Perfume Reviews!- Lady Gaga’s Fame, Some Samples, and a Bonus Cologne Review

So I’ve been splurging a lot lately on makeup products… (That’s what I get for signing up for Sephora’s Beauty Insider.. Oof.) The first one that got delivered today was Lady Gaga’s Fame, and along with my order I got a ton of other samples! I received Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir, Marchesa Parfum D’extase, Tocca Graciella, Lancôme La vie est belle, and there was a bonus cologne sample of Prada Luna Rossa.

From Sephora.com about Lady Gaga’s Fame: “This black fluid exudes a lustful, floral, fruity essence for fabulous little monsters.  ”

Notes: Belladonna, Incense, Apricot, Honey Drops, Tiger Orchidea, Jasmin Sambac.

I’ve been dying to try Fame since it came out ages ago, but I never got around to testing it out. I love the packaging and decided to just bite the bullet and buy it (because the set was on sale) and figured if I didn’t like it, I’d just return it. But I LOVE this perfume! Honestly, I think it might be my new favorite. On my skin, it’s a fruity floral scent. At first, it seems very light and delicate, but it has some warm undertones that make it a very sexy and flirty perfume. It’s light enough so I can wear it every day, but I would probably also use it for a date night perfume as well. The black liquid, as promised, goes on clear both with the atomizer and rollerball. I’m absolutely thrilled about this perfume and I LOVE it, it’s definitely my new everyday and date night perfume.

From Sephora.com about Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir: “Young, modern, and highly refined, it opens brightly with top notes of citrusy golden cedrat and floral lily of the valley. The heart of this eau de parfum dazzles the senses with an unexpectedly modern composition of two jasmine flowers, sambac and angelwing, which linger elegantly as the sensual drydown emerges with essences of light musks and vibrant woods.”

Notes: Golden Cedrat, Lily of the Valley, Jasmine, Sambac, Angelwing Jasmine, Musky Nougatine, Cedar, Patchouli.

I’m normally not very adventurous when trying new perfumes, so I’m so pleased that Sephora sent me so many perfume samples! The first one I tried was Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir, and I liked it! It’s a very fresh and clean scent with floral hints to it. I definitely agree with the description that it’s a “young” fragrance, but it’s more youthful than it is “middle-school-ey.” Because of the fresh mixed with floral, it “sparkles” a little in scent, leaving a very bright fragrance. Chances are, I’ll be adding this to my perfume collection one day.

From Sephora.com about Marchesa Parfum D’extase: “…opens with light florals, giving way to a combination of fresh and sensual notes that create complexity and beauty.”

Notes: Iris Flower, Freesia, Black Current, Young Violet Leaves, Lotus Flower, Night Blooming Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose Water, Orange Blossom, Iris Root, Ambrox, Captive Musks.

Marchesa Parfum D’extase isn’t really one for me. It didn’t seem to stand out or be anything special, really. It’s a very powdery fragrance that is a little mature for my tastes (its probably because of the musk) and it’s somewhat floral as well. Overall, I’m probably giving this sample to my mom, who enjoys powdery fragrances.

From Sephora.com about Tocca Graciella: “Graciella pays homage to the unparalleled beauty and sophistication of Grace Kelly. This beautifully lush and floral scent is as unforgettable as its muse.”

Notes: Bitter Orange, Asian Pear, Watery Apricot, Casablanca Lily, Ylang Ylang from Comoros Islands, Karma Fleur, Rose de Mai, Creamy Iris, Cashmere Musk, Benzoin, Laos.

While Tocca Graciella is a lot less powdery than the previous perfume, it’s still a little more mature than I normally enjoy. The musk is very apparent in this fragrance, but at the same time the floral scent is still coming through strong. It’s almost as if it was a floral perfume where someone had added musk in order to “smooth out” the fragrance.

From Sephora.com about Lancôme La vie est belle: “It entwines the elegance of iris with the strength of patchouli and the sweetness of a gourmand blend for an incredible scent with depth and complexity. ”

Notes: Iris, Patchouli, Gourmand.

The website definitely got this one right, it’s such a complex fragrance! I found it so surprising that a fragrance with only three notes was able to have such a complex scent, but somehow Lancôme’s done it. On my skin, it smells very sweet and very spicy at the same time, with some fruity undertones as well. I love the complexity of the fragrance! My boyfriend mentioned to me that it reminded him of amber, and I can definitely see it. However I’d still say that it’s mostly sweet & spicy, and that “amber” like quality really brings the two together seamlessly. I’ll probably end up purchasing this in the future.

From Sephora.com about Prada Luna Rossa: “A wave of aromatic freshness crashes through Luna Rossa conveying strength and dynamic energy, while its signature is noble and sensual.”

Notes: Orange Essence, Lavender Absolue, Clary Sage, Spearmint Nanah, Ambroxan, Ambrette Absolue.

Sephora also sent me a little cologne sample card as well, which my boyfriend was thrilled about! The card didn’t have a bottle, unfortunately, but instead had a little cloth doused in the cologne that was in a foil wrapper. The fragrance REALLY came through though. To me, it smells very fresh and “sporty” with some spicy undertones to it. My boyfriend said that it reminded him of Nautica’s Voyage cologne in terms of scent. (I’ve never smelled it, so I wouldn’t know.) He said that the two are very similar in terms of freshness and undertones.

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Final Thoughts

I’m loving how Sephora doesn’t scrimp on the samples, and I’ll definitely be ordering more from them! (As it stands right now, I’ve already got another three packages coming my way, haha.) Lady Gaga’s Fame is hands down my favorite perfume, and I’ll probably end up purchasing Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir and Lancôme La vie est belle one day. Both of those fragrances really stood out to me as unique perfumes. They’re definitely not just another standard perfume sample that smell the same to me. All three perfumes are great “statement” perfumes that can set yourself apart from all the other perfumes out there. 😉