gucci guilty

Guilty Elixir de Parfum Pour Femme by Gucci

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Guilty Elixir de Parfum is a 2023 release from Gucci. Today, I will be reviewing the Pour Femme version of this title, after I’ve already done the men’s cologne. I grabbed samples of each to test them out and put each through its paces.

But, how does Elixir Pour Femme smell? Does this Gucci perfume actually last long? Is it even worth a try?

What does Guilty Elixir Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: violet, mandora, bergamot, wisteria, rose, osmanthus, patchouli, vanilla absolute, tonka bean

Click here to try: Elixir at Nordstrom’s

My Full Wear Review

Guilty Elixir opens up with an interesting mix of citrus, violet, and osmanthus. The osmanthus acts sort of how it does in Flowerbomb, helping to create a fruitiness that has a ‘jammy’ like quality.

It definitely doesn’t come across as being too much in the direction of the orange and bergamot notes.

It is interesting that Guilty Elixir will become more floral dominant. The early stages are a cooling freshness of the wisteria, a bit spicy, and a rather powdery violet note. Yet, it never feels completely heavy on the powder on my skin.

This will shift from the initial sweetness of the opening, to something that is a tad soapier. The floral notes here do have a slight plasticky kind of aroma at times. Kind of strange, but wasn’t that noticeable throughout the wear.

That’s basically what I get for the dry down. A soapy and slightly powdery floral fragrance with a vanilla and tonka bean mix in the base. Not nearly as interesting and a lot of what I was enjoying simply fades away.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

I’d say this is above average with its sillage and projection. Not a super heavy fragrance, as it does have a bit of freshness to it. Yet, it still does have plenty of substance (vanilla, tonka bean, violet) and never feels airy.

The projection will extend pretty far in that first hour. Very noticeable to those around you. It will end up more moderate, let’s say, three to five feet from the skin for a good portion of the total wear.

The longevity here is over 8 hours on my skin. Maybe, it hits 9 hours, but doesn’t go beyond that for me. It’s fine. For the price and the ‘Elixir’ title that they use, I did expect it to venture into the double digit hour territory.

Seasonally, it’s better when it’s a bit chilly out. I think that Elixir would work in the springtime, as well, but the heat and humidity of summer would be too much. Let’s call it autumn through spring, for its range.

If you do enjoy the scent, Guilty Elixir Pour Femme does have the ability to be worn in many scenarios. Maybe not the most formal or sexiest scent out there. Though, it can work as a daily wear for many, and can venture into the nightlife as well.

Overall Impressions of Guilty Elixir Pour Femme

I’m not sure that everyone is going to like this edition. Personally, I think it’s among the better Guilty releases on the women’s side. Which may not be saying all that much, there’s maybe two or three that are quite good (Absolute followed by Intense), and the rest…maybe not.

Not my favorite, but I was pleasantly surprised by what this one had to offer.

The citrus, the wisteria, the jam-like aroma in the opening act. All very nice. That’s the highlight of the wear for me.

It does get a bit boring and uninspired in the dry down. Not nearly as sweet, more of a straightforward and smooth floral/vanilla scent.

And at the price that it’s going for, is another reason for me not to give it a full buy recommendation. Definitely one to try out, if you’re interested, but I’d check it out first.

The performance is at least good enough, even if the rest of the back half, isn’t anything too amazing. I’m not sure this will ever go on discount, but it might be worth waiting for, if you absolutely must have Elixir in your collection.

Guilty Elixir de Parfum Pour Homme by Gucci

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Guilty Elixir Pour Homme was released by the brand in 2023. I picked up samples of it late last year to test it out and see if it lived up to its early hype. It sort of took the line in a new direction versus what you get with others in the series.

How does Elixir smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Guilty Elixir Pour Homme Smell Like?

Notes include: vanilla, orange blossom, nutmeg, ambrofix, pimento seeds, orris butter, benzoin, patchouli, osmanthus

Click here to try: Guilty Elixir

My Full Review

The opening of this Guilty fragrance is spicy, warm, balsamic, with the iris and vanilla notes already making themselves known. Interestingly, on my skin at least, the benzoin note really comes up from the base at this stage.

I’m actually reminded a bit of Body Kouros by YSL in the undertones of Elixir, at this early stage.

The spices here are nutmeg, and for me, the more prominent pimento. Same sort of spice found in K by D&G and Xeryus Rouge.

After this initial burst, it does become more floral. I was expecting to get more of the orange blossom note before the iris came fully into play.

Actually, the osmanthus comes through more for me. It’s much less of the fruity smelling type, actually it gives a suede/leather scent to Guilty Elixir.

The spice tones down, this Gucci cologne is fully in its floral, powdery, vanilla phase. Less warm, smooth, fresh, with a touch of fuzziness. Here’s where I do pick up some more of the orange blossom, since the nutmeg and pimento have toned down.

Guilty Elixir isn’t fully a ‘baby powder’ type of fragrance. Orris butter, vanilla, and orange blossom do lend a creaminess here and this cologne does have more of a sweetness to it for a good portion of the wear.

The dry down is pretty simple. Orris, vanilla, the ‘Ambrofix’ amber note, some leftover benzoin and patchouli. Mainly, it’s the vanilla and ambrofix.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This isn’t a heavy fragrance, it’s substantial, while having a definite light feeling to it. Guilty Elixir, does however, project quite far and creates a great scent bubble around you.

Not a massive reach, but well above average with just how far it will jump off of the skin. With a normal amount of spraying, I don’t think this Gucci disappoints.

Elixir performs well in terms of its longevity. I get somewhere in the 8-9.5 hour range, each time that I’ve sprayed in on.

It might be capable of more than that for some people, but it’s not elite status. Still better than others in the series, though.

Seasonally, I’d say this one can go autumn to pretty deep into springtime (depending on where you live). It’s not a scent for the hot weather, but Elixir can hold up on a reasonably warm day. Though, I’d mostly wear it when it’s chilly to moderate outside.

It’s very versatile outside of that. Not really a nightclub beast or necessarily one for romantic wear and not completely formal. But, as a daily wear and just about any other situation Guilty Elixir Pour Homme can fit in.

Overall Impressions of Guilty Elixir

Overall, do I like it? Sure, it’s different from the rest of the Guilty Pour Homme series, but it also doesn’t strike me as incredible. Likeable, for me. Other people might love this, especially if you are a fan of scents like Reflection.

I came back to this one after having the sample for a few months and forgetting about it. I’m a bit more positive on it than the first time, but I still don’t think it’s incredible. The opening act is my favorite part and the rest of it isn’t too exciting to my nose.

There’s no inherent weaknesses with Elixir. Performance is good across the board, its pleasant, and one that you can get plenty of use out of.

Since this is a higher price point than others in the Guilty series, I would try to test it out, to see if this one actually appeals to you.

The softer floral, powdery, vanilla scent isn’t going to be for everyone. This one is actually pretty unisex and if you want something more masculine, look elsewhere.

Guilty Pour Femme EDT by Gucci

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Guilty is a name from Gucci which has spawned a ton of flankers in both the men’s and women’s line. The original Guilty Pour Femme was released in 2010, the subject of this review is the updated version of that, Guilty EDT.  How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Guilty EDT Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, lilac, pink pepper, peach, raspberry, jasmine, geranium, blackcurrant, musk, amber, patchouli, vanilla

Click here to try: Guilty EDT

guilty femme review

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it: Freedom and unconventional love inspire the new Gucci Guilty Eau de Toilette pour Femme bottle design and packaging, revealing the notion of women who are truly liberated.

Note: This is a newer version of the old Guilty. As far as I can recall, it’s about the same. But, the older version did have more of a spiced influence. Mostly, it’s just a new bottle.

Guilty EDT starts off with some light fruits and the soft spiciness of pink pepper and some patchouli. The patchouli is a bit more prominent in the dry down, but cedes the stage to the pink pepper early on.

The fruits here are a mix of mandarin orange, peach, and some raspberry. Supposedly, there is also blackcurrant in this one. Though, I don’t really pick up on it at all. Peach is probably the strongest of the lot.

Yet, this isn’t completely juicy aroma. It’s got a nice sweetness and sparkling quality. But, lilac is going to be the star. That floral note is flanked by a bit of jasmine, which blends well with the musk to create a classic soapy undertone.

The was this presents though, is a fresh powder. It’s more of dynamic and warmer powdery aroma than something like baby powder. Closer to a make up smell, but still not exactly that either.

The amber and patchouli notes gives Guilty some greater depth, in the dry down, when the lilac really starts to take hold. Still some of the peach note hanging around and small injection of vanilla.

I feel like the older bottles of this stuff, had more vanilla…but I could be confusing it with something else. A clean musky/powdery floral fragrance with some light warmth and richness is about what you get here.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is pretty moderate. Actually, the initial hour or so is pretty good with how it projects and it does leave a nice scent trail. Thereafter, it is going to be more of a scent bubble that reaches 3-5 feet away from where you sprayed it.

This one doesn’t have the best longevity. It’s somewhere in the range of average. On my skin, it lasts for 5-6 hours. The Guilty line isn’t known for being super long lasting. For an EDT, it’s decent, and some of the others in the series are a bit better than this one.

Seasonally, this one really shows its versatility. Guilty EDT is probably best in the springtime or in the autumn. However, it easily ventures into summer and can even be a winter wear, outside maybe the coldest days. I’d just have another perfume as the winter go to.

This is safe for the office, can go casual, or even more formal. Not the most refined scent, but it doesn’t feel out of place almost anywhere. Daytime, mostly.

But, there is something that is inherently attractive with this one. As such it can be worn on some evenings. Not necessarily the sexiest, but it’s got some beautiful facets.

Overall Impressions of Guilty EDT Pour Femme

Overall, do I like this scent? I do. It’s probably my third favorite of the women’s Guilty line, after Absolute and Intense. But, it’s not that far behind and still a very worthwhile fragrance.

I like the early mix of the fruits and the use of the lilac note. Powdery with a nice peach influence and some amber and musk. Not super complicated, but one that I enjoy having around me.

Granted, the performance is pretty middle of the road, but not terrible to the point that it becomes unusable. Just know that you may have to reapply this fragrance, if you’re going to be using it as a daily wear.

Outside of that, Guilty EDT doesn’t have too many weaknesses. I don’t think it’s the most beautiful perfume ever created, just very nice and one with plenty of appeal.

Guilty EDP Intense Pour Femme by Gucci

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Gucci Guilty fragrances keep on getting churned out year after year for both men and women. For 2022, the Eau de Parfum Intense Pour Femme version was released. Besides practicing the long name, I wanted to try out this scent and see if it was a worthwhile addition to the women’s line up. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Guilty Eau de Parfum Intense Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: mandora, litchi, violet, plum, tuberose, ylang-ylang, vanilla, patchouli, and vetiver

Click here to try: Guilty EDP Intense

guilty edp intense review

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it: The new vision elevates the scent to higher levels of intensity for those looking for a declaration of love free from the rules and definitions of society. Designed to act as emblems of the connection between like-minded, eccentric lovers, Gucci Guilty Eau de Parfum Intense Pour Femme is an Ambery Floral Woody fragrance that rewrites the Gucci Guilty Pour Femme signature’s essential core.

With notes of mandora, plum, and litchi; I was expecting this Guilty fragrance to open up quite fruity. Sure, the notes are there, but it never has that intense explosion of these notes.

I mostly get the plum and the orange juiciness of the mandora. This is a darker and richer perfume versus being super bright and candy-like sweet.

I think that the patchouli really helps to temper the fruits and add depth to the composition overall. Ylang-ylang is the main floral note that I pick up on early in the wear, along with some violet.

The violet ends up stronger, but really doesn’t present itself too much on my skin, in the early stages of this scent. That being said, it isn’t ever dominant. Guilty EDP Intense is pretty balanced in how the notes come across. Which is good for me, since I’m not a huge violet fan.

The final dry down is a plumy patchouli with touches of vanilla and a general floral aroma. I can’t really pick out the violet, tuberose, or ylang-ylang individually at this point.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This Guilty starts off with a strong blast that produces a very noticeable scent trail in one’s wake. That opening hour can be pretty loud, so, watch your sprays in certain situations.

However, it doesn’t stay that way forever. Actually, it’ll become pretty moderate and then light, about midway through the wear. So, it’s bold up front, with a high initial peak.

EDP Intense lasts in the 8-9.5 hour range. It never went double digits for me, but it’s still really good and probably the top performer in this series.

The first 2-3 hours give you that stronger sillage and projection. The back two-thirds is gradually softer, until it is basically a skin scent for the last two or so.

Seasonally, it’ll be best in the autumn and winter months. Depending on where you live, it might be able to sneak some time in the spring, but that won’t be the case for everyone.

Less of a daily wear out of this Gucci, since it does have a period of being ‘Intense’. But, this could absolutely serve as something for the nightlife, dates, etc. It’s got a sensuous aroma and is attractive.

It’s sort of old school, with a modern twist. Mature, but not old and stuffy. Yet, it has the sort of refined character to allow it to be worn on more formal occasions.

Overall Impressions of Guilty EDP Intense

Overall do I like EDP Intense? Yes, I do. It’s definitely one of the best from the women’s Guilty line. I think that it’s second best behind Absolute, but not too far behind.

I really like it when a plum note gets to shine. The floral notes aren’t too overwhelming, especially the violet which can be bothersome. Not here, though. This is well done, giving you a sweetness and nice patchouli, with a balance.

The performance is very good, bordering on great. It’ll last for a long enough time and not completely go skin scent mode, after an hour. So, plenty of time to enjoy this one.

It might not be a good option for everyone. But, I do think that it is very much worth a try. Sort of safe as a blind buy, but if it sounds iffy to you, hold off on getting the full bottle until you sample it first.

Guilty Love Edition Pour Femme by Gucci

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Guilty is the long running franchise for Gucci, in both their men’s and women’s line. In 2020, they came out with the first of their Love Editions. I’ve been doing my reviews on the Guilty Pour Femme line and so I picked up a sample of Love to try. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is it worth a try?

What does Gucci Guilty Love Edition Pour Femme Smell Like?

Notes include: narcissus, musk, violet, raspberry, grapefruit, bergamot, mineral amber, water notes, patchouli

Click here to try: Love Edition

guilty love review

My Full Review

Here’s how Gucci describes it:  The new scent is a tribute to the vintage character of the narcissus flower. Opening with a transparent and green crystalline freshness composed of bergamot, grapefruit and a watery accord, a narcissus accord is elevated by the tangy notes of raspberry. 

The opening does have raspberry, grapefruit, and bergamot in the mix. Really though, Guilty Love is never all that fruity. Actually, from the jump, the powdery aroma really takes over.

Powdery early on, with a nice dose of that narcissus floral note. The musk and the violet sit underneath that, but as it dries down these notes will flip, and the violet and musk will be stronger than the powder and narcissus.

Beyond the powder, it does smell like the narcissus is floating in water. There is a watery accord in Love Edition that lightens this one up.

This one really isn’t too complex. Violet infused soap is basically what this turns into. More musk, less powder, and the patchouli note also comes in to add some light earthiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here is on the lighter end of what would be considered moderate. It’s not too weak, in my experience. I’d say the first two hours or so are just fine, in terms of how it projects off of my skin.

That doesn’t last, though. The rest of the wear is pretty light and stays close to the skin.

The entire wear lasts somewhere in the 5-6 hour range before fading out completely. The performance is really pretty baseline average and not going to wow you.

It’s main strength lies in its versatility. Outside of the depths of winter, this one should be just fine. it works well enough in the heat and is probably at its best in the moderate to warm weather.

So, spring through the early part of autumn is Guilty Love’s reach.

It’s a clean and easy to wear scent. The powdery notes and soapiness aren’t really at all sexy. But, just as something to wear around or to work or wherever, it’d be quite suitable.

This isn’t a Gucci built for the nightlife, however.

Overall Impressions of Guilty Love Edition

Overall, do I like Guilty Love Edition? Not particularly. The whole Love Edition line hasn’t really seemed to gain traction. Personally, I like the men’s version and have a bottle for myself. The women’s…meh.

It’s powdery, watery, and ultimately like a bar of soap. There’s nothing here that is too exciting or noteworthy. That’s fine, but even while being boring, it doesn’t really smell all that good. Not horrible, but very forgettable.

It’s my least favorite of the Guilty line. I compare it to Absolute, for example, and that one just blows it away.

I do like some of the powdery aspects early on, especially when you do get some of the opening fruit notes. After that passes, I’m not too keen on Guilty Love.

Add to that, even if you like the smell, it’s still maybe going to get you six hours of wear tops. Which is pretty average, but costs much more than average with Gucci’s pricing.

I can’t really recommend this one as a blind buy or that it’s even worth a try. If you do like the soapy clean perfumes, violet, or narcissus…maybe this will appeal to you. But, at least see if you can find a bottle at a discounter.