Hi so I have the 2025 version of Forever Red. I got it mostly for the vanilla rum notes which it does have and which does last. But I heard previous versions (such as the faceted) were much fruitier with “fiery pomegranate” as a more noticeable note. 

The fragrance notes for Forever Red are:
> fiery pomegranate, red peony, rich vanilla rum, oak wood 

I have felt like there’s an odd bubblegum note in Forever Red that it’s likely that a fruity pomegranate note could’ve balanced. 

What fragrance can I layer with Forever Red to get the fiery pomegranate back?

##Combination attempts 

So I’ve dived into my growing fine fragrance mist collection. 

* Firecracker Pop - new to me with SAS. A cherry ice bombsicle fragrance. It actually does work to bring in a strong red note. It’s definitely cherry ice instead of pomegranate. But it almost works. 

* Aqua Hour - Everyday Luxuries part 2, clearancing with SAS. This one has a strong pink peony note on top of an aquatic background. Forever Red is supposed to have “red peony,” but I just don’t smell it at all. Surprisingly this pink peony works to make the cherry of Firecracker Pop smell more like pomegranate. In fact Aqua Hour wakes up Forever Red pretty well without Firecracker Pop. 

Have no idea what the original Forever Red smelled like. But I think this combo does bring back a red fruity note and peonies that the current version is lacking. 

Now i honestly don’t smell “oak wood” in Forever Red either. Was Forever Red woodsier as well? 

##Does the combination work?

No not completely. A bit too many elements and not a clean blend. The lemon from Firecracker Pop, the aquatics from Aqua Hour. And Firecracker Pop is so strong it partly obscures the other two (if you’ve heard that Firecracker Pop is weak or doesn’t last, the 2025 version has no issues there). But I can picture a fruitier Forever Red with it and yes I really like that. 

##Be Enchanted 

I blind bought this ffm kinda hoping it could be a pomegranate fragrance that could help wake up Forever Red since it lists “iced pomegranate” as the first note. But no, this fragrance has too much else going on including Passionfruit and like a whipped vanilla, cotton candy situation. It is not really as pomegranate as I expected. Equal parts pomegranate and passionfruit (a tropical fruit between a lemon and a mango) that kind of collapses like a fruity foam into a vanilla berry ice cream. 

There is a few crossover elements like pomegranate (though not the same pomegranate: Forever Red’s is slightly darker, more tart) and vanilla. Actually don’t smell that bad together though the ideas don’t quite work: cotton candy rum?

However, it is neat both these fragrances could be Taylor Swift inspired. Forever Red is definitely Taylor Swift inspired (she was in the advertisements right). While someone noticed today Be Enchanted is like one of Taylor Swift’s album covers. Coincidence?




Attempts to make Forever Red fruitier like I heard it was before