The Luxurious Fragrance I’m Wearing This Holiday Season

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, deputy beauty editor Erin Lukas is testing the buzzy Versace Bright Crystal.

Like clockwork, November 1 marks the start of a calendar packed with holiday events, both work and personal, for the next two months. Yes, ‘tis the season to take a break from the daily grind, celebrate the year’s wins with your co-workers, and reconnect with friends and family. But despite all of the excitement ahead, I’ll admit my social battery hits 20% by Thanksgiving. To stay energized and confident through the endless small talk and mingling, I rely on a few essentials: wardrobe staples like tailored suits, a classic red lip — and for an extra boost, a light, dazzling fragrance. This season, my pick-me-up is Versace’s Bright Crystal.

I’ll admit, I was immediately drawn to this scent because of the giant crystal cap. It’s the exact level of glamour I want to lean into during the holidays, the one time of year where there’s no limit on glitz and glitter. But it’s the fragrance itself that truly won me over. It opens with a burst of fresh fruit, gradually softening into a warm, musky floral. Light yet comforting, it’s exactly how I want to feel at every gathering this season

Ahead, I share my honest thoughts on the one fragrance that’s getting me through a jam-packed holiday season.

Fast Facts

• Price: $110
• Size: 3 oz/90 ml
• Best For: A fresh yet luxurious everyday scent
• Ingredient Highlights: Yuzu lemon, peony, musk
• What We Like: Light but packs a punch; lasts for hours
• What We Don’t Like: So far, so good
• Rating: 5/5

How TZR Keeps Score: 1/5: Making a return; 2/5: Keeping as a backup; 3/5: Finishing to the last drop; 4/5: Recommending to my group texts; 5/5: Already on auto-replenish

The Fragrance

Bright Crystal is touted as a “sensual and feminine fragrance, symbolizing the Versace woman who is confident and aware of her charm.” The scent opens with bright yuzu, iced accord, and pomegranate, then blossoms into sweet florals, such as peony, magnolia, and lotus flower. Warm base notes acajou, vegetal amber, and musk add coziness and sensuality to balance the sweetness.

To sum it up, the fragrance embodies exactly how you want to be remembered at any party. Luxurious, confident, and fun.

My Typical Fragrance Routine

When the colder weather hits and I’m bundled up in layers, feeling the weight of shorter days and fewer sunlit hours, I crave an energy boost. That’s when I reach for a lighter fragrance — usually something floral with a hint of sweetness. I’m drawn to scents with bright, fruity and floral notes balanced by a touch of warmth. The dichotomy feels stylish, unique, and so modern.

Above all, I need a fragrance that can keep up with me — whether it’s a workday packed with back-to-back meetings or a late night holiday gathering with friends. And even though I’m a beauty editor, I hate doing touch-ups. The products I keep in my bag are minimal and the last thing I want is to have to lug around a fragrance when I’m dashing through New York City from one event to the next.

My Experience Wearing Bright Crystal

Versace boasts this fragrance contains “juicy yet delicate notes that delight the senses.” And indeed, it does. Let me set the scene: It was around 5p.m. on a blustery mid-November afternoon. The sun had just set, leaving me feeling drained and sluggish, with a long night still ahead. Upon first spritz of Bright Crystal, the energizing top notes of yuzu and iced accord instantly revived me, and dried down to a sweet yet musky aroma. The final result was a feminine yet warm scent – a luxurious combo that would get me through hours of chatting. On the Uber ride home that night, I gave my wrist a whiff and picked up a soft hint of Bright Crystal.

I also put it to the test the next morning, spritzing it on my wrists and neck before heading out for a a few appointments. Despite all of the items I needed to check off my to-do list, I again, felt uplifted and mentally ready to take on whatever the brings. Spoiler: It held up well into the afternoon.

Is Versace’s Bright Crystal Worth It?

The holidays are the brightest, most cheerful time of year, so if you’re in the market for a fragrance that’s stylish and fully embodies your joyful spirit, Bright Crystal deserves a spot on your vanity —and makes the perfect gift to share. Its lasting power is a lifesaver when your schedule is too packed for touch-ups, or you're too merry to be bothered. Running on less sleep this season and determined not to miss a thing, I’ll be reaching for this fragrance as my go-to pick-me-up — a luxurious, uplifting boost before I head to my next stop of the night.