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I tested *every* Ariana Grande perfume: here’s the tea
Did you know that Ari has released 10 different fragrances?!
While many of us document our eras with Instagram dumps, Ariana Grande records hers (no pun intended) through pop bangers and perfumes. The multi-award-winning pop star and Glinda the Good Witch has, in fact, released so many fragrance products that they trace her very evolution as an artist. If I were a $$$ beauty mogul, I would do the same!
Her first perfume Ari launched in 2015, and her most recent fragrance drop was Cloud Pink circa summer 2023. Eight years of sweet-smelling, sculptural bottled releases have given us some bestsellers, but with so many perfumes to shop, where does one start? 'Tis an eternal sunshine of possibilities... soz.
Well, subjecting myself to God’s work (she is a woman, after all), I took it upon myself to sniff every single Ariana Grande perfume that I could get my hands on to bring you a ranking of the very best. Scent is subjective of course, but I sought to breakdown the key notes, differences and similarities between them all.
So if you’re seeking to invest in one of Ariana Grande’s coveted products, here’s my honest thoughts, tips and tricks to finding your perfect perfume match.
If floral, fruity, gourmand fragrances are your jam (pun intended), then this is the Ari perfume for you. The underlying dried coconut scent glides in beneath the fruity top notes and confectionary base for a powdery – yet not overpowering – lasting finish.
Top notes: Raspberry and pear
Middle notes: Coconut and pink rose
Base notes: Macarons and musk
Sweet toothed and sensual? Vanilla and chocolate notes this way. MOD Vanilla is your skin but better, making for a natural and comforting finish. Cocoa butter elevated.
Top notes: Musk, plum and pink freesia
Middle notes: Praline and orris root
Base notes: Vanilla and cacao Butter
If you like pinã coladas, look no further. This pink iteration of the OG Cloud scent is for the fruity cocktail gals. On initial sniff, you're met with a fruit punch that descends into creamy coconut water. The more the fragrance sits on your skin, the smoother, more diffused it gets. Hours after, you'll notice the base notes of praline coming into effect to give a velvety chocolate finish.
Top notes: Pitahaya, wild berries and pineapple
Middle notes: Coconut water, vanilla orchid and ambrette
Base notes: Praline, musk, amberwood and moss
Second to Sweet Like Candy, this perfume is at the top end of my sugar scale. However, while it does initially smell like walking into one of those massive candy stores on London’s Oxford Street (IYKYK), the Turkish rose notes do make for a sensuous floral undertone.
Top notes: Pear and ambrette (musk mallow)
Middle notes: Orris and Turkish rose
Base notes: Madagascar vanilla and sandalwood
While MOD Vanilla profiles chocolate, MOD Blush takes on more of a floral scent. It's reminiscent of a daiquiri cocktail... but a sophisticated daiquiri at that (not the two-for-ones you get in the dive bar near your workplace). The pink pepper top note cuts through to keep it feeling chic, not childish.
Top notes: Raspberry, passionfruit, pink pepper and bergamot
Middle notes: Rose, pear and magnolia
Base notes: Musk, dreamwood, ambroxan and sandalwood
R.E.M. is a fragrance that spotlights a muskier side of lavender. I found the scent didn’t last long on my skin, but it does linger on clothing. The snug notes of marshmallow, quince, fig and salted caramel certainly do make up for it. Unlike its sculptural bottle would have you believe, the scent itself is somewhat simple – in the best way possible!
Top notes: Zefir, caramel, salt, fig and quince
Middle notes: Lavender and pear blossom
Base notes: Musk, tonka bean and sandalwood
From niche perfume lovers and TikTokers to Ariana Grande fans (and stans), Cloud has won the hearts of many. It’s one of the brand's bestsellers.
While most perfumes in this lineup make use of sugary notes, the OG Cloud diverges from the pack. It mixes vanilla with hints of lavender, and as the scent settles on the skin, it becomes sensual and woody. A caramelised coconut scent lingers. That might sound like richness overload, but it’s is still very much fresh feeling, promise!
Top notes: Lavender, pear and bergamot
Middle notes: Whipped cream, praline, coconut and vanilla orchid
Base notes: Musk and woody notes
As its name would suggest, Sweet Like Candy is... well... sweet. While definitely sugary, the notes of bergamot save us from any more of a sickly blow. It’s a cosmopolitan blend of flavours, vanilla and cashmere wood included. Chic!
Top notes: Blackberry, pear and bergamot
Middle notes: Whipped cream, marshmallow, black currant, frangipani, jasmine and honeysuckle
Base notes: Vanilla and cashmere wood
In the words of Nicki Minaj, “Ariana, what are you doing here?”
Ari was the musician’s very first perfume and one that we would base her scent preferences on. A debut is a debut.
The first burst of scent from first spray is definitely raspberry, followed by a strong floral from the rose and lily middle notes. It does dry down to be more subtle very quickly. With such an intricate marriage of floral, fruity and gourmand scents, it makes it pretty universal to most people’s tastes. Yum.
Top notes: Raspberry, pear and grapefruit
Middle notes: Vanilla orchid, rose and lily-of-the-valley
Base notes: Marshmallow, musk and woody notes
Cloud 2.0 – or Cloud Intense, as some people know it – is perhaps one of Ari’s most divisive scents. The musky, woody praline isn’t for everyone – but for those who like a stronger, more alluring musk, it’s giving femme fatale. The vanilla and lavender top notes keep it to the signature Ari scent palette too. It’s described as an amber vanilla, so think of this perfume as warm, inviting and creamy. Full of character. IMO, it’s one of Ariana's best.
Top notes: Lavender, bergamot and pear
Middle notes: Whipped cream, praline, coconut and vanilla orchid
Base notes: Cashmeran, ambroxan, musk and woodsy notes
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
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