ariana grande

Ariana Grande Cloud vs. Burberry Her EDP

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Cloud is a massively successful fragrance. In part, due to its similarities with Baccarat Rouge 540, another hugely popular scent. Burberry Her, is related to both, with its scent structure…as such there’s a whole lot of comparisons going on. In this post, I want to compare the Ariana Grande and Burberry perfumes, and declare an ultimate winner between them.

Tale of the Tape: Cloud vs. Burberry Her

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 full review: Cloud by Ariana Grande

Burberry Her

Notes include: strawberry, citrus, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, wood, musk, amber, jasmine

Click here to try: Burberry Her Eau De Parfum Spray

Read my review: Burberry Her EDP

Opening

Burberry Her EDP opens up with a blast of its citrus and berry notes. It’s very fruity up top. Strawberry is the strongest note of the lot, with some additional raspberry and the sharpness of the citrus notes.

It’s pretty sharp and sour versus being sugary sweet or anything. The floral notes aren’t all that strong, but there is a decent amount of jasmine at times. Quite different from Cloud, at the start, but it does get closer to the Ariana Grande perfume later on.

Cloud, on the other hand, begins with lavender and pear being the main attraction. There is a light bergamot citrus in there, but mostly that crisp pear. Not a big fruity vibe going on, in totality. With Cloud, there is a creamier/muskier influence from the base.

Which is better? I prefer Cloud’s opening act versus Her. I actually do really enjoy that fruity start from the Burberry, but it always seems to grate on my nerves, after a while.

I’m not crazy about Cloud. It’s not as dynamic, but it’s simplicity works.

Edge: Cloud

Projection

It’s a tougher call in how strong each is. I think that Her starts out with a better sillage, then turns moderate, but is softer for much of the wear. To me, it has a higher peak versus Cloud.

Cloud is pretty strong as well, but for most of the wear is quite moderate, projecting a few feet from the skin.

I’ll give Cloud the edge here, since it is more consistent for the duration.

Edge: Cloud

Longevity

With Cloud, I can get up to around 6 hours of wear, on the skin. For me, it doesn’t have amazing performance, but it is good enough for most purposes.

Burberry Her can last up to 8 hours. It doesn’t have huge sillage, but this EDP does stick around for a long while, and outdoes the Ariana Grande scent.

Edge: Burberry

Versatility

Seasonally, Her is better in the heat, while Cloud can work better in the cold of winter. Though, neither is exclusively stuck there. It’s kind of a wash.

Neither is a formal fragrance. Both skew younger, but not exclusively for teenagers. Still, each is more of a casual daily wear, that can sometimes be worn into the evening depending on the situation.

I really don’t see much difference here. There is plenty of overlap, also.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

This is actually a really tight race between this two fragrances. Personally, I’m not a super fan of either, but do enjoy aspects of each.

The fruits in the opening of Her, have drawn me into a love/hate relationship with them. I love citrus and strawberry, which gives the Burberry a different dynamic than some of the other Baccarat Rouge comparasion scents and close replicas. But, it also gets annoying to me.

With Cloud, the opening isn’t very exciting, but it works well. I do like the coconut, praline, and muskiness in this perfume. Not a complete love, though, I think its a solid fragrance overall.

Which is better? I lean more toward Cloud. Overall, it’s a bit more enjoyable. The performance is about equal. Plus, it can usually be found for cheaper when compared to Her’s prices.

If you really like the berry/cherry/citrus idea, you might prefer Burberry Her. They do end up smelling pretty close to one another. Musky and woody in the base, with a general sweetness about them.

Not a massive difference, but Cloud gets the nod.

Winner: Cloud

Ariana Grande Thank U Next vs. 2.0 Comparison

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In the process of setting up to review most of the perfumes released by Ariana Grande, I realized that Thank U, Next now had a flanker scent called ‘2.0’. I’ve already had experience with the original and liked the way it smelled, so I had to order a decanted sample from eBay to check it out. Now, I will compare these two perfumes in this post, before deciding on which is the better bet.

Tale of the Tape: Thank U, Next vs. 2.0 Perfume

Thank U, Next

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

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

Read my full review: Thank U, Next

Thank U, Next 2.0

Notes include: pomegranate, strawberry, apple, marshmallow, musk, sandalwood, orchid, jasmine

Read my review: Thank U, Next 2.0

Opening

Thank U, Next kicks things off with the pear and raspberry notes coming out juicy and sparkling. This is paired with a sweet coconut water and warm baked macarons. It has a fresh and juicy aroma, but later will develop more of a warm creaminess.

I really like the two notes up top, but the coconut really comes through on my skin and its watery aroma gives this perfume a cleanliness that is very nice.

Meanwhile, 2.0 comes out with a bold and juicy accord of its own. Pomegranate, apple juice, and strawberry really run away with things early on and that’s what I mostly get. There is some marshmallow in there, but that will be more distinct later.

Which is the better opening act?

I really enjoy how Thank U, Next starts out, as it doesn’t give me the sour or pickle aroma that some people get. It’s actually lovely, on my skin.

That being said, I really like the strong and juicy fruit start to 2.0. It’s just a notch above the original and takes this category.

Edge: 2.0

Projection

I initially thought that 2.0 was going to have the stronger sillage, as it does start off with more power and a greater ability to project.

However, that quickly changes as Thank U, Next 2.0 really has a lighter moderate sillage for much of the wear. Then, becomes a skin scent. It’s actually pretty abrupt with how it just falls off.

The original has a strong sillage, not insanely powerful, but it does have a nice radius of aroma. Even when it dries down, it’s still in the upper range of moderate.

2.0 came out swinging, but loses this category.

Edge: Thank U, Next

Longevity

On my skin, the original will go 7-8.5 hours in total. Again, not a complete beast, but this Ariana Grande fragrance will get the job done.

Thank U, Next 2.0 is hitting the 5 hour range for me. That’s pretty disappointing, in comparison, and this perfume seems to have some performance issues on the whole.

Squeezing out 5 or 6 hours might not be the end of the world, for some people, but the original easily takes this one.

Edge: Thank U, Next

Versatility

I don’t really think there is much distinction in this category. Both of these perfumes are pretty versatile in terms of the climates, in which they can be worn. Spring and summer mostly, but I think 2.0 is better in hotter temperatures. While the original, would come across better when it’s cooler.

Casual and daytime wears, with the ability to venture into the night, depending on the occasion. Neither is a formal perfume, but have a wider age range of wear, versus some of the other Ariana Grande options.

No winner here.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

It’s kind of funny how these two fragrances don’t really smell like one another. Sure, they share the musk note and have a very similar structure, but everything else is quite different.

When I first sprayed 2.0, I thought for sure that I would like it more so than the original. I like Thank U, Next and think it’s one of Ariana’s best, but 2.0 was about to take its place on the list.

Then, things changed pretty fast. Not that it turned into a bad fragrance, but just something that didn’t really have much that stood out.

First, much of the fruit notes up top fade away. Then, it’s about the marshmallow and musk, with floral highlights (mostly jasmine). Kind of well-tread territory for Ariana Grande perfumes.

Add to that, the performance isn’t all that good. The sillage turns weak and it hangs around for a mediocre amount of time.

Personally, I like the original Thank U, Next more overall. I get great performance from it and it projects from my skin well.

It also falters into a vague sweetness/musky stage later on, but you at least get plenty of time with the top notes. The raspberry, coconut, and pear notes are really nice. It’s semi-aquatic and has a sparkling essence.

Neither is too big on the floral notes, but I get more jasmine from 2.0 than I do the rose in the original.

To me, the first one is better. 2.0 seemed like it had a good shot, but it ultimately blew it. It’s not a bad scent, I like the way it smells in totality…it just loses this matchup.

I will say, that if you do get that pickle sort of smell from the original, 2.0 will be the better option if you must have one of them. But, I’d really just go find another perfume, if that’s the case.

Winner: Thank U, Next

God is a Woman by Ariana Grande

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Ariana Grande’s perfume line has been growing steadily with new releases in the past year or so. Here in 2021, God is a Woman has been brought to market, along with a few others. Since I’m making my way through full reviews of Ariana’s fragrances, I grabbed a decant of this one, as I hadn’t actually smelled it before. How does it smell? Perform? Is it worth a buy?

God is a Woman Perfume Overview

Notes include: juicy pear, ambrette, orris, Turkish rose, cedar, vanilla

Buy it from Ulta: God is a Woman by Ariana Grande

My Full Review

Here’s how the scent is described: Empowered. Breathtaking. Natural. A breath of fresh air for the senses.

The advert for God is a Woman:

God is a Woman starts off with the juicy pear note, really shining through. It is basically the same one that is found in Thank U, Next; just this time it is paired with a mellowing ambrette instead of the coconut and raspberry mix.

It’s a juicy fruit aroma with a musky clean and some additional freshness coming from the cedar note, in the base. The muskiness from the ambrette isn’t overwhelming at all and is tempered from taking over by the rose and orris root notes.

The orris does add that slight powdery smell to God is a Woman, but it’s limited in both its size and scope.

The next phase to my nose, is when the rose shows up. It’s a seemingly brief appearance at the top of the ticket, but it is there. For some time, it actually smells like the second strongest note to me.  Mostly, the floral aromas are going to play third or forth fiddle in the composition.

God is a Woman isn’t a very complex scent. You pretty much know what you’re going to get for the rest of the wear, an hour or two in.

The pear is dominant throughout. The musky ambrette and cedar provide the secondary freshness. A light vanilla note for a bit of creamy sweetness.

This one isn’t heavy the juiciness and freshness give it a semi-aquatic wateriness, which keeps God is a Woman light and enjoyable.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this isn’t a powerhouse. It does stick close to the skin for most of the wear, but the performance issues that I’ve seen people talking about are overblown. At least on me.

After the initial sprays, it will have nice radius of fragrance. This will quickly move in and stick to around 2-3 feet from the wearer. Testing it out on t-shirts and I get the same results. It’s a softer scent, though, not weak.

The longevity is a bit better than the sillage. I get it to stick around for just over 7 hours on my skin. Now, that last hour or so…is a skin scent. Yet, it is still there and this Ariana Grande perfume didn’t just vanish after a few hours.

Seasonally, this will be best in the spring and summer months. However, it wouldn’t feel out of place elsewhere. I wore it outside in the mid-50s Fahrenheit and it actually hung beautifully in the crispy air.

This is one of Ariana Grande’s most versatile perfumes that she has released. Previous releases have been too sweet or too youthful for many women to full enjoy. This one has the sweetness without it being overwhelming.

It’s got a fairly candy-like pear note, plus vanilla, but it doesn’t run wild with the sugary qualities. God is a Woman stays clean and doesn’t have a heaviness that many gourmands get.

This is a good daily wear. Still probably not a formal fragrance, but you could wear it in a wide variety of scenarios. It’s attractive, not a sexy night club beast. The pear note is a nice draw, though.

Overall Impressions of God is a Woman

Overall, do I like this perfume. I do. It’s an attractive fruity/musky/floral scent that is versatile and has a fairly unique smell (even if it has a similar structure to others).

I like that the pear note got a chance to shine by itself, after being used in another (1, at least) Ariana perfume. It’s juicy and very sweet with a nice wrapping from the vanilla. It has the powdery/creaminess with the vanilla and orris, but those qualities stick in the background.

You’re going to get a fresh heavily fruity weighted fruity/floral. Actually, more of a fruity/musk perfume with floral highlights and a woodsy cedar base.

God is a Woman does have a lighter, somewhat sheer sillage to it. Still, I think people have been unfair in the performance criticisms. For me, it performs just fine. It’s not a bomb or a marathon performer. 7 hours is good enough for what this is.

This Ariana scent offers a change of pace and some more maturity versus other fragrances, released earlier in the catalogue.

Is it a must have? Probably not for most people. But it would absolutely be enjoyable for a wide range of people. This does have mass appeal, in a subtle and easy to wear way.

The percentage of early negative reviews have kind of skewed the perception of this perfume, it’s not bad at all. It’s good to very good, depending on your enjoyment of pear. Worth trying.