Charlie Red

Associations for scent vary much, eh? I wasn't generally exposed to fragrance at a young age, so with most scent I am completely immune to era oriented scent memories. This is actually a plus, if not for absent memories! ;) In the case of Charlie Red I am amused at how strong are the opinions and impressions. My first experience with her is when I was desperately searching for a feminine, happy floral to wear during a time of ill health. It was the first fragrance I researched here at Fragrantica.... (Thank you, Fragrantica - you are wonderful!!!) I had almost no perfume left, but for a bit of Tatiana, which my store had just stopped carrying. It was NECESSARY to find something wonderful ASAP. What a timely and exciting discovery to find this cheerful elixir. :D I will say that what smelled good in cold weather ultimately became a bit nauseous for me in steamy hot weather, so I later passed the bottle along to my mother. She who loves Red and is sometimes guilty of over spraying in her enthusiasm, hehe. This is a total 'other' experience than you will have when wearing merely One spray in icy temperatures. I recommend the latter, not the former! As to the scent itself, Red Door is an apt comparison without being in any way a dupe. It is actually closer in profile with Amarige (or it's near perfect twin, Al Rehab Susan) to my nose. They All smell 'red' and contain a sizeable amount of a tuberose/aroma chemical that could be headache inducing for some. I get a headache from Amarige, not Red Door or Charlie Red. To me that is how they should be listed - in order of least wearable, Charlie Red winning the wearability contest hands down! And while I admit that on the right skin in scant proportions all three can be charming, Red is easily the friendliest and most approachable of the three. Value is out of this world good, and the bottle practical and easy to use. What's not to like? Tuberose, obviously! If you hate anything this powerful with tuberose, do avoid, please. The rest of you will smell fabulous for pennies! Oh, and just ONE spray, to trail in the wake of your fond followers and admirers. <3 Note - This review is for the Eau Fraiche version.

Very classy and affordable vintage scent ! It is a seductive, elegant and dainty perfume, creamy yet powdery in an effortless yet distinguished way. The association of Honey, Ylang-Ylang and the white florals (Gardenia, Tuberose, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-Valley, Orange Blossom), creates a really well blended creamy aspect to the scent. It gives Charlie Red this really seductive and confident side Then the powdery facet, dominated by the Sandalwood and Musk, then followed by the other florals (Carnation, Rose, Violet and Orchid) makes it more dainty and elegant. To make this hole blend the perfect vintage fantasy, you have the fruity notes (Peach, Black Currant, Plum) making the blend sweeter and even creamier, another woody note with the Cedar, and Amber to create more depth. The sillage is quite impressive for such an inexpensive scent (bought it for less than 6 euros), since it does lasts on the skin and clothes, maybe around 6 hours I would say, and the sillage isn't beast mode but it is strong. The only bad things are led by the price being really low, the things I consider bad being the fragrance's cap, the tag that is slapped on the bottle so vulgarly. But for the price can we complain ? It's in similar fields than some other vintage perfumes such as Cléa by Yves Rocher, or Red Door by Elizabeth Arden. I used to hate these scent profiles but now I am truly obsessed ! It reminds me of a kind grandma who smiles at everyone and who's heart is warmer than a fire, she's casual but makes it so elegant. Classy but will never brag about it, and she's always willing to help people out. This perfume really embodies this elegance and this class, but ever so modestly. I will be this grandma in the future haha. 9/10, I'm glad I gave it a second chance because I fell in love !

It's totally different than Charlie Blue. This one is powdery, floral, long lasting scent. It's totally all year arounder and easily wearable at any time. Tuberose, carnation, violet, gardenia... Tons of flowers in this bouquet.... If Sarah Key illustrations had scent, this would be the perfect one. Too bad that this quality perfume is marked as cheap because it definitely doesn't perform as common cheap ones, but on the other hand.... I'm glad that it's cheap so I can get it anytime I want. Many people (especially younger generations), will not reach for it because it's "cheap" and in "ugly" bottle and there's nothing fancy about it at first glance... But inside is liquid gold..... So, "don't judge a book by its cover", you've heard that one, I'm sure..... Just a little note, if the tester bottle is empty in the store, don't bother trying it through the cap or the sprayer, try it only if there is perfume in the bottle. It doesn't smell like Red Door, many people were disappointed because they thought it was a Red Door dupe.... Just in case you are Red Door fan, don't blind buy it cuz you might get disappointed.

Actually this is really nice. It’s light and interesting. It’s not exactly a sweet floral. It’s more of a brisk white floral. I have two bottles that appear to be different formulations. One has clear juice and the other has light yellow juice. The clear juice smells lighter and I like it more. It’s just a light, fresh smell with the fruity notes peeking through with sort of a tart effect amid the brisk, slightly sweet and slightly astringent, piquant florals. There’s a slightly spicy note that may be part of the carnation accord. The composition is beautifully inoffensive and wearable. It dries down to a skin scent within a few hours. Sometimes I’m in the mood for that if I’m around the house or just running some errands. It lasts a long time and stays relatively close to the skin with pleasant wafts occasionally reaching my nose. It’s hard to over-apply. The light yellow juice is all of the above but louder and slightly tacky. Louder is not always better. I prefer the clear formulation. It smells simpler but more sophisticated.

I'm actually in awe because I did not expect this fragrance to smell as delightful as it does because the Original Charlie is not my cup of tea. I bought a BIG CLEAR bottle ( NOT FROSTED) off of eBay for $7.50 It reminds me of a soft version of Sand and Sable and Kim Kardashian Pure Honey with tuberose, lilies and honey. It's s very tropical scent. Very light and whimsical. Nice sillage not too strong. Lasts a few hours before needing to reapply but for such an inexpensive product I don't mind spraying it often. This smells better than most expensive perfumes. Some say it smells like Maroussia but not so much. Maroussia is my signature scent that's why I bought this because people said it smells like Maroussia. Give this fragrance a try. It's great for the daytime in the summer and not to strong for the office. Honestly, it's a perfect scent. It a tad fruity and creamy. It is kind of soapy but in the best way possible ..it's very fresh. I'm delighted with this product. I hope they never stop making it.

Historically, I’d always stered clear of the Charlie series, associating them with Avon and the cheap scent counters at Boots and Superdrug (when you’re gifted Chanel 5 as your first proper foray into the world of perfume, it’s hard to go back). But I’m happy to announce how wrong I was with that attitude and never more so than with Charlie Red. My first spray of it was one of pleasant surprise. “Bubblegum” was the first word that entered my head. The next few were “Mmmm, sweet, fruity bubblegum”. It was juicy but not cloyingly sugary. This I attribute to the plum and blackcurrant notes. Gardenia is also a very strong presence at this point. But those wonderful base notes of jasmine, lily and rose, a classic trio in perfume making, fading to a powdery smelling veil on my skin. I find Charlie Red both new and fresh, but also vintage classic at the same time. Unlike any other oriental floral I have ever owned, I can definitely see myself wearing this to work every day for a long period in spring.

After purchasing this perfume for more than five years, I realised I haven't written a review yet. By the looks of it, Charlie Red doesn't seem to have a lots of fans on here, however, I am proudly one of them. Obviously you can't expect much from a cheap fragrance, but for what it's worth, this one is truly something (at least in my opinion). When I first sniff from the bottle only, it's a very harsh and sharp alcoholic scent, however when you spray it on the skin, the white florals come out to play. Tuberose, jasmine and sandalwood are the stars of this scent, and just behind it there is rose, carnation and amber. Although to me I get a lot of peppery notes than florals, so I'm not sure if it's just my nose or not. Overall it's nothing classy. In fact, Charlie Red seems like something a motel hooker would wear, but sometimes that's what I want to smell like! It's trashy, it's vintage, it's zingy and it's definitely not for the faint of heart, but it has a lot of character.

If you love the 80's style Tuberose overdose of Amarige and Red Door but find them overwhelming, I'd strongly recommend Charlie Red. She's the more mild-mannered sister, the one who doesn't as easily offend but still has a remarkable personality! I had a love-hate relationship with ALL of these tuberose heavy-hitters at first. Finally, after over a decade of perfume love, the aroma chemical in them is not as overwhelming to me... And now, for whatever reason, I've begun to not merely respect, but also Crave the DNA. It calls for a certain mood, of course, and will not suit everyone. But I find that one solitary spray of Charlie Red (on the right chemistry, mind you) is pleasant, feminine, sweet, floral, and utterly charming. Get out the pinky red lipstick, the pearls, the rosy prints! Recommended as one of the best vintage finds in my entire wardrobe. LOVE!!!!

I repurchased Charlie Red yesterday. I hadn't owned this particular Charlie in many years. Upon opening, and spraying the cap--I really liked it--still. It smelled like easier times. It smelled like me, at least, that's what I told my husband. I let my 18 year old daughter smell it later in the evening, she immediately said it smelled like her late Grandmother. So sweet! My mother introduced me to the fragrance world as a very young girl. We used to wear Charlie, Charlie White, and Charlie Red--all of which, I have in my vast collection. Charlie Red is a nice, welcoming change of pace in a world of cotton candy, vanilla, and other gourmands. It is long lasting and projects quite nicely! It can be worn both day and night, and I believe it to be a safe blind buy, especially for those older than 25, lol. I love the gardenia and amber notes.

Charlie Red is the best value, 80's style floral you can well imagine! I bought & regretted it, not because it's in any way less than wonderful, but because of it's slight resemblance to Amarige, a big beauty that gives me headaches. If you love tuberose, honey, and orchid in SPADES then please check out either of these. They aren't identical, of course, but have a similar flair and bold persona. I ended up gifting my bottle of charismatic Charlie Red to a family member who has a limited sense of smell and also loves getting attention and complements. A win-win. She can smell her own perfume and gets complements, while I can enjoy it at a safe distance! To be fair, it's not a loud scent when sprayed once and allowed to settle, but Charlie Red is a scent often embraced by the Exuberant. ;) Superb Drugstore Value!

Eau de Toilette: I have been fancying this scent for some years actually. It was everything I wanted: easy to find, very affordable, "quite-granny-like floral composition", with white flowers, yellow flowers and carnation and the fact that is not very much worn by the general public nowadays, being a scent which was trendy in the 90s and moreso in the US probably. On me this is definitely long lasting, sillage decreases from moderate to soft over hours. It is indeed very boozy as soon as it ́s sprayed. On my skin I can definitely detect the honey, mixed then with the flowers it gives off a waxy, vintage lipstick vibe, on the first impression a very watered down version of a yellow flower scent (Poeme like) mixed with tuberose. I love it and have been receiving compliments because of it from my friends as well!

First of all, I believe we can share impressions on a fragrance in a civilized manner, without references to "motel hookers", "old ladies", "cat pee" and so on. It's disrespectful to those who enjoy the fragrance and in really poor taste, regardless of your like or dislike for the product. I enjoy Charlie Red a lot, it represents the zeitgeist of the 80's. On a first contact, you may even be shocked by how different it is from the modern perfume landscape. Although not overly complicated, it's memorable and bold, but just like a piece of clothing, its success depends on who you are and how you wear it. Good for a change to the current gourmand forgettable syrups. Persistence: 6+ hours for me. Bonus: you get much more than what you pay for. This is for current issue of Charlie Red EDT made in Spain.

I like this perfume but maybe not okay for the office as my co-worker started sneezing whenever I wore this perfume. It made me feel uncomfortable wearing this lovely scent update: a few days ago i decided to have a look in that box in my closet that i had flilled with unopened new perfumes some years ago. So happy to find Red! As I have changed jobs and I do not have to worry about that sneezing co-worker any longer,I'm about to enjoy this jumbo bottle. It's very well blended,:i smell a constant l envigorating mix of sweet (honey?) and flowers. It's not what i would call fresh but more a blast of lively that develops into a powderyelegance, iike the scented paper our grandmothers used. So happy with this perfume. I love it when i can overspray and indulge myself without breaking the bank.

I had this when I was little in a rollerball form, and recently found it for under AU$15, and despite it possibly being the cheapest (in price) perfume that I own, it is probably one of the most complimented. On me it starts out almost cold, like a bouquet of tuberose, gardenia and jasmine. However, it's softened quite quickly with warm honey. The scent, while it has fantastic sillage, only lasts about an hour and a half on my skin. I don't mind respraying it because it's not a massive dent in the pocket if you need another bottle, but it does spray out a LOT of perfume at once, so the bottle depletes quite quickly. Just as well I was able to get a bunch of backup bottles, because this is a great perfume that I hope to always have.

I remember the huge Revlon Red advertisement poster of Claudia Schiffer in a gorgeous red chiffon dress at Myer department store in Sydney in the early 90's. The scent was wafting into the air and it was wonderful, but I was too young to wear this kind of scent. Fast forward almost twenty years later and I took another sniff. It smells just as wonderful, warm, inviting but not cloying. The bottle is very basic, but the scent is not. Orange blossoms, jasmine, gardenia along with amber and musk. I have both the frosted and clear bottle version. My frosted bottle is made in Italy and its formulation seems to have more "depth" although the lasting power on me is the same, about 3-5 hours, which is the standard for EDT.

I cant believe i waited so long to buy this! I bought gold assuming that was the better choice and for cooler weather it is. I stayed away from red thinking this would be an amber bomb but i was so wrong! This is gorgeous! This is way better than gold! I love the gardenia tuberose sitting on a light amber cloud with green dewy shoots springing up around it... A soft light breeze wafting the scents into the air! Not heavy at all.... A light airy tuberose gardenia, im enamoured. I see Hawaii and feel Hawaiian when i smell this. This is a masterpiece that loves humidity and the dripping golden honey just adds to the delight. Now this takes me away, far away... To Hawai'i. This is a delight to my senses 💛

I really love white florals and hearing about this made me curious to try it- i must admit the wallet frriendly price tag also was a factor :) First thing that hit me was the tuberose, which i adore, loud, creamy and delicious. The initial tuberose blast doesnt last long however and fades way too quickly. Half an hour after spraying this i couldnt smell anything which was a bit of a let down but with a 100ml bottle cosing only £6, you can afford to be generous with the spraying :) it reminds me a lot of Givenchy Amarige, which i also love, but has much much greater lasting power. Still, for £6 im not complaining!!! This will do fine for days when i just want something light yet delicious.

This is so different from all the modern gourmands, first I was almost a little bit shocked in a good way. I can almost feel smell of cigarette. Those days in the 90s people smoked in restaurants in Finland (now they are not allowed to do that except in a small room or outside the restaurant) and perfumes were big and bold like this. This is a love, I love also Charlie Gold, but only a little bit more. I ́ve started to like tuberose in perfumes because of this, most of all l like 80's and 90's tuberose creations. Next I'm going to buy Diamonds and emeralds by Elizabeth Taylor. Now, after some months I ́ve started to prefer Charlie Red (compared to Charlie Gold).

I can see how some can compare with Giorgio (one of my all time favourites) as both are bright and sparkling florals on first spray. But where Giorgio is warm and yellow this is cool, green and white florals. Its very strong on first spray but mellows into a very clean fabric softener, soapy, fluffy towels and powder scent. Even though it's 'Red' I feel this is closer to a 'Green'. Transports you to a light spring day, or a cool summer evening after spending the day at the beach. Melon fruit and fizzy white florals. Fresh out of the shower, still with damp hair stepping out into a bright summer day with the breeze flowing through your clean hair. Love it!

I have come to really like this perfume. I never used to wear it. But it is growing on me. It really has this 90s vibe to it. Some might say it smells like a grandma. And I do get where they are coming from in the sense that it is not a modern scent. But it is beautiful and comforting and it has something sexy about it. It is both mature and innocent at the same time. It is very complex with a lot of notes but in a creamy blend that I really appreciate. I want to see how this wears in the summer months, I can imagine it being beautiful on a warm late summer evening. It is very interesting and it lasts really long on me which is amazing!

I feel a complex, psychedelic, as befits a fragrance from the 20th century. I feel a moderately sweet chypre of floral mishmash with neon woodiness in the base. I decided that this is a decent thing for country walks. Only I am a little tired of some square-nested, like Minecraft, note in the base. Synthetic cedar with sandalwood materials! Most likely this is the same musk that also resembles cedar. My husband decided from the base that it was cologne and took Red Charlie for himself. I didn't mind. Then he gave me the perfume back and I concentrated on the feminine powdery-clove vibe with honeyed white florals. Perfect unisex.

Finally got my hands on this. And it’s STUNNING! I was looking for an affordable 80’s type white floral scent and that’s exactly it. Before that I’d bought Indra of UdV but it might have been a tad too powdery for outdoor wear and would disappear after 30 minutes... So, Charlie red begins too tuberosy and green, but then sets into a gentle white floral bouquet. Lemme tell you, I grow my own gardenias , know what the real thing smells like and I was surprised to notice how they managed to replicate even that fleeting sweetness that comes with each whiff. Nothing synthetic about it, if you ask me. And the best thing? It lasts !

I was 15 years old when I bought my first bottle of Charlie Red. I liked it immediately. I have never been fond of the original Charlie so to me Red is definitely more feminine. I recently purchased a bottle of Charlie Red from Ross. It is still a fabulous,sweet,and floral delight.I smell the tuberose first thing. Then some of the carnation and rose. Then those sweet notes. This fragrance is warm,slightly powdery,and very inviting.Not overpowering but you know its there. I would urge any female to give this a chance. I am thankful I revisted a past love to find it will be a current love.❤

Oh what a warm, sexy, sweet woody tuberose scent! This is a lot softer than you might think from the Charlie line--no harsh loudness here at all. It opens on me with a soft blast of violet, a hint of peach, and the sweet tuberose which carries throughout. I get a bit of gardenia and orange blossom, but nothing overly heady as white flowers can sometimes be. The drydown is all tuberose, amber, woods and musk with a tiny hint of spicy carnation for good measure. This one is a classic, well worth hunting down. It is sexy without being over the top, and I can't stop sniffing myself today!

PURE TRASH! I love it, it's like hairspray and strip bars, cocktails and nailvarnish, lipgloss and laddered tights...it's the kind of thing you douse yourself in before a night out with the girls. Spray some on the gusset of your tights, in your shoes, wherever, put it in your handbag...it's cheap but you'll still smell better than everyone around you who is covered in beer and sick. You should probably spray a little on your friend who has been grinding against the wall all night. And men love it! Pure night time sleaze; I don't understand how anyone can wear this during the day!

This was love at first sniff. Somewhat a surprise to me, as I generally don't like sweet fragrances, but there is a freshness to it that I love. The freshness even overcomes the honey. I wear it everyday to work,daily and to all but special occasions...its my go to fragrance except for the hottest summer days. This is a surprise to me, as it is really a very inexpensive fragrance. But, it by no means has that cheap fake smell stamp that so many spritzes have.It really is great. Will never be without it....even though i have many other more expensive perfumes than i care to admit.

I bought this and tried before I read reviews, thank goodness! It was about $5 USD for a honking big bottle, so I figured it was a minimal loss if I hated it. I actually like it! It bears 0 similarities to Red Door, other than the name containing the word Red. I dislike Red Door so that’s a good thing to me. The scent is familiar, especially if you lived through the 90s. Soft, almost watery florals. Clean and pretty. It’s an easy reach fragrance for me. I like it.

I used to have a bottle of this in 95-96, I remember really liking it. Because I’m perfume obsessed, I decided to add it to my collection again....it was less than $9 on Amazon so even if I hated it, I could toss it. I didn’t know what to expect when I got it, but at first spray, all the goodness came flooding back to me. Definitely white floral, and powdery with a pinch of spice. This is an amazing cheap perfume, in my opinion 😊

I found this drug store cheapie very impressive! I can definitely see its similarities to the newer EDT of Red Door and Diamonds and Rubies; it’s got a cozy, floral powdery vibe that I wasn’t expecting from such an inexpensive scent. The creamy tuberose really stands out, even in cooler weather. A few sprays last well over 12 hours on skin and a few days on your clothes. So far, this is my favorite scent out of all the Charlies.

Got this as a blind buy, but Charlie Red surprisingly turned into my signature scent. It leans more masculine but in a cool girl way. Charlie Red is the girl I'd want to be friends with, but lucky enough now I am her and I can smell that way all day 😈🙈 Perfect on its own for some mystery, but I love layering it with sweeter scents sometimes for an intriguing juxtaposition. Like cotton candy wearing a leather jacket (yes please)

Oh I love this scent. I tried this recently and it reminded me instantly of my old perfume I used to wear, Gloria Vanderbilt, but softer. It smells like floral, smooth, soft and good for everyday. I can smell the ylang ylang and carnation and honey, sandalwood on my wrist. I used to see Charlie in the stores and I bought the regular Charlie once when I was a teenager. The bottle was smaller back then it seems.

Very flowery and complex, on opening I can smell gardenia, tuberose, ylang-ylang and plum or blackcurrant fruits like berries in the middle note the tuberose still smells clear and ylang-ylang... in the base note it feels sweet and musky, it's like honey from floral or fruit, amber, bright sweet wood.....very beautiful, giving you a classic and feminine impression, a little old but still enjoyable

Quite reminiscent of Red Door by Elizabeth Arden in the opening. Both are amber florals that contain similar notes. Dries down into a very soapy scent which I personally find really pleasing. Cheap as chips but does not smell cheap. It's very pretty. Well worth getting a bottle imho. Best worn in Spring months. Longevity is moderate. Silage is quite strong. I really love it.

ooh this one is pretty right from the get-go. i get big white florals, primarily tuberose, along with peach, honey, and musk. later there is some carnation and amber, however the strongest notes are tuberose, honey and peach for me. really gorgeous and an amazing perfume for the price. it's very 80s indeed and i love it for it's glamorous beauty and nostalgia.

Simple and beautiful; rich white flowers tempered with sweet peach, smooth honey, and warm ylang. Vintage feel but not old-fashioned, I think any woman of any age can appreciate this fragrance. Definitely suited for spring & summer, it gives the impression of sweet blooming flowers, very fitting for the season and a major compliment getter.

this will always find a place in my heart...bought my first bottle at 13 and with the body spray have always kept one even if it doesn’t get sprayed that much..very powdery and musky..smells slightly like hairspray...this and the smell of max factor pan stik rimmel sun shimmer and impulse body spray is the foundation of my youth..

Strong and synthetic in a good way. This is has a long reach and lasting power. It's very Perfume with a capital P, with hefty floral notes befitting a dame. It reminds of Knowing because of its Wall-O-Scent production value. Talk about bang for your buck!

Muy parecido al de Elizabeth arden red door. Como es posible que un perfume tan economico tenga una estella y duracion por mas de 8 horas,esto es increíble.huele fino,femenino,elegante y muy sexy. Y el precio tan Solo 3.55 euros

I tried this scent a few days ago for the first time and I was impressed. It's a lovely floral, a very clean smell, delicate and feminine. Unfortunately it doesn't last long on my skin.

This perfume is reminiscent of the freshness of mixed scents of sunscreen on the beach on a summer afternoon. It is very light, fresh, sweet and pleasant.

Smells musky/woody with sandalwood, soapy with jasmine and orange blossom and slightly fruity. Smells very close to Amarige by Givenchy.

Extraordinary perfume !!! It’s like a warmer gentler Giorgio beverley hills -fantastic value Lasts a long time ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love it it smells really good I love it I can smell the powder and thr dry down is a sweet honey fruit smell

Omg this is lovely!! For the price its a no brainer🥰 Reminds me of Georgio Beverly Hills but softer.

So UK still has it? Ive had it long ago in SA, but like in the 90s Lovely frag, want it again

This scent to me smells like Red Door for casual occasions. I love the rosy makeup scent!

Simply adorable. I'll be floating in a cloud of white flowers. Just delightful.

I have Charlie Gold and Charlie Red. I love Red and I like Gold.

When I smelled libre from ysl Charlie came into my mind

This is the little sister of Giorgio Beverly Hills!