Wonderstruck Enchanted by Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift has been a giant pop star for a long time now. Add to that, her fragrance line has been around for about a decade, as well. Her Wonderstruck perfume was a rousing success, and was followed up by today’s review entry, Wonderstruck Enchanted.

Enchanted was released back in 2012. How does this T. Swift fragrance smell? What are the notes? How long does it last? Is it even worth a buy?

Update: Coming back to this years later, Taylor’s perfume line has been defunct for a long time, with no new releases since 2014.

What does Wonderstruck Enchanted Smell Like?

Notes include: pink poppy, wild berries, vanilla, peony, passion fruit, fressia, musk, champaca, woods

Click here to try: Taylor Swift Enchanted Wonderstruck Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce 

My Full Review

Enchanted Wonderstruck begins with a burst of sugary berries and passion fruit. The berries occupy about 80% of the fruit blend, to my nose, and the rest to the more tropical aroma.

Very sweet and juicy, but I find it to be fun and delicious. Underneath, these fruit notes is an array of flowers. The floral notes, aren’t too noticeable for me, until about 5 minutes in. Then, I do get poppy and some peony. Still, they’re quite light in the composition.

Most of this wear, is going to be a fruity/floral, with emphasis on the fruity part. Once the initial fruit wave has passed, you start to get some musk, and creamy vanilla.

At this point, it becomes more of a berry and vanilla blend, with passion fruit playing very little role at all. It tones down a lot of the excesses of the sweetness, in terms of the fruitiness. But, the sugar will start to dissipate, as well.

This is most of what you’re going to get from Wonderstruck Enchanted. A woody base, does emerge, to give this fragrance some grounding.

However, it is still completely led by berries, vanilla, and musk. The floral notes are around, but pretty much just blend into a non-descript aroma.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this isn’t a very strong fragrance. The projection isn’t going to make its way throughout a room. You can spray it fairly heavily and it will settle down closer to the skin, pretty quick.

That being said, the longevity was actually good for me. It was hanging around for 7-8 hours, at that point, it’s more about vanilla. Nonetheless, that’s still a great length of time, for the type of scent this is.

Seasonally, Wonderstruck Enchanted is cold weather dominant. It can venture into spring, but I’d keep it out of the heat. That sort of thick sweetness, will melt. But, within the colder months it is a very nice aroma and well worth a shot.

This Taylor Swift perfume definitely skews towards younger women. It’s not too childish or anything, so, someone older could wear this casually. Think wearing this to school, for casual wear, just to feel cozy, maybe a date. It’s not a formal sort of fragrance.

Overall Impression of Wonderstruck Enchanted

Overall, do I like Enchanted? I actually do enjoy this Taylor Swift perfume. The berries smell awesome, I know not everyone likes the sweet stuff, but I certainly do.

While I like the juicy fruit opening act, I particularly like when the vanilla and berries get to mix in the dry down. What a delightfully warm gourmand.

It’s not a super powerful fragrance or one that really projects all that much, but it actually provides solid longevity. Just an all around attractive wear for colder days, geared toward the younger set.

I believe that Wonderstruck Enchanted has been discontinued, so, you’ll have to grab a bottle online. It was inexpensive when introduced, but when supplies get limited, that can change. However, for the right price, this is a worthwhile try.

I wouldn’t pay a high price for it. If you’re getting close to designer prices, that’s probably too much. For a cheapie, this is a great winter sweet wear for a younger woman.

2023 Update: Yep, prices have officially gotten crazy for the limited bottles left. I’ve seen them selling for almost $200 a pop. Unless you’re a collector, it’s not worthwhile, at that price. Shame, this was a great value perfume, at one time.

Code Absolu by Giorgio Armani

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I recently requested and have now received a sample vial of the new for 2019 Giorgio Armani fragrances release, Code Absolu, and was really excited to try it out. Armani has come out with a lot of awesome scents in the past five years, including another Code flanker, Profumo.

That was one of my favorites a few years back during the wintertime, so, I wanted to see how this one would stack up. What does it smell like? What are the notes? How’s the performance? As usual, I have been wearing and testing this cologne out, and below are my full thoughts.

What does Code Absolu for Men Smell Like?

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

My Full Wear Review

The immediate opening of Absolu strikes me not like the original Code, rather, Code Profumo. This is awesome, because I loved Code Profumo. While there is a whole lot of similarities, the two fragrances, are somewhat distinct from one another.

But, wow! I am completely drawn into this scent, from the very beginning.

Absolu opens up with a strong mix of nutmeg, rum, suede, and tonka bean. I also catch the light citrus from mandarin and a hint of crisp apple.

To my nose, the nutmeg is the strongest at the top, along with tonka bean. This lasts for 5-10 minutes before the suede really comes in.

Even with the light touch of the fruit notes, they do play an important role, by not making the scent too dark and heavy. There’s just enough citrus for my nose to pick up on, but I love when I can pick up that underlying juiciness.

The nutmeg and rum accord, add a really fresh spice to the opening, but it isn’t as boozy as you’d find in something like Man in Black. That’s probably a good thing here, as it would distract from the overall smoothness of this cologne, and ruin the balance that it has.

The suede blending with the other notes, really has more of a leather smell, at times. It’s quite rich and just a fantastic addition to the overall composition. The orange blossom and mandarin note, are still detectable at this point.

I love that aspect, because orange blossom is one of my favorite floral notes. There’s not a lot of it, but just enough to catch my attention.

Further along, the vanilla and tonka bean, really assert themselves. Those two notes are going to be the main thrust of Absolu, so one will need to like them, to enjoy this cologne. During this dry down, there is a secondary layer of wood and the suede.

It smells fresh and darkly warm, with sweetness coming from mandarin and vanilla. It’s not as sweet as Profumo and I actually enjoy that fact, because that could be overwhelming at times, with that scent.

From there, it’s pretty straight forward, a warm mix of tonka and vanilla. Then, strong undertones of suede, wood, and what’s left of the rum spice/mandarin orange. However, in its simplicity, Code Absolu is still very seductive and enticing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage with Absolu is quite strong, but not overpowering. It can project itself a ways away from the wearers skin, but it feels lighter than Code Profumo, and less likely to take over a room. That being said, it can be strong at first, so over-spraying is definitely possible.

The longevity is also outstanding and I’ve been routinely achieving double digit hour counts, while wearing Code Absolu. Performance wise, this fragrance is utterly great. The more I wear it, the more impressed I am by both its strength and longevity. Great stuff.

 

Seasonally, it also leans colder weather like Profumo, but I think with it smoother profile it can fit right in during the spring or other temperate days. In the heat, not really, but I’ve been wearing it on fairly warm spring nights and have had no issues with Absolu thus far.

Is it a versatile wear otherwise? Yes, it is. It can be worn from casual to formal occasions. It will fit well for men of almost any age. I do think that this one, is going to be another superb addition to the nightlife, and it will fit right in at a bar or nightclub.

It’s got the performance, but with an underlying sophistication. Code Absolu will garner complements and is a sexy type of cologne.

Overall Impression of Armani Code Absolu

Overall, do I like Armani Code Absolu? Yes, I really do. I compared it to a few sprays that I had left of Profumo, and I must say, I prefer this new release. They are very similar, so if you have one you won’t need the other, but I think that Absolu is smoother and more refined.

I love the way that the tonka and vanilla interact, the period in which the suede note gets its shine, and that nutmeg spice at the start. The more time that I spend with this fragrance, the more I find myself enjoying it. Profumo was amazing to me, and this, I feel takes it to another level. 

This is a great release from Armani and one that I’m going to be wearing a lot of, in the future. That’s saying something, as Armani has been crushing it with their new releases, in the past few years.

Update: Here in 2023, this one seems to be discontinued. Sad, as this was a fantastic flanker. Possibly the best Code flanker that Armani ever released, certainly top 3.

If you want a bottle now, you’d better be prepared to pay up for it. The women’s version still seems to have more bottles available, but the supply of this has evaporated.

I probably should’ve grabbed a bottle when Armani had its final sale and a discount code with Absolu for Men. 

Polo Red Parfum by Ralph Lauren

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Polo Red Parfum is another flanker in the long line of Red colognes, put out by Ralph Lauren. This one was released in 2023. I’ve already tried this one out once before, but now I’ve gotten a sample size sprayer in order to do a full review. How does it smell? Does Red Parfum last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Polo Red Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: blood orange, bergamot, pink pepper, absinthe, lavender, orris, musk, cedar, opoponax 

Click here to buy: Polo Red Parfum

My Full Review

Red Parfum starts out with a prominent blood orange note, like in Red Extreme. This time, however, it isn’t flanked by coffee and wood. Instead, early on, you get some assistance from a citrus bergamot note and some like warmth/spice of pink pepper.

The pink pepper is pretty subdued to my nose, especially when I compare it to other fragrances with a heavy use of that note.

I was interested in this scent, after reading about the absinthe as a note. Maybe a bit of bitterness in the first hour, underneath everything else. Other than that, it really doesn’t show up on my skin.

One thing that I will note, is the cranberry found in Polo Red EDT, does seem to be here to some limited extent. Not listed, but I keep getting hints of it coming through. So, it probably actually is a part of this blend.

A difference with the others in the line, is that the citrus loses much of its strength after 15 minutes or so. By this time, the lavender and orris notes have moved in. Now, the orris root adds a touch of powder to the scent, but is vastly overshadowed by lavender.

At this point in the wear, it’s: lavender, blood orange, pink pepper, musk, and orris.

Quite fresh, clean, warm, with some increasing resin in the base from the opoponax. In the end, it’s still sweet with the blood orange residue. But, mainly Red Parfum is about the lavender, musk, cedar, opoponax. Orris and pink pepper have faded to basically nothing.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Red Parfum isn’t a super heavy fragrance that bogs down. It does open up with a strong projection and a further reach than Red EDT.

From there, it’s in the upper range of moderate for a few hours, before it slides into something lighter to middling. Pretty good with the power, just not amazing.

On my skin, I get somewhere in the 6-7.5 hour range. It might go 8 hours, at times. Beyond that, I wouldn’t expect much. It’s above average and good for most uses.

Seasonally, Polo Red Parfum can work pretty much whenever, outside of the hottest days of the year. I’d go with something else during the summer months.

It is more of a casual and daytime wear. I think it can fit in more places than Red EDT since it doesn’t have that lemon and strong cranberry coming through the entire time.

Especially, once the citrus notes tone down, this will be able to be worn at the office or school without trouble. It’s not a formal sort of fragrance, but can fit in for the nightlife, without being a ‘club beast’.

Overall Impressions of Polo Red Parfum

Overall, do I like Red Parfum? I do. It’s about on par with the original Polo Red. I might like this one slightly more, but that could change day to day. Nonetheless, it is one of the better releases from this series, while still trailing Red Extreme.

I do love the return of the blood orange note, with the bergamot, and phantom cranberry note giving a nod to the original. It’s got a great citrus blend, fresh spice, clean lavender, and a woodsy base.

The back half of the wear is more basic. Polo Red Parfum loses some of its luster. Though, I find it to still be pleasant enough, and not bad at all.

The performance is better than the EDT and is above average, while not being elite. I never expect Ralph Lauren colognes to have crazy performance, but this is one that I have no real problems with.

All in all, it’s worth checking out, if you like this series. One of the better releases from this brand as of late.

It’s different in some ways, with familiar elements poking up throughout. Less tart and candy sweet than the EDT, over the long haul. It’s probably safe enough for a blind buy, but I might wait for it to go on sale, before grabbing a full bottle.

Dior Homme Cologne by Christian Dior

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The original Dior Homme, is pretty much my go to daily wear. A such, I always want to try out the different offerings under the Dior Homme banner. Today, I am going to collect my thoughts and review, Dior Homme Cologne.

This is a flanker fragrance of sorts, but is a completely independent fragrance from the rest of the line. It was updated in 2022, after it’s initial release in 2013. However, it really didn’t get a full overhaul like Sport and Homme 2020, and is basically the same.

How does Cologne smell? Does it last long? How does it project? Is it worth a purchase?

Dior Homme Cologne Overview

Notes include: bergamot, Moroccan grapefruit blossom, musk

Click here to try: Christian Dior Cologne Spray for Men, Dior Homme, 4.2 Ounce

My Full Wear Review

Before I get into my own thoughts about Dior Homme Cologne, let’s see what Dior has to say about it: Citrusy bergamot, sensual grapefruit blossom and cotton-fresh white musks infuse to create a radiant, contemporary signature. An enveloping trail that reflects the casual charm of a timeless white dress shirt. A simply elegant fragrance for your own pleasure. 

Right off the bat, Dior Homme Cologne, is going to be a laid back and casual scent. It’s actually pretty simple, in its presentation, but still manages to deliver a nice experience.

Also, it’s actually an eau de cologne concentration, as the name suggests. So, it’s not going to be as potent as a baseline eau de toilette. Still, for what this is, DHC has a good level of performance.

Bergamot and the grapefruit blossom, lead this one completely. At first, you get the more pure juicy citrus of the bergamot. Then, the grapefruit blossom comes in, and gives it a neroli-like aroma.

This and Allure Homme Sport Cologne have a lot of overlap. I prefer this Dior to the Chanel, since it has a colder feeling to it and the performance is better than its competitor.

Dior Homme Cologne is only a bit floral, but that light white floral note, does sit just underneath the surface. This is a very summery, upbeat, and bright sort of cologne.

Quite clean and refreshing, but definitely not one for those, who don’t enjoy the citrus fragrances. This one can hit like lemonade, at times, and also give you some musk.

Again, this is a really simple fragrance. In essence, you get: lemonade, white floral, a greenish note from the grapefruit blossom, and musk.

How’s the Sillage? How Long Does it Last?

The sillage is on the lighter side, but it isn’t weak. Dior Homme Cologne, simply doesn’t fill up a room, but is noticeable close by. Actually, that’s probably a good thing, with such a tart citrus note.

For the first hour or so, Cologne is actually fairly substantial with a decent amount of projection off of the skin. Again it’s an eau de cologne, this one isn’t designed to be a beast.

The longevity is pretty good for what this is. Not amazing, mind you, but I can get up to 6 hours with it. Usually, in the 4-6 hour range, which is to be expected with this style of fragrance.

There’s a lot of these citrus summertime fragrances which only pull 2-3 hours of work before quitting (the Chanel, for example). This, isn’t so bad by comparison.

Update: Trying out my newer 2022 edition bottle, I haven’t found the performance to have changed at all.  It’ll still last for 4-6 hours on skin, with the same lighter sillage.

Versatility

This is a spring and summertime wear, all the way. The citrus simplicity is built for the heat. This is one that I’ve worn in July and August, at peak heat and humidity, and it works extremely well for that environment.

With my new bottle, I’ve been picking it up a lot more here in the first half of springtime. Especially, when I know that I’m going to be spending time outside. The citrus aroma just delivers a great experience for me in these conditions.

It’s more of a casual daytime wear, but could easily fit in, at the office. That initial lemonade-like aroma, might not be ideal, but the more floral/musky dry down fits in just fine.

Dior Homme Cologne isn’t a nightlife scent. I mean, maybe an outdoor bar, on the beach in the summer. Outside of that, not really.

This is one that you reach for when it’s hot outside and you need to be fresh. It’s attractive enough, not really sexy, but it could get complements.

Overall

Overall, do I like Dior Homme Cologne? I like it, but it’s not amazing. It’s a simple cologne, that hits one note, pretty darn well. The citrus is tart and clean, can be very enjoyable to wear, but it is somewhat limited in its application.

I don’t think that I’d pay full price for it, but with a significant discount, I’d consider. An above average summer scent, but not a must have by any stretch. Not up there with the best Christian Dior fragrances, either.

Update: I bought a small travel sprayer of this for spring and summer 2022 (and a full bottle thereafter). Dior Homme Cologne is better than I initially thought, a few years back, so I bumped its score up a bit. That citrus is awesome when it’s hot out and I used up my entire supply.

I do like these kind of colognes, but they do have limitations as to when it can be worn. Not one that will be your only wear, but can be an alternative option for when the temperatures rise.

If you do live in a tropical region, you’ll probably get a lot more use out of this fragrance versus most people. But, if you’re someone who wants a summer scent, Dior Homme Cologne is well worth a shot.

Libre L’Absolu Platine by YSL

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Libre L’Absolu Platine is the latest version of this YSL line for 2023. I really hadn’t heard about it, but I saw an ad with Dua Lipa, and so ordered a sample of this a few weeks back. I’ve been testing this one out, to see how it stacks up versus other entries in the Libre series. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is L’Absolu Platine worth a buy?

What does Libre L’Absolu Platine Smell Like?

Notes include: citrus, lavender, orange blossom, white lavender, vanilla, amber

Click here to try: Libre L’Absolu Platine

My Full Review

Here’s how YSL describes it: The iconic structure of Libre, a tension between cool Diva lavender heart from France, crafted for Yves Saint Laurent Beauty and sensual orange blossom absolute from Morocco, reinterpreted in vibrantly metallic way. A juice with an exclusive concentration within the Libre range, enriched with a unique aromatic white lavender accord fashion by the master perfumers.

L’Absolut Platine starts off with cold and slightly metallic aldehydes coming through. Citrus, lavender, and orange blossom are all in the mix from the start.

It sort of reminds me of the beginning of Soleil Neige by Tom Ford. That one is a snowy cold with citrus and orange blossom. Platine is a metallic cold with an additional lavender note. Oh, this one is much more influenced by the classic aldehyde floral perfumes of the past.

Early, the orange blossom strikes me as being slightly stronger in the mix. That will quickly reverse and this one will have its various lavender notes coming in to dominate the blend.

I do like this cold and refreshing start. It’s pretty captivating, in that first hour or so.

After that, the lavender really comes into its own. That feature note, with the orange blossom still sticking around, and Platine smells a lot like the original Libre. Different, but strong similarities.

To my nose, L’Absolu Platine has less of the vanilla in the dry down. It is there, but not as much as what I got with Libre. Plus, the aldehydes still give this one a chilled brightness versus the original. Sort of soapy clean.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

L’Absolu Platine does start off very strong, with a powerful projection and a nice cloud around you, as you go about your day. Quite in line with what you get from the rest of the series.

However, I don’t think it maintains it’s strength as well as Libre or Intense. This YSL is a tad weaker than its predecessors.

The longevity here is somewhere in the 7-8 hour range, on me. On a t-shirt, this is like most everything else, and will go forever.

I do find it to be a step below both Libre and Libre Intense, in terms of its performance. Not bad, by any means, but both of those were great for mainstream designer perfumes.

Seasonally, autumn through mid-spring would be best for L’Absolu Platine. It’s a bit much for the summer months, but I like it in the cooler temperatures that I’m experiencing right now.

It is like Libre in its use cases. Daytime wear that can transition into evening. Has an attractive quality, not sexy, and isn’t a nightclub sort of scent. But, can be a signature or daily wear for many people.

So, L’Absolu Platine is a pretty darn unisex fragrance. Seriously, if you’re someone who though Libre EDP was ‘masculine’ this might seem even further in that direction.

Personally, I think the use of aldehydes keeps it more in the middle, but I can see how some who like more standard ‘girly’ perfumes might be put off by this.

Overall Impressions of L’Absolu Platine

Overall, do I like Libre L’Absolu Platine? I do like it more than Libre, but less than Libre Intense. I have a Le Parfum review to finish, but I’m not sure that Platine passes that one either.

I do think the start is interesting and it’s the highlight for me. I like that chilly and metallic sort of aroma that I get with the citrus and emergent floral notes.

The rest of the way, has a lot of the DNA of the original with a boosted lavender note and the remaining aldehydes helping to set it apart.

That being said, I’m not sure that you need this one, if you already have Libre. I think it’s at a higher price point too, so, no real need unless you’re a collector.

For others, I think that it is worth trying, especially if you’re a lavender fan. It’s a somewhat different take and one that I enjoy more than Libre EDP.

L’Absolu Platine isn’t one that I’d recommend on a blind buy. More of a test and see if you vibe with it.