Hollister Perfume Guide: Smell Like a Modern Lady

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Caroline Lambert

Are you looking for someone that’s going to be open and honest with you about the scents that are and aren’t going to work for you? Caroline isn’t here to play games when it comes to the world of perfumes. She loves breaking down every note of perfume and explaining how a perfume will work with your personal preferences. Plus, she loves learning about new scents, so she’s always on the hunt to find the best and latest perfumes on the market.

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Do you know what I love about Hollister among the many brands I’ve tried? I show you how affordable the seemingly luxurious fragrances smell in my Hollister perfume guide. Few perfume brands can marry sumptuous aromas with an affordable list of notes. Meanwhile, you’ll remember these scents for years to come. Hollister is a favorite, and I currently have two in my collection.

Fret not because I’ll share all the juicy details, and I’m referring to more than just the new Hollister Juice House perfumes. Indeed, you’ll think these glorious fragrances are edible and sweet as candy-licious sensory thieves. Even the colognes will warp your senses into another realm. However, I’m here to share the sensually manipulative perfumes. Let’s not waste a moment more.

Bottom Line Up Front

Nothing will engulf your senses more than my favorite from Hollister. The Hollister Festival Nite perfume is the boldest, most explosive fruity, sweet Gourmand. It takes you on a journey beyond anywhere imagined. It’s one I currently own and will buy again. However, Hollister has ten incredible perfumes on the market. Also, they have a surprising set of juicy-style fragrances.

I’ll share why I love Hollister, including a hilarious story and the ultimate perfume every woman must try. Meanwhile, my tips will appeal to anyone, including those who identify as women and non-binary. Indeed, Hollister is that forward.

Hollister: From Sun Kisses to Californian Dreams

Before seeing the fantastic range, let’s quickly discover interesting Hollister tips and facts. But first, let me share a funny story.

Why I Love Hollister

I must share a story. I had a perfume salesperson I dealt with for years. Sadly, my salesperson left, and I met a new man. Yes, a man. This poor man didn’t know what he was getting into because he didn’t realize how fussy I was. I never walk into a drugstore knowing which perfume I’ll buy. I know which brands I love. However, I allow new scents to guide my nose each time.

Poor Sibusiso, the salesperson, ran back and forth enough to finish the Boston Marathon. Then, he asked me, “Who do you wish to smell like?” I grinned a somewhat evil and naughty smile before responding, “Like a 16-year-old visiting the tropical beaches of Hawaii for the first time.” Sibusiso said nothing while he ran to another shelf to return with a brand I loved for silly reasons.

As he sprayed the perfume, I felt my insides drop through the floor, allowing my mind to wander where I desired. The notes were perfect! I found my new salesperson! He didn’t know notes like I do, leaving me wondering how he got the job. Still, he knew what perfumes smelled like and went with it. Anyway, I love Hollister perfumes for a few silly reasons, too, including:

• Hollister perfumes, a part of Abercrombie & Fitch, embraces DEI,
• It’s a sustainable brand that loves giving back,
• The brand has a global store locator to find fragrances local stores don’t stock.

Which Perfumes Will I Include?

Hollister has incredible aromas, and I’ll include as many of the 2023 options available. I won’t include the discontinued perfumes. I’ll show you the newest or favorite scents from Hollister and a few popular choices from Walmart. I only turn to Walmart because they stock the ones Hollister doesn’t. The brand only keeps the latest releases or old-school favorites at its stores.

Also, I’ll include some similar perfumes to help you imagine the smells possible from these captivating fragrances. As for the men’s choices, please check out Christine’s Hollister cologne guide. She beat me to it!

Hollister Perfume Guide: Every Touch of Wow!

I’ll share the perfumes in this order: the two I currently have, the newest releases, and popular choices from Walmart. At least you can find all these perfumes in most stores. I’ve seen many of them in my South African stores. So, you won’t have trouble finding these famous choices.

Hollister Festival Nite Perfume – My #1!

Festival Nite left an impression deep enough to last years. I just started a bottle, and it sends my knees into a jelly state each time those opening notes hit my nose. I smell the overpowering caramel, vanilla, fruit, and sweet blend that almost debilitates my senses before drying into a softer, powdery aroma on my skin. The initial explosion only lasts for a short time if that bothers you.

Also, I must rave about the Festival range bottles. The rubber-like bottom feels like a party in your hands while having a beautiful shimmer effect. The bottle certainly looks how the perfume smells.

• Evolution: Vanilla, fruity, caramel, sweet, powdery, coconut, floral, citrus, and lactonic
• Top Notes: Mandarin orange, coconut, and pink freesia
• Heart Notes: Apple blossom, orchid, and blackcurrant
• End Notes: Marshmallow, amber, and vanilla extract
• Type: Tropical, Candied EDP
• Lasts: An easy 6-8 hours
• Wake: Explosive!!
• Best Alternative: Coach’s Poppy

Pros:

• It’s my favorite candy/fruity/sweet blend.
• It smells young, vibrant, cheeky, and naughty.
• It works beautifully any time of the day.
• People notice you everywhere you go.
• It lasts forever on my skin.

Cons:

• It won’t smell fantastic on mature women (yes, I’m 36, but I don’t care).
• It’s not the best aroma for the workplace.
• Bees will chase you while wearing this beauty.

Hollister Wave Perfume – My #2!

Hollister Wave was a choice I made a few months back when I had to pick between two. Thank goodness I chose Wave 1 because Wave 2 is gone. However, Wave smelled more refreshing, sweet, and tropical than the second edition. It had enough candied effects and fruity bliss to take my senses hostage, but the smell was subtler than Festival Nite. It’s a pity it’s almost finished.

Again, the brand designs the bottles to suit the ranges. The Wave range bottles look like they were beaten by the ocean’s aggressive tide. Sadly, my Wave perfume has about two sprays left. Sibusiso will have to see me again soon.

• Evolution: Fruity, sweet, tropical, floral, fresh, aldehydic, powdery, woody, and amber
• Top Notes: Carambola star fruit, cassis, and quince
• Heart Notes: Orchid, hibiscus, and poppy
• End Notes: Crystal amber, solar notes, and sandalwood
• Type: Fruity, Floral EDP
• Lasts: 6 hours easily, but up to 8 hours on good days
• Wake: Strong
• Best Alternative: Zino Davidoff’s Cool Water Sea Rose

Pros:

• It has my ultimate blend of sweet, fruity, and tropical.
• The smell is vibrant and refreshing yet peaceful.
• The floral notes come through beautifully after a while.
• The initial wake makes Wave an excellent pick for most settings.
• It lasts long enough on cooler days.

Cons:

• Hot days evolve the smell too fast on your skin.
• The wake becomes much gentler about an hour later.

Hollister Malaia Perfume – Old-School Brand Favorite

Aromatic fragrances burn my nose inside out. I can’t entirely agree with the Hollister brand about keeping this one around. However, I’m all about sharing perfumes that suit every woman. Not all women love the candied 16-year-old smell I do. Besides, corporate women may prefer something more traditional. In that case, Hollister Malaia is the ideal choice for you.

• Evolution: Aromatic, fresh spicy, green, lavender, vanilla, and herbal
• Top Notes: Rose petals and basil
• Heart Notes: Lavender and vanilla
• End Notes: Sandalwood
• Type: Aromatic EDT
• Lasts: Around 6 hours (as an EDT)
• Wake: Medium (Florals aren’t intense)
• Best Alternative: Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue

Pros:

• The blend of notes would appeal to traditional or professional women.
• The evolution is refreshing, sustainable, and modern.
• The floral notes, specifically the rose petals, are the best part.
• A medium sillage is excellent for the workplace or date night wear.

Cons:

• EDT perfumes and notes last less time in this one.
• It targets a modern aroma, but the lavender and rose are slightly classic.

H By Hollister Perfume – NEW (2021)

Hollister shakes the world with perfumes that evolve beautifully over only two or three notes. H by Hollister targets younger girls or barely-legal feminine individuals with soft kisses of citrus and florals. The sillage is bold enough to earn recognition, but it almost feels too powdery. Hollister’s latest edition undoubtedly makes me think of a teenage girl who smells like a princess.

• Evolution: Citrus, white floral, powdery, fresh, and fresh spicy
• Top Notes: Sparkling citrus
• Heart Notes: Jasmine’s petals
• End Notes: None
• Type: Floral EDP
• Lasts: About 6 hours
• Wake: Medium
• Best Alternative: Escada’s Island Kiss

Pros:

• The blend turns floral, refreshing, and modern.
• Two ingredients turn into a 5-stage evolution.
• Jasmine’s petals smell sweet, young, and innocent.
• The perfume ideally suits young girls or individuals.
• A medium wake is perfect for the target age.

Cons:

• The perfume should last more than 6 hours.
• Citrus notes die hard in the heat and summer sweats.

Hollister Pure Cali Perfume – New

Few perfumes start and end with sweet or candied notes. Pure Cali is officially on my wishlist. Let’s remember that the scent only has three notes. Yet, it strikes your senses with a gorgeous evolution that makes you think it has countless notes. Meanwhile, the wake isn’t too powerful, so it works for many women.

• Evolution: Sweet, fruity, floral, fresh, woody, aquatic, and tropical
• Top Notes: Frozen pineapple
• Heart Notes: Waterlily
• End Notes: Cedarwood
• Type: Fruity, Floral EDP Gourmand
• Lasts: About 6 hours
• Wake: Mild to medium
• Best Alternative: Escada’s Pacific Paradise

Pros:

• The blend is gorgeous for anyone who wants to avoid overbearing feminine smells.
• The notes begin and end with sweet touches, unusual in perfumes.
• The frozen pineapple is enough to pop twice in the drydown.
• Waterlilies aren’t common in fragrances and feel luxurious.
• The sillage is ideal for most daytime situations.

Cons:

• The perfume only lasts for a short time for an EDP.
• I can’t see bold personalities wearing such a mild wake.

Hollister So Cal Perfume – New

Only Hollister can pull it off a third time. Wow, another perfume impresses me with only three ingredients. I imagine tasting these perfumes when I realize what notes are in them. I haven’t touched this one in person, but I would love to revisit poor old Sibusiso this weekend. I must smell this beauty in person. Fortunately, I can imagine the brand’s evolution and notes.

• Evolution: Floral, citrus, sweet, and fruity
• Top Notes: Tangerine
• Heart Notes: Pink Magnolias
• End Notes: Crystal amber
• Type: Floral, Fruity EDP Gourmand
• Lasts: Up to 8 hours
• Wake: Medium to strong
• Best Alternative: Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic

Pros:

• The blend tickles every fancy of mine.
• The evolution springs to surprise to illuminate the aromas.
• The crystal amber note typically warms through the others.
• This fragrance is ideal for vibrant women or someone who wants to smell feminine.
• The perfume lasts long with a citrus blend.

Cons:

• Citrus evolutions can drydown much faster in hot weather.
• It doesn’t smell like something a mature woman would wear in a corporate environment.

Hollister Canyon Escape Perfume

It’s sweet that Hollister’s 2020 perfume ends on a sweet note, pun intended. Sadly, the brand doesn’t keep it anymore. So, it would help if you shopped at Walmart to find it. Still, the unusual blend is glorious enough to hunt. The brand returns to its roots with a wild fragrance experimenting with special notes. The canyon range bottles all look the same, too. What a beautiful range!

• Evolution: Floral, white floral, citrus, woody, aldehydic, powdery, green, musky, sweet
• Top Notes: Cactus juice, blood orange, and Mandarin orange
• Heart Notes: Orange blossom, solar notes, iris, and Desert rose
• End Notes: Sandalwood, musk, and cedarwood
• Type: Floral, Musk, Woody EDP
• Lasts: 6-8 hours
• Wake: Medium
• Best Alternative: Bvlgari’s Omnia Floral

Pros:

• Hollister’s Canyon Escape navigates you through a wildly modern canyon.
• The blends are unique and highly unusual but work beautifully.
• The fragrance smells outrageous enough to suit the cheeky young lady or individual.
• I imagine someone flaunting this aroma on date night.
• The wake and longevity are decent, even with citrus.

Cons:

• Dry skin and hot weather may alter longevity.
• The perfume is too wild for mature women or professionals.

Hollister Festival Vibes Perfume

Unfortunately, I don’t have Festival Vibes in my stores. It’s another gorgeous bottle with a party-like texture and tie-dye pattern. These bottles belong on an elegant perfume tray. The notes grab my attention. It isn’t as bold as my favorite Festival perfume but smells more classic feminine with soft florals. Nonetheless, the slightly edible aroma ticks all my boxes for a brilliant fragrance.

I managed to get a picture of the bottle in person and smelled the fragrance in the store. It’s smashing!

• Evolution: Fruity, floral, sweet, musky, fresh, amber, vanilla, powdery, citrus, and woody
• Top Notes: Goji berries, bergamot, and quince
• Heart Notes: Pink peony, hibiscus, vanilla orchid, and osmanthus
• End Notes: Cashmere wood, musk, and Tonka beans
• Type: Fruity Floral EDP Gourmand
• Lasts: 6-8 hours
• Wake: Medium
• Best Alternative: Victoria’s Secret Pure Seduction Mist

Pros:

• The blend will twist your senses into a seductive submission.
• The unusual notes complement each other beautifully.
• The fragrance also has notes that smell cheeky, vibrant, and intensely feminine.
• It would work for a coming-of-age woman or someone who identifies as one.
• The perfume lasts long and doesn’t have that explosive start.

Cons:

• Festival Vibes smells slightly young for mature women.
• The musk evolution makes it smell classic when it should be modern.

Hollister Free Wave Perfume

Free Wave comes from the same range as my ocean-beaten bottle. This range has tropical notes, but Free Wave doesn’t smell too tropical or evolve that way. Instead, it has a refreshing sensory kiss that follows a beautiful marriage of sweet and fruity notes. I’d love to try this perfume, and have smelled it in stores. Somehow, the musk doesn’t smell traditional, either.

• Evolution: Floral, fruity, sweet, citrus, aquatic, fresh, amber, earthy, mossy, musky
• Top Notes: Mandarin orange, agave nectar, and blackberries
• Heart Notes: Apple blossom, orchid, and waterlily
• End Notes: Moss, patchouli, and ambroxan
• Type: Fruity Chypre EDP
• Lasts: 6-8 hours
• Wake: Strong
• Best Alternative: Moschino Funny

Pros:

• The blend makes a bold statement without an explosive wake.
• The dance between refreshing florals and fruits is delectable.
• The fragrance would smell intense on anyone with a fierce feminine flair.
• This perfume strikes the right notes on date night.
• The sillage and longevity are incredible.

Cons:

• It wouldn’t smell fantastic on non-binary individuals.
• It has a musk drydown without the note.

Hollister Midnight Falls Perfume

Midnight Falls isn’t part of a range like Co Cal and Pure Cali. Instead, it’s a perfume in its own right. This perfume touches those beautifully classic florals that suit anyone with a traditional feminine soul. The bottle has little to look at, but the fragrance makes up for any loss. The florals have a sweet undertone to make me love it enough.

• Evolution: Floral, violet, powdery, soft spicy, sweet, and fresh
• Top Notes: Redcurrant
• Heart Notes: Orchid
• End Notes: Violet
• Type: Floral EDP
• Lasts: About 6 hours
• Wake: Intimate
• Best Alternative: Marc Jacob’s Daisy Love

Pros:

• Midnight Falls only have florals, but it evolves with other aromas.
• The blend is beautifully intimate for nighttime wear.
• The fragrance is gentle and romantic for anyone with a classic feminine soul.
• It would be beautiful for nighttime wear with friends or partners.

Cons:

• It doesn’t last long and smells ultra-intimate.
• It isn’t bold enough for bold women.

Hollister Juice House Range: 6 Delicious, I Mean Beautiful Fragrances

Hollister’s Juice House range takes the two-ingredient perfumes to another level. Each one only has two notes but evolves unexpectedly on your skin. Also, they only last 4-6 hours if you’re lucky, and the sillage is intimate to medium on most of them. Let’s briefly look at how they evolve, but I will only bore you a few details on this range.

1. Hollister Juice House Blueberry & Matcha Perfume has a fruity, sweet, green, and fresh drydown
2. Hollister Juice House Coconut & Lime Perfume has a coconut, sweet, lactonic, citrus, tropical, nutty, and vanilla drydown
3. Hollister Juice House Mango & Hibiscus Perfume has a fruity, tropical, sweet, floral, and terpenic drydown
4. Hollister Juice House Raspberry & Agave Perfume has a sweet, fruity, rose, and green drydown
5. Hollister Juice House, Strawberry & Acai Perfume, has a fruity and sweet drydown
6. Hollister Juice House Watermelon & Mint Perfume has an aquatic, ozonic, aromatic, and green drydown

Honestly, buy the Hollister Juice House Gift Set to get all six in one box because one-ounce bottles are a joke and torture when you love the unusual and modern notes. I’m not keen on the new range because the evolutions don’t work for me, except for the few fruity, sweet options. Besides, who can wear perfume that only lasts four hours?

FAQs

Hollister Perfume Guide: Final Hoorah!

Hollister is an affordable perfume brand with scents that will send your senses into a wild, unknown space. Sometimes, the brand only uses two to three notes to achieve exquisite aromas. Meanwhile, many fragrances use unusual notes that evolve unexpectedly. I love the brand, and I’ll continue buying more of its edible and Gourmand fragrances.

If I can recommend one to buy today, it would be Hollister Festival Nite. You’ll never look for another party in a bottle suitable for vibrant and cheeky women (or those who identify as women). Go on if you have a similar personality. Try it today to feel more explosive than you ever did before.