Big Pony 1 for Women Ralph Lauren 2012 female 69

The Verdict

Ralph Lauren Big Pony 1 for Women, launched in 2012, is the feminine counterpart to the men's Big Pony 1 from 2010. Like its male equivalent, it is a sporty, fresh fragrance designed for young, active women who want something light and uncomplicated. Also like its counterpart, it suffers from longevity issues so severe that they fundamentally undermine its purpose as a wearable fragrance.

The Big Pony women's collection was created to embody different facets of the sporty Ralph Lauren lifestyle, with Number 1 representing the athletic, on-the-go spirit. As a concept, it makes sense. As a functional fragrance, it struggles to justify even its modest price tag.

What It Smells Like

The opening delivers a sparkling burst of luminous grapefruit, clean and crisp with a slightly tart edge. This is a genuinely pleasant citrus note that feels natural and refreshing rather than synthetic. The grapefruit is bright enough to lift the spirits on a warm day, and for the brief time it lasts, it creates an appealing impression.

The heart introduces white lotus, adding a floral-aquatic quality that softens the citrus sharpness. The lotus is sheer and watery, evoking a freshly opened flower on a still pond. There are also touches of jasmine, honeydew melon, and lime that contribute to the overall fresh-fruity-floral profile.

The base is minimal: soft musk and cedarwood provide a barely perceptible foundation. On most wearers, the fragrance never truly reaches this phase, having faded to near-invisibility before the base notes have a chance to develop.

When to Wear It

This is exclusively a hot-weather, casual-activity fragrance. Beach trips, pool days, post-gym refreshment, and casual summer outings are its natural territory. The sporty, clean character is well-suited to active situations where heaviness would be unwelcome.

Do not reach for this fragrance if you need to smell good for more than an hour. Its rapid evaporation makes it impractical for any occasion requiring sustained fragrance presence.

Longevity & Projection

Performance is the critical failing of Big Pony 1 for Women. Fragrantica community ratings reflect this clearly, with a longevity score of 2.57 out of 5 and sillage of 1.99 out of 4. Individual reports are often more damning: one reviewer noted the fragrance lasted only about an hour, while another reported it vanishing within five minutes on both skin and clothing.

Projection is effectively nonexistent after the initial application fades. Even generous application cannot compensate for the fragrance's fundamental lack of tenacity. It is, at best, a personal refreshment rather than a fragrance that others will notice.

The Community Says

Fragrantica reviews capture the dichotomy of Big Pony 1 for Women perfectly. The scent itself is widely praised as pleasant, sporty, and well-suited to summer. Reviewers appreciate the clean citrus-floral combination and the overall fresh, flirty character.

However, nearly every positive comment about the scent is followed by frustration about the performance. The overwhelming consensus is that the fragrance smells wonderful for the brief window it exists on skin but simply does not function as a practical perfume. Some fans expressed disappointment when it was discontinued, though given the longevity issues, its removal from the market was perhaps unsurprising.

Who Should Buy This

Big Pony 1 for Women is best suited for young women who want a clean, fresh scent for casual summer situations and do not mind frequent reapplication. It can also serve as a pleasant body spray alternative when you want a more refined citrus experience than drugstore offerings provide.

Anyone with expectations of a fragrance lasting even through a morning, however, should look elsewhere.

The Bottom Line

Ralph Lauren Big Pony 1 for Women delivers a genuinely appealing grapefruit-lotus freshness that captures the spirit of an active summer day. Unfortunately, its near-complete inability to persist on skin transforms it from a fragrance into a fleeting aromatic moment, making it nearly impossible to recommend as a practical purchase.