This scent reminds me so much of Burberry Brit Red, when I spray one Red on one wrist and this (the edp) on the other, I find them indistinguishable until the dry down, upon which the Nicole scent lasts longer. If I had to guess I would say the notes in this are Vanilla and Rhubarb, maybe baked goods and some Benzoin... with my chemistry this is very fruity Gourmand. Not my cup of tea.

I haven't been keeping up with the latest celebrity fragrance releases lately, so when I saw a bottle of Nicole by Nicole Richie at Ross (yes, Ross for Dress for Less) I was a bit surprised that she released a fragrance. Since it was only 19.99, I bought it without even bothering to smell it first. Yep, I'm a rebel.


I got it home and unwrapped it and was relieved to discover it doesn't stink to high heaven. It fact, it's downright pleasant. I do not know how to identify top notes or specific scents in perfumes, so I can't enlighten anyone about that. I just know what I like and I do like Nicole. When I looked up the perfume on the 'net, Richie described the perfume as being reminiscent of the exotic oils her mother used to wear when she was a child. It does in fact smell like that. Not at all cheap or overly fruity/floral like so many celebrity perfumes tend to be. In my opinion, this is a warmer scent that probably would lend itself better to the fall and winter months. It's a bit on the heavy side and would probably be a bit overwhelming in the summer. As for staying power, Nicole lasts a good seven to eight hours on me.


I would recommend this to others if you're into non-floral, non-fruity perfumes. If you can find it for $20, so much the better!

Berry notes seem to be popping up in most new mainstream perfumes now and NICOLE RICHIE opens with a rich blackberry note. I can't pick up the Seville oranges, but I can make out what I think is raspberry. These berry notes are long and distinctive, so carries down to the heart of the perfume.


I'm not able to separate any floral notes apart from the listed rose and a hint of lily from the sweetly powdered floral jumble heart of the fragrance, as the patchouli develops quickly and lasts for the duration of the perfume. The rose mixes with the slightly spicy vanilla, for a pleasant 'Turkish Delight' aroma. I'm not familiar with papyrus, but I'm guessing that it is responsible for the slightly bitter spiciness that hides under the sweeter notes.


There is no strong indication between the heart notes and the base, thanks to the constant presence of the powdery floral/vanilla mix and patchouli. The soft, creamy cashmere and sandalwood mingled closely together so it is a warm, comforting mix, that is again similar to the heart notes.


Official scent notes: blackberries, oranges, golden amber, Moroccan rose, lily of the valley, papyrus, cashmere, sandalwood, sugared patchouli and vanilla.




I find NICOLE RICHIE sweet-but-not-too-sweet, creamy, slightly spicy and also woody, so I think it is perfect for the colder weather, although it's something that I'd probably wear all year round as the juicy fruits stop everything else from becoming too much.


NICOLE RICHIE is very wearable and can be worn to work, casual wear/weekends and crowded parties, but it's not unique enough to make me feel glamorous on special occasions.


Overall: NICOLE RICHIE is pleasant and easy to wear. The reasonable price and good longevity [between six and eight hours] make up for the lack of originality, so the perfume is a pretty good buy and a nice gift choice. I'm not sure if I'd rebuy it, before checking out altrnatives.