R.E.M. vs Thank U Next
Side by side. Scored honestly.
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Side by side
Comparing the originals — price, breadth, listed-note depth.
Opens with a sugary-tart punch of salted caramel and black currant that smells more candy-shop than sophisticated, but settles quickly into something warmer and more interesting — fig and pear softening the sweetness while violet adds a faint powdery edge. The dry-down leans into tonka bean and sandalwood, turning cozy and skin-close, with musk holding everything together at low-moderate sillage. Projection is gentle rather than bold; it wears like a second skin after an hour — best for cold-weather evenings, cozy indoor settings, or anyone who gravitates toward sweet-warm femininity without going full dessert.
Opens with a bright, slightly watery pear that lands clean rather than candy-sweet, then softens quickly as pink rose and macaroon pull it into a pillowy floral-gourmand heart. The coconut reads as a creamy backdrop rather than a sunscreen note, keeping things airy. Musk anchors the dry-down to something skin-close and warm without going heavy. Projection is modest — this wears close to the body, leaving a soft, sweet sillage that's detectable but never loud — Ideal for warm-weather daytime wear, office-appropriate, and squarely aimed at younger wearers who want something sweet without tipping into cloying.
How they overlap
R.E.M. and Thank U Next share 2 notes (pear, musk). The same note name doesn't always mean the same scent — different houses use different vanillas, different woods, different musks — but a multi-note shared spine usually does indicate genuinely-comparable wear character. The remaining notes (6 unique to R.E.M., 3 unique to Thank U Next) are where the divergence happens.
The buying decision
Thank U Next is the cheaper original at $65 compared to $75 for R.E.M. — about 13% less. R.E.M. is built for fall/winter; Thank U Next for spring/summer/fall. Pick by when you'd actually wear it.