Empressa

What a wonderful fragrance! I ordered a few samples to test Penhaligon’s perfumes and I have to admit that my prejudice about the whole Coco Mademoiselle resemblance was relevant.... until I sprayed Empressa on my skin.. mouthwatering orange, soft patchouli and perfect blend of flowers and woody notes makes this fragrance so pleasant and beautiful. I got whiffs of this beauty whilst working and moving around and wondered which of the fragrances sprayed on my arms smelled so beautifully (I tested at least 4😅) and found out it was Empressa. Yes I detect similarities between this and Coco Mademoiselle, however the two cannot be confused by any means - Coco M. is definitely sharper and headache inducing, so heavy on patchouli on my skin. Empressa is soft, the orange and patchouli are so well blended with the other notes that you get a totally different feeling. Of course this is my opinion according to my skin that unfortunately for my bank account loves Penhaligon’s fragrances a little bit too much for my tastes 😑

This is like a fresh breath of air trapped in a cute little bottle. I’ve several Penhaligons fragrances and some of them smell quite similar, especially the Trade Routes collection (Babylon, Constantinople and Cairo). This one is definitely different, a burst of fruits in the opening...the blood orange really makes me think I’m sipping Aperol on ice in a lovely summer day. Many people mentioned it’s similar to Coco Mademoiselle which to be honest I don’t agree with. Coco Mademoiselle is loaded on patchouli and much powdery in the dry down than Empressa, which has a citrusy dry down and tends to get really unisex. In my opinion is more closer to Miss Dior 2012 (first Cherie reformulation). I sprayed MD on one wrist and Empressa on the other and I find a lot of similarities. Also it reminds me a lot of Oriens from Van Cleef & Arpels.

Coco Mademoiselle is more reserved, old money young lady vibes, while Empressa is more charismatic, opulent and regal. Both are sophisticated, but have completely different personalities. Coco Mademoiselle, although I also like it, is too good-girl for me, but not in that flirty, confident Delina way, rather in the classic Chanel way. Coco Mademoiselle is tweed and pearls, Empressa is silk and emeralds. To me, the difference between the two is so stark that if I hadn't known they are similar, I would never have tried to compare them. To me, Empressa smells juicy, rounded, and rich compared to the drier, soapy clean Coco Mademoiselle, and I never was inclined to get a bottle of the latter despite liking it, whereas Empressa has both myself and my boyfriend in a chokehold and will be joining my collection soon.

I just tried Empressa and was rather determined not to like it. The name is silly, the story ridiculous and it is very expensive, the first spray confirmed my suspicion of a heavy going sugary snack. Except that it developed into a beautifully balanced affair that clung to my skin without a hint of cloying. It is divine, and it lasts for ever. I read the reviews here and decided to retry Coco mademoiselle which I had not liked. I tried three versions of Coco M and I do not get it. Empressa is voluptuous, sensuous and generous without being heavy. Coco M to me is the opposite, a thin but headeachy scent. The former is an absolute yes and the latter a clear no. Maybe the ingredients are similar but one of the chefs has Michelin stars and the other works the lunch shift at the local cafe.

I have this from a Penhaligon's sample kit, and it's my favourite of the set (which also includes Luna, The Favourite, Elizabeth Rose and Halfeti). I did not like the opening when I sampled it on the paper at the store at all, but on my skin it's complex and develops beautifully. Dry downs in perfumes are generally polarising for me because I almost always only smell just one note after a few hours (especially when it comes to musk), but Empressa's I absolutely love. The opening does have a similar DNA to Coco M (probably the citrusy bergamot and orange notes), and the dry down remains sophisticated and complex. This smells like an expensive, well dressed, put-together woman. I just imagine that ladies at a high-society garden tea party in Kate Middleton-esque dresses smell like this.

I agree with the other reviews here in that empressa is very similar to coco mademoiselle. On initial spray I thought, this is an exact copy. I had a coco m phase a few years ago and used almost an entire bottle before forgetting about it and the remainder went bad. I didnt wear it because I liked it particularly, but it was safe and other people liked and recognised it on me. Empressa however, I am seriously enjoying wearing. It's less powdery, brighter and I'm picking up some creaminess in the silage that coco m lacked. I suppose its the sandalwood? On first spray I wasnt impressed, but as it wore on my skin it has grown on me hugely. Would pick this over coco m any day.

The first time I sprayed my sample, I ADORED this perfume! Then a couple seconds later, I took a step back and thought: wait. Is this Coco Mademoiselle? Haha Rushed to the reviews and "reminds me of" section in order to confirm I wasn't going crazy! To be honest, I genuinely prefer Empressa more. It isn't as powdery on my skin (which gave me vibes of a more mature woman), and the notes smell more balanced overall. However, with the high price tag, I'm hesitant to commit to purchasing a FB - especially because while longevity was great, this did turn into a (very lovely) skin scent after a couple of hours. Maybe I'll ask for it for my birthday!

A review from a man: An Elegant Coco Mademoiselle EDT :) a better version and has better transition because of their large budget to the ingredients. When you compare side by side you can smell Chanels thrifty ingredients. Penhaligon's: This is how you do it Chanel. *Pats Chanels head. This is so beautiful cant get enough of testing this one. Smells like the most simple, doesn't wear makeup, most beautiful girl in the world. DIVINE and CLASSY. This immediately made me think of being wedded to my dream girl and she wears this. There is so much going on here it's so beautiful it's like listening to a complex yet well composed music.

A perfect staple perfume, well blended. I don't know why but the experience of wearing this reminds me of J'adore Dior the original, although the notes are different. Extremely pleasant and easy to wear. A classic timeless scent that does not feel too old or too young. I sadly cannot smell any of the fruit in this one, as the florals overpower it on me, but the blend is not overly sweet, as I presume the orange and mandarin are there just to freshen it a bit from becoming a pure white floral instead of showing out. I loved this one. Definitely recommend, layer it over some hydrating cream for more durability.

On me, the initial 20 seconds smells just like Coco Mademoiselle, but as it dries down, the citrus notes (mostly blood orange and mandarin orange) become much more pronounced as the patchouli settles in. After about 30 minutes, the patchouli shines through again even more, but it smells much greener than Coco Mademoiselle. Empressa could be a fresher “version” of Coco Mademoiselle, but given the difference in their evolution, I would not call this a dupe. As someone who loves Coco Mademoiselle but can’t wear it in warmer weather, I’d wear Empressa during spring/summer. They certainly have a similar vibe.

This is signature worthy for me, well, almost. It is a very pretty scent, sweet, fruity, floral, no surprise when you read the notes. There is definitely a hint of spicy from the pink pepper that gives it a sharpened edge though. I don't find it older or granny at all, as some mentioned below. I can understand comparisons to Mademoiselle but this is less powdery and has more depth to it, meaning no disrespect to such a classic beauty. To me, this has a crispness, like biting into a granny Smith caramel apple on a warm summer day in a flower garden. I feel uber feminine with this on and I love it.

I was not expecting to particularly like this fragrance, getting a sample atomiser bottle of it from Penhaligons Covent Garden. The peppery top notes I wasn't sure of - was bracing myself to sneeze - but the blackberry and peach notes are delicious, with the hint of blood orange thrown in. It settles down to midnotes of rose and geranium. I detected cloves (eugenol). There is a very pleasant woody base note, not too much vanilla. I found myself liking this scent very much. Great for day wear and to the office. I can see why it is a Penhaligon best seller.

Softer and more rounded than Coco Mademoiselle, this begins with a shot of tangy orange and dewberry, with the pink pepper providing just enough spice to cut through the sweetness. It has a perfect balance of spice, floral and citrus which push through at different times and make this a rich and complex scent. It dries down to a wonderfully soft and light rose and neroli which is feminine and floral. This is a wonderful fragrance, which balances feminine and floral with light, fresh and fruity. Beautiful.

Got a sample some months ago and I never bothered to try it out. Think the name is silly and it’s kind of a turn down. So today I was cleaning out a box with lots of samples and decided to give it a shot. Wow....... this is a fresher version of Thierry Muglers legendary Angel. More fresh and with a big dose of spearmint. It”s a very fresh and vibrant gourmet perfume. Tomorrow I will use this sample and wear it to the office. If this came in small 30 ml bottles I would have bought one.

Feminine, fruity and accessible. Shimmering with pink pepper, succulent orange, dewberry, and peach, Empressa's floral heart is lustrous with rose and neroli. Then sensuous drydown of patchouli and vanilla, cocoa, amber and maltol is warmed by rich woods. Ingredients: alcohol denat., parfum (fragrance), aqua (water), linalool, limonene, benzyl salicylate, coumarin, butylphenyl methylpropional, citronellol, geraniol, hexyl cinnamal, cinnamyl alcohol, amyl cinnamal

This perfume is absolutely stunning in its own right. I have the edp version. It is a nice fruity chypre that really smell regal like the name suggested. I love how the perfume is well blended even though there are a lot of notes as to give it a nice, fresh, light scent that lingers. This is very suitable for daytime wear when you want to take it easy. Sometimes, this is what I want to wear when I am taking a break from the heavy, gourmand perfumes.

Reading comments below, I’m surprised everyone has missed the note that actually attracted me to this Penhaligon instant classic: Dewberry. Takes me right back to The Body Shop circa 1991 ... babydoll dress, denim jacket, Doc Martens ... that fruity, musky scent wafting about me. Good times. Empressa is the “all growns up” version to wear to the office and out to dinner and whenever you need an olfactory transporter to simpler times. Delightful.

I wore this side by side with coco mademoiselle and they are very similar, Empressa being a bit sweeter and spicier and very long lasting. It smells expensive and is a beautifully blended perfume. I think if you can afford it and you’re looking for a step up from coco mademoiselle then go for it! If not stick with CM because they are similar, and anyone else smelling you will likely think that’s what you’re wearing.

From this fragrance, I definitely get Coco Mademoiselle vibes and a bit of Angel at the start. I'm not going to lie and say I didn't. However, keeping that in mind, there's some major differences when those two aren't noticeable. There's a super tart berry and dirty, dirty brown patchouli. In saying that, I'm not sure if I'd buy it... especially while owning the two I compared it to.

This is my first Penhaligon’s and for me it smells like the baby of Coco Mademoiselle with Blue de Chanel. Masterpiece. I’m testing it during heavy winter and think it will perform better during the colder months, but it’s beautiful anyways. I heard someone saying that it smells like Lady Diana and I totally agree. Soft, luxurious, delicate, powerful, kind. My kind of scent!!