I am probably in the same place as the large cosmetics companies in trying to figure out what younger fragrance consumers want. I am interested whenever I feel there is an attempt to try something slightly different to attract them. It sometimes shows up in the most surprising places; like a bottle of Ariana Grande Cloud.
When I say younger consumers, I am generally not speaking of those as young as the demographic which makes up Ms. Grande’s fan base. While I can see Cloud appealing to some of them this fits more securely in the style of transparent gourmands which is looking for admirers a few years older. Up until now it has been floral gourmands which have been the early choice. Cloud changes to a style of fruity gourmand without using the usual suspects of berry overload. Perfumer Clement Gavarry creates something quite nice.
Clement Gavarry
The fruit being used on top is juicy pear. M. Gavarry adds a supporting note of lavender but it is the fruit which is ascendant. The core of cloud is a toasted marshmallow accord. M. Gavarry uses a clever trio of vanilla, coconut and praline to form a cloud of sticky fluff. This might all sound like a sickly-sweet mixture, but this is pitched at a more transparent level. It is sweet but not overly so. I enjoyed this marshmallow accord at the heart of Cloud. It is easy to detect the three pieces, all of which are gourmand notes themselves, while also experiencing the accord. That makes it somewhat more dynamic than it might seem; which was what I experienced while wearing it. M. Gavarry pulls it all together with a set of white musks and soft synthetic woods to keep this cloud afloat.
Cloud has 8-10 hour longevity and average sillage.
I am overall enjoying this expansion of the gourmand category because it is a style which has a lot of room to grow. It is why a good perfume heading in a different direction stands out. Cloud is a toasted marshmallow cumulus puff drifting that way.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample from Ulta.
–Mark Behnke
