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!!

This review is for the edp version... People keep saying that this is a dupe of Coco Mademoiselle, but I think it's two different perfumes. The top has some similarites in the way that it's a bit citrusy from blood orange, but the dry down is so much more sophisticated. And for the edp the performance is stellar, people noticed me,and it stayed more than 10 hours or so...

Such rich green_tea like smooth soft scent. Perfect harmony. Balmy Spring garden under a sunny sky. It feels pregnant with air dried linen, white pillars, Lilly of the valley, herbaceous growths, dandelion, oily green leaves, and fairy dust. The base remind me of gucci flora gardenia, but slightly milkier, rounder, more nuanced, and wasn’t as nauseating and bland. 8/10

A beautiful scent that doesn’t disappoint. The patchouli is nice and clean - I’ve not read an immense amount on the type of patchouli used but it smells similar to Indonesian Patchouli. A classy fragrance that is suited to most occasions whether it be for work, a date or cocktails and dinner with girlfriends. A more expensive and refined Coco Mademoiselle.

yes, it does smell exactly like coco mademoiselle! im so sad because this is my first penhaligon`s perfume, and i bought it online, so i didn`t have the opportunity to test it first, and i already have my coco mademoiselle! and it costs a lot of money! well, i guess that is the down side of buying things online.... i also get a headache from it :-(:-(

I agree with others that this is reminiscent of Coco Mademoiselle, but Empressa has considerably more elegance and class. The luscious peach in the opening stays in play as the other notes emerge, and I get almost as much sandalwood in the drydown as I do patchouli, which gives it added warmth and richness. Very well blended, a big love from me!

Such a gorgeous perfume, I have a sample of this. It's very nicely blended and very feminine, without being overly sweet. The opening is citrusy and bright, quite an uplifting burst. I can also smell some berries, as well as the patchoulli, which balances out the florals and fruits in the perfume. Great daytime scent, with good longevity

I can't stand coco mademoiselle but this one is amazing. A clean citrusy sparkly scent with decent longevity and projection. It's very harmonious and well blended, however it's way overpriced. It kind of reminds me of valaya if valaya would be softer and fruitier. Definitely worth a try, but not a repurchase for me

It's been proved many times that rose-patchouli- peach combo works specially when done well. Well, here is another proof by Penhalogon. Citruus,cassis and pepper add some spices preventing this frag from getting boring or too sweet. The result is a fruitchouli floral romantic four season perfume. Nice bottle.

Okay at first I did not get the Coco comparison but now with the dry down, I do. However, Empressa is missing that sharp powdery note Coco has and dries down to a lotion-type smell. I personally love this, almost as much as Coco. While I see the similarities to Coco this is more fruity and creamier than Coco.

Yall can pry this out of my cold dead hands. OBSESSED forever. Compliment magnet. Perfect all-rounder. Signature. Okay fine it smells like Coco Mad — but with less bite and a softer, gentler dry-down which makes it way more wearable and addictive. Love her and always will.

Smelled very much like Coco Mademoiselle. Almost as if one layered Coco Mademoiselle along with a soft vanilla and amber fragrance. It's very pretty, feels elegant, fresh scent, feminine and mature. But then again I would say the exact same about the Chanel.

This is a delight. I get the Coco M. vibe, but to me it is even fresher...almost an idealised Watermelon scent. Light citrus, soft & round Patchouli, very wearable, especially for the hot weather. Feminine & "pink" without being sickly.

I am really impressed. It isn't your average citrusy, fruity and woody fragrance. It has a twist. Uplifting and photorealistic florals. Awesome longevity too, a surprising 8-10 hours on my skin. Projection is okay. 8.6/10

First spray feels sweet, after 30 min I feel herbs and rose... it reminds me something....something from mainstreeam hard to locate it but its something I have smelled before, just cant name it.

One of my all-time favorite splurges. I'm no expert, this just makes me feel clean, crisp and happy. I never had some of the other scents people have called out, so no comparisons.

Out of all the frags in the Penhaligons store this is the only one I could smell with a blocked nose. That’s all you need to know

Peachy Rose! Fruity floral, I adore it! Doesn’t really reflect my personality. The bright colors fashion girlies would love this!

This is similar to Chanel CM but I prefer Empressa because it's lighter, pretty sweeter maybe. IMO CM it's too strong.

As a guy, I don’t tend to put a gender on fragrances; if I like it, I like it, then I'll wear it, I don't care. I have a few but not many feminine leaning fragrances, and I got a few samples from Penhaligon, and I tried this as the notes did speak to me. I have never smelled Coco Mademoiselle, not knowingly anyway, so can't compare. It's nice, but like many of the fragrances in their British Tales line, (I know this is Trade Routes), they have repetitive fragrances that have a nostalgic feel to them but with a slight twist. To me, on a male or female, this does not smell full bottle price, it smells like an £80-90 bottle of something designer-ish, it's nice, but not nice enough. If it was in the price range at the lower end of British Tales line, like say Orange Blossom, which I did own, and I thought very highly of, then it might be conceivable. Add to the equation that there is something in there that smells cheap, I can't put my finger on it, it's very synthetic. I've always felt that Penhaligon, no matter what they made, even if it smelled like something been done before 1000 times, they still added their bit of DNA and felt higher quality that whomever it smelled like, but this one kinda falls short of the mark. Couple that with it's price, unless you're going to find this at half it's RRP or less, personally I am giving it a miss. God bless and enjoy :)

First of all, like many people say, this is 99.9% identical with Coco Mademoiselle. It's not a "if you like Coco Mademoiselle, you will like Empressa too", but more of an exercise in how much they can copy a recipe and legally get away with it. I suppose there is a very subtle difference between them, but again it's in Chanel's favour. Empressa is the rich polished girl with immaculate posture and high quality clothes, perfect in every way. Coco Mademoiselle is the same, but she maybe swears a lot or is a bit too outspoken or something. She is almost perfect, but has one detail that doesn't match the rest and makes her intriguing and unexpected. In this sense, I think Empressa is a bit boring in her conformist roundness and perfection. But if you don't like the incongruence and subtle rough edges in Chanel, you might just love Empressa. She is very proper and doesn't break any rules. Projection and longevity are good, pretty much year round (I live in London). This may not be the case if you live somewhere tropical. Empressa disappears within an hour if I wear it during our very short and rare heatwaves.

My cousin used to wear Coco Mademoiselle; when I went to her house wearing Empressa she thought I'd nicked a spritz of her bottle :P Decent sillage and good longevity for an EDT. Penhaligon's has recently released an EDP version, not yet listed here. I've only smelled CM a few times but I'm in the camp that finds it nice but over-rated. I agree that Empressa is similar, so perhaps I shouldn't like her on that basis, but I do, although I'm only sometimes in the mood for the tart, berry-sugar-patchouli accord. Luna has a similar tartness which I also sometimes find too sharp, almost acidic, but on other days both can be quite refreshing. Penahligon's has lovely packaging and Empressa is especially attractive; the label is pretty and the contrasting green bow cute (although the gold ink on both this and my Vaara is rubbing off). I also like the shape of Penhaligon's bottles, but their nozzles let off too concentrated a spray which always leaves perfume dripping down my skin!

Empressa is a soft fruity-floral fragrance that feels just like how it is described: pearl-and-satin high end femininity. This perfume actually reminds me of something my grandmother used to wear in the 90's when she was going out somewhere special. The opening is blood orange and peach on top of powdery rose, geranium and musk. The dry down is a softer and less fruity version of the opening, with rose and vanilla on top, and patchouli with neroli and warm brown sugar underneath. I do get a hint of amber (or maybe it's frankincense) at times as well. Empressa is soft, feminine, classy and non-offensive. It is not an every day scent but I could see someone wearing this to go to the types of events where you might break out the pearl jewellery, like the orchestra, opera, or a black tie cocktail party.

Opens juicy-sweet and kind of perfume-y, with a bit of a carbonated, fresh vibe from the fizzy pink pepper and citrus top notes. The rose brings a degree of cool, floral sophistication, but isn’t dominant at all. Once the fruity top notes ebb, Empressa dries down into airy, expensive-smelling florals and cool, sweet powderiness, with a subtle undertone of grassy freshness. I’m not acquainted with Coco Mademoiselle, but I did immediately think of Empressa as having a Chanel vibe. It has a classic, feminine poise to it, like many of Chanel's fragrances. It's a very tasteful, polished sort of scent—classy, if perhaps slightly prim. I’m not an art major, but as a layman, Empressa makes me think of the painting A Sunday On La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat: well-mannered and inscrutably pleasant.

Reminds me quite of a perfume my mother used to wear when I was young. (Possibly Marc Jacobs of some kind?) Very floral to me, with the rose coming out very prevalent in the blend with peach and orange dissipating pretty quickly. Upon drydown, I get mostly musk, patchouli and rose still, and it seems to me very different to the initial scent of the fragrance. I have to wear this one more and maybe I’ll be able to write a better review, but I quite like it. It seems a perfect fragrance for a lady in her mid 20s-late 30s if that makes any sense. This fragrance allllmost delves into an old money territory, but for me there’s not enough of a powdery feel, and which keeps it slightly more youthful. The fragrance stays a lot longer than other fragrances with similar notes that I’ve tried.

The Coco Mademoiselle resemblance is pretty uncanny. That must be why I was inclined to try it, and I know I’m in the minority for this but I think I actually like it more. It’s juicier, sweeter, and fluffier, more girlish and young, with a much less punchy patchouli. There’s a pleasant generic lotion-like quality to it that’s fresh and creamy and clean, like the shampoo conditioner body wash and lotion minis provided at a fancy hotel. but for this price I’d rather actually book a night somewhere lol. It is a little bit boring tbh, and by far the least Penhaligon-y Penhaligon fragrance that I’ve tried. Everything else has felt very geeky and high fantasy, while this smells more like something cutesy and vapid that Anna Sui would put out.

This is gorgeous, classy, sophisticated and I really enjoy it! I’m a sucker for a floriental and this is no exception! Luckily, I only have a decant, because it is definitely very similar to CM. Although I find it a bit more earthy smelling, so maybe it has a touch more patchouli and/or sandalwood. It’s really beautiful, I’m curious which was formulated first. I just don’t have the time atm to look. I won’t be purchasing a full size at this time, I have a couple bottles of CM, Club de Nuit, and some other dupes that I have to get through first, but I can definitely see myself purchasing this some time down the line. It’s just a little redundant for me right now, but it is a stunning scent!

It's like Luna and The Favorite made a juicy peach baby✨️🍑 It has this mellow freshness you would wear as a night fragrance like Luna, but has the youthful brightness from The Favorite. I think it's fitting with the name of Empressa rather than Empress- because it has a youthful ruler compared to a heartless tyrant. Gives me very much Empress Catherine from the Great, at least in the first season— sees the hope in love, beauty and well as change for the better Russia. This is her perfume. Sillage is intimate but longevity is there. Zodiac Trio ⬆️Aquarius ☀️Taurus 🌜Gemini

I loved Coco M and was curious to compare. Yes there is a fruity resemblance, and theme, but the ethos behind them is so so different. CM is more "ironed out" somehow, smoother, more blended, while empressa feels rounder, fuller, more juicy with distinct impressions of fruit rather than blending them together. It's very sweet, very feminine, and has a sort of innocence to it. Would be lovely with a summer dress at a garden party. Turns out not to be my bag, but a very pleasant fragrance nonetheless.

On my skin this reads as a peachier, slightly stronger Coco Mademoiselle. The similarity is uncanny. I even tested one scent on each arm so I could try and pick up the differences, but the core structure is so similar that I didn't find one that I 'liked' more or less. For that price point, I'm glad I just have the sample - it's beautiful and sweet and easily likeable, but for that price point I'd just stick to the Coco Mademoiselle that I have.

Coco Mademoiselle without the sour notes. Empressa is a fresher, cleaner version of this classique by Chanel. Of course, it's not particularly original, since its composition is close to a previously existing fragrance which has had a lot of success for more than a decade. However, that is not enough to detract me from this beauty. It's a very well made scent. I even get different nuances in the sillage. Less alcohol, more colours.