Cloud

I already did a rather long review on BR540, which I'm not a fan of but I really love this one. But it took a while. I'm going to try to explain the main difference here, because they are very much alike, but at the same time very different for one big reason. I'd also want to touch on the subject of fragrance snobbery because these two have definitely ruffled some feathers when people compare mainstream to niche - but that would fill up a book. So perhaps that will be for another time. Anyway. Cloud. By Ariana Grande. Or more precisely Clement Gavarry. Let's just get one thing out of the way first. The bottle. Let it be known that bottles are usually not something I care for all that much. But (and this is a big but). Who in their right mind adds this chunky and tacky plastic to the outfit of the scent? Seriously? In this day and age when we know better. The bottle itself could just have been shaped like a cloud if this was of such importance to the design team. The bottle itself, once saved from the plastic prison looks rather generic and not offensive. Apart from the fact that the name of the fragrance is nowhere to be seen once you remove it from the box. The cloud has "Ariana Grande" written on it and so does the bottle itself, but the actual name isn't there, not even on the bottom. Perhaps you are not supposed to throw the plastic monster out like I did and just "get" the name by looking at that bottle-in-cloud situation. Who knows. Out of all the fragrances I own, this is the only one that doesn't have the name of the fragrance on the bottle. It seems rather tacky to only have the name of Ms. Grande on the bottle, but then again, I'm definitely not the intended target group for any of her fragrances. There are for sure people out there that want her name to be prominent on what they own and use. I'm just not one of them. Bottle rant over. Now on to the scent itself and the BR540 comparison. This is very blatantly a rip off. There's no denying it. Does it smell exactly the same? No. Obviously not. Does it smell alike enough to trick people? Yes. The note list for Cloud is completely different from BR540 but then again, notes listed do often not tell you much in regards to what the scent smells like. There's so much science that goes into fragrance making and even two different fragrances with almost identical note lists often smell nothing alike. These two are a good example of this. Both smell like there's a cloud around you (I have to give Ms. Grande's team a pat on the back for actually coming up with a name that's the perfect fit but in Mr. Kurkdjians defense, it would have been a bit peculiar of him to make his scent and name it "Cloud", and then stand firmly behind it at niche world Olympics saying "yes yes, this is serious and niche, buy Cloud and smell rich". No, that would never have worked). It creates a very pleasant and sweet aura around the wearer, it's this candy flossy, sugary sweet scent, that surprisingly isn't too sweet at the same time. Some fragrances actually smell like you overdosed on fruit that overdosed on sugar, but this stays far from that territory. Cloud is soft and fluffy and isn't loud or obnoxious. I wouldn't call it a sexy scent, rather a happy and cuddly one. I feel it suits many occasions and outfits, spring, summer, winter and fall. Day and night. It's versatile and easy to wear. And now onto what's alike and what's not alike with those two. I don't like BR540. In fact it irritates me and even on others, I have to back away from them if they've been generous with the sprays. One thing that struck me trying them out was the medicinal smell that I smelled as soon as I took the cap off. When I got my sample of BR540 the whole box that was full of other samples reeked. I thought something had happened. It literally smells like iodine and my dentist's office, with some old band aids thrown in. The same thing happened when I smelled Cloud first. I thought the bottle had gone bad. But I could still smell something very pretty underneath. I've since then learned that the Saffron note in BR540 is most likely the reason for this because of it's medicinal qualities. There is no Saffron listed in Cloud and they might well be using something else with similar effects but after a couple of wearings, my nose grew to like it. I don't consider myself fully equipped to write a review unless I've worn a scent for a while so everything I write about has been worn a lot. The same goes for BR540. But there the Saffron overpowers everything to me. And the biggest difference? Cloud has considerably less band aid smell compared to BR540 so if you dislike BR540 because of that, give Cloud a try. If you do a wrist test, with each scent on each wrist and compare them, yes you can tell the difference. BR540 is far more complicated and has some better quality ingredients. The sillage and longevity are also very different - Cloud doesn't announce its presence before you enter a room, it actually sits pretty close to you but the longevity on me is rather impressive, I can smell it on my wrist the following day until I take a shower. BR540 on the other hand is loud, you will not miss a person wearing it in the same room. I do not want to fill a room ever, I think that's not attractive and I want people only to be able to smell my perfume if they're standing close. So for that reason alone I'd choose Cloud. People looking for leaving a big trail behind them will not be happy with what Cloud offers. So, unless you have both on each wrist to compare, I don't think you can spot that big of a difference, and of course, one is a monster while the other is fairly tame. Overall I'd say Cloud is a good fragrance for the price you pay. I'd even suggest that you'd get that one over BR540 if you don't care to fill up a room with your fragrance. I know a lot of niche lovers will hate on me for saying this but I stand by my opinion. A good fragrance is just a good fragrance, regardless of price. Although I'd love to see that ugly plastic cloud be gone, but you can't always get what you want and so in the recycling bin it goes. But that's my only complaint.

This is the first perfume I ever wore that I truly fell in love with. I remember smelling it out of the bottle and picking up a very heavy plasticky note that put me off from trying it. Then, circa 2021, there was a girl I worked at a coffee shop with who smelled absolutely heavenly. I never knew exactly what it was she was wearing until one day she came in 15 minutes early and while getting herself ready for her shift, completely dosed herself in Cloud. From that day on, I knew I needed it. I picked up a 1oz from Walmart in a giftset for $20 and to this day its the only perfume I've ever finished. Cloud smells exactly how it sounds - light, fluffy and sweet. Spraying this on a tester strip does NO justice, you have to wear it to smell the real thing. To me, I think it smells quite natural while also being very creamy and sweet. The kind of scent you want to sink your face into. I will say, there is an odd but distinct "doll head" scent when you first spray it, I'm not sure what's up with that. But thankfully, once it settles into my clothes, I don't detect it anymore. Cloud is quite strong upon initial spray but dies down significantly within an hour or so of wearing it. It lasts quite well on clothes, sometimes if I sprayed a sweater with it, I could still smell whiffs of it while putting it into the washing machine. On skin, however, it's gone in like a couple hours. This is def a cold weather scent not only because its comforting and cozy, but also because it's pretty delicate and it will disappear the moment you step into heat. All in all, I think this is a great perfume for beginners (like me) that aren't into things that are too mature or complex. I was 20 when I wore this the most and at 25 I still like it a lot. It's very youthful and sweet, perfect if you just want to smell good and for other people to think you smell good too. I disagree with those who say this smells juvenile - I feel like people always call a sweet perfume juvenile.

This won’t win me any popularity contests, but honestly Cloud is nearly identical to the dry down, and performs better than BR540 in terms of projection and lasting power. I detect it strongly for a good 4-5 hours, and can smell it on clothing literally days after wearing it. Cloud is a little sweeter, a little more rounded edges, and skips the medicinal opening of BR 540. Because of its opening, I’d say that BR 540 is definitely more unisex. Cloud is linear, which to me is good news. I get right to the part I love about BR540 and skip the resiny note that I don’t care for as much. Again, this will upset people, but I truly feel that when people pay a lot for something their brain will attach more value to it just because it’s expensive. For example, it’s my understanding that Baccarat Rouge is almost entirely synthetic, yet people assume the notes listed are ingredients to the perfume rather than (synthetic) aromachemicals adding up to what we’re *supposed* to smell in the fragrance. Using “synthetic” as a pejorative when discussing perfume is just ridiculous and indicates that one probably doesn’t really know much about the subject. As for the reviewers who agree Cloud is a dupe but are angry at Ariana Grande about it: LOL. Welcome to the wonderful world of gourmands. I’m glad MFK created one you can enjoy. There are good ones all over if you’re not too snotty to try them ̄_(ツ)_/ ̄ No hate to BR 540 or those who prefer it! It is enjoying its moment of hype right now and I’m glad for it. Maybe it’ll help more people stop clutching their bottles of Mitsouko and move into the 21st century. But if you’re not a “frag head,” “perfumista,” or SERIOUS collector and you just want a perfume that smells great and lasts? By all means, buy the Cloud!

I know I’m late to the party with this one. I had absolutely no idea Cloud was such a huge bestseller or that it had such a massive following. I simply happened to smell it in a store one day and immediately thought, “Wow, this is good.” It did feel a little familiar. I also did not know Baccarat Rouge. Clearly, I had been living under a rock. I bought a sample, and the more I wore it, the more I fell for it. The creamy vanilla mixed with the lavender creates such a soft, feminine, comforting scent. It’s easy to wear, incredibly addictive. To me, it also has a surprisingly seductive quality. I genuinely started falling in love with it. Two things eventually stopped me from buying a full bottle. The first was realizing just how incredibly popular it is. I don’t mind wearing fragrances that other people own—in fact, that’s often a sign that they’re simply well-made. But once I learned about the Baccarat Rouge DNA, I suddenly started recognizing it everywhere: in elevators, at the supermarket, on strangers passing by... It became impossible not to notice. I still like the scent, but I realized I’d prefer something with a little more individuality. The second reason was the ingredient list. I’m not 100% clean perfumes yet, but I try to avoid endocrine disruptors or other potentially harmful substances. After looking more closely at the formula, it is very very bad. I personally decided not to keep wearing it and threw away my sample. It’s a real shame because I genuinely love the scent itself. Hopefully I’ll eventually find a cleaner fragrance with a similar feminine, airy vanilla vibe—perhaps with its own unique twist that makes it feel a little more distinctive. If you have recommendation 🤗

This is my favourite fragrance and I could wax poetic about it for hours but I’ll try to keep it short and succint. I’m not an Ariana fan, nor am I typically a fan of celebrity scents. But, to put it simply, this fragrance is the most transportive and etherial scent I’ve smelled to date. Many perfumes do a wonderful job of conjuring up vivid, realistic renderings of a flower garden in Paris or a night club in New York, but this is the exact opposite. To me (TO ME!!) this is not a fragrance where you can pick out individual notes. Cloud is an apt descriptor because it’s so perfectly blended that it truly envelopes you in a bubble of indescribable, unidentifiably airy sweetness. When I put on cloud, it’s a reminder of why I love fragrance in general — I move through the world wrapped in a cocoon of gourmand sugar. It’s both protection and projection, something to keep me grounded and to uplift others around me. Because really, it’s hard to take things too seriously when you smell like this. The sweetness here is not saccharine or cloying — rather its sheer, refracting everything around you through a filter. I understand that this may all sound dramatic, but this is one of the only fragrances I own that truly makes an emotional impact on me and makes me feel lighter on my feet. I also must say that I’m obsessed with the cloud aesthetic and the bottle holder, which only makes this better. This will last all day long, and you'll smell it on your clothes the next day. 2-3 sprays will project a wide enough bubble that you and people around you will pick up on it. If anyone is considering buying this, JUST DO IT! For the price point it is unbeatable compared to anything else on the market.

The hype is good because Cloud sits well with most skin chemistry. The whipped cream and coconut is so light and beautiful that it belongs in my 'hall of fame' with my own fragrance collection. I had Cloud in middle school and I KNEW I smelled good because I always had people walk by me and say 'ah' like I was the boy from Ipanema. I ran out and got sad for a minute and ended up using Cloud to its bare bones. No fluid left, just the bottle. Cloud is like that girl who is effortlessly beautiful in her own way. She's versatile. She's humble. She doesn't outshine other fragrances. She loves to smell like a sweet treat, but she pulls it off in a way where everyone wants to replicate it. That's why you see so many people who copy Cloud in some way, shape, or form. All those replicas of Cloud wanna be her but they CAN'T. I impulse bought this perfume and this is one I do not regret at all. Cloud is wearable for all seasons. She doesn't need to know if it's cold or not to hide away in a shelf. If anything summer amplifies the smell of the lavender when others just want the plain stupid gourmand. While in winter time, the whipped cream blends into the snowy whipped cream note that people just can't get enough of.

This perfume is delicious. It smells like very creamy, intense, slightly fruity flowers, with a slight chemical or synthetic edge to it that I actually enjoy. On bad days it can smell a little sour on me, but it's usually a very smooth and creamy sweet scent. I only have the mini dabber, but the blue bottle is adorable. I am about 75% sure I will buy a full bottle once I finish the mini. I find it difficult to identify the individual notes, but I would say it smells like vanilla orchid and cream most of all, with an unidentifiable fruit, which I cannot say smells like either pear or bergamot. Unfortunately, the creaminess is eventually gone, and there are only sweet florals left, which is my least favourite part of this perfume. I have sprayed Phlur Heavy Cream, which is heavy on coconut, before wearing Cloud. It helps the creaminess last longer, but all in all I prefer to wear Cloud alone. The drydown smells exactly like Cheirosa 68, only a little sweeter. I really like this perfume but wish it stayed creamy or that I could smell ANY coconut. If it did, I would love it.

100% more enjoyable and crowd-pleasing than BR540. In my opinion anyway. Even if you hate this scent, chances are 95% of people around you won't. FIELD REPORT: I tested this for 5-6 days before the pandemic got severe and got FAR MORE positive comments and compliments in the city than with BR540, mostly from 25-35 year old guys. Long-story short: It's a more gourmand, sugary version of BR540. There is an uncanny resemblance. 'Cloud' leans a little on the synthetic side, but it's not bitter, cloying or offensive. Actually it's rather seductive. DOWNSIDE: Performance is not that great. Don't expect serious silage or longevity. Although most reviewers experienced great performance. Verdict: Try before you buy. Great for winter & fall for all occasions. Certified compliment-collector. P.S. I see some salty BR540 fans in the reviews LOL. Don't take them seriously. Also stop shaming people for loving 'Cloud' over a $300 perfume. It doesn't matter if the fragrance you love is a dupe or low-cost, what's important is if it makes YOU happy.

I would say the overall notes I notice with this one is pear at first, then whipped cream, musk, and wood after wearing for a little bit. It lasts for about 4-5 hours and it's definitely a scent that stays closer to your personal space. However it's one of my all time favorite perfumes. My boyfriend's as well. I wear this so much that when im traveling my boyfriend likes to spray it on himself when he misses me. Cuuuute. I typically like to wear this at night time after a shower so I can enjoy it in my own space and then by morning time it isn't really noticable on my skin so I can decide if I want to wear something different the next day. I don't have a lot of space to display my perfumes so I keep a majority of them put away in a drawer and rotate by season my favorites on my display, however this one stays on the my display always because I think it's so cute! This is one I will always repurchase and recommend.

Wow, the hype is real. The first mist smells like warm coconut milk whipped with vanilla bean—sweet, yes, but in a cozy, cashmere-hoodie way, not the teenage-body-spray way I feared. Twenty minutes in, it melts into this fluffy, skin-close scent that reminds me of fresh-baked marshmallows and clean laundry straight from the dryer. People notice when they hug you, but it won’t clear an elevator—and it lasts a solid workday on me. I’ve worn it to brunch, the office; every single time someone asks what I’m wearing. The bottle itself is adorable (that little cloud puff feels like desk décor), and for the price I’ve paid way more for perfumes that performed half as well. If you want comfort in a bottle—this is it. Overal 10/10 would recommend for days when you wanna feel soft, loved, and just a little bit magical. Already stocking up before the entire internet buys it again <3

When I first tried Baccarat Rouge 540, the marketing and hype was making me believe this would be an exquisitely crafted, top of the range, fit for royalty scent... And my honest response was "Mmm, I like it... But it doesn't smell that much different to a celebrity scent." I felt embarrassed and tried to raise my opinion of it, since it seemed far more likely that I was just not sophisticated enough to appreciate the true depth of this beautiful work of art. But every time I tried it after, I just couldn't motivate myself to part with my cash for the enormous price tag. I said one day, cynically, to the sales assistant "If this had the price of a celebrity scent, I'd get it." Well!! Turns out I was right all along... Now I can have "the real" Baccarat Rouge 540.

I don't know why it took me this long to discover this one, but I love it and I am glad I tried it!! Got a sample size to try recently and immediately bought a full bottle. It smells like a fluffy marshmallow with hints of lavender. It smells so cozy to me. I've been loving wearing it at night to bed. Unfortunately it doesn't have very good longevity, but I do get at least 3 hours on my skin. Still worth it to me! Edit: I just want to come back and say after wearing this for several weeks I am absolutely addicted. I find myself constantly reaching for this. I ordered a sample of the BR540 to see how it compares and I like Cloud much more than BR540. Cloud is absolutely delicious smelling to me. I can tell I'm going to run through this bottle quickly 😅

I am not typically a gourmand girly, and I’m not sure I would classify this as gourmand. It’s sweet and cotton candy-esque, yes, but to me it feels more ethereal than edible. Regardless, I cannot get enough. It’s just so good. A few notes for others: longevity is a beast, but I do find it to be a quieter projection. This works for me, but may not for you. Also, if I had to come up with SOMETHING negative, I could see how the dry down could be a bit cloying for some. That said, I’m super picky about anything with vanilla notes because so many give me a migraine, but I don’t have any troubles with this. For an extra treat, layer this with Palmer’s Tahitian Vanilla body lotion. SO GOOD.

The first time I smelled it , I was obsessed. It’s one of those rare scents that just makes you want to keep smelling it.🤍 It was the start of my perfume journey, that point where perfume stops being “just perfume” and becomes something you actually feel and think about. You know .. that point when you stop being normal ;) First time I liked lavender in a scent I'm in Love with the dry down . *** And no , IMO it's Not really similar to bkr 540 - this one is metallic and with a medicinal nuance , the saffron is strong. Cloud on the other hand is lactonic but not thick . It's clean ,airy ,sweet, fluffy ,cozy and dreamy . And that is alot of adjectives :) it's really all those things .

I grew up poor. The first time I sprayed this on my wrist, I told my husband, "This smells like rich girls in my high school." I don't know what it was that the rich girls were wearing in the late '90s, early 2000s, but that's the feeling it gave me at first. Upon dry down, I could not stop sniffing my wrist. I've since gone through two purse sprayers and have already bought my third. I'm gonna have to cave and buy the large bottle. This is my new favorite scent. It's creamy and soft. It's sweet without being putrid. It's dark and luxurious. It's warm and inviting. It's a coconut cream hug wrapped in cashmere.

This is so nice, I've bee using it every single day. I am very picky with perfumes, I don't like generic or too strong perfumes, and this has won a special place in my small collection. It's soft, femenine, but kind of sexy too, because of the sweetness creamy cozy vibes with the pear and the coconut, vanilla and the depth of the musk and woody notes. I've tried BR 540 many times, I can barely smell anything and Cloud is definitely better in EVERY WAY. So happy with my 100 ml bottle. I had a 30 ml bottle before and gave it to my daughter, cause I wasn't using it, but now...I LOVE IT.

Captures that same airy, addictive sweetness that makes Baccarat Rouge 540 so unforgettable, but in a softer, more playful way. It has that warm cloud-like aura that wraps around you and lingers beautifully, creating the feeling of expensive skin, softness, and quiet confidence. Where Baccarat Rouge 540 feels polished and luxurious, Cloud feels approachable and comforting while still giving that same dreamy “what are you wearing?” effect. It’s sweet without becoming juvenile, cozy without feeling heavy, and somehow manages to feel both youthful and sophisticated at the same time.

I agree with Alexandra below, shame on you Ariana to creating such an amazing scent! 😂 I even bought regular Baccarat and the Extrait, guess what I use? Cloud. Better longevity, better sillage and overall just better. But can my signature be a 30€ celebrity frag? Guess it can! Scent: for me it is just arriving to a safe heaven, perfectly blended, amazing memories from childhood and there is some warm inviting vibe in it. I love amber and this is the most perfect amber scent for me! For reference 42 yo/mom of 3/realtor in Europe. 10/10

Love this! Definitely agree that it is similar to Baccarat, but at the same time I do think it has its own unique notes. It’s a very pretty and girly scent with some warmth and overall very pleasant. I’ve seen people mention this being a childlike/teen scent, but I really think it’s for anyone at any age! I also kind of get a slightttt touch of Fierce by Abercrombie. Island Swim by Phlur is also very similar to this just with less sweetness and slightly more tropical. Can see why this fragrance is as popular as it is!

It's such a good every day winter scent. I get worn out on BR540, like the scent trail it leaves is crazy, people would spray it in the bathroom all the time at my old job and I was like why does this ramen restaurant smell like baccarat rouge?? This is like a lighter, softer, more palatable version of it while still lasting all day and being unique. It does smell like plastic but it's like a new box of perfume you're ripping the plastic off of smell. Yeah just a happy casual sunny winter day.