ariana grande

Mod Blush EDP by Ariana Grande

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Mod Blush is one of the two new releases from Ariana Grande, under the Mod banner. I bought travel size sprayers of both this and Mod Vanilla to test out for review. What’s this one like? Does it last long? Is this perfume worth trying?

What does Mod Blush Smell Like?

Notes include: bergamot, passionfruit, raspberry, pink pepper, dewy magnolia, rose, juicy pear, ambrox, dreamwood, musk

Click here to try: Mod Blush

My Full Review

Mod Blush opens up sharp, with a tropical fruit skew. But, there’s also a powdery aroma sitting underneath. It sort of reminds me of a cheaper, less milky, Cruz del Sur II. Not the same, but similar style at the start.

Passionfruit, bergamot, and raspberry are all big up top. The passionfruit is the leader, but the blend feels too sharp and tart with a further spice provided by pink pepper.

You can already tell that this one is going to have a rosy scent to it. A bit greenish with an additional light magnolia note.

Eventually, the tropical influence of the passionfruit will wane, and the bergamot will fade as well. Pear, rose, musk, and the woody base all start to play more of a role in the composition.

However, the transition to the end still isn’t all that great to me. The raspberry and passionfruit are slowly changing places in strength and that pink pepper and rose come off a bit strange in that environment.

It gets sweeter, the sparkling pear becomes more apparent sort of sitting under the raspberry. Rose, musk, ambroxan, and wood round things out. It has more balance and smells like a standard issue Ariana Grande perfume.

The ambroxan is very noticeable in the final few hours of the wear.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This isn’t a perfume which projects itself too far. That opening half hour, does do a pretty good job of grabbing attention with it’s fruity note. But, it settles into a lighter to moderate fragrance.

On my skin, this ends up lasting maybe 5.5-6 hours in total. Those last few are pretty much skin scent level, so you’re not getting great performance out of Blush.

Seasonally, this is best in the spring and summer months. The fruitiness and ultimate sweetness do well when it’s a bit warmer out, especially since it’s not a heavy or baked goods kind of sweet sugary aroma.

Mod Blush does have more of a youthful or girlish vibe. Sort of playful, more casual, and less serious or dressed up. A pretty daytime wear, rather than business or something sexy for the night.

Overall Impressions of Mod Blush

Overall, do I like Mod Blush? It’s not great. I don’t hate it, but it’s really nothing special, and kind of covers ground that other of her releases have already…it just doesn’t do as good of a job.

I don’t think this is going to be Ariana Grande’s most popular perfume, she’s come out with.

Mainly, the opening hour is the worst part of this one. It’s not awful, just kind of mediocre. The dry down is a nice, fun, and sweet aroma. Still, nothing special, but I don’t mind it.

The performance is also pretty light and it’s not super long-lasting. I’m not a massive fan of Mod Vanilla either, just that one is better than this, I think. Though, neither of these perfumes are a great release.

It’s worth trying to see if you like it, I suppose. I might consider waiting for discounts, before committing to a full bottle.

Mod Vanilla EDP by Ariana Grande

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Mod Vanilla is one of the two ‘Mod’ offerings (along with Blush), that was released at the tail end of 2022. I got a hold of each of them in a travel sprayer size in order to test each out and see how they rate versus other perfumes in the catalog. How does Mod Vanilla smell? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?

Mod Vanilla Overview

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

Click here to try: Mod Vanilla

mod vanilla review

My Full Review

Mod Vanilla opens up with a plethora of lighter notes, that will eventually fade to the very back of the line, but aren’t too overpowering even upon first spraying.

The pink freesia is already noticeable along with some fresh musks. Now, the musk will be noticeable throughout, but I don’t find Mod to be too dependent on that note but it is the strongest of the three top notes.

Along with those two, is a very light plum. Adding an additional tart quality, to the already quite sweet aroma.

Also from the very beginning, you are going to already be picking up on some of the main attractions. Vanilla, obviously. There is also praline and cocoa butter. The praline is going to become a big facet of how this one smells.

That initial phase wears off, as the freesia and plum go extremely light in the composition. That praline at this point, reminds me of the one in Angels’ Share, but it is joined by a general sweet creamy and somewhat powdery blend.

The orris will start to become more involved, I don’t personally get any jasmine on my skin. Still a light powdery aspect, even when the orris butter is at its peak.

The sweetness, musk, and whatnot does cause Mod Vanilla to have a similar smell to Cloud. It’s not exactly the same or anything, but the overlap is hard to ignore.

The final dry down has less of the praline and more of the vanilla note. It’s a musky vanilla, with some sugary sweetness, and some warm powdery highlights.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this actually does have a good amount of power in those first two hours of wear. I was kind of surprised with how well this projects and leaves a scent trail in your wake. Not super strong, but well above average.

After those two hours, it sits closer to the skin, but it didn’t turn into a skin scent until 4-5 hours in for me. Mod Vanilla didn’t just disappear after a bold start.

The longevity was actually really good in comparison to other Ariana fragrances. This goes for over 8 hours on my skin. Maybe between 8.5-9, is when it finally becomes undetectable. Better than how Cloud worked for me.

Seasonally, I’d lean towards wearing this in the cold of winter. However, it’d be fine anytime it’s moderate outside. Just stay away from high heat and humidity and this one will have no problem.

It is a sugary sweet perfume, so don’t expect something formal or to wear to the office. It skews younger, but some older women would still enjoy this. It has a delicious gourmand sort of aroma, fun, but not sexy or seductive. Casual and cozy.

Overall Impressions of Mod Vanilla

Overall, do I like Mod Vanilla? It’s a pretty good release, but still not my favorite Ariana Grande perfume or coming close to the top of the list. 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.

Mod Vanilla is better than Mod Blush, as part of this series, though.

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

I like how this one starts off and I like when the vanilla gets going in full. It does have a lot of that Cloud like DNA, but that vanilla goes a lot harder in this perfume. It’s not super original versus other scents that Ariana Grande has put out. God is a Woman was better in this regard.

The performance was probably the greatest part of this fragrance for me. It lasts and projects quite well.

If you’re a fan of the other Ariana perfumes, you’ll almost certainly enjoy this one. But, if the others haven’t been your style, it’s pretty safe to skip Mod Vanilla.

R.E.M. by Ariana Grande

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R.E.M. by Ariana Grande is a review that I forgot to do last year, after testing it out. Luckily, I had another sample tucked away in a box, so I recently tried it once again in order to do a full write up of the perfume. This one was released back in 2020. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it actually worth a try?

What does REM Perfume Smell Like?

Notes include: fig, caramel, lavender, zefir, quince, pear blossom, salt, sandalwood, musk, tonka bean

Click here to try: R.E.M by Ariana Grande

My Full Review

Here’s how REM is described: An intergalactic dream of femininity and power, R.E.M. draws you in with a cosmic blend of Juicy Fig and Warm Salted Caramel. Lavender essence takes you to dreamy new heights, while sparkling Pear Blossom explodes like a supernova in the night sky. Intoxicating Musk wrapped with Sandalwood creates the perfect ending to your unforgettable journey.

R.E.M. opens up sweet, creamy, a bit juicy (sparkling), and familiar. It certainly has overlap with the styles and some notes of the other perfumes in the Ariana lineup. However, the aroma itself would be closest to Cloud, while still being a lot different with how it smells.

Here, the fig is the star early on. It is rich and sweet, while not being overpowering. It is joined by a light quince, that quickly disappears, and the creaminess of zefir. That note adds an additional sweetness also.

REM feels more substantial than Cloud, not overbearing, but thicker and bringing a definite warmth to the mix. Salted caramel thickens things up creating a further gourmand like sensibility.

As things progress, the opening creaminess will start to take a back seat. This one becomes more lavender dominant and has a powdery finish to it. That caramel note, is one that really burns off, mostly sticking around as a generic sweetness. Much less salty.

Lavender and musk have their moment in the spotlight together. The musk actually sticks around to the end, but in a weaker state. The lavender doesn’t weaken. It’s interesting how this becomes powdery, since the tonka bean/zefir have more of a creamy quality.

To me, it’s like a 65/35 split between powdery and creamy towards the back half of the wear.

Finally, the dry down is lavender with a sweet finish. Musky and some sandalwood, if you pay really close attention. Not super complicated at the end.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, I think this one is on the upper bounds of moderate. It’s not massive, but with a good amount of sprays, the scent trail lasts a while. Plus, the projection is solid for more than a few hours.

It’s not massive, but I can spray REM on a shirt and pick it up across the bedroom with ease. It does lighten up and dry down more to the skin. Still, I don’t find this to be one of the weaker Ariana perfumes.

On my skin, this one will go for 7-7.5 hours. Again, most of these perfumes don’t have great longevity. But, this one is pretty decent. Those last hours are skin scent level, but it is indeed still present.

REM is best worn from autumn through springtime. Much better in weather that’s somewhat chilly. Though, it gives you enough versatility to go day or night with it.

It’s not a formal fragrance. It’s good for casual, school, maybe some workplaces, or just going out on the town.

It’s not so much ‘sexy’ as it is pleasing and attractive to smell. This gets called a unisex fragrance due to the presence of the lavender note. To me, nope. This is feminine, there are plenty of lavender colognes for men, and they’re much more forceful than R.E.M. is.

Nevertheless, if you’re not a fan of the lavender note on yourself, you might want to skip this one.

Overall Impressions of REM

Overall, do I like R.E.M.? I do. It’s not the most amazing fragrance that I’ve ever come across, but it’s in the top half of the Ariana Grande releases, thus far.

I’m not usually a big fan of scents that use lavender heavily. Yet, this is one that I find enjoyable, in ways that I don’t with Cloud. In my opinion, it’s just better, even while that one gets all of the attention due to its overdone BR 540 comparisons.

I am, though, a big fan of using fig in fragrance. The one here doesn’t get all that much shine, but it’s nice while it lasts. I like the opening with the caramel, the sweetness, and that later back and forth between the creamy and the powdery.

Performance for me is decent. Not crazy good, but it seems to work on me better than what some people have reported.

R.E.M. is worth trying out. It’s not going to be everyone’s favorite, but there are a portion of people for whom this will be the best Ariana perfume.

Cloud by Ariana Grande

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Cloud from Ariana Grande has become a super popular fragrance over the past few years, due both to the singer’s own fame and the perfume’s resemblance to Baccarat Rouge 540. I’ve had various decanted samples of this in the recent past, but picked up a new one to give the scent a fresh try and a full review of its own. How does it smell? How long does it last? Does it really live up to the hype?

What does Cloud by Ariana Grande Smell Like?

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

My Full Review

Cloud starts things off with a sweetness and lively brightness, getting its lead from the prominent pear note, in the early stages. It is also joined by the lavender and bergamot citrus. The latter, isn’t too strong to my nose, at least.

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 perfume.

After 20-30 minutes, I begin to get more of the heart and base notes coming through. The musk will be stronger in the dry down, but it is also noticeable from close to the onset.

Praline and the whipped cream notes really help to bring home the Cloud moniker to the scent. Sweet and fluffy, with the coconut giving it a clean yet milky aroma.

The further on that I get from the initial spray, the perfume does become more airy, less like a thick cloud and more like fine overhang.

There is a bit of a plasticky aroma within this composition. It’s not too bad for me personally, but I know others really tend to smell that with Cloud. Just something to keep in mind.

The dry down becomes a musky lavender scent with a little woodiness and a hodgepodge of whatever sweet notes are still kicking around.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage of Cloud starts off strong. It isn’t a massive bomb of a fragrance, but the projection will hit that 6-8 feet mark, before moving closer in. Thereafter, it is a moderate perfume, but I’d for sure call it above average in totality.

In terms of how long it lasts, I generally get 5-6 hours from Cloud, on my skin. Usually, it leans more towards the six hour mark. Not an amazing marathon runner type of a perfume, but Cloud is solid enough.

Seasonally, it’s much nicer in the autumn and winter. Though, Cloud isn’t a strictly cold weather wear, but I’d probably avoid the high heat. For most places, you could easily wear this Ariana scent in the springtime.

Also, it’s not completely a teenager fragrance. Yes, teens can wear it, but it isn’t so bubblegum sweet that older women couldn’t have a bottle as well. Heck, with the lavender, it can even be somewhat unisex…definitely leans feminine.

Mostly going to be a casual daily wear. It’s light enough to be in an office or something like that, but isn’t very formal. More of a daytime fragrance, rather than a club beast. I’d call it clean/pretty before anything all that attractive or sexy.

Overall Impressions of Cloud

Overall, do I like Cloud? It’s fine. There’s aspects of it that I enjoy, but on the whole it’s just decent. Not my favorite from the Ariana Grande line and I prefer the Intense version. Though, definitely not a bad perfume by any stretch of the imagination.

I’m not too sure what the fuss it all about with this, based on the fragrance alone. It’s not as good as either of the Baccarat Rouge fragrance, but it is pretty inexpensive. In terms of relative cheapies, it can serve the purposes of a lot of people out there, so it can be a worthwhile perfume to have.

Is it a must have? Not particularly. It smells pretty good, the performance is pretty okay, and it has some mass market appeal. As a man, I don’t find it to be super sexy or anything like that, just somewhat attractive.

It does everything at least decently, but nothing quite reaches the level of outstanding.

Update: Since this was published, there’s also been Cloud Intense and Pink. I like both of those a bit more, even if they’re not wildly different.

Ariana Grande Cloud vs. Ari Comparison

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Ariana Grande has a whole line of fragrances now, but the first of the series was Ari. While it isn’t the absolute best of them, in my opinion, it still ranks pretty highly. Meanwhile, Cloud has become one of the uber-popular perfumes from the pop star, and now exceeds the original release in terms of sales. But, which one is actually better? In this post, I break it down.

Tale of the Tape: Cloud vs. Ari by Ariana Grande

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

Ari

Notes include: marshmallow, pear, orchid, grapefruit, raspberry, musk, rose, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Ariana Grande Ari Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)

Read my review: Ari by Ariana Grande

Opening

Cloud opens up with a blend of notes lead by pear, that is both sweet and bright. The lavender note makes itself known early on, but has sort of a rough finish to it. Cloud itself has a light, fluffy, and sort of airy style to it.

Later on, more of the praline, musk, and whipped cream will emerge in support of the main stars of this perfume.

The opening act of Ari is mostly about the fruit notes, which are sweet, and compelling. The marshmallow note at the base, is always present, but becomes much more noticeable later on. For now, it is playing a support role for the raspberry and grapefruit.

Raspberry is the strongest aroma to my nose at first, then, grapefruit. To me, the pear will get a little bit stronger and have its moments in the light. Though, it’s not all that powerful on my skin.

Then, after 15 minutes the vanilla orchid and marshmallow play a greater role. The fruits will move into supporting those two.

Between the two, it’s actually pretty close. Personally, I prefer the opening of Ari to that of Cloud. The raspberry and grapefruit are a nice mix of fruity and sweet, without the lavender of Cloud. Though, it’s not a huge win.

Edge: Ari

Projection

Neither sillage is too heavy and they aren’t projection monsters. Interestingly, they both have that airy or fluffy marshmallow-like softness in terms of sillage. It’s a very close comparison.

Though, I think Cloud has an ever so slight edge over Ari. Cloud Intense is stronger than Ari and that’s somewhat more powerful than the original.

Is it a huge distinction? No. It might not even be completely noticeable, but Cloud takes it.

Edge: Cloud

Longevity

So, neither of this fragrances are super long lasting, nor are they complete disappointments. Just don’t expect all day wear without reapplying.

With Ari, I consistently got around 5 hours during testing. Pretty middle of the road, but useful.

Cloud, on the other hand, goes for about six. It isn’t above and beyond better than Ari, but it does have a distinct edge.

Edge: Cloud

Versatility

Seasonally, Ari probably has a better use case. Outside of the hottest days of the year, it’s fine. With Cloud, it’s best served to be worn autumn through the spring.

Neither of these is a formal fragrance, but can be used in a wide variety of circumstances.

I think that the distinction for Cloud is that it is a bit more mature. Ari is closer to a teenager or early 20s type of perfume. Cloud isn’t super mature, but the age range extends further. That gives it the edge here for me.

Edge: Cloud

Overall Scent

Cloud is a nice perfume that has gotten a lot of attention. Most of that seems to be less because of its own unique aroma and more of its association as a Baccarat Rouge like fragrance.

The early stages of this fragrance are my least favorite. The lavender needs time to settle. Though, once it has the airy sweetness of coconut, praline, and whipped cream is great. I like the fluffiness and how it gives you whiffs of it throughout the day.

It’s also a bit better than Ari with its intangibles. You get more power, longevity, and maturity. It’s got a wider use case than its competitor.

However, I think Ari smells better. Yes, you do have to probably be in the younger demographic to wear it, but that’s most of Ariana’s fragrance audience anyway.

The marshmallow and orchid in the dry down is great. I like the fruitier opening better and the overlap between these scents, doesn’t give cloud much room to take this win.

It’s super close, but just going off of smell, I’d go with Ari.

Winner: Ari