Rave Fruity Perfume Guide for Malaysia: Now Women vs Au Soleil

Looking for a daily perfume that actually works in Malaysia — something for the office, the LRT ride, weekend mamak sessions, without feeling heavy in our heat and humidity? Rave has two 100ml EDPs worth a look: Now Women and Au Soleil. Both have fruity elements, but the mood is quite different. One is sweet and playful, the other bright and fresh. Here's the honest breakdown.

Now Women: sweet, fruity and playful

Now Women is an Eau de Parfum made for women, and it's the sweeter pick of the two. Its fragrance family is Fruity • White Floral • Gourmand, which already tells you the vibe: juicy, soft and a little dessert-like.

• Top notes: red fruits and orange
• Heart notes: marshmallow, jasmine and lily-of-the-valley
• Base notes: vanilla, moss and musk

It opens juicy with red fruits and orange, then the marshmallow and white florals like jasmine and lily-of-the-valley soften everything out, and the vanilla, moss and musk base rounds it off cosily. The store describes it as sweet, fruity and elegant — playful but still refined.

Who's it for? If sweet perfumes are your thing and you want one bottle covering everyday wear, casual evenings, formal events and even special occasions, Now Women covers a lot of ground. It's also a nice match if you spend most of your day in an air-conditioned office — a gourmand scent like this feels right when the surroundings are cool.

Au Soleil: bright, citrusy and unisex

Au Soleil is the unisex option, and it goes in a cleaner, brighter direction. Its family is Floral Fruity, with a profile rooted in sunny, warm days — and honestly, in Malaysia that's basically every day.

• Top notes: citrus, fresh herbs and fruity notes
• Heart notes: soft florals and smooth woods
• Base notes: musk, warm woods and soft sweetness

The opening is sparkling and clean, it settles into soft florals and smooth woods, and it finishes with musk, warm woods and a gentle sweetness. The listed occasions are daily wear, office, casual and gym — so this is the kind of bottle you can keep at your desk and reach for without overthinking. And since it's unisex, it works if you're sharing a shelf with a partner or sibling.

Now Women or Au Soleil — which one?

• Pick Now Women if you're drawn to sweet, gourmand scents with vanilla and marshmallow in the mix, and you want a feminine perfume for everyday through to special occasions.
• Pick Au Soleil if you lean towards citrus and clean, fresh profiles, need something for the office or gym, or want a unisex bottle anyone in the house can wear.

Both come as 100ml EDPs, so it really comes down to mood: sweet and cosy, or bright and citrusy. One thing to remember for our weather — a rich gourmand base like Now Women's will feel warmer on the skin than Au Soleil's musk-and-woods finish, so factor in how much time you spend outdoors versus in the AC.