ariana grande perfume

Cloud Aurora by Ariana Grande

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Cloud Aurora was released in 2026, as the newest addition to the long-running Cloud perfume lineup from Ariana Grande. I recently tested out Aurora, so, let’s do a full review of this scent and how it compares to the others.

 

Cloud Aurora Breakdown

Notes include: spun sugar, blackcurrant, musk, vanilla glazed petals, sandalwood, amber, vanilla smoke, blonde woods

Click here to try: Cloud Aurora at Sephora

Ariana Grande Cloud Aurora bottle.

My Full Review

Here’s how the perfume is described: Luminous. Magical. Hopeful. Where light meets wonder. Ariana Grande Cloud Aurora is a dreamlike fragrance inspired by moments of magic and endless possibility.

I tested this fragrance out in store. As such this will be a one-time wear review, if and until I do an update. 4 sprays on the skin and I also sprayed a blotter test strip to see how it develops.

Aurora opens up with blackcurrant and the sugary spun vanilla (cotton candy) note taking the lead. Right away, I noticed that the muskiness is toned down in this version of Cloud, and the series’ praline note is noticeably absent.

Blackcurrant isn’t allowed to be too sharp in the mix, tempered by the sweetness and fluffiness of the vanilla notes. I saw some people comparing it to strawberry, which I can kind of get, but not entirely.

There are multiple vanilla notes in this one. Obviously, to this point, we’ve already gotten the fluffy cotton candy one. The rest of it smells like a more generic vanilla and some vague light smokiness once the top has started to burn off.

As this scent moves into the middle, the fluff begins to fade and this is a fruitier vanilla fragrance with wood and amber. It’s also a bit powdery at this point. I didn’t think it overwhelmed the composition, I did notice it. 

The sandalwood note that is apparently here doesn’t come across to my nose as distinct, just an impression of woods.

It’s nice. I like when this moves out of the opening, the scent is better at this point in the wear.

The tail end of this is a sweetish vanilla wood with amber. On the paper, there is also the musk note peaking through. I couldn’t detect it on my skin, however.

Blackcurrant isn’t completely distinguishable, just sort of a fruitiness sitting in the middle of that vanilla. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Comparing this one to my bottle of Cloud Pink, Aurora certainly doesn’t have the same density or ability to project itself. Actually, after coming back to it after all of this time, Pink felt quite powerful.

Aurora? It’s solid, not a complete beast, but it was very noticeable during the wear and has a strong start to it. It is lighter versus the others in the series while not being weak. 

Cloud Aurora lasted somewhere around 7 hours for me during this one test. Not strong in those last 2-3, but it is there. Don’t expect a powerhouse.

The other Cloud’s are somewhere in that range. For instance, Cloud Pink will go 5-8 hours on skin, depending on the day. I would expect that this fragrance is similar in that manner. 

Not as heavy as the others, but sticks around about the same.

Seasonally, this one is probably best served in the more moderate temperatures of autumn and spring. It’s fine when it’s chilly out or even a bit warm, but it’d probably melt in the extreme heat. Go with something else during the daytime in summer.

This is more of a casual or a daily wear scent for some. Cloud Aurora does skew younger, but I don’t think it’s any different in that regard to other Ariana Grande perfumes. If you wore the other Cloud’s you can wear this. 

cloud aurora bottle

Overall Impressions of Cloud Aurora

Overall, do I like Cloud Aurora? Yes, it might be my favorite of the Cloud line thus far. At least, that’s the way I’m leaning. It’s not super complex or a great perfume, but it is a change of pace from the series and does smell good.

I’d have to wear it a few more times to confirm my feelings about it. Though, generally positive. It smells similar to other non-Cloud fragrances that I cannot currently remember, but it does feel familiar. 

For me, I like the toned down musk in comparison to the other Cloud scents, which often could feel like just another BR540 impression. Aurora has a enjoyable use of the blackcurrant note, which hung around for me for almost the entire wear. 

Funny enough, the blackcurrant really what that I picked up on the blotter paper that I sprayed it on, a day later. Very different from the sweet musk/amberwood aroma of Cloud Pink that I sprayed on a t-shirt. 

The middle and the dry down are my favorite parts to this one. The opening is okay.

Now, will everyone like this? I don’t think anyone will really be offended by this perfume, but you also might find it kind of basic. It’s smooth, sweet, fruity, and various facets of vanilla. Well blended, not too sugary (outside of the opening, which isn’t crazy) or cloying, but with an attractive and enjoyable scent.

If you’ve liked the other Ariana Grande fragrances, you’ll almost certainly like this one. It’s a safe blind buy and solid performer all around. Kind of synthetic smelling at times, just like most of the others are too.

Not a must have, if it sounds interesting to you, try it out.

Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande

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I’m making my way through reviewing most of the perfume releases from Ariana Grande, over the next few weeks or so. I’ve tried them out already, but wanted to give each a proper individual review on the site instead of just a blurb here or there. Thank U, Next is a scent that I have enjoyed before and was looking forward to putting it through a bit more rigorous testing. How does it smell? Does it perform? Is this Ariana fragrance, actually worth a try?

What does Thank U, Next Smell Like?

Notes include: pear, coconut water, macarons, pink rose, raspberry, musk

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Thank U, Next Perfume 3.4 oz

My Full Review

What I’ve always liked about this fragrance, is that it moved away from the use of the marshmallow note, that is found in many other Ariana Grande releases.

I really enjoy the opening here with the sparkling pear and raspberry, light sweetness of the coconut water, and sugary gourmand warmth of macarons. It has that warm sweetness/creaminess, but it leans more towards being fresh and juicy early on.

The rose is noticeable at the very start, actually comes across just the slightest bit sour when mixed in. Not too bad, though, not very rosy…on me at least.

The pear and raspberry notes split duties up top, but the star early on to me, is that coconut. That watery lightness allows this one to have a cleanliness that is uplifting and energetic.

Thank U, Next comes out of the gate strong with the fruit notes. However, it will settle down into a milky sugary musk with just a hint of rose coming through. To my nose, that pink rose is the weakest note in the composition and kind of gets overrun by the others.

One complaint that people have had with Thank U, Next is the sourness or so-called pickle smell. On the skin, I get barely any sourness. Mostly, the start. Beyond that, no pickle juice at all.

Spraying it on a t-shirt, the perfume does come across more sheer and sour. Actually, it’s pretty different from my experience wearing it on my body. As such, it might be more of a problem based on you as an individual. It’s not for me, though.

Thank U, Next dries down into a slightly creamy musky fragrance, with a generalized sweetness that isn’t really distinguishable as individual notes.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this is a strong fragrance. A few sprays will go a long way here. It’s not a complete monster, but in terms of projection, definitely one of the boldest from the Ariana lineup.

I’d put it at the lower end of the strong spectrum, settling down into the upper range of moderate. So, most of the wear you’re going to get your money’s worth.

As far as the longevity goes, it seems to hit the 7-8.5 range for me. Pretty darn solid for the $30-55 price tag. Not a marathon runner by any means, but good for most purposes.

Seasonally, while this does feel warm, it isn’t really a heavy winter wear. This should be fine in almost any temperature, accept maybe the high heat. It wouldn’t completely melt, but definitely not at its peak.

A nice springtime day, where everything is pretty moderate, would be ideal.

Thank U, Next does still skew more towards younger women. However, it isn’t exactly a teenybopper perfume either. It seems like most sugary sweet scents get classified as such, but this has some more depth and isn’t a complete sugar overload, in my mind.

Mostly going to be a casual wear, that feels cozy. It’s attractive enough to wear out at night, but isn’t one for formal occasions. Plenty of opportunity to wear Thank U, Next. But, it does have its limits.

This one is attractive in a delicious sort of way versus a carnal sexiness. Very pretty and yummy as a perfume. As a guy, I dig it.

Overall Impressions of Thank U, Next

Overall, do I like this scent? Yes, I do. The opening hour or so is my favorite part of Thank U, Next. The pear, coconut, and raspberry are really a highlight in this mix. The dry down period is still good, but doesn’t hit that same level as the early stage.

The light juiciness, sparkling fruits, coconut, and boldness are simply great on my skin. I usually have success with coconut or raspberry and this is no exception. The later stages are sweet and musky, which is fine. It’s something you’ve come across a thousand times probably.

The opening gives it plenty to stand apart, however.

If you’re wondering between this and Thank U 2.0, I still prefer this one slightly more. The opening act of 2.0 is even better to me than this one, but it has worse performance.

Not the top ranked Ariana Grande perfume, but this is one of the better ones.

Also, the dry down of 2.0 is quite a bit like Moonlight by Ariana, also. The original is a tad better overall with how it smells and gives you about 3 more hours of wear. As such, this is the one I’d go with.

All in all, it is a sweet coconut highlighted blend, that has a youthful vibe without being strictly something for teenagers. The performance isn’t lacking in the slightest, unless you absolutely need something that will go forever and ever after spraying.

Is it a blind buy? If you like this style of sugary sweet gourmand, this is a good example. Not a heavy scent and is aided greatly by that fresh watery aroma. That being said, some do experience this one as sour, which might make you want to try it before you commit to a full bottle.

For the price? It wouldn’t be the end of the world. This was a nice little release from Ariana Grande