Fragrance Reviews by chaelaran1008

Ah, Songes, this is a fragrance which I bought without testing on my skin first, much to my regret. I gave it a fair try but just couldn't get along with the frangipani which for me is so strong in Songes that I could barely detect any other notes. In the end I swapped it for Bellodgia which is much more pleasing to my nose. A beautiful fragrance for lovers of frangipani but not for me.

I really want to love this fragrance but it infuriates me that my skin chemistry causes Teint De Neige to alternate between the most beautifully scented clouds of almond/vanilla powder and a strange medicinal 'ointment' smell which is pungent and repugnant to my nose. This
medicinal aroma is a real gremlin, weaving in and out of Teint De Neige and rendering it unwearable for me. This perfume must be amazing on those lucky people who can wear it well but I have to rate it neutral, although you never know, maybe my skin will let me wear this sometime in the future.

Hypnose had me instantly smitten, usually a sign that I will get bored quickly with a fragrance but not this time. Definitely the sweetest fragrance I own but there is a note in here (vetiver?) which tempers the sweetness just enough to make it wearable for me. I can also detect almond in Hypnose alongside the vanilla and passionflower. Love this for autumn/winter.

My favourite of all the 'classics' that I have tried so far. Also the brightest, sunniest and most joyful.
If I didn't know already that it was created in 1927 I doubt that I could place it in the correct decade never mind year. Classy without being aloof Bellodgia is truly timeless.

For Her edt is a clean pretty musk on me but also has depth from honeyed notes and woods which I can't pick out. I used to own SJP Lovely as well as For Her but gave that one away because it was too light in comparison. I would describe For Her as a 'comfortably sexy in your own skin' scent.

In answer to the question below I can't begin to review perfection, certainly not any better than calchic has already. I will say that I have no desire to try any other vanilla scents now that I have Molinard Vanille alongside MDLV Vanille Noire Du Mexique in my wardrobe. Mexique is perfect for autumn/winter while Vanille is just plain perfect.

Bergamot in the topnotes makes for a fresh introduction to one of my favourite autumn/winter scents. Not-too-sweet vanilla then kicks in with some florals (rose and jasmine). As the floral notes soften Vanille Noire Du Mexique dries down into gorgeous dark chocolate/vanilla heaven. Slightly powdery and very sexy.
Fab price too.

For me Lea has an gorgeous, very brief 'middle stage', if I can call it that, in which I can smell white chocolate, vanilla and almond. Sadly, within half an hour of applying only a bland vanilla/almond whisper remains.
It's not bad but there are other vanilla scents I prefer.

Perfect Veil is a deliciously soft skin scent. Reminds me very much of Ava Luxe Pearl Musk which I love too.

Notes as listed on Guerlain website are:
Head - neroli, bergamot.
Heart - apricot, white freesia, gardenia petals, sweetpea.
Base - angelica seeds, amber-vanilla, sandalwood.
I bought Foliflora unsniffed based on the previous reviews and the fact that it has gardenia and sweetpea listed in the notes. Very easy to wear, Foliflora is naturally pretty scent which will suit me very well as a spring/summer perfume.

Very powdery rose/violet scent. I don't get any fruity notes. Reminds me very much of Lutece by Dana without the Lily of the Valley.

Madonna Lily is one of those scents for which the words 'lush', 'heady' and 'intoxicating' can be used without exaggeration. Just when I thought lily scents were all played out and couldn't interest me anymore this one is a delight to my nose.

Opens, to my delight, exactly like Black Gardenia by Michele Bergman. Pikaki Lei is more floral in the drydown, I think. It has been a while since I last tested Black Gardenia. For me Pikaki Lei is a sultry, potent, sexy perfume and it has replaced the Michele Bergman fragrance in my wishlist. Definitely what I would call a 'cleavage' scent!

Mmmmm, dreamy. Tiare will be perfect for lazy, languid summer days. I have only tried one other Tiare scent, Chantecaille's, which seems to be more green. Ava Luxe Tiare has an emphasis on soft florals and (very) subtle hints of coconut. I am not an expert on blending but this scent is very smooth. Definitely a positive thumbs up!

Ultra soft, sheer skin scent. Creamy whisper of a musk which could easily be applied after using the matching shower gel and body lotion without any fear of scent overload. Ava Luxe website describes it as 'a lovely pearlescent skin scent that is deliciously clean and sexy with just a touch of sweetness'. Positively purrs with sex appeal.

Tuberose, jasmine, vanilla, oakmoss.
Captivatingly pretty scent from Annick Goutal. I find it lighthearted, joyous, uplifting and an ideal scent for springtime. I don't detect the oakmoss at all but love the jasmine and tuberose which are softened by vanilla.

Orange blossom lifts this rose scent out of the ordinary for me. A warm, sexy rose, not too heavy or powdery.

En Passant is the first fragrance which I love the top notes of!! Top notes for me in any fragrance are always too sharp, strong or overblown and I much prefer the heart note and drydown stages. However with En Passant the whole composition from top to base is delightful. Obviously due to the use of one main theme - the white lilac. Fresh, subtle, adorable. I love the wheat note, am less aware of the notes of cucumber and orange tree leaves. The watery notes add to the 'outdoorsy' impression I get from En Passant and I am so glad to discover that it is not a powdery fragrance. A scent which has been kissed by the purity of air.

L'Eau d'Hiver is all honeyed sweetness on me with the merest hint of floral. Delicate but extremely long lasting.

Crystal Noir is a beautiful fragrance. It is my ideal voluptuous, femme fatale perfume: dark, deep, sexy and best of all it is not at all powdery. Also the first ambery frag which I have felt really comfortable wearing. I know that Versace perfumes are generally not rated very highly on Basenotes but those which I have tried do work very well on my skin and are among my favourite fragrances.

Nocturnes opens on my skin with a very fresh clean lemony scent which softens as it dries down. Didn't seem to change much in the drydown except become softer but then....... after about twenty minutes I get a fragrant blend of vanilla, orange and roses (as Ayala has posted in her review). No green notes on me, just a lovely delicate and 'pure' scent. Some perfumes are described as 'femme fatale', 'seductress' etc. I'd offer 'sweetheart' for Nocturnes.

I cannot smell any civet in this fragrance, mainly the richness of oranges tempered by rose and, yes, a little bit of incense. A big beautiful feminine fragrance it is far more glamourous than I had expected.

Creamy lemon/vanilla custard scent. I thought I didn't like gourmand scents but this one is just heavenly. Very comforting scent for autumn.

Divine Sacre! Evokes the hush of a spiritual place yet is very sensuous, finding its way into my soul and under my skin. I can smell a beautiful blend of roses, gentle spices and a note/s I am not so familiar with, is this the myhrr? I used to think Chanel No.19 was my favourite French perfume but this one wins hands down.Wow!

Initially I tried this on one wrist and Bulgari Rose Essentielle on the other. Two hours later Red Roses was still true and delightful whereas the Bulgari had faded to a powdery whisper. I love that this scent smells so exactly like roses. Beautiful.

On me Euphoria smells like sugared almonds. It's not an offensive fragrance - just too sweet for me.

Lots of sugary sweetness, concentrated blackcurrant juice and lashings of liquorice - sums up this Chantal Thomass fragrance. I did like it at first but I have always had a quirk when it comes to perfume of being attracted to a frag mainly because it is 'different' or 'unusual'. Have been trying for years to recognise that 'different' and 'unusual' do not immediately translate as 'beautiful perfume' in any language!!!! Sometimes, as in this case, I forget.

Oscar is one of those fragrances that I can't believe I used wear and love
(and I wore it to death!!!!!). Giorgio Beverly Hills is another I'd put in the same category. One has peach, the other mandarin, and they're both big, blowsy, ultra powdery fragrances. Anyone looking for instant eighties retro need look no further.

I have to update previous assessment of Envy Me 2 having just bought another bottle to replace the first. I got compliments when wearing the frag so it must work well with my chemistry. I was going to buy the same smaller size bottle as before but the sales assistant mentioned the 'limited edition' thingy and this time I fell for it and went for the 100ml instead. What a pushover!!!!!!!

I chose Roma as my wedding fragrance in '95. The quest was one of those 'I'll know what I'm looking for when I smell it' situations and when I found Roma I just knew it was perfect. Romantic, sunny, highly individual and not worn by everyone else, it ticked all the boxes. An ideal fragrance for a special occasion.

Notes for Amarige include violets, peaches and plums. I am learning that I really do not like these notes in fragrance, especially when they are arranged at what I would term 'scream' level as in this scent.
This has to be one of my all time least favourites.

I am not as well informed on the intricacies of fragrance composition as other reviewers therefore what follows is only my personal reaction to Mitsouko based on a few wears and a fair amount of time spent sniffing my wrist!
I have spent some time 'getting to know' this fragrance because it has puzzled me from the start. At first it smelled as though it belonged to another age, the Busby Berkeley 'Lullaby of Broadway' era, chinoiserie, fringed silk shawls, etc. I could imagine someone like Jean Harlow wearing this perfume on her way to a premiere. The style of the twenties/thirties holds no particular attraction for me. I kept going back to Mitsouko however because there was 'something' about it. It seems to be magically composed of countless particles of all the best smells in perfumerie. That is my clumsy way of trying to say that it is a chameleon among perfumes: everytime I smell Mitsouko I get something different and the overall impression it leaves is far more complex than the notes listed would suggest. To describe Mitsouko at the most basic level I'd say there was a beautifully light, yet pure, floral sweetness to it, underpinned by soft spices and warm woods: Mitsouko is a perfectly blended fragrance. I don't find it to be heavy, overtly sensual or animalistic. As Mitsouko's multi-faceted characteristics become more familiar to me it becomes more comfortable on my skin. I would say don't judge Mitsouko on first impressions if it is not to your liking. Take time to get to know it for yourself and perhaps your opinion will change.

The top notes of Noa I am not overly fond of, once the perfume begins to settle I get a gorgous blend of the musk, floral and coffee notes. I think the coffee note here is comparable to that in D&G By but with the volume turned way down and far more pleasant to my nose as a result. After about ten minutes I can also detect the wonderful smell of coconut in Noa, maybe due to the way the fragrance reacts on my skin. What a bonus, I adore coconut! Noa is perfect for daytime and if you love it as much as I do it is perfect for anytime.

Too sweet and sugary - I swear I get toothache from smelling this!!!

Totally agree with Vicky's review. A heady, and enveloping scent with cedar, spices and musk Magie Noir actually smells quite masculine to my nose and I think it would smell great on a man as an evening fragrance.

When I tried this and smelled it for what I thought was the first time recently I was immediately reminded of my schooldays. I think most of my female teachers must have worn this in the late seventies and early eighties! My school reeked of it! Only the art department escapes the association as it was predictably a haven of incense sticks and patchouli oil. Rive Gauche can have no other connection for me so I will have to rate it neutral.

The mix of notes in Chloe seems heavy and depressing to my nose as if gravity is pulling on them and my mood at the same time. This fragrance does exactly what I don't want a fragrance to do - it brings my mood down and makes me feel morose. I'll have to go spray some Bulgari Femme as an antidote, sorry!

As a devotee of Chanel No.19 and the original Montana parfum de peau I was prompted to try Diva after reading the comments on this page. Diva sounded like it could be my kind of frag and happily it is. Opening notes are bright, flamboyant but not at all harsh and the floral notes are lush but kept grounded in a woody, seductive base. Antaeus, which Jacques Polge also created, is my favourite men's fragrance so I think I shall seek out samples of his other perfumes to try.

I love the combination of smells that the power of a thunderstorm releases: fire, air, water and earth letting us know that compared to them we are not so big and we are not so clever! Demeter Thunderstorm cracks open with a lightning bolt - the sharpest whiff of an electrical spark through smoky air followed by a thunderous, refreshing downpour of rain. The evocative smells of wet dirt, grass and hot pavements, as steam begins to rise, then take over.When the scent settles we are left with a sense of the stillness that follows the thunderstorm. I think Demeter have done a fantastic job with this fragrance. It is an experience in a bottle that I would recommend to anyone who wants to try something totally different.

I am sooooo glad that this is an original scent -I would hate to think anything else could smell equally as bad on my skin. I guess it is too 'pure' a musk for me. Perhaps if your skintype more oily than dry this scent blends in with more subtlety but on my dry skin Kiehl's musk is just awful.

I had never worn Charlie Blue before but was encouraged to try it by both Bonni's review and the 70's inspired phase I seem to be going through at the moment. I think it is a great casual, uplifting fragrance. Very fresh without being aquatic or airy and it layers nicely with Versace's Jeans Couture Femme ( the jasmine in both maybe?). An unlikely pairing on paper perhaps but I would describe both as having funloving sunny personalities. IMHO the 30+ year old Charlie Blue is lean and alert and a good alternative to modern trends towards overstuffed, soporific fragrances (e.g Angel) laden with foody notes of fruit or chocolate. Definitely recommend giving Charlie Blue a try!
P.S. With so many variations on the brand now (red, silver, gold, black etc), if there was to be a gourmand addition to the range, chocolate notes of course, would it be called Charlie Brown?

Used to have this around 1990 and I haven't smelled it since but I can still recall the memory of a VERY strong, artificial, powdery fragrance and I was a smoker at that time so I can only guess that it would smell even stronger today.Perish the thought.

I have a sample size of this received as a gift with an online purchase of Sensi and to my nose it is not at all offensive. Something about Navy reminds me of a fragrance which I think belongs to one of the following: Pears soap, Kiku or Babe, I have no idea what, but Navy is very similar to the "just bathed, clouded in talc and into jammies (pyjamas) ready for bed" wonderful smell I remember as a child in the seventies. It smells clean and fresh settling down to a warm, comforting base and I definitely think I should buy some. I know there are bath products available too!

Bought for me by my aunt when I was twenty one this was a good choice. She has no sense of smell and had asked friends to recommend a fragrance for me. I would not have bought it for myself, was not in favour of anything that could be labelled "girly" then. But as has seemed to be the case with most perfumes the ones I like best are the "growers" and Anais Anais was one of those. I enjoyed wearing it because it simply smelled good, now I know it was the hyacinth note that I favoured. Uncomplicated fragrance that I think I may revisit soon as I think it's about time we renewed our acquaintance.

Another present, I liked this at first but then it seemed cloying and too sweet. Not the worst but definitely better suited for teenagers I think.

This was given to me as a present but I gave it away after a short while because although the opening notes were pleasant enough I kept getting a tobacco-like note in the drydown which I could not stand. I have since smelled this fragrance on a friend whose skin chemistry brings out the best in Cinema and it was sweet and delightful on her. On me it was awful.

I used to wear this in my final years at school in the early eighties and it brings back very specific memories of the following: thick black eyeliner, purple eyeshadow, "Heather Shimmer" lipstick, pointy shoes, fingerless lace gloves, neon coloured leggings, discos, synthesisers and dry ice. My best friend used to wear Chique too, she can't stand it now. I honestly cannot say that I dislike it now BUT.......... all it would take is the thought that I could maybe just wear it once or twice at home and before you know it I might be reaching for the purple eyeshadow, TOO SCARY!!!!!

I was given No.19 as a present about six or seven years ago and my first impression was that I did not like it. I had not sampled as broad a range of fragrances then and I was also unfairly biased against Chanel because I really did not like No.5 at all. However I did notice that No.19 changed after 10 minutes or so with the rather tart and, yes, strong grassy overtones of the top notes making way for a most beautiful scent that I kept wanting to sniff. Needless to say I soon changed my mind about No.19 and fell in love with it.
Narcissus is very strong to my nose with No.19 and I associate the fragrance with springtime, the outdoors and early summer because of this. On my skin it dries down to a warm, bright sunny blend of the middle notes listed above (with narcissus strongest) which last forever.
I know Coco Chanel was a Leo but No.19's versatility and wearability suggest its own characteristics are closer to mercurial Gemini. It is chameleon like in its ability to be worn in any situation, dressed up or down and is IMHO the ultimate French perfume.
It has been difficult to try and give an impression of Chanel No.19 because to me it is so perfect and unique so I will finish with this which may help someone who perhaps ,like me, used to judge perfume too quickly: the first thing I like a fragrance to do for me is make me smile - with No.19 I learned that I sometimes have to give the best fragrances a little time to get to the smile.

IMHO Sensi is refined and restrained, quietly confident and sensual.It is sophisticated in a relaxed rather than artful manner. Whenever I wear this I feel serene, chilled out and happy to just take it easy. Not my first choice for work then(!) but for when I want time to stand still almost Sensi is absolutely perfect.

Lots of vanilla with the sweetness blunted by spices and aniseed(?). This was a favourite for a good few months until I realised that my wearing Classique was coinciding with a "not so good" time in my life. I subsequently ditched the fragrance and things got a lot brighter, honestly! Perfume karma? I wonder...........Needless to say I won't be wearing Classsique again. I do find it very cloying now anyway but my opinion of it will always be coloured by negative factors.

Smells like 1000 calories a spritz. It's too over the top , and this from someone who loved Poison when it came out in the 80's! Angel is the only fragrance that actually gives me a headache if I am in the company of someone who is wearing it!

Not one that I expected to like but have to admit I absolutely love this scent! The jasmine is strong on me with maybe a hint of the musk and iris. It is simple, uncomplicated, fun and very easy to wear. To my nose it smells exactly like jasmine flourishing in the heat of the sun. If you like perfumes which favour this flower I would totally recommend Jeans Couture Femme! Definitely in my top five, or is it six, or seven....................so many faves!

I used to love this fragrance for its great strength of character and the warm, enveloping drydown which followed its heady top notes. Wearing it in winter was the olfactory equivalent to being wrapped in the warmest lambswool blanket if that makes sense! I think I have mellowed now and seem to prefer fragrances that are not so "in your face" but for sheer individuality Kenzo Jungle definitely deserves kudos.

At first Scent is very spicy and woody but once it dries down it becomes a much more subtle blend bringing musk,amber,and not-too-sweet floral (is this the hibiscus?) notes to the fore. There is a warm spicy note that remains in Scent through the drydown however which is very similar to one found in Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant. Kenzo Jungle is very much a full on powerhouse of a fragrance which I used to love.Of the two fragrances I would now prefer Scent, which could be described as Jungle's playful kittenish little sister.

The first time I tried Cavalli Woman I got a real shock! This fragrance immediately connected in a strong, emotional way with memories of my grandmother but it took me a long time to figure out what the association was. I had to replay in my mind bits of memory from many years ago until eventually the puzzle was solved: the block where she lived had beautiful gardens in front which were very well tended and were wonderfully fragrant in summertime. I can't explain this from the notes credited as being part of the frag but somehow Cavalli Woman smells exactly like the mix of these garden blooms. I don't therefore find this fragrance to be achingly hip and trendy, but it is special to me as an olfactory snapshot of a lovely part of my childhood. I love the way that trying new fragrances can sometimes surprise me. Cavalli Woman is a light, creamy floral scent with notes as follows:
Top: Elemi, Magnolia, Red Apple
Middle: Diastella, Wild Orchid,
Atlas Cedarwood.
Base: Indian Sandalwood, Amber, Musk.

Vanille Coco is soooo gorgeous!!! I had been looking out for a fragrance which utilised coconut (which I love the smell of) without smelling artificial, cloying or sugary and I am so glad I found this. On first spray, however, I did think it was too sweet but my opinion soon changed as it settled down to a warm, gentle blend of vanilla and coconut that stays true and wears close to my skin. I feel very comfortable wearing this fragrance, as if it's 'personality' resonates with my own somehow, but I would really hate anyone to know I was such a softy!!

Love the fizz in this fragrance, keeps it energised and uplifting. The scent of Lovely reminds me of the Lush bath bomb 'Big Blue' which I adore also.

Thumbs down from me too I'm afraid. Received this as a gift at Christmas but I will never wear it. Watery, bland, and insipid are words which come to mind for Provocative Woman. Creating a great fragrance was obviously not a priority but the clue was in the name - it's a stinker.

Beautiful fragrance. A definite favourite, I'd say it was happiness in a bottle because whenever I wear it I feel uplifted and mellow at the same time. One note 'mood' fragrances don't do it for me, I much prefer a fragrance with layers and depth and this is one of the best. Serene but with a bit of fizz, gorgeous!

Bought this on a whim, never a good idea for me.
Notes of bergamot, peony, lily of the valley. Too strong with the lily this fragrance is powdery and dare I say it, 'old ladyish' to my 'not so young' nose! I guess I don't like it then!

I first bought Antaeus for my husband about ten years ago. I wanted to buy him a Chanel and this was my favourite because it had a beautiful sweetness to it but was still a totally masculine scent. Fortunately he loved it then and still wears it today. Trends in fragrance have changed and there are other fragrances that hubby wears too but I will make sure he always has a bottle of this classic in his collection!

There is just something about this fragrance that is incredibly sexy. It is very light yet grounded too. To be perfectly honest I find it difficult to pick out any one note so I think it must be the blend which makes this fragrance so attractive. A relaxed fragrance for creative types I would guess.

I liked this one straight away - thought at last I had succeeded in my quest for a light, fresh, floral scent which would a)suit me and b)not bore me after a few wears. Strongest notes I get are freesia, grapefruit and violet.These do not change in the dry down which is o.k but after a few weeks I did get bored with Cherish. Actually I think one of the 'Vaseline' deodorant sprays is very similar to this scent. Oh well, the search for a floral goes on!

Funnily enough like the previous reviewer of this fragrance I was an art student too in the mid eighties when I fell totally for Montana parfum de peau. I loved everything about it: fragrance, packaging, the advertising campaign and the fact that it was from the Montana design house. To me, then, this was the perfect scent - unique, sophisticated , not at all 'girly', a statement frag for sure which was at its best when worn with leather. I hadn't worn Montana for many years when I recently bought a new bottle to see if I still liked it. The current frag suffers from a distinct lack of the original fruity (most notably peach) and floral notes which lifted this perfume and made it so special. Now there is the barest trace of the original scent which I am pretty sure is down to the fact that some of the original ingredients are missing. Oh well, the bottle still looks wonderful!!! Thumbs up are for the original and the memories!!!

I agree that the dry down does not live up to the high expectations set by the top notes. While this is not one of my absolute favourites it still has its uses. I will keep it to spritz on a scarf on cold wintry days when I need a warm and comforting fragrance to nuzzle into.

For me sweet fig is most evident in the opening notes giving way to a divinely smooth blend of gardenia and amber which remains true in the drydown. Am not overly fond of sandalwood but it
is subtly restrained here. This is one of my absolute faves - a delicious, unique fragrance which I shall keep for very special occasions as I don't ever want to tire of it! I also think it has great staying power.

Love this frag on my husband.There is real depth to the intoxicating blend of lime, nutmeg (coconut?) and spices. This one is totally masculine and very 'nuzzly'!