Lady Gaga the performer is all about provocation and surprise, but her first fragrance, Fame, was anything but dramatic. When it came to creating Eau de Gaga, the singer was apparently much more hands-on, and for better or worse, offered plenty of opinions. So, what do we get in the elegant black bottle?
Spray Eau de Gaga liberally on your skin and take a deep inhale. If you expected candies and fluffy musk, then you’ll be surprised. It’s not sweet. It’s not fruity. Eau de Gaga is a green tea cologne, with a big dose of violet. A 21st century CK One, if you will. It has a bright and inviting introduction laced with lots of peppery citrus and green violet leaves. It’s sophisticated and polished.
The top notes of Eau de Gaga sold me instantly. While I enjoy all aspects of this fragrance, I especially love the tangy, crisp opening and the way perfumer Ursula Wandel conveyed a fresh, clean feeling. Like most green tea perfumes, Eau de Gaga was inspired by Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert‘s hazy violet accord, but it has more zest and spice. Worn next to Bulgari, Eau de Gaga holds its own in both sparkle and elegance.
After a while Eau de Gaga hits its stride with a big, juicy note that smells to me like something in between sugar dusted limes and tart green grapes. Clean woody notes and musk complete the picture. While the musk is soft and enveloping, there are enough sharp accents to keep Eau de Gaga squarely in the cologne category. But a very long-lasting cologne, I should add; I easily get a whole day out of two sprays of perfume. From start to finish, it remains sharp, citrusy and refreshing. Just like Lady Gaga promised, it’s equally appropriate for both men and women.
There is often a tendency among perfume lovers to dismiss celebrity perfumes for their lack of inspiration and their predictable themes. This, of course, can be applied to most of the fragrance market, not just the celebrity one, and more than anything it reflects the dull way in which brand managers view their clientele.
On the other hand, the same perfumers work on celebrity and high-end luxury brands, and discovering an inexpensive and good fragrance is always a treat. Eau de Gaga will hit the spot if you want a straightforward cologne and like green tea fragrances, from CK One to Elizabeth Arden Green Tea and Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert. Being a Lady Gaga fan is optional.
Lady Gaga Eau de Gaga Eau de Parfum is available at Sephora and other retailers. 30 ml (1oz)/30€, 50 ml (1.7oz)/40€, 75ml (1.7oz)/55€.
Do you have any favorite celebrity fragrances?
72 Comments
Sofie Goos: Well hello, how interesting… and affordable! I’m currently on the lookout for colognes and fresh perfumes (summer approaching here) and will defenitely give it a good try if I see it. It sounds completely different to what you would expect from seeing the packaging I find though. October 23, 2014 at 7:30am
Victoria: Yes, I imagined something different, but then again, my expectations weren’t high. I think that it will work well for summer, since it’s so refreshing. October 23, 2014 at 7:54am
George: This reminds me of You and I (the song) by One Direction: to anyone of the market age-group they are aiming for its a very nice pop song, but to anyone of an older age range it sounds like a re-hash of Heaven by Bryan Adams. It’s very easy to sell something that smells good but which already exists in some form to a teenage market because they haven’t got the built-in contrast and compare system that comes with experience; in the same way it’s very easy to sell the same product at exorbitant prices to those who will take the marketing at face value and not contrast and compare those goods with other goods available (not talking of Gaga here, whose product has a reasonable sounding price point). Commercially speaking, it makes sense to stick Gaga’s name on a fragrance similar to CK One et al (and it does sound very pleasant). But artistically, it doesn’t, and the slow-erosion of any sense of purpose as an artist (as exemplified by the gap between the fragrance and the image of the artist) will eventually have a negative impact on the commercial viability of that artist and any future projects. She’s onto a winner here I feel, but ultimately a loser, too. October 23, 2014 at 7:35am
Victoria: All perfumery is a twist on something else that came before. Mitsouko is a slightly dressed up version of Coty Chypre. Paco Rabanne Calandre and YSL Rive Gauche are pretty much the same thing, and yet both are considered great perfumes. Eau de Gaga is not a copy of Ck One after all, although it is in the same fresh citrusy vein. And in today’s climate when every single perfume for teenagers is a sugar bomb, this is a pleasant surprise. And it is really well-made. Not sure about Lady Gaga’s sense of purpose as an artist (I confess that I never listen to her music), but I like this perfume. October 23, 2014 at 7:53am
George: The last (and recent) picture of Lady Gaga I saw had her wearing an inverted pentagram with Stefani written across: identifying yourself with Satan whilst at the same time launching a perfume that can be mentioned in the same breath as Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea, which- via its name- is also strongly identified with Gaga- emphasises the bogusness of all efforts. I don’t think I can bothered with a fragrance- however pleasant- that comes from a place of ugliness. October 24, 2014 at 3:42am
Victoria: Yes, that’s the trouble with the celebrity perfumes and one of the reasons why I don’t like the celebrity endorsements as a concept. If you really dislike what a celebrity stands for, there is little to inspire to try the products they put their name on. October 24, 2014 at 10:45am
Michaela: What a surprise! Neither the name nor the packaging suggest a sparkling, refreshing fragrance. I’ll try it for sure when I find it.
I haven’t tried many celebrities fragrances. So far I liked very much Elizabeth Taylor’s Black Pearls, Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker, and the drydown of Madonna’s Truth or Dare (the only perfume I washed off my hands the first time I tried it, then I gave it another try and absolutely loved its tame drydown and tenacity). October 23, 2014 at 7:52am
Victoria: You and I share a few favorites then! I would have named those perfumes, and I’d add White Diamonds too. Elizabeth Taylor’s whole collection was excellent, if one loves dramatic, glitzy perfumes. The fragrances really matched the names, packaging, Liz’s image. Apparently, she had a very good nose and participated a lot in the course of development. October 23, 2014 at 8:03am
Michaela: White Diamonds is such a memorable perfume. It was never ‘me’, I don’t like it, but I admire it very much for being so distinctive. I know what it is when I smell it, although I met it years and years ago and never owned it. October 23, 2014 at 9:44am
Victoria: It’s not really “me” either, and it feels more of a perfume costume when I wear it (or rather, it wears me), but what a gem. No pun intended! 🙂 October 23, 2014 at 11:34am
Annette Reynolds: It’s funny, I never “knew” White Diamonds at all when it was in its heyday. Then, one day last summer, I rang a neighbors doorbell to ask her something. When she answered the door, the most beautiful fragrance wafted out and before I could say anything else I blurted out: “What is that perfume you’re wearing?!” When she told me, I was blown away. That afternoon I immediately went online, found a small bottle and bought it without even trying it on myself first. I didn’t regret it… My husband loves it on me.
But like you, Victoria, I feel like I’m wearing a costume! That’s a very appropriate way of describing the sensation. So I only wear it at night, when I want to disguise myself. 😉 October 23, 2014 at 12:04pm
Kate: I saw White Diamonds at Marshalls the other day for a steal. The written notes are exactly what I like, but I still worry it might be too much. October 23, 2014 at 4:10pm
Annette Reynolds: Hi Kate! If it’s the perfume and priced under $20 I’d go for it! Also, there’s a lot of it on eBay, and I think I even saw a sample for $1.99.
Here’s a link to the perfume on eBay: a good price since you can make an offer, so might be able to get it for under $19!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WHITE-DIAMONDS-FOR-WOMEN-1-7-OZ-50-ML-EDP-EAU-DE-PARFUM-SPRAY-UN-BOXED-/390945579861?pt=fragrance&hash=item5b062c2355
If you don’t like it you can always pass it along to someone who might!
Have fun… October 23, 2014 at 6:28pm
Victoria: It’s probably too much, even for those who like those notes, but that’s what makes it fun. October 24, 2014 at 10:48am
Victoria: Sometimes that’s exactly the right thing, isn’t it! And it’s a fun perfume. I also have received a few compliments on it, probably because it’s so big. It’s hard not to notice it. 🙂 October 24, 2014 at 10:47am
Alessandra: Wow. What a refreshing novelty! Looking forward to trying it, and maybe buying it, for summer. I confess I really disliked the first Lady Gaga perfume… this one already sounds a thousand miles better. Agreed on it being perhaps a very refreshing novelty after the sugar trend for teenagers 🙂 October 23, 2014 at 8:02am
Victoria: For that alone, I’d give it high marks. I hope that it does well. October 23, 2014 at 8:04am
Annikky: I was actually looking forward to this one even without your review. It was said to have violet, wood and leather and this combination is always interesting to me (and I liked the bottle). Although it seems a bit different than what I imagined based on the notes, I’ll definitely try it. Me and Gaga have some scent history, as I’m a fan of the black Fame soap. October 23, 2014 at 8:04am
Victoria: I didn’t pay attention to the notes, because Fame also promised something much more cutting-edge than it delivered, so I didn’t even remember what it was supposed to smell like when I first tried. And I was pleasantly surprised by Eau de Gaga.
Does Fame soap smell close to the perfume itself? October 23, 2014 at 8:23am
James1051: Will a perfume named Eau de Gaga find buyers other than fans of her music? I doubt it, but what do I know. This is the exclusive province of marketing pros, which I am not. Anyway cross selling to fans of her music may be very very lucrative for all I know, even if they never sell bottle to a non-fan. October 23, 2014 at 8:08am
Victoria: Well, it found me, and I’m as far from a Lady Gaga fan as it is possible to imagine. 🙂 But seriously, I don’t know, since I’m not a marketing specialist either. You must be right. October 23, 2014 at 8:20am
Michaela: I think you are right. I would have never ever searched for this perfume without Victoria’s review. October 23, 2014 at 9:01am
Sarah: Nope, neither would I especially since Fame smelled like a laundry detergent on me. October 23, 2014 at 3:48pm
Ariadne: Yeah, I would be inclined to make up a name if asked what I was wearing when wearing it. October 23, 2014 at 10:12am
Michaela: Me, too. I alreay thought of ‘Oh, a cologne, I forgot which one, sorry’ 🙂 October 23, 2014 at 10:43am
Austenfan: What a pleasant surprise! I join you in the non-fan club of Gaga, but will definitely try this as I like the genre and find it hugely refreshing to see a fragrance that doesn’t cost the earth! October 23, 2014 at 8:32am
Victoria: Yes, the price point is very attractive, but regardless, I like the clean green tea perfumes, and this one fits the bill. October 23, 2014 at 9:09am
Hamamelis: Thank you Victoria for reviewing perfumes that I (and I think others) would easily pass by! A well made perfume that doesn’t break the bank sounds very good here. I saw it will also sell in 15 ml, that is nice too. Meanwhile I do enjoy the 4711 in my bath, such a good suggestion. And will listen to Bach or Van Morrison when I am soaking, and leave the Lady G. for my nieces… October 23, 2014 at 8:53am
Victoria: I was so disappointed with Fame that I almost passed this one up. But I’m glad I tried it. It is on a sharp, crisp side, not at all sweet, so it might seem a bit masculine to someone who likes their citrus perfumes soft and floral, but if you don’t mind the sharpness of 4711, then you might enjoy EdG too. October 23, 2014 at 9:10am
Hamamelis: Sometimes a bit of a crisp and sharp bite in citrus is what I look for, e.g. when I need to concentrate, or feel a bit foggy in my head and need to be productive nevertheless. I usually use Eau Dynamisante, a scent companion I always enjoyed, also in the preperfumista area. Soft and floral in citrus is also wonderful for other moods or needs. We are so lucky to be spoilt for choice and to have your thoroughly enjoyable blog to assist in finding what we need. October 23, 2014 at 9:43am
Victoria: Happy to help! 🙂
Interesting that you mention wearing crisp, sharp citrus when you need to be productive. I do the same thing, and it helps me tremendously. Sharp incense also works well for that, even though ordinarily it is not a type of fragrance I enjoy wearing. October 23, 2014 at 11:28am
donnakitt: As a graphic designer, I assess the packaging, bottle shape and label design to see if it fits with the fragrance concept. In this case, I never would have guessed from the sultry red box and shiny black formal bottle that this was a tea scent — crisp and citrusy. I’m interested to try it side by side with au Thé Vert. As always, thanks for your informative reviews. Your writing has taught me so much about the world of perfume. October 23, 2014 at 9:26am
Victoria: I know what you mean! It’s a mixed signal. I have to say that I like the top of Eau de Gaga more than that of The Vert, but The Vert has a softer, more nuanced drydown. Anyway, it’s worth comparing them. October 23, 2014 at 11:26am
Portia: I am pleased that this time Gaga has given us something worth contemplating, does that then mean that we are now her market or is she trying to educate her posse?
I do like the packaging, have you held the bottle Victoria? Is it hefty?
Portia x October 23, 2014 at 9:38am
Victoria: A perfumista is probably not the target for this perfume. It is a straightforward green tea cologne, nothing that would be as Robin of NST likes to put it, the perfumista’s bait. What I love about it is that it has a clear character, wears really well and feels fun and refreshing.
The bottle is very nice, even better than in the photos, and yes, it’s hefty. October 23, 2014 at 11:25am
Aisha: Green tea and violets?! YAY! And Wow! That is unexpected, considering the bottle design. But maybe that’s what she was going for … that whole “looks can be deceiving” thing. I recently watched several YouTube videos of her singing some old standards. I was equally surprised by how lovely of a voice she actually has. Anyway, I’m definitely trying this one. October 23, 2014 at 9:54am
Annikky: I don’t qualify as a Lady Gaga fan, but I absolutely love, love her version of The Lady is a Tramp with Tony Bennett (also on Youtube). October 23, 2014 at 9:58am
Victoria: I think you’re right. A cologne is the last thing you’d expect out of that bottle, so that’s already enough to catch one’s attention.
She does have a remarkable voice, that’s without any doubt! October 23, 2014 at 11:38am
Aurora: I couldn’t resist trying this at Boots last week. And then I thought I was mistaken as I had spritzed several other perfumes on my wrists and inner arms.
In the end I had to admit that it was indeed Eau de Gaga, so it is confusing getting this scent from that bottle and I was pleasantly surprised.
And I love the name: Eau de Gaga it makes me smile October 23, 2014 at 9:55am
Victoria: The name makes me smile too.
I had a similar situation when I first tried it at the store. I smelled several perfumes, but one in particular stayed with me and it turned out to be Eau de Gaga. And here I thought that I didn’t like colognes and avoided them for a while! 🙂 October 23, 2014 at 11:40am
Lynley: I think I’d try any tea fragrance, regardless if the name on the bottle. It sounds really nice, and the bottle and packaging is lovely. And kudos to Lady G for having a hand in the making of something that’s representing her. I look forward to trying it. October 23, 2014 at 10:56am
Victoria: The packaging is great! That glossy black bottle is so very chic. October 23, 2014 at 11:43am
Elisa: Echoing everybody else’s “wow”! And the packaging reminds me of By Kilian. October 23, 2014 at 11:01am
Victoria: You’re right, it does! Actually, I need to smell it next to Kilian’s Bamboo Tea and see how it compares. October 23, 2014 at 11:41am
Sarah: I love the contrast in the packaging and the perfume is different from what I thought it would be. Thanks for a reivew. October 23, 2014 at 3:47pm
Victoria: Yes, it’s almost jarring! October 24, 2014 at 10:56am
josie: I can’t wait to try it. Is it in the US already? October 23, 2014 at 4:00pm
Victoria: I believe so, but I’m not sure. Here in Europe I’ve seen it at Sephora and Boots. October 24, 2014 at 10:59am
Eric: What I love about this blog is that you review everything, from mass to niche. My favorite celebrity perfume is Unforgivable for Men. I also liked Sarah Jessica Parker’s Covet on my friend. October 23, 2014 at 4:40pm
Victoria: All perfumes are made by the pretty much the same people, and the differences between luxury and mass market products are sometimes negligible. 🙂 October 24, 2014 at 11:00am
Andy: This sounds really nice! Another green tea cologne is never a bad thing. Perhaps this reinterpretation of CK One will be more pleasing to me than its progenitor. And it will be fun to compare it next to Au Thé Vert as well. October 23, 2014 at 5:22pm
Victoria: I’d be curious to hear what you think, Andy. I like it more than CK One, since it smells less neon-bright and sharp. October 24, 2014 at 11:01am
AnnieA: The two celebrity fragrances I own are Adam Levine for Her, a cozy sweater, and Rossy de Palma Eau de Protection, a rose with thorns. October 23, 2014 at 6:08pm
Victoria: I haven’t tried Adam Levine’s perfumes, but I heard very good things about them. And Rossy de Palma’s fragrance is wonderful. Also, the one Etat Libre d’Orange made for Tilda Swinton is great. October 24, 2014 at 11:02am
Lynn Morgan: I’ve found so-called “celebrity” perfumes to be almost universally hideous, but then I really don’t actually want to smell like Britney Spears, especially when she spells it like that. I think White Diamonds is a ghastly scent, more cubic zirconia that D-flawless, but Black Pearls was actually kind of pretty. Oddly enough, Kim Kardashian’s first scent was a very pretty gardenia and tuberose white floral, but I’d never be caught dead wearing something so gauche. Madonna’s Truth or Dare tried the tuberose experiment and failed utterly- I gagged in Macy’s! But the most disappointing celeb fragrance was Deneuve back in the day. The most beautiful woman in France, and the one most closely associated with Chanel#5 in the eighties, lent her name to a perfume that smelled like disinfectant. So much for “La Belle du Jour”.It wasn’t precisely a “celebrity fragrance” but Guvenchy supposedly created ‘L’Interdit” for Audrey Hepburn, and it is as fresh and chic and lovely as she ever was. October 23, 2014 at 7:19pm
Victoria: I thought Deneuve perfume was terrific, but it was a major flop! October 24, 2014 at 11:03am
rosarita: Thanks for the review,V! I would never have given this a second glance without reading your words here. October 23, 2014 at 9:47pm
Victoria: Please let me know what you think when you try it! October 24, 2014 at 11:03am
Lej: I hava an off topic question – is there a proper way to open a Chanel parfum bottle? Is there a way to work the silk cord off without cutting it? Or am I just being crazy? This is the first time I’ve ever purchased the extract do Parfum & I think I’m just afraid to open it!
Thanks for listening! October 23, 2014 at 10:36pm
Victoria: I had an article on this very topic:
https://boisdejasmin.com/2014/03/baudruchage-how-to-open-perfume-bottles.html October 24, 2014 at 11:05am
Figuier: Thanks for a great review of a perfume I would *never* have thought to try! I love green tea perfumes so will have to try this next time I’m in Boots.
But – I have to say that the beautiful bottle and box are, for me, distressingly at odds with the fresh tea cologne of the contents. I’ve never thought of myself as someone who values packaging, but I really do think I’d be unwilling to buy a product which induces such a degree of cognitive dissonance. I think I’ll stick with the visual/olfactory decorum of Bvlgari’s green tea. October 24, 2014 at 5:14am
Victoria: I experienced this with Kilian’s colognes which are packaged in similar bottles. But it is also kind of exciting and surprising–you expect one thing and out comes something else. 🙂 October 24, 2014 at 11:07am
Amer: These are great news indeed! Yes, I am a green tea fan in general, not only in perfumes. I always liked the Bulgari interpretation but found it too timid for me. I am looking forward for this and the bottle looks great too. Somewhere between channel and Killian. Only problem is it comes out in the wrong season for cologne. October 24, 2014 at 7:22am
Victoria: I really think that the seasonality doesn’t matter as much for most perfume wearers as for those of us who have larger wardrobes and calibrate their fragrances to moods, weather, etc. This perfume would be great on a hot summer day, though, but I enjoy wearing it now because I crave a boost of some sort. The weather has been so grey and oppressive. October 24, 2014 at 11:09am
Michaela: I bought it yesterday thank you again, I’m so happy. I would have always ignored it without your review. Excellent cologne, and it lasts all day long. I still love Bulgari The Vert best, but I’ll certainly wear this one a lot! It’s so sparkling. And I like the bottle very much, despite I usually don’t care for bottles.
My only problem is I won’t probably confess I wear… Gaga. Call it snobbery, but I’ll say ‘I don’t remember exactly… it’s an Eau… well, a Coty cologne’ 🙂 November 7, 2014 at 4:46am
Victoria: So glad that you liked it! I find very uplifting and the top notes are especially inviting. I, on the other hand, love saying that I’m wearing Eau de Gaga. The name is so funny to me! November 7, 2014 at 4:51am
camille: This is lovely! On my skin I get no citrus but a gorgeous violet tea fragrance that is getting better the longer I wear it! Wow.
I must admit Victoria that your review gave me the impetus to try this one and I’m so glad I did – I’m the proud owner of a bottle despite being a bit of a perfume snob (my purchase before this was Chanel’s Sycamore) January 8, 2015 at 12:04pm
Katy McReynolds: Just scored a small bottle at Walgreens for $19.99! July 31, 2015 at 1:50pm
Victoria: Wow! A great deal. 🙂 August 1, 2015 at 6:14am
Mos’ Beth: Apparently this one isn’t going over too well on the market, as I just bought a bottle at TJMax for $12.99. It was a blind buy, and I’m really enjoying the bit I sprayed on paper. I fully agree with your assessment, Victoria, and comparison to Eau The Vert. The base of this is less interesting, but I like the added sparkle of the top and heart. Thanks for the lovely review. I have rarely, if ever, had good luck with blind buys, so I’m happy about this one. I also bought a $12.99 bottle of JS Fancy Nights to less success, but at these prices, that’s fine. I like to leave bottles in public restrooms where they might be found by someone who can’t indulge themself often. October 26, 2015 at 5:20pm
Domestic Goblin: I’ve been annoyed with the continued rise in price for the Bvlgari Au The Vert in recent years so finally decided to give Eau de Gaga a go since it was only £12! September 2, 2016 at 2:10pm
Victoria: Good for you! 🙂 September 2, 2016 at 2:19pm