Cloud Intense by Ariana Grande is a limited-edition fragrance launched in 2021. It is advertised as the upgraded version of the world-famous Cloud. This addition to Ariana’s collection is an Amber Vanilla fragrance dedicated to women. It is often referred to as Cloud 2.0 and features a similar composition of notes as its famous predecessor.
| Perfume Name | Cloud |
| Brand | Ariana Grande |
| Year Released | 2021 |
| Concentration | Eau de parfum |
| Scent Family | Amber, Vanilla |
| Gender | Women |
Ariana described this perfume using the words:
“I love the peaceful beauty of clouds – they are both magical and comforting at the same time. I wanted to create this amazing feeling of hope and happiness, and share it with my fans everywhere. That’s what CLOUD is for me – a beautiful, optimistic scent to give love and comfort to anyone that sprays it.“
Since I had already tested the first version of the Cloud and I love with darker fragrances, I decided to get some samples of Cloud Intense and give it a try.
What does Cloud Intense by Ariana Grande Smell Like?
The combination of notes in Cloud Intense is kept pretty similar to the ones in Cloud. The top notes include Lavender, Bergamot, and Pear, while the middle notes are whipped cream, coconut, praline, and vanilla orchid. The change is visible in the base notes that now include cashmeran, ambroxan, musk and woodsy notes.
| Top Notes | Lavender, Bergamot, Pear |
| Middle Notes | Whipped cream, Coconut, Praline, Vanilla orchid |
| Base Notes | Cashmeran, Ambroxan, Musk, Woodsy Notes. |
Even though Cloud 2.0 is almost the same, the intensity of the notes is increased. Similar to the original Cloud, it gained huge popularity very soon after its release.
Cloud VS Cloud Intense
The launch of Cloud Intense was a surprise decision by Ariana and her team. The entire collection of fragrances under her name never featured a flanker. But due to the immense popularity of the Cloud, this does not come as too big of a shock.
What is so different about the Cloud 2.0 formula is the added base notes of cashmeran and ambroxan. These notes contribute to significantly darker and less sweet tones of Cloud Intense compared to the original Cloud.
The Cloud Intense is also warmer due to added elements that now make an equal dose of woody and musky tones in the base. The original Cloud, in my opinion, lacked depth and more heavy notes, which the 2.0 version has.
Because of these differences, I would say that these two fragrances represent day and night versions of the same composition of notes. In this comparison, I preferred Cloud Intense for its upgraded features.
My Experience
I was excited to try the darker version of the Cloud because I felt that this new version would have a less lavender presence. Also, I have always been a fan of darker fragrances since I find a musky vibe much more feminine than any sweet tones.
And I was not wrong. I enjoyed Cloud Intense. It made me feel edgy, especially since there were immediate coconut and vanilla notes. The creators managed to hold that impactful opening but without the unpleasant intensity of lavender.
The fruity notes of peach are still very present, with a bit citrusy effect. This combined great with a not-so-strong lavender and bergamot and yet obtained a similar opening to the Cloud. Even though the combination of notes is almost identical to the Cloud original, I think adding cashmeran makes Cloud 2.0 much more like the famous Baccarat Rouge 540.
On the other note, ambroxan brings warmness and made it appear as it had amber in the formula. Therefore I immediately knew that this fragrance was perfect for a night walk during autumn. Additionally, these base notes impacted Cloud Intense’s longevity and a very discrete sweetness. The fact that none of these two new notes seems revolutionary on their own fulfills the creators’ purpose. Cloud Intense is not doing anything new, but instead it is expanding the already successful formula.
Sillage & Projection
Cloud Intense has improved sillage compared to the original Cloud. Now this fragrance has moderate to a strong intensity that is very satisfactory. Also, Cloud Intense brings an excellent projection that is typical for darker scents.
Longevity & Versatility
The longevity of Cloud Intense is very good. Even the sample lasted for more than 8 hours on my skin. Again it is very much an individual experience, but I noticed quite an improvement compared to the original Cloud.
When it comes to versatility, this fragrance can easily be used both during the day and at night. I find it more suitable for the evening, even more for special and formal occasions during colder months.
Conclusion
The Cloud Intense is visibly different than the famous original predecessor. The simple combination of notes is very impactful, and the creators managed to achieve an almost new fragrance. Naturally, the similarity is very pleasant, but for my taste, I prefer darker Cloud.
I think that this fragrance expands the audience of Ariana’s collection. This is especially since it is very affordable. Also, it is stepping away from more sweet teenage scents that have been recognizable in prior fragrances in the collection.
Even though there were many concerns about repeating a scent, I will definitely purchase Cloud Intense. It performed very well, even as a sample. Cloud Intense represents a genuinely good fragrance for a reasonable amount of money.