R.E.M.

This is totally my jam! As a fan of Ariana's music, I was eager to try out her perfumes, and the pale lavender bottle sitting on the stunning, translucent ice-shaped holder intrigued me immensely. So, after having feverishly gone through numerous reviews on here, I decided to purchase a full bottle of R.E.M, and boy was it so good! This, however, is yet the hardest perfume to review for me, as I have never encountered any that smells like it before, but I will try my best. R.E.M opens with a strong burst of beautiful unisex lavender which remains prevalent throughout the stages of the fragrance, and is soon followed by salted caramel and fig. I really have no idea how salt smells like in perfume, but in here, I assume that it is perhaps the elusive, clean and fresh scent I detect on my skin which somewhat reminds me of men's cologne. At this stage, the only descriptions I deem fit for this would be heavenly and ethereal - the salted caramel with the lavender lingering in the background are so out of this world and pleasantly addictive that I have to sniff my wrist over and over. It is totally beyond me how a perfume that mainly contains sweet notes and is supposed to smell gourmand-ish manages to be this clean and refreshing, all while exuding a calm and relaxing vibe. As the perfume commences to the dry down, the subtle, powdery zefir begins to shine through, gently caressing your skin with its sweetness. Being designed as a before-bed perfume, R.E.M has a soft projection and is unlikely to be noticed except for intimate contact. Its longevity is above average, with 6 atomizations lasting up to 6-7 hours give or take, and thus making it work-appropriate and suitable for day and night. The scent also comes off as unisex, even veering towards masculine upon initial spray, which is rather unexpected from someone as girly as Ariana. Wearing this, its coziness and cologne-like quality actually remind me of when I was cuddling with my ex, and I'm sure she would have told me I smell nice had I worn it that time. Oh, the nostalgia. R.E.M is a great perfume for all genders and its dreamy, sweet yet refreshing scent will definitely lull you to sleep, while also being perfect for daytime wear on casual days or on a date. Also, this is personal but the crystal holder makes me think of my 2D biases - Aquarius Camus and Aquarius Dégel - the exceedingly talented ice wielders, so this has earned its position as one of my favorites among my tiny collection, and will remain there for years to come!

First time wearing it: the initial opening is basically not existing. Like upon first spraying, I had to right away top up because I smelled nothing. Once I did smell it after a couple of seconds, it does smell nice, like a cozy, lavender-vanilla skin scent. Nice and pleasant, but very close to the skin. Like literally just for you, not something anyone else will notice. Well, that was my first impression. When I started moving around, doing my stuff around the house, I felt like, okay, maybe this has more projecting than I initially thought. Coming back into the room where I had initially sprayed it, I could still smell it there, like a pleasant room spray. All through wearing it, I would feel like it’s not that much of a performer, but I did a compliment that I smelled good by someone that just sat next to me – so apparently it does perform, but you just don’t notice it so much yourself? What I smell is a mellow, soft lavender with a soft sweet base. Is it vanilla or the tonka beans? Is it caramel, or the zefir? I don’t really know. I do really enjoy a lavender scent, and I enjoy it on days where work will be stressful, or when I want a nice sleep, so this one definitely falls in this category. It doesn’t stand out that much from other ones that I have, but I’m sure I will wear it. The bottle is also a cute and special design. I like the fact that you can slip the crystal part off the bottle to spray easier, but also if you’d want a more sleek bottle design, you could have that too. I guess you could use the crystal part for something else too. It’s really cool that Ariana puts out quirky bottles like this.

imo, this perfume has a synthetic soapy lavender smell but not in an overbearing way as it's balanced out by the deep wintery/fallish base notes and the salt that make this a scent more suitable for the spring to fall season. though i will be honest, i did use a lot of my 10ml mini through summer and it wasnt really that unfitting for the season as it gave off a fresh and clean scent- but i think there are plenty of scents out there that are a lot more suitable for summer and the fruity notes aren't that strong at all. the scent reminds me of parma violets- its a violet flavoured sweet in the UK that has a soapy/floral taste: i'm guessing this is from the lavender, salt and fruit notes that give it a detergent kind of vibe. i actually was really hooked on this sweet as a child so it explains why i love this perfume sm. parma violets r kinda like marmite- you love or hate it vibe, so i can see why people wouldn't like this perfume. in terms of gender- this one is a bit tricky because it has a kind of masculine aroma (because of salt + sandalwood combo?? idk) but still has present feminine notes. rather than saying its unisex, i would still say it leans toward being more feminine as i don't really see men purchasing/picking up or wearing this kind of perfume. overall i commend this product for finding a good balance between the soapy,salty lavender scent and the deeper muskier, sandalwood scents. sounds a bit skeptical on paper but the scents just mesh so well.

sweet unisex scent. i fell in love with this when it first came out, used it every day until the beginning of 2022. i had never smelled a scent like this before and i do feel like it is still unique. i recently rebought this because my very loved bottle was nearly empty and rancid after being in storage for 3 years lol you could spray this on any person you have affection for and associate them with this scent forever. it’s cozy, warm, and laundry-ish smelling. the caramel gives it a sweet edge, but it’s not overly sweet. rem has that musk, lavender, and salt blended together to make it different enough to give me a break from all the extremely sweet scents i gravitate toward. it is still sweet enough to not put a gourmand lover like me off of liking it! but this is one of ariana's most unique and unisex scents, so if you’re expecting the typical overly sugary/marshmallow ari signature scent, this isn’t it. i recommend not overspraying this, this is easy to become nose blind to because it’s fluffy and soft. i oversprayed this back in 2021 because i felt like it was light enough to do that with + had a active sweaty job. but with this new bottle, i sprayed 3 times and it’s almost too much! i recommend cooler times of day and winter/fall with rem. it’s a cozy scent.. i’m going to spray rem on my boyfriends t-shirt and fall in love with it all over again. happy to start using this again for the beginning of fall!

To me this one is somewhat different from the rest of the Ariana fragrances, but still really fits. And honestly it's one of my favorites from her. Upon first spraying this I definitely get some sweet notes. The sweet notes listed are zefir & caramel. I'm not going to lie I had to look up what zefir is, I was not familiar with it. Turns out it's a type of confectionary made by whipping fruit & berry puree w/ sugar & eggs whites. After seeing a picture, I may have tasted it before. Anyway! My guess is this is the sweet note coming through because while this perfume starts off sweet it isn't super caramely to my nose. I love the opening sweetness so much & I do believe I'm getting a hint of salt too! I love the sweet & saltiness of it, it's so different. As it dries down it maintains some of it's sweetness but I think the lavender, musk & perhaps sandalwood come through, giving it a soft almost slightly powdery quality. I love that it maintains some sweetness while combining with this soft element. It's really well blended, and so pretty. It's not overly sweet or soft. It really pulls off being both. It smells completely different from Cloud, but just as cloud manages to be both sweet & soft, so does REM. Another great scent from the Ariana line.

I own 3 Ari scents now (ARI, THANK U NEXT 1.0, REM) and I can say this is my absolute favorite. Where I can maybe see myself getting Ari again if I saw it on sale when I run out (TUN1 not so much) , REM is one I see myself buying 2-3 bottles of if I found out it was going to be discontinued. To quote the diva herself; "You're such a dream to me" I have an affinity for powdery scents that are slightly sweet and REM is a great option for fulfilling that. You start with caramelized lavender before it turns into a bit more of a lavender soap smell. The touch of vanilla leaves it feeling a little creamy; in a strange way, the vanilla here almost seems to behave like ambroxan...very odd. I'd also agree this is a unisex or perhaps even slightly male leaning scent, but that's fine by me as a guy. It does have some of the traits of a fougere. but it's so gentle about it I sort of love it. This is one of the most soothing, yet playful scents in my collection by far. I really enjoy wearing this on Sundays to read a book and relax in my Pjamas or to cuddle up with my partner. At the same time, I feel this scent can be worn to any occasion that's not particularly high energy and it'll feel like a good fit.

A foggy autumn afternoon. A small yet cozy cafe. A kettle is filled with warm water and a bundle of herbs. The scent of something sweet, aromatic, and warm fills the air. You are met with the sweet smile of a barista as they hand you a foamy beverage garnished with a single lavandula. This is one of Ariana's less popular scents, but in my opinion, its definitely her most unique and captivating. The bottle design is definitely my fav from her, the clear case with a hint of lavender paired with the crystals is just so pleasing to the eye. The scent itself is definitely not for everyone, as its very heavy in lavender. If you spray too much, I find that it smells a bit like acetone. However, when you apply appropriately and let it set on the skin some lovely, warm, caramel-vanilla notes and just a hint of floral fruitiness come through the lavender, making it such a lovely experience, it reminds me of a lavender latte on a cold evening. I feel like this scent could work well both for men and women, which I personally like, but that may not be everyone's preference. Overall, I really think this is such an elegant, unique scent but it is definitely a procured preference.

I’ve fallen in love with this perfume. When I first bought it over a year ago, I wasn’t a fan—it felt too masculine for me. But I kept it in my collection and would reach for it occasionally, as if to ‘give it another go.’ Each time I wore it, the scent intrigued me more. Recently, I’ve become completely obsessed with it. I’m not sure if the fragrance has macerated or if my tastes have evolved, but it’s now irresistible to me. It’s winter where I live, and I can’t get enough of how unique, warm, comforting, and balanced this fragrance is—it feels like a calming hug. I can easily imagine wearing it in summer too, as it’s not too cloying. I’ve even been wearing it to bed and throughout the day. I’m curious to test a fresh bottle next time I’m at the store to see if there’s any difference. To me the dry down is reminiscent of Valentino’s Donna Born in Roma PP flanker, but less sweet and cloying, and slightly more masculine leaning.

This is sweet & salty toasted lavender. I actually love this fragrance and it’s one of my favourites from AG because it’s not just a sweet scent. Whilst this doesn’t have any “warm” notes, it has a hot feeling because something about the note combination makes it feel like it’s been toasted but in a good way. I sort of imagine large salt crystals and lavender stems in a hot pan to release the aromas. You have to like lavender as this is one of the most prominent notes, and salt is also very prominent with a soft airy sweetness to balance it out. I can also detect some herbal bitterness in the background but it’s very faint and I think it gives it a more natural feeling rather than an artificial sweet lavender. I sprayed this before bed and I can still smell it well in the morning 11 hours later. This is a great cozy fragrance and I think I will repurchase a small bottle when I finish my big one.

When I read the reviews here, I was a little confused. It does not smell synthetic AT ALL. R.E.M is arguably one of the best scents Ariana came out with, and I will die on that hill. To me, it's a very summery/springy scent. The Zefir note is SO NICE and the salt and fig are definitely felt the moment you put it on. I will say this- as someone who gets literal migraines from the mere scent of lavender.... this one is not giving me ANY headaches. In fact, this is the first perfume ever with a lavender note I tried and fell in love with. When the scent finally settles after a few hours of wearing it, you are left with a soft, musky smell, accompanied by the sweetness of the pear blossoms. It's so gentle and sweet along the way- but starts very intense. PERFECT for a day out. If you are having doubts- DO NOT. Get it.

So.. I’m seeing that in the comparison bar people have put mon guerlain. It’s really annoying when a fragrance has ONE note in common with another, people automatically draw comparisons. Mon guerlain has dominant notes of licorice and patchouli in it. This fragrance is heavy in lavender, white musk and marshmallow. these fragrances have completely different aromas, despite the drawn comparisons. So annoying! Lavender paired with patchouli and licorice is going to smell VERY different from lavender paired with pear, Tonka bean, caramel and salt. Please please please be more mindful on a review site! It is impossible to smell frags before purchase right now so making these annoying / ignorant comparisons result in failed blind buys. Be mindful!

This perfume doesn’t look like one I would like, but I am obsessed. It’s stunning from first spray to fade. It’s one of those scents that I can smell on my clothes weeks later and it doesn’t give stale or old potpourri. It’s soft enough to be an intimate scent that can be worn to bed. But also would fit right into a wedding or birthday party. It’s flirty enough for date night. I wouldn’t call it a “formal” office scent, but it’s clean enough that it won’t offend. I do detect a hint of a milky sweet fig that blends softly with the lavender and floral vanilla and caramel. I can detect a light hint of sandalwood and salt. Sits right there in the middle between a clean/gourmond/floral fragrance. You could wear this any season.

How I wish this would last longer! R.E.M. might be my favourite Ariana fragrance. It stands out from the others and has a calming touch to it. The bottle, while a little gimicky, is so pretty. I love crystals so I was drawn to it right away. It doesn't perform well at all sadly so I wear this fragrance when I am at home, after the shower, to bed. I find it fairly unique smelling but I also don't get the Coffee Break comparisons. I will probably buy it again though because it smells cozy to me and relaxing. UPDATE: Yes, this is definitely my favourite Ariana fragrance. The opening also gives Zadig & Voltaire this is her a little bit. It is very creamy. In the dry down I get more musk. It smells heavenly to be honest.

My fave from the whole Ariana Grande line! It's unique from the others. I wouldn't say it is a safe blind buy, I can see where it would be off-putting to someone who likes her other scents and might be expecting something similar. Very lavender and fig heavy but with a beautiful salty caramel kick. Works great for any occasion. I wear this almost daily to work (office job) and when I am going to be hanging around the house. Or sleep. It's great for sleep. Very unisex, smells kinda like when you steal your boyfriend's shirt and there's a light masculine musk to it. But in a clean way. REM is a hard fragrance to describe, but it's lovely. I go through a 100ml every three months. If you like lavender, you'll love this.

I find that I reach for this very often despite it being one of the first scents I bought on a scent journey that seems to have given me 50+ scents. It just feels like a gentle comforting lavender blanket that's neither too clean or too aromatic. I also find the sweetness quite pleasing despite being someone to avoid sweet perfume quite often. My partner also loves this on me for when we don't go out on the weekend and I chill in a blanket hoodie. I do find it can be less than ideal for going outside, but I wonder if that has more to do with my personal associations. Likely a rebuy if I run out....but lord I doubt I will with litires of perfume in my house lol.

I personally love this scent! It's a bit more calm/mature than Ari (which is a straight up quince candy bomb) and the controversial CLOUD (coconut milky vanilla). The fig doesn't come through as strongly for me, but I also forget to "look" for it when I wear it LOL. I love how the lavender and the caramel balance it each other perfectly. It's like being in a fancy spa while eating a caramel candy. I personally think it's less offensive than Cloud, but I try not to spray to much as I work an office job. Just a lovely experience all around! I think it's a somewhat safe buy. But if in doubt, definitely try it at the store or order a sample!

Ngl I bought that one essentially for the bottle. It's a verrry clean/ soapy and lavender forward fragrance, it's very strong and honestly don't get any "harshness". I agree with the comments under mine, it's literally an unisex fragrance and a very mature one as well ! I sadly really hate clean fragrances so this one will only be for collection purpose. Edit: after wearing it for the entire day, that perfume is not even as soapy as I normally thought. Actually, it's so good and sweet in the dry down, I don't get much the lavender but something more vanilla-y or caramely, I'm very impressed and actually really love that one !

I suppose if you go to the perfume section of Target to spray this tester 3x on different trips, you should just admit you love this weird AG frag and buy a bottle already!! Ok so that’s my story. If Cloud and Calvin Klein Reveal had a love child, here she is! There is some bewitching magic here and I won’t pick it apart except to say my nose reads fig as coconut, 🥥 so I’m getting salty, warm breeze coconut and some herbal twist that captivates me and doesn’t read as “perfume!” I love unisex scents and I think this is an everyone scent. Lasts super long but does change and is very cozy.

My first perfume <3 It's a classic unisex scent, and I was immediately drawn to it. However, after years of exploring new fragrances and developing a taste for the niche , I started noticing its flaws. Unfortunately, I don't wear it much these days. The opening is a mix of sugary florals, very calming, very clean but there's a strange metallic note that lingers (could be the salt accord I guess). As it settles, the lavender becomes more prominent, though I now find it has a bit of a synthetic feel. THAT SAID, the dry-down is still amazing: clean, powdery musk which turns it really sexy.

Loooove this one, got it recently and wore it today. I understand the comparisons to men’s frags, it reminds me especially of Rochas Men, Pepe Jeans Celebrate for men, or Michael Jordan Legend; really any of the men’s frags that have the sweet coffee/lavender combo. Anyways I really love this, it’s very unique for a pop singer celeb scent, longevity and sillage is meh but it does create that fluffy, cozy lingering aura feel around you like most of AG’s fragrances. Starts as a fresh sweet fruity and quickly dries down into a salty caramel.