ariana grande

Baccarat Rouge 540 vs Cloud by Ariana Grande

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Somehow, I forgot to do this post when I was really going through the Ariana Grande scents and various perfumes that Baccarat Rouge 540 smells like, months ago. Nonetheless, here I am to make up for that fact and do my full comparison post between Cloud and Baccarat Rouge. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Quick Overview

Baccarat Rouge 540 is the more polished and better-performing fragrance. It has a resinous, woody, lightly sweet profile with saffron, jasmine, cedar, fir resin, and ambergris-style freshness. It also lasts much longer than Cloud and projects better for more of the wear.

Want a similar alternative perfume for less? Try: Casino Royale and Cloudscape from the Dua Brand.

Ariana Grande Cloud is the better value pick. It has a sweeter, creamier, fluffier profile with pear, lavender, bergamot, praline, whipped cream, coconut, musk, and woods. It gives some of the BR 540-style effect for a much lower price, but the dry down is not as good.

The simple answer: buy Baccarat Rouge 540 if quality and performance matter most. Buy Cloud if you want a cheaper, sweeter, younger, and more playful alternative.

Category Ariana Grande Cloud Baccarat Rouge 540 Winner
Opening Starts sweet, bright, and fruity with pear, bergamot, and lavender. After 20-30 minutes, praline, whipped cream, and creamy coconut become more noticeable. Opens with jasmine, saffron, hedione, light sweetness, and a lemon-like touch before turning more woody and resinous. Baccarat Rouge 540
Projection Starts with strong sillage and keeps up surprisingly well for much of the wear, but fades sooner. Projects stronger at its peak and has a longer run before becoming closer to the skin. Baccarat Rouge 540
Longevity Usually lasts around 5-6 hours on skin. Usually averages around 10 hours, with some wears reaching 8-12 hours depending on conditions. Baccarat Rouge 540
Versatility Best for fall, winter, and spring. More youthful, sweeter, and easier to recommend for younger wearers. Also best for fall, winter, and spring, but feels more serious, polished, and versatile overall. Baccarat Rouge 540
Overall Scent A nice sweet, creamy, fluffy scent with pear, whipped cream, coconut, and praline, but the woody-lavender dry down is not as strong as BR 540. More dynamic, better blended, and higher quality, with saffron, resin, woods, cedar, fir, and smooth candy-like sweetness. Baccarat Rouge 540

Tale of the Tape: Ariana’s Cloud vs Baccarat Rouge 540

Cloud by Ariana Grande

Notes include: pear, lavender, bergamot, praline, whipped cream, vanilla orchid, coconut, musk, wood

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Cloud Eau de Parfum Spray, clear, 3.4 oz

Read my full review: Cloud by Ariana Grande

Baccarat Rouge 540

Notes include: saffron, ambergris, cedar, fir resin, jasmine

Click here to try: Buy from Saks

Opening

Cloud begins with a nice sweetness and bright disposition. Pear is the main attraction early on in the wear. But, it is joined also by the light citrus juiciness of the bergamot, and the ever growing lavender note.

On me, it takes about 20-30 minutes to start to get to the soft and fluffy heart of Cloud. That’s when the praline, whipped cream, and creamy coconut show up. The bergamot will take a back seat and everything is rather well blended.

With Baccarat Rouge 540, the jasmine and lavender have the lead early on. It is much less of a sweetish fragrance than Cloud, but you do still get some, and a hint of a lemon-like aroma up top.

It will develop further into a woody and resinous aroma, as it moves along.

Which fragrance do I like more at the start? It’s actually kind of a close call.

I enjoy elements of Cloud, once it really gets going at around the half hour mark. The softer, creamy edible notes are a nice touch and the fruits have settled. It’s sweeter and in some ways smoother than BR 540.

With BR 540, I like the resinous aspects of the perfume. The hedione  with the light lemon note is pretty attractive. I think I lean slightly to the Francis Kurkdjian scent.

Edge: BR 540

Projection

Both of these scents start off with a strong sillage. The Ariana Grande scent surprisingly keeps up well for most of the wear. Both will turn into scents with an airy quality about them, but they are still moderate with their projection.

However, in my testing of each, it seems that Rouge hits a higher peak and has a longer run before it becomes a skin scent than does Cloud.

BR 540 takes this one. Though, I have to give some credit to Cloud for having that early power and ability to stay at a high enough level for a good while.

Edge: BR 540

Longevity

The longevity is really one area where the relative quality of each scent becomes fairly apparent. With Cloud, I’ve never managed to get more than six hours, on my skin. It hits that 5-6 hour range before fading.

Baccarat Rouge, actually has a rather wide range of outcomes. Some days it’s 8 hours. Then, I’ve also gotten up to 12. It sort of depends on the climate and what I’m doing. But, 10 hours seems to be about the average.

So, about double what I get with Cloud. The Ariana perfume does do about what I expect for a fragrance around that price point. It certainly doesn’t go above and beyond that, but still it’s fine for most uses.

Edge: Baccarat Rouge 540

Versatility

Seasonally, they are both best served by being worn in the autumn or winter. Springtime is also fine, but I’d avoid either during the height of summer.

Cloud is probably more versatile for the younger crowd. It’s not a complete ‘teenager’ fragrance, but is more appropriate for that age group than is BR 540. Though, plenty of women over 30 wear Cloud too.

BR 540 has a more well put together and serious tone than the more sugary fluffy Cloud does.

Baccarat Rouge is probably a bit more versatile in when it can be worn. But, not by a huge margin.

Edge: BR 540

Overall Scent

So, it’s a clean sweep for Baccarat Rouge? Yes. But, that doesn’t mean that it’s going to be worth the way more expensive price for everyone.

BR 540 has gotten a bit overhyped over the past few years. It’s a nice perfume, but not one that I absolutely love. Cloud isn’t either, but it’s fine and a lot more people seem to like it than I do. To me, there are better Ariana Grande scents.

I think Rouge Extrait is better than the original. Heck, Cloud 2.0 is better than its predecessor. That and Cloud Pink are only slightly different from the first, but still a tad more enjoyable to me.

Cloud is nice. I like the whipped cream, coconut, and praline part the best. When there is still enough pear and before the dry down. It is an attractive perfume. But, it also has a plasticky smell on my skin, at times.

Plus, the lavender and woodsy dry down that’s most like BR 540, isn’t nearly as good.

Again, if you’re younger, it can completely make sense to go with Cloud versus the more expensive and mature BR 540.

Baccarat Rouge gets better and feels more dynamic. I like the smooth and candy-like sweetness, that can overcome the cold cleanliness of fir and cedar. Also, I love saffron as a note, and it complements this Francis Kurkdjian perfume well.

BR 540 wins this. But, if you haven’t smelled it before, I’d recommend getting a sample size before committing to a full bottle. Despite it’s popularity, you may not actually dig it quite as much.

Winner: BR 540

Who Should Buy Ariana Grande Cloud?

Buy Cloud if you want the cheaper and sweeter option. It is best if you like pear, lavender, bergamot, praline, whipped cream, coconut, musk, and woods. It also makes sense if you want a BR 540-style fragrance without paying luxury prices.

Who Should Buy Baccarat Rouge 540?

Buy Baccarat Rouge 540 if you want the better fragrance overall. It lasts longer, projects better, smells more refined, and has more depth. It is the better choice if you like saffron, jasmine, cedar, fir resin, ambergris-style freshness, and airy woody sweetness.

FAQ: Baccarat Rouge 540 vs Ariana Grande Cloud

Is Ariana Grande Cloud similar to Baccarat Rouge 540?

Yes, Cloud has similarities to Baccarat Rouge 540, especially through its airy sweetness, musk, woods, and fluffy texture. However, Cloud is creamier, sweeter, fruitier, and more gourmand.

Which is better, Baccarat Rouge 540 or Cloud?

Baccarat Rouge 540 is better overall. It smells more refined, lasts longer, projects better, and has a more dynamic woody-resinous scent profile.

Does Cloud last as long as Baccarat Rouge 540?

No. Cloud usually lasts around 5-6 hours, while Baccarat Rouge 540 averages closer to 10 hours.

Does Baccarat Rouge 540 project better than Cloud?

Yes. Both start strong, but Baccarat Rouge 540 reaches a higher peak and lasts longer before becoming a skin scent.

Is Cloud a good affordable alternative to Baccarat Rouge 540?

Yes. Cloud is a good affordable alternative if you want a sweet, creamy, fluffy fragrance with some BR 540-style overlap. It is not as refined, but it is much cheaper.

What does Ariana Grande Cloud smell like?

Cloud smells sweet, creamy, fruity, fluffy, and musky. It has pear, bergamot, lavender, praline, whipped cream, coconut, vanilla orchid, musk, and woods.

What does Baccarat Rouge 540 smell like?

Baccarat Rouge 540 smells airy, woody, resinous, lightly sweet, and slightly floral. It features saffron, jasmine, cedar, fir resin, and ambergris-style freshness.

Which one is more youthful?

Cloud is more youthful. It is sweeter, creamier, fruitier, and more playful than Baccarat Rouge 540.

Which one is better for winter?

Both can work well in winter. Baccarat Rouge 540 is better if you want stronger performance and more refinement, while Cloud is better if you want a softer sweet-gourmand feel.

Should I buy Cloud or Baccarat Rouge 540?

Buy Baccarat Rouge 540 if you want the best scent and performance. Buy Cloud if you want a much cheaper fragrance with a similar airy sweet style.

 

Eilish EDP vs Mod Vanilla

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Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande now both have very successful fragrance lines. The Ariana lineup has been around for longer and has more options. But, Billie’s perfumes have already tended to have a more unique style.

But, two of the more popular releases from each brand, are: Mod Vanilla and Eilish EDP. These two are sweeter gourmand perfumes, but which of them actually smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Eilish vs Mod Vanilla

Eilish

Notes include: vanilla, cocoa, musk, sugared petals, wood, red berries, mandarin, spices, amber

Click here to try: Eilish EDP

Read my review: Eilish by Billie Eilish

Mod Vanilla

Notes include: pink freesia, dark plum, vanilla, musk, praline, cocoa butter, orris butter, jasmine

Click here to try: Mod Vanilla

My full review: Mod Vanilla by Ariana Grande

Opening

The immediate spray of Eilish EDP delivers a blast of red berries with a hint of mandarin. However, this doesn’t go completely fruity, and those notes are actually minor players in the overall composition.

There is a profound spiciness here. Cinnamon seems to be in the mix, but other ingredients are present as well. It also has an ambery warmth, vanilla cream, and the emerging powdery cocoa aroma.

It is sweet, with its ‘sugared petals’ note. Rose, maybe? What is interesting to me is that there is also something greenish and cold here in the mix. Menthol-like with the way it hits, not necessarily mint, but perhaps geranium. Not listed, but that’s what I get.

Mod Vanilla opens with a collection of lighter notes that will eventually fall into the background, though they remain well-balanced even on the first sprays.

The pink freesia becomes immediately apparent alongside the notes of fresh musks. The musk maintains its presence throughout the fragrance’s development, and while I don’t consider Mod overly reliant on this note, it does stand as the most prominent among the three opening accords.

Accompanying these two elements is a subtle plum that introduces an additional tart quality to what is already a fairly sweet composition.

Vanilla makes its presence known and is joined by praline and cocoa butter. The praline emerges as a significant piece, that will define much of this fragrance’s character.

As this opening act transitions, the freesia and plum become considerably softer within the overall blend.

Which is better? While, I like what Mod Vanilla brings to the table early on, I just think that Eilish EDP is the more interesting and has the better start between these two.

Edge: Eilish

Projection

On my skin, this feels like it has a pretty bold and far-reaching start. For the first 30 minutes or so, Eilish EDP seems loud and will leave a nice scent trail.

Thereafter, it moderates, but this has a scent bubble effect. The reach is probably in the 4 to 7 foot range, depending on how much you spray.

With the Grande scent, it’s pretty much the same. I don’t really notice any difference in the peak of their powers and they both behave the same way, after those initial sprays too.

Edge: Push

Longevity

I personally get up to 8.5 hours of wear from Eilish EDP. It might go further than that for some folks, but this is what I’ve gotten out of it. Not a super marathon runner, but a fragrance that is well above average.

Mod Vanilla also keeps up for over 8 hours on my skin, finally becoming undetectable somewhere between the 8.5 to 9 hour mark. For me, at least.

In this category, they are roughly the same.

Edge: Push

Versatility

Seasonally, both of these are obviously an autumn and winter wear. Once you’re in the warmer weather, neither is too great to have on. But, maybe some springtime sprays for either should be fine.

Each also does skew younger with its sugary sweetness. But it’s one that doesn’t go completely into teen girl mode. Sure, it fits that demographic, but if you’re older and like sweetness, there is still plenty here for you.

Eilish could be a daily wear or venture into nightlife. It’s pretty, with that appealing baked goods gourmand style, which is popular with most people.

Mod Vanilla is a sweet perfume, so don’t expect something suitable for formal occasions or office wear.

Mod appeals to a younger demographic, though some older women would certainly appreciate it as well. Mod has a delicious gourmand quality that feels fun, rather than something that is sexy or seductive. The overall vibe is casual and cozy.

I don’t really see too much separation between these fragrances, in this category.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

So, overall, which of these two gourmand perfumes do I prefer versus the other?

Mod Vanilla? It’s a pretty good release, but still a middle of the road Ariana Grande perfume.  I wasn’t a big fan of Cloud, as of now, I think Mod Vanilla is a bit better than that…just not far and away superior.

If you already like and have Cloud, you probably won’t need to get this one. Different scents, ultimately, but they do a lot of the same.

I like how Mod Vanilla starts off and I like when the vanilla gets going in full.

With the Billie Eilish fragrance, I really do like the opening act. It takes the usual sort of celeb perfumes and adds a nice amount of depth to it. It’s a great dynamic between the warmer spice and then a transition into something cooler.

The back half is fine, just not as captivating. Still, I like Eilish EDP a good deal more than I do the Ariana scent. Mod Vanilla is good, but a notch below with how it smells.

With performance and versatility, these are roughly the same sort of scent. Eilish just smells better.

Winner: Eilish EDP

Mod Vanilla vs Vanilla 28

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Mod Vanilla and Vanilla 28 are two very popular inexpensive to mid-range priced perfume options. Obviously, the competition is between that signature note, and these can sometimes be the final perfumes under consideration for a purchase.

But, which of these scents is actually the better buy? Which vanilla fragrance smells better? Lasts longer? I’ve tested each of them and here’s my full breakdown.

Tale of the Tape: Mod Vanilla vs Vanilla 28

Mod Vanilla

Notes include: pink freesia, dark plum, vanilla, musk, praline, cocoa butter, orris butter, jasmine

Click here to try: Mod Vanilla

My full review: Mod Vanilla by Ariana Grande

Vanilla 28 

Notes include: vanilla orchid, tonka bean, brown sugar, amber woods, musk

Click here to try: Vanilla 28 by Kayali

Read my review: Vanilla 28

Opening

Mod Vanilla opens with a collection of lighter notes that will eventually fall into to the background, though they remain well-balanced even on the first sprays.

The pink freesia becomes immediately apparent alongside the notes of fresh musks.

The musk maintains its presence throughout the fragrance’s development, and while I don’t consider Mod overly reliant on this note, it does stand as the most prominent among the three opening accords.

Accompanying these two elements is a subtle plum that introduces an additional tart quality to what is already a notably sweet composition. From the very start, you’ll also detect some of the fragrance’s central aromas.

Vanilla makes its presence known, and is joined by praline and cocoa butter. The praline emerges as a significant component that will define much of this fragrance’s character.

As this opening act transitions, the freesia and plum become considerably softer within the overall blend.

Vanilla 28 launches immediately into its own sweetness. The tonka bean and brown sugar really stand out during this initial stage of wear.

While the vanilla orchid maintains its presence throughout, the fragrance clearly emphasizes those other two notes in the opening.

However, this perfume never becomes overwhelmingly cloying or juvenile in its sweetness. It’s more refined to me, than is Mod. The tonka bean does eventually soften, the vanilla becomes more prominent, and the composition develops some musky undertones as it evolves.

Which is better?

I really do like the opening act of Mod Vanilla a lot. There’s plenty going on, it’s more complex, and simply smells quite good.

However, I prefer how the Kayali fragrance starts out more. The tonka bean, brown sugar, and vanilla are really great in this mix.

Edge: Vanilla 28

Projection

In terms of projection, the Ariana Grande perfume delivers some impressive strength during the initial two hours of wear.

I was genuinely surprised by how effectively it projects and creates a noticeable scent trail behind you. While not overwhelmingly potent, Mod Vanilla does perform well above average in this regard.

Following that two-hour mark, the fragrance settles closer to the skin, though it doesn’t become a true skin scent until around the four to five hour point for me.

The projection with the Kayali perfume remains fairly moderate. You’ll experience about thirty minutes of solid strength with Vanilla 28 creating a pleasant aura around you.

After that point, it settles into a light to moderate range. It’s not completely weak, just not the type to fill an entire room.

The Ariana Grande fragrance definitely takes this category.

Edge: Mod Vanilla

Longevity

The longevity of Mod Vanilla proved surprisingly impressive compared to other Ariana fragrances that have been released.

This fragrance keeps up for over 8 hours on my skin, finally becoming undetectable somewhere between the 8.5 to 9 hour mark. For me, at least.

On my skin, Vanilla 28 lasts somewhere in the 5 to 6 hour range. Again, not particularly impressive, but still acceptable. Performance isn’t where this fragrance truly shines.

Another advantage for Mod.

Edge: Mod Vanilla

Versatility

Regarding the seasons you should wear Mod Vanilla, I like this during winter’s colder months. That being said, it works perfectly well whenever temperatures are moderate. Just avoid high heat and humidity, and this fragrance will be fine.

Vanilla 28 also works best during autumn or winter months. If you live somewhere with cooler spring weather, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to wear it. They’re the same in their seasonal use.

Mod Vanilla is a sugary sweet perfume, so don’t anticipate something suitable for formal occasions or office wear.

Mod appeals to a younger demographic, though some older women would certainly appreciate it as well. Mod has a delicious gourmand quality that feels fun, instead of something that is sexy or seductive. The overall vibe is casual and cozy.

Vanilla 28 works across various situations and does so better than the Ariana scent. It maintains its sweet character while still appealing to different age groups.

While it’s not a formal type of perfume, Vanilla 28 functions well in numerous scenarios on its own. Plus, you could layer it with another Kayali perfume to mix things up.

Edge: Vanilla 28

Overall Scent

So, overall which of these fragrances do I actually prefer?

Mod Vanilla is a solid release, though it doesn’t rank as my favorite Ariana Grande perfume or come close to the top of my list.

It shares some similarities with Cloud and isn’t particularly unique, in terms of how it smells.

If you already own and enjoy Cloud, you probably won’t need to add this one to your collection. While they are different fragrances ultimately, they cover much of the same territory.

I like the opening act of Mod Vanilla and the performance is much better than I expected. Really, could be a consideration when compared to the Kayali.

Yet, I prefer Vanilla 28 to Mod. I’m really drawn to the brown sugar note that it has.

Yes, it can be overly sweet or lack sophistication, but I think it works here, and isn’t a potentially cloying as Mod vanilla.

The performance sits in the middle range and trails it’s competitor. If you plan to wear this as a standalone fragrance rather than layering it with others, keep this in mind.

While it wasn’t completely disappointing in that aspect, Vanilla 28 isn’t a long-lasting powerhouse.

Overall, though, I think that Vanilla 28 just smells better and has a better vanilla note. So, it gets the win.

Winner: Vanilla 28

6 Fragrances Similar to Ari by Ariana Grande

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Ariana Grande has really had huge success with her perfume releases since the initial Ari, released back in 2015. While some of the newer fragrances get more attention now, Ari is still a great little scent and one that people will often look to in order to find comparable aromas.

In this post, I want to present six options which can potentially fit that bill. I will also come back and update the page as needed, when I find some more options that can sort of match what we’re looking for.

What Perfumes Smell Similar to Ari?

I have yet to come across and exact one to one of Ari by Ariana Grande. However, there are plenty that come close, and these five are my picks.

Between Ari and Viva La Juicy

Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce– Pink Friday is one that strikes a chord that is somewhere between Viva La Juicy and Ari. It does start out even fruitier than either, with blackberry, pear, orange and starfruit.

Kind of citrusy and more tropical. Yet, it will dry down with the same vanilla aroma and caramel, in lieu of the marshmallow note. 

A lot of these celebrity perfumes seem to hit this similar style as one another. This doesn’t exactly copy Ari, but can provide you something different, that you may enjoy a bit more.

Fruity Sweet Princess

Vera Wang Princess by Vera Wang for Women – 3.4 Ounce EDT Spray– Princess has been an insanely popular cheapie for a long time. It just so happens to be quite a bit similar to our Ariana Grande perfume.

This one uses apple and guava, as its fruity notes up top. Then, you get vanilla and chocolate as the sweet gourmand ingredients. Also, floral notes in the heart.

Probably a bit lighter than Ari is and might skew a somewhat more to the younger side. Though, you get nice performance out of it.

Similar Composition, Very Inexpensive

Passport Paris Eau-de-toilette Spray Women by Paris Hilton, 1 Ounce– Passport Paris is another fruity sweet floral scent with a very similar structure to Ari.

This one is peach and berries with the warmth of vanilla and woods in the base. The floral notes aren’t the same, but you get a nice peony and jasmine in this one. Yes, the bottle looks kind of like a ‘my first perfume’ for younger girls, but this is actually a nice cheapie.

Is it an exact Ari like scent? Definitely not, but you get some overlap, and something that can stand well on its own.

 

 

Pear and Vanilla Syrup 

Women’s Perfume La Belle Jean Paul Gaultier EDP– A bit more mature than Ari is, but Le Belle also gives you a great pear note, floral heart, and vanilla/musk in the base. The vanilla is stronger in this JPG versus our target, which uses marshmallow to a greater degree than its own vanilla.

It turns warm, floral, with that big vanilla/pear combination and a sugary quality throughout. La Belle is a warmer fragrance with a somewhat burnt quality to that sugary finish. A bit thick and syrupy with a vetiver note adding a fresh dryness.

Again, not going to be an exact of Ari, but an interesting and great performing choice.

Citrus, Sweet, and a Good Deal Close

Amor Amor– Cacharel’s Amor Amor leans more towards the citrus side of the fruits than Ari. The lily of the valley and rose notes, create an familiar feeling like that found in our target. The upper half of the fragrance is a blend of fruits, floral notes, and woods.

Then, the vanilla note comes in to give this one warmth and creaminess, that is only bolstered by the tonka bean and amber.

To me, Amor Amor is like a blend of Viva La Juicy, Ari, and Clinique Happy. But, I really do pick up on those Ari similarities. Great perfume.

amoramor

 

Alternative Ariana

Mod Blush by Ariana Grande– Mod Blush isn’t the same as Ari, though, it does have similarities. Think of it as an alternative for those who want a similar style to Ari, by the Ariana Grande brand itself.

This one is fruitier, almost tropical with how it presents itself.

Raspberry and pear are the common denominators between them in the fruity notes. This one goes with bergamot instead of the tart grapefruit in Ari.

Passionfruit is what give it that juicy tropical vibe, which I’d say replaces what the marshmallow note brings in Ari. So, no marshmallow here.

The dry down is the pear, rose, and musk notes, mainly.

The marshmallow, orchid, raspberry, and pear are what you get with Ari. In that one, the rose and musk sit underneath. With Mod Blush, they’re more front and center in the back half of the wear.

Now, I personally don’t think this is as good as Ari or others from Ariana Grande. However, if you can get it for a discount, it can absolutely work in terms of the overlaps that these two share. Mod Blush review

 

Ariana Grande Cloud vs Sweet Like Candy

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Cloud and Sweet Like Candy are two of the most popular perfumes from Ariana Grande’s line of scents. Cloud, I think, often gets way more attention. Not to mention, it spawned it’s own flankers Intense and Cloud Pink.

Though, if we’re going beyond the popularity, which of these two perfumes actually smells better? Which lasts longer? On this page, I am going to compare these Ariana fragrances, bring attention to their differences, and pick which one I think is better.

Tale of the Tape: Cloud vs. Sweet Like Candy 

Cloud

Notes include: pear, lavender, bergamot, praline, whipped cream, vanilla orchid, coconut, musk, wood

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Cloud Eau de Parfum Spray, clear, 3.4 oz

Read my review: Cloud

Sweet Like Candy

Notes include:

Click here to try: Sweet Like Candy

Opening

Cloud begins with its brightness and sweetness front and center. The lead off is highlighted by the pear note with bergamot and the lavender also coming through early. The lavender never feels all that heavy to me throughout the wear.

I get a bit of the citrus, which adds a bit more sparkle to that pear juiciness. The lavender here, has a certain roughness which takes some of the softer and fluffier qualities of this fragrance away. Still, it does retain that softer style.

With Sweet, it’s also got a pear that is put alongside it’s berry notes. The black currant has some tart aspects here too. The fruitiness is there in the opening act, but it lives up to its sweet name, beyond just fruits.

Warm with whipped cream, vanilla, and marshmallow. Obviously, plenty of overlap with Cloud. The floral notes are a separation, even if they’re not super powerful. Frangipani and jasmine are noticeable.

Which is better? Between the two, I enjoy Sweet Like Candy. The fruitiness to lead things off is better to my nose. Plus, I like the transition it makes, and it smells a bit better versus Cloud, despite their similarities.

Edge: Sweet Like Candy

Projection

I don’t really notice a difference here. At least in terms of how far they project. The sillage of Cloud is a bit lighter, but both of these are essentially moderate with their projection.

Good for an hour or so, before moving into their lighter phases. Either way, both are solid, but no particular advantage here.

Edge: Push

Longevity

Cloud has never been an amazing performer, but it’s serviceable. In my experience, it will go 5-6 hours, on skin. About six hours is what you should expect from this Ariana fragrance.

With Sweet Like Candy, it seems to last in the 7-7.5 hour range, each time that I tested it out. Maybe some people can get a bit more out of the perfume, but I didn’t.

It’s not a massive difference between them, but Sweet has a somewhat stronger performance when compared to Cloud.

Edge: Sweet Like Candy

Versatility

I don’t see too much distinction here, if any.

Seasonally, both are really nice autumn through springtime. Neither is particularly a summer wear, but there might be times in which you could apply Cloud or Sweet Like Candy during that time of year. Neither of these are all that heavy.

Can be worn casually or out at night. Neither is super formal, probably not an office scent for most folks. They pretty much occupy the same space. No real winner here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

Overall, which of these fragrances do I like more?

Cloud is a fine perfume. It’s never been my favorite. I’ve always thought it gets more attention because of its associations with being an alternative to BR 540.

I like it. There are parts in the dry down, where I think Cloud really shines as a scent. It becomes more distinct and a pleasure to wear. Coconut and praline, when those are front and center, tends to be my favorite stretch with this fragrance.

Though, with that said, I still like Cloud 2.0 and Pink slightly more as variations.

I still think that Sweet Like Candy is the best smelling Ariana Grande perfume. There are some others, which are close. But, this one takes the common themes from a lot of her scents and then just did a fantastic job at getting all of the elements correct.

It’s sweet without being completely cloying. Sweet gives you a playful and girly aroma, without being too juvenile, and works well in the colder weather. Not too heavy or loud and it has a good mix of sweetness, creaminess, and warmth.

For me, this is a pretty easy decision. Both are worth trying, but Sweet Like Candy just stands out more.

Winner: Sweet Like Candy