Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: A wonderful rich pound cake with loaded with heavy cream.
First impression out of bottle: Buttercream
Freshly applied: Cheap buttercream frosting
Drydown: Generic sweetness. Less cheap-smelling than at first but not special or expensive-smelling.
After several hours: Same
Longevity: High
Sillage: Low Medium
Would an [X] lover love this? I think a gourmand lover would find this to be uninteresting and for me, it doesn't compete with other great gourmands (from Cocoa Pink and other brands.)
Would an [X] hater love this? No this isn't going to convert a gourmand hater.
Where am I? Eating cheap gas station versions of Twinkies, not the real thing.
Where would I wear this? I wouldn't.
Showing posts with label Cream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cream. Show all posts
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Cocoa Pink Signature White Review
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: a blend of delicate shea blossoms, rice flowers, vanilla cream, sweet sugar and heliotrope with delicate undertones of amber and sandalwood.
First impression out of bottle: Clean sweetness.
Freshly applied: Sweet amber and floral pops out a little, reminds me a lot of Alkemia's Carmen VII at this point.
Drydown: Lovely medley of flowers, smooth clean cream, powdered sugar, and a hint of fruity-floral that reminds me a bit of lilac mixed with cherry/almond (from the heliotrope I believe.) I like the blend of food and non-food sweetness here. Very fresh and clean but soft and sweet, not at all laundry-like or zesty.
After several hours: Same soft, smooth clean white smell.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Low/Medium
Would an [X] lover love this? I think anybody who likes subtle scents will like this because it's so light but complex and fun. It's a wonderful and different "fruity-floral" that doesn't have too many obvious notes. Nothing competes, everything blends well.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think if you dislike fruity florals or florals in general, you might find this too princessy.
Where am I? A tea party with a white color scheme.
Where would I wear this? Daytime, summer, spring.
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: a blend of delicate shea blossoms, rice flowers, vanilla cream, sweet sugar and heliotrope with delicate undertones of amber and sandalwood.
Freshly applied: Sweet amber and floral pops out a little, reminds me a lot of Alkemia's Carmen VII at this point.
Drydown: Lovely medley of flowers, smooth clean cream, powdered sugar, and a hint of fruity-floral that reminds me a bit of lilac mixed with cherry/almond (from the heliotrope I believe.) I like the blend of food and non-food sweetness here. Very fresh and clean but soft and sweet, not at all laundry-like or zesty.
 |
| Like a white-themed tea party |
After several hours: Same soft, smooth clean white smell.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Low/Medium
Would an [X] lover love this? I think anybody who likes subtle scents will like this because it's so light but complex and fun. It's a wonderful and different "fruity-floral" that doesn't have too many obvious notes. Nothing competes, everything blends well.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think if you dislike fruity florals or florals in general, you might find this too princessy.
Where am I? A tea party with a white color scheme.
Where would I wear this? Daytime, summer, spring.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
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
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.
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!
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.
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. |
 |
| Such a great gourmand coffee scent |
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| 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.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Cocoa Pink Coconut Rum Cake Review
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: A scrumptious bakery arrangement beginning with almond extract, chopped almonds, and dark rum followed by sugar cane, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and heavy cream topped off with flaked coconut.
First impression out of bottle: Sharp rum and coconut
Freshly applied: Straight coconut Malibu rum
Drydown: Something kind of lemony. Almost smells like OHWTO The Cake Is a Lie. Weird! Now I get a lovely crumbly cake scent, kind of like cake covered in brown sugar. There is still a steeped-in-rum feeling and a nice tropical feel like flaked toasty coconut. I'm so confused why this smells like lemon cake though. I guess my nose could be interpreting sharpness from the rum as citrus, but it's bit unnerving!
After several hours: The coconut becomes beautiful and silky, almost like you made an icing from coconut milk and powdered sugar. Very tropical smelling. Still smells like lemon cake!
Longevity: High
Sillage: High
Would an [X] lover love this? This is definitely a successful gourmand scent. I am bewildered by the lemon but I still enjoy this.
Would an [X] hater love this? Cake haters need not apply. This is a very sweet gourmand with prominent cake notes.
Where am I? Drinking a rum cocktail and eating lemon-coconut cake at someone's destination wedding.
Where would I wear this? Summer, daytime. Especially considering I get such a fierce lemon cake smell, this reads warm weather to me. Not like a heavy dark Christmas rum cake. Oh well!
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: A scrumptious bakery arrangement beginning with almond extract, chopped almonds, and dark rum followed by sugar cane, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and heavy cream topped off with flaked coconut.
First impression out of bottle: Sharp rum and coconut
Freshly applied: Straight coconut Malibu rum
 |
| Smells like...lemon cake?? |
After several hours: The coconut becomes beautiful and silky, almost like you made an icing from coconut milk and powdered sugar. Very tropical smelling. Still smells like lemon cake!
Longevity: High
Sillage: High
Would an [X] lover love this? This is definitely a successful gourmand scent. I am bewildered by the lemon but I still enjoy this.
Would an [X] hater love this? Cake haters need not apply. This is a very sweet gourmand with prominent cake notes.
Where am I? Drinking a rum cocktail and eating lemon-coconut cake at someone's destination wedding.
Where would I wear this? Summer, daytime. Especially considering I get such a fierce lemon cake smell, this reads warm weather to me. Not like a heavy dark Christmas rum cake. Oh well!
Cocoa Pink Vampire's Lament Review
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Luscious strawberry milkshake essence spiked with white amber, metallic white musk then finished off with a splash of creamy vanilla.
First impression out of bottle: Pure strawberry
Freshly applied: Strawberry vanilla ice cream
Drydown: Strawberry milk shake, all the way. A hint of perfumed amber and musk comes out and makes this fruity blend a little more sophisticated. I feel like I kind of get the "metallic" musk note but maybe not. It's not unpleasant, and it doesn't smell like machinery. Just kind of bright and cold. I love how this was so fruity/foodie at first but has morphed into a more perfumey version of a strawberry shake.
After several hours: Same, less strawberry, more musk and amber.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium High
Would an [X] lover love this? Definitely good for those who want something heavy on the strawberry but with some other surprising elements.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think berry haters won't like this interpretation- while it's not strictly 100% fruity, the amber/musk elements are quite sweet. They make the perfume more sophisticated IMO but not more wearable for those who dislike sweet scents.
Where am I? Savoring a strawberry milkshake at an ice cream fountain lunch counter
Where would I wear this? Daytime, work, summer. It's a warm weather perfume IMO, it reminds me a lot of going to get ice cream after a day spent at the library.
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Luscious strawberry milkshake essence spiked with white amber, metallic white musk then finished off with a splash of creamy vanilla.
First impression out of bottle: Pure strawberry
Freshly applied: Strawberry vanilla ice cream
Drydown: Strawberry milk shake, all the way. A hint of perfumed amber and musk comes out and makes this fruity blend a little more sophisticated. I feel like I kind of get the "metallic" musk note but maybe not. It's not unpleasant, and it doesn't smell like machinery. Just kind of bright and cold. I love how this was so fruity/foodie at first but has morphed into a more perfumey version of a strawberry shake.
After several hours: Same, less strawberry, more musk and amber.
 |
| Creamy strawberry shake in a COLD metal cup |
Sillage: Medium High
Would an [X] lover love this? Definitely good for those who want something heavy on the strawberry but with some other surprising elements.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think berry haters won't like this interpretation- while it's not strictly 100% fruity, the amber/musk elements are quite sweet. They make the perfume more sophisticated IMO but not more wearable for those who dislike sweet scents.
Where am I? Savoring a strawberry milkshake at an ice cream fountain lunch counter
Where would I wear this? Daytime, work, summer. It's a warm weather perfume IMO, it reminds me a lot of going to get ice cream after a day spent at the library.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Cocoa Pink Blueberry Skies Review
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Summer/Spring (N/A during Autumn/Winter)
Notes: Warm blueberry muffins atop luscious billows of vanilla custard cream clouds topped with crunchy, raw sugar crystals
First impression out of bottle: Syrupy blueberries at first, like homemade blueberry compote.
Freshly applied: Still syrupy blueberries, then a sticky molasses scent.
Drydown: The molasses fades slightly into a more manageable brown sugar scent. I can smell something that I recognize as a “muffin scent” but it’s not 100% realistic, a bit synthetic. I wasn’t expecting this but it REALLY settles into something gorgeous after a few minutes on the skin. It’s gentle blueberry syrup, light brown sugar, and a soft sweet muffin cake. Not yellow cake like Arcana or Solstice Scent’s cake notes, this is totally that dense ultra-soft Costco muffin blueberry cake thing. This went from meh to AMAZING in 2 minutes. Also the blueberry in this is not too sharp, like dried blueberries (the way OHWTO Victuals was on me) it’s like actual blueberries steeped with sugar and water, realistic and ultra sweet.
After several hours: The ultimate drydown is a fluffy vanilla blueberry muffin cake. It can get a teensy bit sharp/cloying depending on my skin chemistry that day, and I find layering it with a smooth vanilla solves that problem.
Longevity: Excellent (in the alcohol-based format.) This lasts all day.
Sillage: Very high, even after I wash hands, or after 8 hours have passed.
Would an [X] lover love this? Gourmand lovers need to try, especially blueberry fans. This is a very realistic syrupy blueberry, which is hard to find.
Would an [X] hater love this? It's VERY sweet, so someone who hates gourmands will most likely feel this is too sugary.
Where am I? Biting into a warmed-up Costco muffin with a glass of milk.
Where would I wear this? Daytime, weekend, even nighttime as it's quite strong and assertive. Even though this is part of their Spring/Summer catalog, I find it's more suitable to cooler weather.
Availability: General Catalog Summer/Spring (N/A during Autumn/Winter)
Notes: Warm blueberry muffins atop luscious billows of vanilla custard cream clouds topped with crunchy, raw sugar crystals
First impression out of bottle: Syrupy blueberries at first, like homemade blueberry compote.
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| Blueberry syrup |
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| Molasses with cooked blueberries |
 |
| You know what's up |
Longevity: Excellent (in the alcohol-based format.) This lasts all day.
Sillage: Very high, even after I wash hands, or after 8 hours have passed.
Would an [X] lover love this? Gourmand lovers need to try, especially blueberry fans. This is a very realistic syrupy blueberry, which is hard to find.
Would an [X] hater love this? It's VERY sweet, so someone who hates gourmands will most likely feel this is too sugary.
Where am I? Biting into a warmed-up Costco muffin with a glass of milk.
Where would I wear this? Daytime, weekend, even nighttime as it's quite strong and assertive. Even though this is part of their Spring/Summer catalog, I find it's more suitable to cooler weather.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Arcana Astrid's Diadem Review
Brand: Arcana
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Madagascar vanilla, Bourbon vanilla, sugared lavender creme, citron, lemongrass, peppermint, and a touch of stately patchouli
First impression out of bottle: Minty lemon with some grassiness
Freshly applied: Initially I get all lavender and peppermint, with a bitter twist of citrus rind. As it dries, I get the paradoxical bright/bitter citrus (smells like lemon juice now) with that herbal/dusty lavender that smells like real lavender buds, with a bit of grassiness of lemongrass and an obvious helping of peppermint. This is such a cool, herbal scent. It’s very fun and confusing to my nose, but at the same time very pleasant. Like your nose CANNOT perceive all the scents at once, so it goes through an arpeggio of lavender, lemon, lemongrass, peppermint before settling onto a bed of sugared vanilla, then back to the beginning. A kind of weird wild ride. I LOVE IT.
Drydown: After drying down completely, there’s a more “sugared lavender-peppermint creme” sensation, with the citrus/lemongrass nestled on top. Thank god the patchouli is simply grounding the peppermint. There’s no rubber or mustiness here, just a surprisingly long-lasting mint note. The vanillas are keeping everything swathed in softness. I'm happy that the notes all pop out and this isn’t turning into a same-y vanilla.
After several hours: Same thing as the drydown, a sugared lavender cream with some sparkling peppermint and grassy citrus.
Longevity: High, especially considering that the herbal notes are ones that usually dissipate quickly. This lasts more than 6 hours on me. The patchouli extends the mint notes, in my opinion.
Sillage: Very high at first, remains fairly good throughout the life
Would an [X] lover love this? I think anyone who likes herbal notes and vanillas needs this scent. It's super unusual and funky. It's a bit cacophonous at first, but it dries down into something just as charming and probably more wearable.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think someone who vehemently hated vanilla might still be ok with this. It's not a syrupy or overly sweet vanilla. If you don't like lemongrass or peppermint, it will be a nonstarter. Lavender haters might be surprised though, as the lavender is used very subtly here.
Where am I? In a spotless white kitchen with Ina Garten, making eight different types of meringues and creams at once.
Where would I wear this? Work, weekend, sleep. Not for a night out, too playful and zesty. But I think this can work well as a winter perfume (it has a frozen, ice creamy feel) and also it's refreshing enough to be great in hot weather.
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Madagascar vanilla, Bourbon vanilla, sugared lavender creme, citron, lemongrass, peppermint, and a touch of stately patchouli
First impression out of bottle: Minty lemon with some grassiness
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| Lemongrass mint dessert, a little creamy and a little fresh |
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| Love the bitter citrus twist |
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| Lavender cream with touches of sparkling peppermint and citron |
Longevity: High, especially considering that the herbal notes are ones that usually dissipate quickly. This lasts more than 6 hours on me. The patchouli extends the mint notes, in my opinion.
Sillage: Very high at first, remains fairly good throughout the life
Would an [X] lover love this? I think anyone who likes herbal notes and vanillas needs this scent. It's super unusual and funky. It's a bit cacophonous at first, but it dries down into something just as charming and probably more wearable.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think someone who vehemently hated vanilla might still be ok with this. It's not a syrupy or overly sweet vanilla. If you don't like lemongrass or peppermint, it will be a nonstarter. Lavender haters might be surprised though, as the lavender is used very subtly here.
Where am I? In a spotless white kitchen with Ina Garten, making eight different types of meringues and creams at once.
Where would I wear this? Work, weekend, sleep. Not for a night out, too playful and zesty. But I think this can work well as a winter perfume (it has a frozen, ice creamy feel) and also it's refreshing enough to be great in hot weather.
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