Is Blush the ace face? [reviewing Mod Blush edp, by Ariana Grande]

                   Modern. Sensual. Disruptive - introducing Ariana Grande MOD, 

                                                the new fragrance collection. 

                  

Choose to be an original with MOD, the new fragrance collection from Ariana Grande. A new, elevated collection that celebra4tes both the power of duality and the intoxicating freedom of expression. Innovative and sexy, the new fragrance duo of Mod Vanilla and Mod Blush create an intimate yet powerful experience.

Intoxicating and sensual, MOD Blush opens with a rich blend of fruits, energized by sparkling pink pepper to create an alluring introduction.

The intriguing heart is a luxurious floral blend, accented with a touch of pear for a breathtaking evolution on skin.

A seductive dry down leaves an INTIMATE AND SUPPORTIVE luxurious impression.

As someone who loves vanilla, coconut, orris, and praline, Mod Vanilla was the half of the Mod duo that I had been looking forward to getting the most, but ultimately I was left underwhelmed by just how similar the fragrance is to a couple of previous Ariana Grande fragrance releases.

I couldn't find the Mod perfumes in any shops around me to test them, so I ended up buying them blind when the Superdrug site had a price offer on, and Mod Vanilla left me kicking myself for not waiting to test before buying [to be fair to me, Mod Vanilla is still not available in any stores near me].

Here's hoping that Mod Blush can make up for Mod Vanilla, and make me feel that I haven't totally wasted my money...

Mod Blush is much more energetic from immediate application, in comparison to Mod Vanilla; berries, coconut & passionfruit, with citrusy undertones thanks to the bergamot, and this fruit smoothie is lightly spiced by the pink pepper. I would have preferred the bergamot and pink pepper to last longer than they do, but it it is the berries & coconut blend that lasts into the floral heart of the fragrance.

The biggest plus to Mod Blush over Mod Vanilla is the rich florals - most of the Ariana Grande fragrances struggle with the floral accords, but Mod Blush contains some floral notes that are pretty easy to separate from the fruity notes. As well as the listed bergamot, magnolia & rose, I get freesia, peony, and jasmine. The pear mingles with the lingering berry & coconut blend in the background.

There is vanilla/marshmallow and something slightly nutty in the base, alongside the ambroxan, sandalwood and musk, so the usual Ariana Grande perfume vibe is never far away. Dreamwood is a mix of sandalwood & amber, so yeah, the vibe is being pushed.

Official listed key scent notes: passionfruit, raspberry, pink pepper, bergamot, magnolia, rose, pear, musk, dreamwood, sandalwood and ambroxan.

I do think that Mod Blush is better than Mod Vanilla in terms of sillage; Mod Blush has the same 5/6 hour longevity, but the fragrance doesn't wear as close to the skin. In Ariana Grande fragrance terms there's a strong hint of Sweet Like Candy, mixed with God Is A Woman here, so Mod Blush doesn't get much credit for originality - nicely done combination though. At the end of the day Mod Blush is very nice, but the meh longevity and lack of originality make it a "only buy on special offer" type of purchase imo.

The really bad news here is that the Mod fragrances are only available in 100ml bottles, costing £53 each - smaller bottles are definitely needed, since ideally you are meant to buy both Mod editions for layering together. I don't think that £53 is close to reasonable for perfumes with such iffy longevity, and £106 for the 'full experience' is so not worth it.

You can purchase Mod Blush from the regular retailers that stock Ariana Grande perfumes; Superdrug, Boots, The Perfume Store, The Fragrance Shop etc...