We Need to Talk About Ariana Grande Cloud

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 Call me a snob, but when I read the words 'celebrity fragrance' a few other words come to mind and they're not nice ones! I've just long associated celeb perfumes with a certain tackiness that's never really appealed at any age (besides maybe the Gwen Stefani Harajuku Lovers line if only for the kitsch doll bottles). That's why I was so completely taken by surprise when I fell totally in love with one of the Escentual Perfume Blind Trial samples in the September box (more about that here) and it turned out to be Cloud by Ariana Grande.

I mean, you just need to look at the bottle of this particular celebrity scent to assume that it's aimed at a particular demographic (not mine), with its cloud-shaped lid and puffy white plastic cloud stand. Sure, it's cute but at a glance it would more likely appeal to my 19 year old self than it does to me now. In fact, if it wasn't for the blind trial there's a very good chance I would have never, ever spritzed this fragrance onto a cardboard tester let alone want to completely douse my skin and clothes in it. 

We know that scent is such a personal, subjective area, so I find it a bit tricky to review and you may well absolutely hate it, but I am a big, big fan of Ariana Grande Cloud. Here's why. 

With top notes of Lavender, Pear and Bergamot, a Coconut, Praline, Whipped Cream and Vanilla Orchid heart and Musk and Woody base, Cloud is girly-sweet with a classically masculine edge all at once. When I first tried Cloud as part of the Escentual Scents Perfume Blind Trial, I described it in the Facebook group as ‘a bit ozone-y’, (Ambrox perhaps?) which gives the fragrance a sort of airy, cloud-like quality.

It’s a scent that gives me something different every time. Sometimes I smell burnt toffee, like stovetop caramel that's been taken that little bit too far, other times it could almost be a sweetened version of Glossier You. I sprayed some the other day when my mum was visiting and she asked if I was wearing one of my partner's colognes. I'm sniffing my wrist right now as I type this and it's all cotton candy and bonfires. All the different notes seem to come together just so beautifully to create something sweet and a bit cheeky but also warm, comforting and sort of grown up. I feel like this scent has something for everyone and would suit anyone from adolescence and well beyond. 

I can detect the typically ‘masculine’ Lavender and Bergamot notes, with a hint of juicy Pear and a big old dose of sweet Praline, Cream and Vanilla (if you don’t like gourmand fragrances I doubt you will like this). Of course there’s the lovely Musk and Wood that comes through at the end, but I just can’t smell the coconut in this. Maybe one day it will suddenly make itself known for me but so far I just can’t pick it up. I have read that many people can’t detect coconut so if you don’t like coconut scents I would still give this a go.

Speaking of coconuts, I feel like Cloud is one of those transeasonal scents that would be just as beautiful when worn on a tropical beach somewhere in the height of Summer as it would when curled up in front of the fire with a cup of cocoa.

To me, Cloud is just so unexpectedly delightful and having sampled Maison Francis Kurkdjian's cult fragrance Baccarat Rouge 540, I can understand why it's widely thought of as an affordable dupe. While BR 540 is a little more multi-layered and sophisticated, with a stronger emphasis on wood and musk, Cloud comes pretty close overall. Cloud is certainly a beautiful scent in its own right though! 

It’s a great example of why the Escentual Scents Perfume Blind Trial is such an excellent idea – as mentioned earlier I would never have given this fragrance a go had I known what it was, if that makes sense!

In terms of longevity, it is quite fleeting on me, leaving behind a sort of woody, warm, slightly sweet dry down that I can’t stop sniffing. It’s a pretty affordable fragrance anyway but you can often find it on sale at Escentual or as part of a promo at Boots.

Cloud by Ariana Grande is available in 30ml, 50ml and 100ml with prices starting at around £25.