Bright Crystal vs Chanel Chance Comparison

Chanel Chance EDP and Bright Crystal by Versace are two best selling fragrances for ladies on the market today. They aren’t exactly duplicates of one another and offer quite different experiences from one another in the floral perfume space. Which is better? In this post, I will break down each before declaring my ultimate winner between them.


Tale of the Tape: Versace Bright Crystal vs Chanel Chance

Chanel Chance

Notes include: vanilla, jasmine, iris, patchouli, pink pepper, and musk

Click here to try: Chanel Chance EDP


Bright Crystal

Notes include: yuzo, peony, pomegranate, musk, magnolia, iced accord, lotus, amber

Click Here to try Bright Crystal: Versace Bright Crystal Eau de Toilette Spray for Women, 3 Ounce

Read my original review: Bright Crystal Review


Opening

Bright Crystal kicks off with its fruity notes taking center stage. A delicious blend of yuzo and pomegranate peak through with a cold and icy demeanor, as there is a so-called iced accord in this perfume. Once that initial phase passes, the peony and other floral notes start to really come into their own.

Chanel Chance EDP has much less of the patchouli note, than the EDT version. This one is a floral scent with clean vanilla highlights. It is led by both jasmine and iris, as its main floral notes.

You get a mix of sweetness, with musk, and enough earthy spice to make it pop a bit. There are some light fruit notes, but it isn’t very prominent. The patchouli, will develop more in the later stages of this fragrance.

Which is better? I think I enjoy the opening of Bright Crystal more. I love the yuzo and pomegranate, very cool and juicy. Chance is nice, but I just get drawn into the Versace.


Sillage

Neither of these has a monster ability to project themselves. Bright Crystal is much more of a moderate fragrance than Chance EDP. The Chanel is strong, but on the lower end of that spectrum. However, it definitely is stronger on me than is Bright Crystal.

Edge: Chance EDP


Longevity

Meanwhile, that strength doesn’t seem to give Chance a longer lasting wear. For me, they both fall into the 8-10 hour range, which is what you will want in most any situation. Nonetheless, they are equals in this regard.

Edge: Push

 

Versatility

Both of these are highly versatile. Can be worn year round, in a variety of situations, perhaps, the Chanel is a bit more formal. Nevertheless, they pretty much assume the same space in terms of use. 

Edge: Push


Overall Scent

Which is better? It’s a tough call, as they are both great fragrances.

Chance gives you more of a fresh and floral wear, with an awesome pink pepper note. Patchouli, jasmine, musk, and pink pepper are prevalent in the dry down. It does everything that you want well. You can’t really go too wrong with this one from Chanel.

Bright Crystal as more of a fruity/floral balance, with the fruit notes really taking hold at the start. Then, the peony, magnolia, lotus, and musk notes reveal themselves more. 

Between the two? It really depends on whether you prefer the fruity notes and peony or jasmine, spice, and patchouli. Also, consider that Bright Crystal is a lot less expensive than Chance EDP. For me, I tend to enjoy the smell of Bright Crystal in comparison. I like both, but the Versace gets the edge to my nose.

Winner: Bright Crystal

Ultra Male vs Stronger With You Comparison

Armani’s Stronger With You and Jean Paul Gaultier’s Ultra Male are two very popular picks for guys who want a bold nightlife fragrance. They have plenty of similarities in their composition and styles. Which one smells better, though? Which is more powerful? Last longer? I have worn both plenty and in this post will break down each by category before declaring a winner.


Tale of the Tape: Ultra Male vs. Stronger with You

Notes include: vanilla, pear, amber, woods, cinnamon, cumin, sage, lavender, mint

Click here to try: Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male for Men Intense Spray, Eau de Toilette, 4.2 Ounce

Read my original Review: Ultra Male


Stronger With You

Notes include: vanilla, mint, cardamom, chesnut, amber, pink pepper, sage, violet leaf

Click here to try: Emporio Armani Stronger With You for Men Eau de Toilette Spray, 1.7 oz

Read my full review: Stronger with You


Opening

Ultra Male starts out with its candy-like sweetness and spicy intensity. Pear, mint, cinnamon, and vanilla are the main stars. Mostly, it will be the pear blended with the spices, at first. It comes across as smooth and super bold upon first spraying.

Stronger with You takes a warmer and slightly less intense tact up front. It also has mint, but also, pink pepper and cardamom. The mint gives it a similar freshness and it too has the sweet vanilla aroma coming through.

Somewhat similar, I think it will come down to whether or not you like pear. For me, I think that I prefer the start of Ultra Male more so, but it’s not a clear win.


Sillage

Which of these is stronger and projects better? While Stronger With You is definitely strong, it doesn’t hit the same level as my bottle of Ultra Male. Both are well above average and won’t disappoint.

Ultra Male just has another gear.

Edge: Ultra

 

 


Longevity

Ultra Male gives me 8-9 hours of wear. Stronger with You hits 9 hours. They are pretty darn close, but while Ultra Male has stronger sillage, the Armani has a very slight edge here. It hits 9 hours more consistently for me.

Edge: Stronger (slightly)


Versatility

Both of these fragrances should be limited to colder weather. Also, more suited for younger guys and casual or nightlife situations. Not office wear scents. Not too much of a difference.

Edge: Push


Overall Scent

Stronger with You is a good cologne. I enjoyed my experience wearing it. The opening is my least favorite part and I wasn’t too enthusiastic at first. However, the dry down is very nice.

It became a great vanilla scented fragrance, with cardamom, some nuttiness, and later hints of herbal notes/woods. The performance is outstanding and I have no major qualms with this scent.

I kind of go back and forth between which of these I prefer. I seem to gravitate more towards Ultra Male. Neither of these is a daily wear for me, but more a once in a while, when I want something bold.

The cinnamon, mint, lavender, and vanilla can be fun to wear. Honestly, it overlaps so much with Stronger with You. Ultimately, I do like the pear note, when I’m in the mood to spray on Ultra Male. So, it eeks out the win.

Winner: Ultra Male

4 Best Smelling Ellen Tracy Perfumes

Ellen Tracy is a newer addition in the world of fragrance, but has already carved out a niche in the space for the lineup of perfumes produced under its banner. These perfumes while available at a highly affordable price point, are actually extremely well put together, have style, and aren’t the typical run of the mill ‘cheapies’.

In this post, I want to go over what I would consider the four best smelling ladies’ scents that have come out from this designer thus far.


What are the Best Ellen Tracy Perfumes?

Top Daily Wear

Ellen Tracy By Ellen Tracy For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounces– The namesake fragrance and the one that has enjoyed the best seller status. Ellen Tracy for Women is a beautiful and very well put together scent, at this price point.

It is a very clean woody/floral perfume with a warm musky undertone. It is elegant and vibrant with fruity notes of plum and peach giving it a very small dash of sweetness. Mainly, you’re going to get a light floral bouquet aroma. It dries down as powdery with a bit of soapiness.

This is a easy to wear scent, that is great for daily wear, office, or casual situations. Very nice and welcoming during the spring and into the summer months.


Fruity Floral

Ellen Tracy Pretty Petals Eau de Parfum Spray, 2.5 Ounce– With notes including peach and blackberry, Pretty Petals is a fruity mix with floral undertones, featuring rose.

It’s a strong fruity bomb at first, but will settle down into something with a subtle warmth and vanilla smoothness. Pretty Petals is sweet, youthful, and kind of girly but has an energetic charm about it. The name suggests it’d be more about the floral notes, but that’s not the case.

A bit sweet, with some early tartness from the blackberry. Not a heavy fragrance, and so, this can venture into the warmer months.



Cold Lemonade and Floral

Ellen Tracy Bronze 3.3oz Eau De Parfum Spray For women– Bronze has a lemonade note that is mixed with floral undertones. Sounds weird? Maybe, but it is also a sneaky good fragrance.

It’s more of a casual wear with the violet note and the cool lemonade blending to make a somewhat sugary, powdered scent. The latter half of the wear is more about the floral notes like: heliotrope, violet, honeysuckle, and orchid.

I’d say that the familiar somewhat baby powder aroma (not entirely) that Bronze takes on, is probably its main appeal, and may deter those who don’t enjoy that smell. I really enjoy that chilled opening act of lemonade and soft freshness. Read my full review


Clean, Powdery, Floral

Tracy By Ellen Tracy For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 2.5 oz– This perfume has a creamy smooth profile with a floral powdery aroma. Tracy is a softer everyday wear that is clean and has a very nice almond note doing the heavy lifting that is flanked by violet.

An inexpensive option for those who want to be low key while smelling delightful. It can come across as semi-aquatic early on, mainly from the water lily. As it progresses, more iris, rose, and peony come through. Particularly, the peony note.

5 Best Smellinig Bijan Perfumes for Her

Now, I’ve already written up a list of the best smelling men’s colognes by Bijan. As such, I thought it’d be a good time to tackle the women’s side of their lineup. Now, there have been decades of releases from this design house, and it became pretty difficult to narrow it down to only five. However, the list below is a good representation of some of the top scents from Bijan, and as good of a place to start as any.


What are the Best Smelling Bijan Perfumes?

Floral Chocolate

Bijan Nude Women’s Eau De Toilette Spray 2.50 Oz A floral, led by the very prominent iris note, and joined by lilac. Also, a supporting sweetness is provided by the white chocolate note.

Overall, it has a lighter aroma, but it can start off quite strong. Bijan Nude features musky and woody undertones to balance out the floral. It’s an interesting fragrance, with the usual floral and musky soapiness, but with that chocolate note and iris powder.

The white chocolate really starts to come on more after the initial wave of fragrance settles down. A nice candidate for daily wear, that is safe enough to wear to the office, but with enough to set it apart from the crowd.


The Namesake

Bijan By Bijan For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 Oz– A throwback to the 80s, with a lot of depth, character, and a great smell. Bijan is warm and sweet with an amber heart, which is surrounded by sweet notes, and florals.

However, it evolves throughout the wear and there are bits of citrus, spice, and woody notes that all take their turn on the throne. Still a fantastic fragrance, many years after its release.


Dark, Woods and Patchouli

Bijan Wicked FOR WOMEN by Bijan – 2.5 oz EDT Spray– Lotus and jasmine, sitting on top of a sea of warm amber with a dry fresh vetiver and earthy patchouli note. It opens up with citrus and a somewhat tart red currant.

It becomes more about the floral notes for a while, before it moves into its final phase of patchouli, vetiver, and amber. Warm, woodsy, earthy, and somewhat masculine finish. Great performance, strong and long lasting.


Sweet Delicious Floral

Bijan Black By Bijan For Women. Eau De Toilette Spray 2.5 OZ A very fresh floral with a bit of a twist at the start, where you get a sweet and creamy, tonka bean/pomegranate blend that is absolutely refreshing.

Ultimately, it retains that sweetness but becomes much more of a floral with notes such as rose and gardenia. This one is getting tougher to find a bottle of for cheap. I wouldn’t pay an exorbitant amount of money for it, but it’s a good fragrance for a reasonable price.


Spicy Vanilla Floral

BIJAN B EXQUISITE by Bijan EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY 1.7 OZ– A very warm and quite spicy scent at the beginning, but ultimately more of a vanilla and sandalwood blend, that is dotted by flowers.

Early on the vanilla is joined by the berry notes and B Exquisite really lives up to its name, as something that smells quite expensive and luxurious. It can come across quite a bit like the fragrance Flowerbomb.

4 Best Smelling Lalique Colognes for Him

Lalique as a company didn’t get its start in fragrances, but when it decided to dip into this space, it did a great job of putting together some wonderful scents. It’s men’s line has produced a lot of fan favorites, which are usually available for a very inexpensive price. However, Lalique is inexpensive, and not cheap. It produces scents that can stand up against a lot of the big boys, that cost much more, but may not deliver nearly as much value. In this post, I have selected four colognes by Lalique which I feel are the best of the bunch.


What are the Best Lalique Colognes for Men?

Most Popular Lalique

Lalique Encre Noire Pour Homme EDT Spray, 3.3 oz– A very popular scent that is inexpensive but provides a lot of bang for your buck. Encre Noire is a wood based cologne with cypress, vetiver, and cashmere being the main attractions here.

Of course as the name suggests, it is a dark scent with an air of mystery, and a nice dash of smokiness. It is dry and features a vetiver note that feels a bit unique than some of the others on the market.

The cypress really comes through at the start, providing its green-ish aroma, then there’s the smokiness and overall dry quality. L’Extreme, listed below, is another option. I actually tend to prefer that one to this, but the original Encre Noire still has plenty of fans.


Unique Masculine Floral

Lalique Hommage A L’hommê Cologne for Men 3.3 oz Eau De Toilette Spray– Wow, what an interesting fragrance. Even the bottle looks like a work of art, as it was designed for the company’s 20th anniversary of creating fragrances.

Hommage is a heavy bomb of a cologne that features a wonderful powdery violet note, other florals, oud, and a creamy thick tonka bean.

It is a fresh and masculine floral/wood blend, that is rather unlike almost any other men’s fragrance that I’ve come across.  That uniqueness will probably keep this as a niche scent rather than universally beloved.


Dark Winter Woods

Lalique Encre Noire A L’Extremé Cologne for men 3.3 oz(100ml) Eau De Parfum Spray– This version of Encre Noire is much darker, intense, and has a dryer aroma than that of the original. They are similar, but not really the same. L’Extreme does its own thing, in many ways.

L’Extreme has a great smooth woody smokiness provided by the incense and cypress combination. Best used as a cold weather scent, but it really does shine during those frigid months of the year.

Beyond that, this one feels like it envelops you more so, as the resinous notes really come through. Enough benzoin to make things interesting. Ultimately, this one is woods and vetiver in the dry down. Can seem boozy and warm at the start.


Versatile Summer Wear

Laliquë Whîtë Cõlogne for Mén 4.2 oz Eau De Toilette Spray– A bright lemon leaf citrus paired with spicy pepper notes and a warm musk. It is classy, bright, and upbeat. Lalique White is an ideal choice for men during the spring/summer months.

The spice comes across as fresh and crisp, rather than an overwhelming warmth. Not too loud of a fragrance, the citrus aroma tones down as it moves along. Nutmeg and pepper early on, then more of a shift to pepper and musk.

Finally, the base is dry and woody, with cedar providing its fresh bonafides. An elegant and understated wear for the moderate to warmer weather.