime is the main attraction here and has a tart aroma to it, but the powder really ratchets up a few hours in with the iris note.

Baby Blue Jeans isn’t a ‘pure’ baby powder fragrance, the whole way through, but it does offer a nice change of pace from the rest of the list.

Classic Style

Royal Copenhagen By Royal Copenhagen For Men. Cologne Spray 3.4 oz– Royal Copenhagen is a fragrance that has been around for a long time and definitely brings that old school sort of feel.

It is a powdery fragrance, but also has a solid amount of musk, and a calming lavender note to boot. Royal Copenhagen is quite clean, with a definite masculine air about it. This feels very refined and grown up, all at a really nice price point.

Other than that, I really like how the tobacco note floats in and out of a major position within the smell, and it also has a prominent rose note, much like Burberry Brit.

Armani Code vs Code Absolu Comparison

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Giorgio Armani has put out a lot of insanely popular men’s fragrances, over the year. Among the best of them, have been the Code series. Armani Code was the original and made a huge impact, on the fragrance world, 10-15 years ago. Since then, a whole host of flanker fragrances have been released under the Code banner, including 2018’s Code Absolu. Which one smells better, though? Which has the better performance? Which one is the best buy?

Tale of the Tape: Code vs. Absolu

Armani Code

Notes include: citrus, lavender, apple, leather, tobacco, star anise, woods

Click here to try: Armani Code By Giorgio Armani For Men. Eau De Toilette Spray 4.2 Oz.

Read my review: Armani Code

Code Absolu

Notes include: vanilla, tonka bean, suede, nutmeg, rum accord, mandarin, apple, orange blossom, wood, and carrot seeds

Click here to try: Giorgio Armani Code Absolu EDP Eau de Parfum For Men 3.7oz

Read my review: Code Absolu

Opening

The original Code opens up with some fruity top notes, consisting of citrus and some apple. The citrus is the main attraction, but quickly joined by tobacco, star anise, and leather. It is freshly spiced with a powdery quality. Yet, with that nice citrus touch, which will grow weaker during the latter stages.

Code Absolu opens up with a spiciness provided by nutmeg and rum. These two notes are smoothed out by suede and tonka bean. This also has some citrus, at the top, from mandarin orange. Plus, the same apple note. Nutmeg and tonka bean are the strongest at the start, before the suede starts coming in more.

Which is better? I have to say, that I enjoy Code Absolu, more than the original. It starts off with a better spiciness, the sweetness and smooth suede is also better. It feels like it has more depth and a darker quality.

Edge: Code Absolu

Projection

The sillage of the original Code is moderately strong, at the start. Then, it is pretty steady, in the moderate camp thereafter. Code Absolu, hits a stronger initial ability to project itself, and stays fairly strong (but not overwhelming) throughout. It’s got the better projecting ability.

Edge: Absolu

Longevity

Code feels somewhat weaker than it used to and no longer stays around for the same amount of time. Older bottles, used to get around 8 hours. Now, it seems to be confined to the 5-6 hour range. Absolu will go way above 10 hours, on my skin, and blows the older bottles of the original out of the water.

Edge: Absolu

Versatility

These two colognes, essentially occupy the same space, as you’d expect. Both are best worn when the temperatures are cooler and are great as nightlife scents. Yes, the both have an attractive and sexy scent. No clear winner, here.

Edge: Push

 

Overall Scent

The original Armani Code is a classic and still a best seller, to this day. It’s got a great scent. The citrus up front, with the spice, and the later leather/tonka bean notes are all very nice. However, reformulations happen, and it’s not exactly the same as it used to be. Still very good, but weaker and tweaked a bit.

Code Absolu is now the best of the Armani Code lineup. It’s slightly better than my previous favorite, Code Profumo. I also consider it to be, one of the best fragrances out there right now, for men.

It does everything right, from the smell, down to the performance. The vanilla and tonka bean, come to dominate the dry down, but the spice and the light citrus make this one beautiful to smell.

You can still pick up much cheaper bottles of the original, but without any consideration for price, Code Absolu takes this one.

Winner: Absolu