Last month at Walmart, I passed the fragrance aisle and spotted that distinctive heart-shaped purple bottle with a gold crown. Vera Wang Princess. I hadn’t seen it in years, but that bottle transported me instantly back to 2008 when every girl in my high school either wore this, DKNY Be Delicious, or Marc Jacobs Daisy.
Out of pure nostalgia, I grabbed the 3.4 oz bottle for $48. When I got home and sprayed it, I stood there confused. This wasn’t the sugary-sweet chocolate bomb I remembered from high school. Either the formula changed dramatically, or my 17-year-old nose remembered things very differently than my 34-year-old nose smells them now.
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The Bottle: Still Absolutely Gorgeous
Before discussing the actual fragrance, we need to talk about this bottle because it’s genuinely stunning. The heart-shaped design cut like a faceted diamond in pale purple glass catches light beautifully. The removable gold crown cap studded with purple rhinestones sits on top like actual royalty.
This bottle alone sells the perfume. I keep it displayed on my vanity even when I’m not wearing the fragrance because it’s that pretty. The crown cap is slightly inconvenient since you have to remove it before every spray, but the aesthetic payoff is worth the extra second.
The 3.4 oz bottle feels substantial in your hand with quality glass that doesn’t feel cheap despite the $48 price point. After six weeks of daily handling, no rhinestones have fallen off and the gold finish hasn’t chipped.
For a first perfume or a gift for someone who loves visually beautiful things, the bottle justifies purchase consideration even before smelling the juice inside.
What It Actually Smells Like
Here’s where Vera Wang Princess gets complicated. People describe wildly different scent experiences with this fragrance, and after testing extensively, I understand why.
The official notes are water lily, pink guava, mandarin meringue, lady apple, apricot, dark chocolate, Tahitian tiare flower, tuberose, wild guava, vanilla orchid, precious amber, and exotic woods. That’s a lot of competing elements.
On my skin, Princess opens with bright fruity sweetness dominated by apple and guava. It smells like biting into a crisp pink lady apple mixed with tropical fruit smoothie. This top note lasts maybe 20 minutes before transitioning.
The heart develops into soft white florals with prominent tuberose and lily. The florals aren’t heavy or grandma-like, they’re sheer and slightly aquatic. This is where the chocolate note theoretically appears, but honestly, I barely detect it. Some reviewers smell prominent chocolate, but on me it’s the faintest hint buried under florals.
The dry down is warm vanilla with subtle amber and powdery musk. This base lasts 4 to 6 hours on my skin, longer on clothing. The vanilla isn’t cloying or cake-like, it’s soft and slightly woody.
The Body Chemistry Problem
The reason reviews contradict each other so dramatically is that Vera Wang Princess reacts wildly different depending on individual body chemistry. This happens with all fragrances, but Princess seems particularly sensitive to skin pH and oil levels.
My friend Emily tested Princess on the same day I did. On her, the chocolate note dominated everything. She smelled like chocolate-covered strawberries with vanilla cake frosting. On me, mostly fruity florals with barely detectable chocolate.
Another friend described it as “watery and fresh like melon.” I don’t get that at all. My sister said it smelled powdery and mature on her skin, almost like vintage perfume. Again, completely different from my experience.
I compared my new 2025 bottle to my 2009 bottle still half-full in storage. They smell nearly identical to me, suggesting the formula hasn’t changed dramatically. The confusion comes from individual chemistry, not reformulation.
If you’re buying blind, this body chemistry variation creates risk. What smells fruity and fresh on your friend might smell heavy and floral on you. Sampling before buying is critical with Princess.
Performance and Longevity
Vera Wang Princess is an eau de toilette with moderate performance characteristics. Don’t expect all-day projection or 12-hour longevity.
On my skin, the fragrance projects noticeably for 2 to 3 hours. During this period, people within arm’s length can smell it without leaning in. After 3 hours, it becomes a skin scent that requires close proximity to detect.
Total longevity runs 4 to 6 hours before completely disappearing from my wrists. On clothing, it lasts significantly longer, sometimes 8 to 10 hours. I’ve caught whiffs from my jacket the next day after wearing Princess.
The atomizer spray is fine, not exceptional. It produces adequate mist for coverage but isn’t as refined as luxury brand atomizers. Two sprays provide enough scent for moderate projection without overwhelming.
For the price point ($48 for 3.4 oz at Walmart, $55 to $65 at Ulta or department stores), the performance is acceptable. You won’t need to reapply throughout the day for subtle presence, but don’t expect powerhouse longevity either.
Who Should Buy Vera Wang Princess
After six weeks testing, here’s my honest assessment of who this fragrance works for.
Princess suits women in their late teens through thirties who enjoy sweet, feminine fragrances without wanting overly mature or sophisticated scents. It’s youthful but not juvenile. Playful but not childish.
If you love fruity florals like Marc Jacobs Daisy, Ariana Grande Cloud, or Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, Princess offers similar vibes at much lower cost. It’s a gateway fragrance that introduces gourmand elements without going full dessert.
The fragrance works beautifully for daytime office wear, casual outings, spring and summer seasons, or anytime you want to smell pleasant without making a strong statement. It’s a “my skin but better” fragrance that enhances rather than announces.
Princess is not for you if you hate sweet fragrances, prefer sophisticated niche perfumes, want bold projection, or need fragrances that last 10+ hours. It’s also not ideal for formal evening events where you’d want something more refined.
The Value Proposition in 2026
At $48 for 3.4 oz at Walmart (where it’s now regularly stocked), Vera Wang Princess offers solid value. That’s roughly $14 per ounce for a designer fragrance with nearly 20 years of market presence.
Compare this to current trendy fragrances. Ariana Grande Cloud costs $65 for 3.4 oz ($19 per ounce). Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush runs $38 for 3 oz ($12 per ounce). Glossier You costs $68 for 1.7 oz ($40 per ounce).
Princess delivers designer credibility, beautiful presentation, and pleasant scent at competitive pricing. The value is legitimate, not just nostalgic appeal.
However, if you prefer sophisticated niche fragrances, the $48 might feel wasted on what some consider a “basic” scent. Value depends on your fragrance preferences and standards.
The Nostalgia Factor
I can’t review Vera Wang Princess honestly without addressing nostalgia. For anyone who was a teenager or young adult in the late 2000s, Princess carries serious emotional weight.
Smelling it again after 15+ years triggered memories of high school dances, first dates, college dorm rooms, and early adulthood. That emotional connection adds subjective value beyond the scent itself.
But nostalgia creates problems too. My memory of Princess as an intensely sweet chocolate-vanilla bomb doesn’t match the actual fragrance I’m smelling now. Either I misremembered, or my taste evolved dramatically.
Buying fragrances based purely on nostalgia risks disappointment when reality doesn’t match rose-tinted memories. Sample Princess now before committing to a full bottle based on decade-old recollections.
Conclusion
Vera Wang Princess is a pleasant, wearable fruity floral gourmand with moderate performance, beautiful presentation, and excellent value at $48. It smells different on everyone due to body chemistry, ranging from fruity-fresh to floral-powdery to chocolate-gourmand depending on individual skin.
The fragrance works perfectly for casual daytime wear, spring and summer seasons, and anyone seeking a sweet but not cloying scent. Performance is moderate with 4 to 6 hours longevity and 2 to 3 hours projection.
Is it worth buying in 2026? Yes, if you enjoy sweet feminine fragrances and want a reliable everyday scent under $50. The bottle alone justifies display space, and the juice inside is genuinely pleasant even if it’s not groundbreaking.
