Tiane

Although I really like the smell of real vanilla, I had the idea until now that fragrances with a prominent vanilla note were not for me. As long as the vanilla was just a little present in the base note, it was pleasant, but as soon as fragrances were considered truly "vanilla," I couldn't warm up to them. Maybe vanilla quickly smells artificial? Maybe I expect a kind of elaborate vanilla aroma, but get real, spicy vanilla instead? I don't know. What I had completely lost sight of: It really depends much more on how the vanilla is framed, what the overall composition looks like. And I must say, in "Heart," I really, really like the vanilla composition (I would love to know which perfumer is behind it; I can't imagine that the fragrance was just thrown together). I think it's great that jasmine is "only" in the top note and doesn't distract from the vanilla scent. This comes through the base - and I also suspect that sandalwood is mainly responsible for this - wonderfully to the fore. Do you feel a similarity between, for example, Sensuous Nude and Loukhoum? I find both fragrances similarly indescribable in the dry down - powdery, warm, somehow tingling. Both have a base of woods, musk, vanilla (and possibly a little amber). "Heart" feels very similar to me, with a stronger emphasis on the vanilla. I would have never expected this to be a good fragrance, but after reading Medusa's comment, I hoped and wanted to believe, and yes, it is! A little insider tip :)

I found and still find that the scent notes in Mirage Daydream sound very promising, so I ordered the fragrance blind. Because I love the scent of chestnuts, I wanted to try such a gourmand fragrance, especially since I don't know any other scent that puts the chestnut aroma in the foreground.
When I first tried it, I was torn.
At first, I really enjoyed the scent. I wanted a sweet chestnut gourmand and got exactly that. The impression is comparable to the chestnut cream from Bonne Maman - ingredients: chestnuts, sugar, vanilla. I loved this cream as a child; it was something that I only had on special occasions and was only available in French supermarkets.

So yes, the scent really smells delicious - BUT
unfortunately, it has poor longevity, very weak sillage, and - what weighs heaviest - incredibly one-dimensional. I notice no development of the fragrance, no Aha moment where I discover another facet of the scent. I also don't smell cedar or hardly anything floral. The (short) scent impression remains at chestnut cream with a hint of whipped cream.
And yes, I like gourmand fragrances, but please with substance! Complex, versatile scents that don't need heaps of sugar. Unfortunately, Mirage Daydream completely lacks substance. Incredibly boring very quickly and goodbye! Such a shame.

...Emporio Armani She!
Or am I the only one with this association?
I tried the fragrance today at Müller and must say that it reminded me of Emporio Armani She from the very beginning. Once home, I compared the fragrance pyramids of both scents and yes - there are definitely similarities:

- YSL Manifesto -
Top notes: Bergamot, green note, blackcurrant bud
Heart notes: Jasmine, lily of the valley, white floral crown
Base notes: Sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla, cedar

- Emporio Armani She -
Top notes: Pineapple, bergamot, pear, lime, mandarin, tuberose
Heart notes: Heliotrope, iris root, jasmine, lily of the valley
Base notes: Amber, musk, sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla, cedar

It should be noted that the combination of jasmine / lily of the valley in the heart combined with some of the above base notes does occur quite frequently. But that doesn’t mean all the fragrances smell the same. I suspect the strong similarity here - the powdery, woody-creamy aspect - is primarily due to the base notes of sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla, and cedar.

Personally, I find the scent "quite nice," meaning: I initially liked Emporio Armani She very much, I enjoy powdery, not too sweet fragrances, and apparently I also have a preference for jasmine and lily of the valley scents. However, I find it too uninteresting and lacking in edge in the long run, so I got tired of the scent quite quickly.
If I had to choose between the two fragrances now: Honestly, definitely Manifesto! I really like the bottle, and the advertising proves to be effective for me as well ^_^ Additionally, the fact that the scent is newer than Emporio Armani She.
But if it really comes down to the scent and one can forgo the bottle and the novelty factor of Manifesto, it might make sense to initially reach for Emporio Armani She.