Comparison Post: Pumpkin #7 vs. Golden Morning

In comparison posts, I compare indie scents with similar notes lists. This allows me to cull my collection so that I have no repeats, and it may also be helpful for other people to decide which sounds most appealing.

The Contestants: 

Nocturne Alchemy Pumpkin #7 (Amber Pumpkin perfumed with 7 rich exotic Amber notes to create the ultimate Amber perfume base for this Pumpkin infused scent. Spices of fig and raw pumpkin swim in a vat of decadent Sandalwood)

Cocoa Pink Golden Morning (Cool vanilla wrapped around honeyed, pale pumpkin gently grounded with white oak, tonka bean finished with the barest hint of copal.)

Scent Characteristics: P#7 is woodsy, smooth, pale, and warm like a house with a fire crackling in the hearth. It's more sweet-wood than sticky-resin, and the amber notes here are powdery and dry like finished wood, and they complement the sandalwood perfectly. Tiny bit of spice, but not edible spice. This is a slightly fresh smell, like fresh pumpkin and sawn wood, but not "raw" smelling. GM is syrupy, resinous, and slinky. It's mostly a very golden, sticky honey note with complementary deeper resinous wood notes. The pumpkin is there, smooth and non-spicy, but like cooked pumpkin purée.  

How similar are they?: Not very. P#7 is a lot subtler and more neutral. GM is vivacious, sexy, and sweet. P#7 makes me think of a buttoned-up but pretty librarian, and GM is her younger sister who dresses very scandalously. They're related but they don't really resemble each other. They do share a common pale, sweet, smooth pumpkin note that's delicious in both, and the wood pops out of both, but it's made more dry in P#7 and more wet/sticky in GM.

Sillage: Both have very good sillage. Something that's characteristic of NAVA ambers in particular is that they will strengthen the more they sit on your skin. Sometimes I can't smell a NAVA amber when I first apply, then 10 minutes later, it's surrounding me and filling my nostrils. I will say it's hard to overdo a NAVA Amber, and P#7 is no exception. It's so pale and smooth that it never screams, even if you overapply. On the other hand, GM's big honey note has POW sillage and really wraps itself around you immediately. You can overdose easily, especially as it's a sweet scent, so best to apply sparingly. I love strongly-scented perfumes, so I'm definitely ok with that, but use caution.

Longevity: Both have great longevity. P#7 lasts 8-10 hours, no problem, but it does dry down into a more subtle skin scent thereafter. GM will last until you wash it off, or 36-48 hours, whichever comes first. 

Destashing any?: Nope, they are different and both lovely. GM is the perfect cold-weather sexy scent. Not too foodie, but just sweet enough. P#7 is an amazing daytime scent, and even though it's a pumpkin one, it's not so bold as to be an autumn-only scent. 

Comparison Post: Golden Corn Cakes vs. Potluck vs. Iowa

In comparison posts, I compare indie scents with similar notes lists. This allows me to cull my collection so that I have no repeats, and it may also be helpful for other people to decide which sounds most appealing.

The Contestants: 

Possets Iowa (this one starts out with a crystallized vanilla...then there is a hint of turbinado sugar, and a large dose of an accord based on wheat...and a small amount of a whiskey-like addition) Permanent Collection

Haus of Gloi Golden Corn Cakes (Corn cake baked to a golden perfection, topped with butter and honey) Limited Edition Autumn

Cocoa Pink Potluck (True Southern-style cornbread set out next to our honeyed, buttered oatcakes and warm zucchini bread.) 

General Catalog (Autumn/Winter) (N/A during Spring/Summer)

Scent Characteristics: 

Iowa smells like an overcooked, crunchy cornbread cookie with a ton of butter. I'm surprised I enjoy the butter in here- it smelled rancid in Cream and Mrs. Rabbit's Carrot Cake, but it fits well in here. Like luxurious fresh salted butter, not the unpleasant microwave-popcorn note I got in the past. This smells like the brown underside of cornbread- not the yellow fluffy middle part, but the crispy edge.

Potluck starts out with a lot of zucchini/banana bread character. On the drydown, the prominent zucchini bread smell goes away and it's mostly oatcake and butter with a hint of cornbread. Sort of like a not-too-sweet spicy oatmeal cookie scent.

Golden Corn Cakes is a very well balanced, full-smelling honeyed butter and cake/bread smell. It smells of cornbread in the bottle, honey in the initial application and early dry stages, and the cornbread pops out again in the later drydown!

How similar are they?: These are very different in my opinion. I think that Iowa is the least cornbread-y of the three. It turns into that brownish burnt-edge smell that baked goods get. It's quite pleasant except that it turns "thin" near the end of its life. Potluck is a mishmash of different baked goods, and the spice turns it into a bit more of an oaty biscuit scent. They all have quite a bit of butter in them, which is successful in all three. Golden Corn Cakes is unique in that it's completely scrumptious. I can't stop sniffing it. It does have a common vibe with Potluck, but is more luscious.

Sillage: Golden Corn Cakes has the highest sillage, and the most robust/full scent that carries. Potluck has slightly less throw and is a bit "flatter." Iowa is harder to smell at a distance, and after it's sat on the skin for a while it really turns flat.

Longevity: Golden Corn Cakes has the best longevity and ages on the skin the best. It smells just as scrumptious throughout its entire life. It lasts the whole day. Iowa sticks around a long time, but not in a wearable form. After the golden-burnt opening it turns flat and blackened and even though I can smell it when sniffing my wrist, the actual scent isn't great for the rest of its life. Probably 5-6 hours of wear. Potluck has similar longevity to Iowa in that I can detect it for 6 hours, but it changes so much from the opening that I'm not really interested in what's left after a few hours. Mostly turns into a spiced oat smell after the first hour.

Destashing any?: I only have a sample of Iowa and Potluck but I'll probably destash them. I can't imagine ever craving a "cornbread" scent and reaching for either of these over the beautiful Golden Corn Cakes.

Cocoa Pink Genevieve Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: Fall/Winter 2015 (N/A during Spring/Summer)
Notes: Sweet milk, bourbon vanilla, sandalwood, burning sage & smoke

First impression out of bottle: Milk and toasted smoothness.

Freshly applied: Same toast-y milk scent with the bite of dried green sage. The sage is very warm and earthy here- not savory like turkey stuffing but herbal and clean like a witch's kitchen. A bit of tartness like Ava Luxe Milk (tart in a dairy way, not unpleasantly sour though.)

The sage here is not burnt in a blackened way, but pleasantly warm

Drydown: More smooth toastiness now, like if you could have toasted rice krispie treats floating in a pool of cream. Really creamy and lush but not sugary. Love the pop of sage here. The smoke note is not super strong, it’s like a wisp of gray kitchen smoke. I love that this has a toasted scent without smelling burnt or woodsy. It's very light, soft, and clean, while having a pleasant earthy substance.

After several hours: Same but faded to a faintly smoky and sweet white skin scent.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium at first, then fades to a low but persistent skin scent after a few hours. Better throw and longevity than something like Caramel Popcorn Balls, which is weaker and softer.

Would an [X] lover love this? I think gourmand lovers would adore this. If you like herbs of any sort or faintly smoky scents, this is perfect.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think even people who shy away from milky scents and find they go sour will love it- this is so pleasant and inoffensively creamy

Where am I? Eating rice krispie treats in a witch's kitchen.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, work, weekend. It feels very warm and cozy for autumn, but I could wear it year round, honestly. 

Haus of Gloi Golden Corn Cakes Review

Brand: Haus of Gloi
Availability: Limited Edition Fall (recurring)
Notes: Corn cake baked to a golden perfection, topped with butter and honey

First impression out of bottle: Savory cornbread with a hint of sweetness.

Freshly applied: Honeyed butter and toothsome cornbread. Heavy on the honey.

Drydown: Honey with a hint of savory gourmand-ness. It's quite a bright golden scent, not super toasted or dark. Sweeter than I expected, which is nice. More honey than anything else. Like a gourmand, autumn honey with a rich baked goods background. 

Heavy on the honey and butter

After several hours: Mm I love the syrupy deep honey with slightly earthy golden bready cake background. It's a really balanced honeyed bread/cake scent that smells more homey and less exotic than Arcana Ganesh. 

Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I love honey and gourmands, this ticks all my boxes. It probably will suit your tastes if you like Arcana Yellow Cake, Ganesh, or Aestas. If you like Solstice Scents' sweeter stuff, this will also be a hit.

Would an [X] hater love this? Gourmand haters could give this a try, though I'll say it's straightforward and unsurprising as far as sweet, foodie stuff goes. This is a good, non-spicy fall gourmand but if you dislike or have issues with honey notes, this won't be for you.

Where am I? Eating corn muffins at home on a brisk fall day.

Where would I wear this? Autumn, winter, daytime, work, home. It's really cozy and sweet. I would even wear this for a date, because I think sweet gourmands like this go over well with dudes in general. 

Sixteen92 Hecate Review

Brand: Sixteen92
Availability: Limited Edition Halloween 2015
Notes: Tart cranberry, benzoin, fir needle, dark chocolate, smoldering incense, dry leaves

First impression out of bottle: Dragon's Blood and chocolate-covered dried cherries

Freshly applied: Fruity and chocolatey incense. I loooove the Dragon's Blood note in here, it's a very warm red incense, almost fuzzy and slightly musky. 

Drydown: While the opening smelled like a jug of Kirkland brand chocolate-covered berries, the drydown is more sophisticated. This is now a combo of kind of fresh tart fruit, a woodsy dark chocolate note, and still that strong incense. I really love this- it's mostly incense on me, with nuances of earthy and foodie notes. The fir and dry leaves provide a slightly darker, earthier background, but they're not super apparent as individual notes. Something about the tart cranberry, which lends some astringency, along with the sweet soft chocolate, wrapped in dusky incense is really magical. This is one of my favorite incense perfumes and I have a ton.

Hot, red, and incensey

After several hours: Sweet incensey chocolate. This is way more complex and nuanced than Solstice Scents' Grey's Cabin, a chocolate incense smell which is one of the only SS scents I don't own in full size because it has a really flat feeling.

Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think anyone who enjoys berry scents, Dragon's Blood, incense in general, or even red musk (this has a similar warm fuzzy feel) will really love this.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think if you hate incense, this might be a good slightly brighter take on it. It's not ultra fresh or overly fruity, so if you particularly can't stand any incensey notes, this will likely not be for you. I find it far less headshoppy than I Saw Goody Procter With the Devil, so there's that.

Where am I? The cottage of a witch at Thanksgiving.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, weekend, evening. It's not super sexy but it has a dark feel that would work well at night. It feels very autumnal, I don't think I'd wear it come springtime.

Deconstructing Eden These Are the Days of Wine and Honey Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: The last of the sunflowers, rich honey and beeswax, tolu balsam, tonka bean, cedar, liatrix, palo santo wood, elemi essential oil, silky musk and of course, a splash of wine

First impression out of bottle: Dark sweetness

Freshly applied: Grape cough syrup/Flintstones vitamins

Drydown: Mm this is kind of swelling up and getting more voluptuous. DE scents tend to do that if they smell sharp at first. I'm getting a bit of citrus, a REALLY silky musk that smells almost like velvet, some woodsy brown notes, a bit of tobacco (liatrix is in the tobacco family), and a very sweet pinky red wine note. I can't say this reads super honeyed to me. It's more warm, golden, and like fresh beeswax. 

After several hours: This scent smells very reddish-pink to me like a beautiful sunset. The harsh grape notes are gone and it's a pinky red golden scent, like warm fabric and smooth wine. This scent is languorous, luxurious, sexy in a bohemian way without relying on spice, incense, or patchouli. 

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? If you love wine scents, this is a really special, not-too-literal sweet wine scent with great honey and wood accents.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think even if you're not a huge fan of alcoholic or wine scents, this captures the warmth and color of a glass of wine without the harshness or the weirdness of wearing a scent inspired by alcohol.

Where am I? Lying in a field of warm golden grass, surrounded by friends drinking and eating.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, nighttime, summer, autumn, weekend. Probably not work although it doesn't actually smell like wine. But it gives me a really calm, afternoon-nap feeling which is not optimal for a workday.

Deconstructing Eden Theodora Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Bulgarian rose absolute, Indian jasmine absolute, sandalwood, dragon's blood, frankincense, purple plums, Madagascar ginger, and precious spices

First impression out of bottle: Fruity Dragon's Blood

Freshly applied: Dragon's Blood, berries, and a hint of ginger and whiskey (sometimes DE scents with spice in them smell like whiskey on me!)

Drydown: Unfortunately, this is one of the DE scents that first takes a funky turn on me. There are very few but this is similar to Jasmine House, which turned to straight coriander and whiskey on me. I have a very similar impression from the initial drydown of Theodora. 

After several hours: So the nice thing about DE scents is even when they don't work on me, the drydown is always fabulous. In this case, it doesn't take too long (maybe 5 min) for the scent to morph out of its SPICED WHISKEY loudmouth opening into something far tamer. This turns into a slightly alcoholic (like wine and maybe a hint of brandy) purple-fruit incense scent. Dragon's Blood usually smells "red" and "dry" to me but here it smells VERY purple and almost damp and juicy. I don't get a lot of individual rose or jasmine, but I do smell a faint floral background. I definitely smell a bit of fresh ginger, which is a really nice addition. This is not overwhelmingly incense (maybe 40-50%) and it doesn't smell smoky or powdery. Just very smooth and sexy. 

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think incense and plum/berry lovers will really enjoy this. It's not too juicy, not too dry, just perfect.

Would an [X] hater love this? Even if you think you dislike incense or Dragon's Blood, give this a try. I prefer Nag Champa to Dragon's Blood but this blend won me over. Sometimes the note can be too dry, too musky, but this is a very elegant and sexy version.

Where am I? A dimly lit purple tent filled with fruit, incense, and booze

Where would I wear this? Weekend, daytime, nighttime, autumn, winter, spring, summer. I think I might wear this at work but it's not really a work-mood kind of scent. I would put this on to lounge at home but also to go out on a nice date.

Solstice Scents Pumpkin Spice Latte Review

Brand: Solstice Scents
Availability: Fall Limited Edition (Recurring)
Notes: Hot steaming coffee, sweet pumpkin, cinnamon, gingerbread whipped cream and a drop of Nutmeg

First impression out of bottle: Savory coffee beans and spice

Freshly applied: Deep earthy coffee with a background of beautiful dark spice cake

Autumn perfection.

Drydown: Gingerbread muffin with a bit of brown sugar crust, yummy milky coffee, and a touch of fluffy whipped cream. I love autumn, but IDGAF about PSL's in general. I don't drink them nowadays or remember what they smell like (though I can guess) but this is heavenly. The coffee essential oil is like true dark coffee, not like the plasticky cold scent I get from Cafe Mallowmel. It's sweetened up by the gingerbread/cake notes and a dusting of scrumptious, non-generic fall spice. Not too sugary and definitely deepened by the coffee.

Such a great gourmand coffee scent

After several hours: Gingerbread with a hint of coffee and a lot of marshmallow-y vanilla cream. The whipped cream note gets stronger and it's gorgeously creamy and edible, like the light notes in Solstice Scents' many Mallow blends. The strongest spice note to me is nutmeg, with some cinnamon but no anise/cardamom/clove which means this is NOT a chai-type scent at all!

Amazing combo of dark cakey and light fluffy gourmand notes

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think anyone who enjoys spicy or gourmand scents will ADORE THIS. I blind-bought a full size because 99% of Solstice Scents stuff works for me, and the description seemed like a no-brainer.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think even people who hate spicy bakery scents will like this, as it doesn't tip over to a "fall candle" scent, and it's definitely a sophisticated, ultra-realistic gourmand. 

Where am I? Sitting in a coffee shop, wrapped up in an orange or dark green scarf, sipping coffee and writing a mystery novel or something.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, autumn, winter, weekend, work. It perks me up in the morning but is very comforting throughout the day.

Cocoa Pink Caramel Popcorn Balls Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Melted marshmallow buttery caramel popcorn balls, a delicious Halloween treat sure to evoke memories of childhood.

First impression out of bottle: Butter and alcohol

Freshly applied: Salty butter and fruity candy like Pez or Sweet Tarts

Drydown: Toasted, almost woodsy marshmallows with a hint of savoryness. Not butter, but more like Rice Krispies. Not a gooey caramel scent, more fluffy, toasty, and golden.

After several hours: Lovely soft marshmallow with a hint of toasted savory flavor. I like this and it's nowhere near as buttery or weird as I expected. Not caramel-y though.

Definitely smells like these guys.

Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Low-medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I don't own it but from what I've heard, this could be similar to HoG Ghost Puffs. If you enjoy slightly kooky gourmands you will like this. 

Would an [X] hater love this? Gourmand hater or someone who picks up on buttery/salty notes to an extreme might find this weird. But then again as it's in EDP format I think the buttery popcorn notes will be very chilled out in general, even on people with wacky skin chemistry.

Where am I? Eating Rice Krispie treats at a Girl Scouts meeting after school.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, weekend. This is a little subtle for me for wintertime, when I prefer heavy spiced scents, but it could be good for the summer.

Cocoa Pink Marshmallow Fireside Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Toasted vanilla marshmallows over a roaring fire.  An excellent rendition of BBW's version

First impression out of bottle: Sweet

Freshly applied: Sweet vanilla woodsmoke

Drydown: Beautiful dark wood and marshmallow scent. Less of a burnt-mallow scent and less earthy than SS Smoky Mountain Mallow. More like resinous wood and a hint of perfumey smoke combined with sweet marshmallow. Just like a slightly smoked version of Black Marshmallow.

After several hours: Resinous woods and a floof of marshmallowy smoke.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high

Would an [X] lover love this? I have a gotta catchem all mentality when it comes to marshmallow scents. I think this is an awesome woodsy smoky marshmallow that isn't too heavy on the smoke. If you like marshmallow blends definitely try this.

Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate marshmallow/vanilla but love woodsy/smoky scents you might like what's going on here. There's some magic that combines the disparate notes and harmonizes them. I think even people who generally dislike food smells will appreciate this. It's kind of elegant and subtle.

Where am I? Putting on my jacket that I wore the night before to make s'mores.

Where would I wear this? Definitely would wear this at night as it's sexy and a bit smoky and assertive. I would also wear this during the day though. The woods and marshmallow are easy to wear.

Cocoa Pink Bonfire Pumpkins Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: This scent started out as an accident then turned into my personal all time favorite scent.  This year I decided to share.  We accidentally mixed Pumpkin porridge with Marshmallow Fireside and created a sensational creamy bonfire scent with notes of maple oats drizzled with pure golden clover honey, a pinch of muscovado sugar all topped with a dollop of sugared pumpkin puree plus toasted vanilla marshmallows over a roaring fire.  This is a smoky scent.

First impression out of bottle: Smoky maple sugar

Freshly applied: Sweet smoky maple candy

Mmmm soft maple candy

Drydown: Pumpkin comes out to play and mingles with the maple scent over a soft note of oats/general gourmandy sweetness. Honestly not all that smoky. I was expecting more BONFIRE but it's nicely woven into the food notes. This smells more like the "cooked" warm smell of freshly made breakfast food, not the smell of a bonfire. There's a tad bit of creamy gray smoke, but it's not an acrid smell. 

After several hours: Sweet mapley pumpkin porridge.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? Pumpkin/maple/fall gourmand lovers will adore this. 

Would an [X] hater love this? Maple haters won't like it. Anyone who despises oatmeal type scents will probably dislike it. But it's not gooey or cloying, so who knows. I find this to be a nice balance of sweet and earthy, though it's definitely MORE foodie than earthy.

Where am I? Sitting in a log cabin, eating pumpkin porridge by the fire.

Where would I wear this? For fall type activities, at night at home, to work, out and about on the weekends. It's a perfect cozy scent with something special.

Cocoa Pink Cozy Cabin In the Woods Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: White Cedar trees heavily laden with soft piles of snow, sweet sandalwood, crackling freshly chopped firewood roaring from inside the glowing fireplace with the heavenly aromas of creamy sugared vanilla and gingerbread floating through the air.

First impression out of bottle: Cedar and pine

Freshly applied: Wooo hickory wood and pine. Almost like BBQ smoke (but not too smokey, just that same sweet savory thing.) Then pine pops out, it's really green and sappy. Almost makes me think of citronella. 

Citronella candles

Drydown: Yes, still citronella, but overlaid on really sweet warm woodsy notes. I can't decide if I like this because...it's basically citronella and woods. Oh god do I LIKE smelling like citronella?

After several hours: Sweet, piney woods, smoke, and citronella. I'm disappointed I get no  really distinct/differentiated foodie notes, but honestly the combination smells really good. I think the gingerbread and vanilla must be tempering the sharper notes, because it all smells awesome.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? This is weird, so even if you like woodsy scents, proceed with caution.

Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate smoke, fresh wood scents, and citronella, then this will probably be like death to you.

Where am I? For some reason, burning citronella in midwinter.

Where would I wear this? Camping, outdoors, daytime, nighttime. It's weird but I like it.

Cocoa Pink Naughty Pumpkin Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: This pumpkin blend demonstrates exactly why. Naughty begins with two of our bestselling fragrance oils specially formulated just for CocoaPink: Spiritueuse Double Vanilla and our exclusive triple amber blend that we call “CP Black”. We then added some of our “Sweet Pumpkin” for a blend that raises the bar for foodie scents to new heights.

First impression out of bottle: Cocoa Pink's Black note and something slightly pumpkiny.

Freshly applied: Mmm deeper darker pumpkins. Smells like Pumpkin Marshmallow but darker and less fluffy.

Drydown: Yes, I am LOVING Cocoa Pink for their unspiced pumpkin scents. This is like delectable dark pumpkin pie that's light on the spice. Hint of sweet buttery crust.

After several hours: Same sweet sexy pumpkin

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high

Would an [X] lover love this? Yes, pumpkin lovers will love this for unadulterated sweet pumpkin

Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate pumpkin spice, you may like this. If you hate gourmands you won't like it.

Where am I? Eating pie, duh.

Where would I wear this? To eat pie. Daytime, nighttime, it's good for both. Not a warm weather scent really. Definitely seasonal. 

Cocoa Pink Winchester House Kitchen Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: The distinct aroma of autumn in the Winchester house kitchen with notes of aged oak, fresh baked pumpkin pie, 5 fold orange essential oil coated in the warm essence of light muscovado sugar, fresh ginger, sticky gobs of benzoin, warm buttery caramel simmering on the stovetop and just the barest hint of clove.

First impression out of bottle: Crystallized ginger

Freshly applied: Whoa knock you down crystallized sweet ginger mixed with fresh citrusy ginger. 

Drydown: There's a hint of oak playing around with the ginger scent. This is such a fresh and zesty scent- it makes me think of an Asian spa, not a warm haunted kitchen. I can sort of smell the sugary bits trying to get out, but it's still overwhelmingly a fresh ginger scent. I think the orange essential oil is helping that zestiness be at the forefront. 

After several hours: Mostly wood now with some hints of ginger. I honestly never smell any of the other dessert scents.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? Fresh ginger lovers need this- it's not your powdered spice cabinet ginger.

Would an [X] hater love this? Ginger haters will despise this, and citrus haters too. 

Where am I? Smells like you used ginger-based organic room cleaner to clean out an old wooden house. The smell of ginger kind of lingers in a pleasant, clean way but isn't overpowering. 

Where would I wear this? Daytime, to clean the house, work, a brisk fall day that's not too cold yet.

Cocoa Pink Marshmallow Candy Cane Noel Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: made with marshmallow sugar and vanilla bean noel, it has real spearmint & peppermint oils

First impression out of bottle: Sweetened, warm peppermint (warm, like, not bracing and fresh like Buttermint)

Freshly applied: Peppermint with a hint of caramel

Drydown: Now this is what I wanted from Buttermint. Good thing I got both! The peppermint and spearmint are complemented by the beautiful smooth caramel-vanilla of Vanilla Bean Noel. This is a sugary peppermint smell. Sort of like peppermint Torani syrup that you'd put in a coffee.

Maybe you also put peppermint schnapps in your coffee, I don't know your life

After several hours: Still fluffy caramel-vanilla peppermint. Mmm I love this one. One of the best uses for the awesome Vanilla Bean Noel note. Super Christmassy and festive.

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

Would an [X] lover love this? Anybody who likes sweet mint scents will find this excellent, although it may be a bit plain if you are  used to the fanciful Arcana peppermint perfumes that combine different herbal and food smells with the herb. This is straightforward.

Would an [X] hater love this? I don't think a mint hater would love this...there's no plastic or weirdness in here, so maybe if they were just a mint lover in disguise and didn't realize it yet?

Where am I? Asking for a double shot of peppermint syrup in my coffee at Starbucks

Where would I wear this? Work, parties, to decorate the Christmas tree. Daytime or night. Definitely great for the holidays, but I could probably wear this in warmer weather if I ignored the candy-cane-ish-ness.

Cocoa Pink Peppermint Hot Cocoa Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: A steaming mug of creamy hot chocolate infused with a peppermint stick.

First impression out of bottle: Altoid chocolate mints

Freshly applied: Medicinal salve and bandaids

Drydown: Real minty smell coming out now, it was definitely turning medicinal/bandage-y in the opening, but it's sweet and good now. I can detect a hint of chocolate, yes but it's mostly sweet peppermint. This smells like those "chocolate" candy canes that have a bare hint of chocolatey flavor. So I'd say this is a foodie, gourmand mint but it's not a true chocolate mint. 

After several hours: Sweet peppermint with a teensy bit of cocoa. A little watery though. The same way Sixteen92 Grimm is watery-chocolatey on me. 

Longevity: High
Sillage: Low medium

Would an [X] lover love this? Meh, this is a little watery for a true mint lover. Nothng super gourmand OR super fresh/earthy, it's just sort of...there.

Would an [X] hater love this? This is not going to be The Mint Scent that makes you a believer.

Where am I? Sitting in my 7th grade classroom, eating shitty candy canes on the last day before Christmas break. 

Where would I wear this? Daytime, maybe. I wouldn't wear it though, it's not quite punchy or special enough.

Cocoa Pink Snowflakes Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Sparkling mounds of fluffy almond icing snow dusted with soft white sugars.

First impression out of bottle: Gourmand plastic

Freshly applied: Almond extract and sunscreen

Drydown: This is quite a good sweet pure almond. It's not pastry-like at all. It reminds me a lot of almond granita, which you can get in Italy. Sweet, not creamy, but not too icy. There's still the eensiest bit of plastic/sunscreen which is in some Cocoa Pink gourmands, but nothing overwhelming.

Almond Italian ice

After several hours: The plastickyness is gone now, whew! Sweet pure almond. A little more sugary now, like maybe there's almond royal icing on top of the granita.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think an almond lover would appreciate this for being both a true almond scent and NOT a super-sharp almond. 

Would an [X] hater love this? Meh, almond haters might enjoy it but then again the initial plasticky note could be a big turnoff. One selling point for haters is that it quickly loses that almond extract note that can be so offensive.

Where am I? Scraping up almond Italian ice with a little spoon, savoring the treat at the end of a long meal.

Where would I wear this? This is definitely a daytime perfume for me. It feels equally appropriate for cold or warm weather, because almond is a year round scent for me! I would wear this to work, but I also think strong almonds have quite a sexy feel, so I would wear it out at night too!

Cocoa Pink Buttermint Candy Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: crisp clean peppermint with hints of vanilla bean.

First impression out of bottle: Not super sweet peppermint

Freshly applied: Breathtakingly cold  peppermint. Hint of something a bit plasticky.
Drydown: Still the same cold mint. That feeling you get in your lungs when you're running and it's freezing outside, and it feels like your lungs are icing over. The plastickyness is gone, but unfortunately I don't get a whole lot of vanilla bean. 

Very cold mint...brrr.

After several hours: I get just a hint of the vanilla bean now but it's still quite unsweetened. Definitely not a sugary scent or an ice cream scent. I would say breathmint is an accurate description. Not so much a buttermint, which I think of as sweeter. 

Longevity: High. 
Sillage: Medium high. It really freezes your nostrils when you take a whiff, like real peppermint.

Would an [X] lover love this? Mint lovers might like it, though it's quite plain, so if you have a lot of minty perfumes already, this would only be good for layering purposes or something. I think it could intensify the existing mint notes in any perfumes you own.

Would an [X] hater love this? Mint haters will probably despise this. It's cold and green and bracing- all characteristics of mint they are probably not a fan of.

Where am I? Popping a breathmint on a freezing cold snowy morning.

Where would I wear this? Work, anytime I needed to wake up fast. It's very energizing. It's NOT a candy cane-ish mint, so I would wear this in the spring or summer too. 

Cocoa Pink Butter Pecan Cake Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Rich and buttery, this scent is sure to please the foody lovers. Realistic butter cake topped with an assortment of candied nuts.

First impression out of bottle: Buttery cake

Freshly applied: Butter cake with some caramel.

Drydown: Stronger dark caramel scent now, still overlaid on a nice buttery yellow cake. I don't get distinct nuttiness. I could be smelling nuts as just another component of the caramel scent. 

Dark caramel and yellow cake

After several hours: Same rich sweet cake.

Longevity: Medium high. This sticks around a while as most Cocoa Pink EDPs do but with disappointing throw.
Sillage: Low medium-  I was disappointed as this would be a favorite of mine with a little better throw. This stays very close to the skin, even at initial time of application!

Would an [X] lover love this? Anyone who likes sweet gourmands will dig this. It's not too over the top sugary

Would an [X] hater love this? Sweet gourmand haters might like this as it's not cloying, but then again it's pretty standard. I would say it's a less chaotic and exuberant version of Arcana Ganesh. Less sweet, no honey, but gives that same lovely golden cake impression. 

Where am I? Digging into a cake baked by a sweet old lady.

Where would I wear this? I would wear this at night, as it's quite sweet, but maybe not for a big night out, because the throw is minimal. It would be really soft and pleasant at intimate distances, so maybe for dinner or something. 

Cocoa Pink Wildberry Cobbler Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Freshly picked wildberries baked into a delicious warm cobbler topped with a generous dusting of confectioners sugar complete with a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream

First impression out of bottle: Buttery gourmand with some dark purple fruit

Freshly applied: Purple berries overlaid on cakey sweetness. Reminds me of OHWTO Blackberry Buckle, which is very similar in its weird wateryness. (like it's not a full, rich scent, but watered down.) A bit more cake comes out, still predominantly a watery berry smell though. This is not super sweet or syrupy, which is what I would expect from a cobbler scent. If they had replicated the syrupy heavy feel of Blueberry Skies this would be perfect. Instead I get a 50/50 juicy berry and plain yellow cake type scent. Nice but a little subtle for me. I'm the queen of too-sweet gourmands. 

Drydown: Ah it gets a bit more syrupy and rich/spicy like Blueberry Skies. I get a dark feel like crystallized brown sugar on top of a cobbler, and rich dark berry juice. 

I don't get the vanilla ice cream though

After several hours: A little flat. I prefer Blueberry Skies over this for a berry-gourmand. It reminds me of OHWTO Blackberry Buckle which also goes flattish on me.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? Gourmand/berry lovers might enjoy it, but my skin chemistry didn't favor these notes.

Would an [X] hater love this? A gourmand hater probably wouldn't find anything extraordinary about this blend.

Where am I? Eating not-so-delicious cobbler at a friend's house, trying to be polite and complimentary

Where would I wear this? Daytime, if it were nicer and less flat maybe for special winter occasions or at night.