Halle Berry Closer EDP Perfume Review

Halle Berry Closer EDP Perfume Review

Date: 2013.02.25 | Category: fragrance | Tags: aquatic florals,aquatic fragrances,celeb perfume,celebrity perfume,fougere,fresh fragrance,Halle Berry,mainstream fragrance,perfume review,raspberry

Mainstream Monday: Sniffing a Popular Perfume

I’m fascinated by Halley Berry Closer. It’s not the fragrance. It’s the marketing. Many of us hardcore fragrance people talk about gender and fragrance marketing. It’s all about the merchandising and the bottle. Closer could have easily been thrown in another bottle, maybe with David Beckham’s name on it and it would only be worn by young dudes. I’m really interested in seeing if this one will be a big seller like the other Halle Berry perfumes or if it will be perceived as too masculine for many women (that are interested in Halle Berry perfumes) to wear. This really was a ballsy move for a mainstream fragrance. From what I’m seeing on-line, many women are calling this a “cologne” and not something that they’d wear. I’ve seen it compared from anything from D&G for Men to Cool Water for Men.

Closer opens as a mainstream masculine with aquatic, metallic notes with melons, fresh citrus and raspberries. I’m reminded of Azzaro Chrome! Hubs says it smells exactly like Ralph Lauren Polo Black. With time the lily blossoms, it’s aquatic and floral but not overly feminine since I still pick up on metallic watery notes and astringent cedar. This could still be marketed as a masculine perfume even with the floral lily notes. The dry down of Closer is soft and woody and reminds me exactly of something else….something mainstream and masculine.

Closer isn’t a gender-bender fragrance in its composition. It’s a modern day masculine that would usually be marketed to teenage boys now marketed to women. Fragrance people like to believe that “normal” (non-fragrance) people will buy whatever is marketed to them but I don’t see women buying this because I keep seeing it referred to as “cologne” on beauty blogs. Here’s the deal with celeb scents, people buy them in hopes to smell like that celebrity. “Fresh, aquatic masculine” is not what one will associate with Halle Berry. The person that wants to smell like Halle Berry wants to smell floral and feminine. Halle Berry doesn’t really attract a gender queer audience. I think an Agyness Deyn or in all seriousness Reba McEntire would have been better celebrities for this fragrance.

Hubs calls this the Halle Berry Goro (from Mortal Kombat)

Notes listed include ozone, wild raspberry, water lily, mimosa, violet, cedar, fougere accord, vanilla bean pod, mahogany cashmere and musk. Launch date 2012.PERFUMER – Jacques Cavallier

Give Closer a try if you like aquatic masculine florals. Or if you like the idea of wearing a man’s fragrance marketed to a woman.

Closer has above average projection and sillage in my opinion.

Closer is available at mass market stores and drugstores. The 1 oz bottle retails for $25.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Teenage boy fragrance marketed to women – Like I said, I find this fascinating. I’m interested in seeing how the general public responds. I like the idea, but honestly, it smells too “right now” masculine, meaning it smells like the past 25 years of mainstream masculine perfumes. Women will associate this with ex-boyfriends, husband, even their dads. I imagine that this won’t be an easy one to sell. But, I could be wrong. If I had a 13 year old nephew, I’d buy him this. That’s what this Auntie Mame does.

Want more reviews? Try…

Fragrantica

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National Post

*Disclaimer – Product provided by PR. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic is mine. Halle Berry “Goro” ad from Fragrantica.

6 Responses to “Halle Berry Closer EDP Perfume Review”

Barbara 13/02/25 14:28

I too was fascinated by the marketing for this. I’ve got the original Halle Berry and consider it one of my cheap thrill fragrances.
LOL at “that’s what this Auntie Mame does”.I have a 17 year-old son and would never consider this for him after your review because of my deep dislike of aquatic scents.

Reply
- Victoria 13/02/25 18:24
  
  It’s sooo different than the other Halle Berry perfumes (which I have reviewed and liked).
  
  Your son will thank you
  
  Reply
breathesgelatin 13/02/26 14:11

I like the idea of crossover scents. Like Kate Walsh Boyfriend. However, it seems like an amber is going to be a more obvious crossover than an aquatic. I also agree that Halle Berry isn’t one that I would have guessed would experiment in this way…
breathesgelatin recently posted..Two from Atelier Cologne and a perfumista heresy

Reply
- Victoria 13/02/26 16:02
  
  I like the idea too and that is one of the reasons I volunteered to try this “classic fougere for women”. I was really surprised of the masculine aquaticness of this one. I expected more vetiver, more green and more of the woodsy notes. I think women are more willing to wear those notes. I don’t think we’re ready for “ozone” and “aquatics”
  
  IMO, it’s a weird choice for Halle Berry. Her other perfumes were feminine and flowery. I’m curious to hear what a fan of hers or a fan of her other perfumes think of this one.
  
  Reply
Wordbird 13/02/26 15:29

It’s interesting, isn’t it?
I know that before I became a perfumista, I described myself as ‘different’ where perfumes were concerned. I have never liked florals and often tried men’s fragrances in my search for something that suited me, but didn’t want to have to admit to wearing ‘aftershave’.(I was a teen in the 80s, things were more rigid back then.) I would have loved to try this, as it probably would suit me.
I still will try it if I get the chance, but nowadays I’m just as happy to say ‘I’m wearing Pour un Homme de Caron’ as I am to say ‘I’m wearing Parfum Sacre’. Ah, the 21st century is so relaxed.

Reply
- Victoria 13/02/26 15:59
  
  In high school I wore men’s fragrances too. I would never say I’m wearing “Burberry for Men”, I just said “Burberry”. Actually if I had smelled this Halle Berry back then, I would have totally bought it.
  
  People have gotten more lax. I guess that is what I find interesting about this one too. I think many of today’s men and women aren’t scared to say what they are actually wearing.
  
  *LOVE Caron Pour un Homme BTW!
  
  Reply