Alkemia Carmen 7 Review

Brand: Alkemia
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Spiced Pear, Lychee Fruit, Praline, Vanilla, Magnolia, and Amber

First impression out of bottle: Fruit, musk, amber. Fresh and girlish.

Freshly applied: A beautiful soft feminine vanilla pops out and amber becomes more prominent. It’s starting to smell like a mainstream amber-vanilla blend (not in a bad way.) 

Drydown: The white florals are unfurling and there’s a sugared undercurrent that I think is the praline note mingled with the amber/vanilla. The fruits are also there now but it’s 30% fruity-floral and 70% vanilla-amber-sweetness. Very balanced. I love the magnolia in this. Overall, I’m reminded of some kind of sexy scent from Victoria’s Secret, only it’s more sophisticated and high quality. The amber is a very “clean” one and it smells of washed and powdered skin, not too sweet and a bit fresh. Almost like a clean cotton scent, but without the screechy laundry-detergent feel of that type of note. Reminds me of the "baby" undertone of certain Johnson & Johnson products, but NOT like baby oil. It really reminds me of that lavender baby body wash/lotion they sell in the purple bottle. 

Something fresh, clean, and comforting

After several hours: Complex sweet muskiness. 

Longevity: Medium high
Sillage: Medium high

Would an [X] lover love this? I think if you enjoy mainstream fruity-floral perfumes, or anything in the warm/amber/vanilla family, you will love this. Especially if you find yourself loving on some mainstream sweet/girly scents from the likes of Victoria's Secret or Bath & Body Works. It’s not strongly lychee or pear, so look elsewhere for true fruit scents of that nature. 

Would an [X] hater love this? If you are generally opposed to sweet, girlish scents, this might turn you off. If you exclusively wear witchy, dark stuff, this won’t appeal. But I like both dark AND light things, and this is a perfect, non-cloying girly scent. Great for any friends who are not yet inducted into the creepy-fun world of indie perfume and would want something non-threatening and beautiful. Also great as a stocking stuffer for younger friends or family, as it’s not Baby Prostitute perfume, but would be appropriate for anybody from the ages of 13 onward.

Where am I? I  feel like Gisele shooting a perfume commercial, wrapped in flattering golden pink lighting.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, weekend, probably out to dinner even because it's kind of sexy in a non-sexual way. Girly and super pretty.

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. 

Common Brimstone Cake or Death Review

Brand: Common Brimstone
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Luscious red velvet cake blends beautifully with elegant cognac for a delicious gourmand perfume experience

First impression out of bottle: Caramel

Freshly applied: Duncan Hines frosting- really cheap and with a food-coloring aftertaste/smell

Drydown: Stinky BO mixed with Duncan Hines chocolate frosting. Something super stinky and plasticky is making this turn awful on me. 

After several hours: I couldn't keep this on for more than an hour.

Longevity: ?
Sillage: Low

Would an [X] lover love this? I'm a gourmand lover who loves almost all food scents. This one sucks and I hate it.

Would an [X] hater love this? A gourmand hater will certainly not be converted by this.

Where am I? I don't even want to talk about it. Maybe eating frosting from the jar at the sleepover after a high school track meet. Where I'm stinky and dirty and I don't even want the frosting, it's just...there.

Where would I wear this? Nowhere!

Common Brimstone Abhaile Review

Brand: Common Brimstone
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Rich notes of carrot cake and hot chocolate create a luxurious feel, while chestnut and cinnamon keep this from being too sweet. A base of French vanilla completes the gourmand experience

First impression out of bottle: Carrot cake

Freshly applied: Mm, dark sweet carrot cake with a bit of nuttiness.

Drydown: There's something like spicy musk that's making this more than a simple "cake" scent. It's kind of a gingerbread scent but with a little twist. I like it a lot more than Possets' Mrs. Rabbit's Carrot Cake which was kind of rancid/buttery on me. The nuts and cinnamon are more prominent now. It smells like spicecake. 

After several hours:

Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Low

Would an [X] lover love this? If you enjoy spicy/sweet gourmands with a twist this is a good one. It smells expensive. I wish the sillage were higher, but that's my only complaint.

Would an [X] hater love this? I don't know if a gourmand hater would like this. It's a little different than a literal cake scent, so perhaps the musky spiciness would be appealing.

Where am I? Eating spiced cake and wearing expensive nighttime perfume

Where would I wear this? Daytime, nighttime, autumn, winter.

Common Brimstone Constance Review

Brand: Common Brimstone
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: a comforting bakery blend of cookie dough, fresh baked bread, rich butter cream, butter, and a cup of white tea with a sprinkling of sugar.

First impression out of bottle: Buttery, slightly salty cookie dough

Freshly applied: Cookie dough made with super salty butter

Drydown: Buttery cookies and baked bread. This isn't horrible but I've smelled a lot of gourmand/bakery blends and this is just not super special. If it were a little more "voluptuous" or strong, it might be a great perfume, but it's a tad thin-smelling.

After several hours: Butter cookies, but very faint.

Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Low

Would an [X] lover love this? If you're a gourmand lover with high standards, I don't think this will cut it. It doesn't smell sophisticated or particularly realistic. 

Would an [X] hater love this? I don't think gourmand haters will find anything new or exciting here.

Where am I? Sort of like sitting outside a kitchen where someone is baking a lot of different things. But not a very good depiction of it.

Where would I wear this? If it worked better on me, daytime, spring, fall

Common Brimstone Godfrey's Cordial Review

Brand: Common Brimstone
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: mixes poppies with honey, vanilla, cinnamon and clove.

First impression out of bottle: Powdery sweet baby oil

Freshly applied: Old-fashioned baby oil with a hint of spice

Drydown: There's a hint of soft gold honey, some spice, but it's mostly that round, musky sweetness that smells like really expensive baby oil. It's not gross and chemical-y or too sweet, but it smells SUPER babyish/old-fashioned. I actually don't hate it but I doubt I would wear this much. There's something more sophisticated and resinous that stops this from being a purely face-cream scent.

After several hours: Not much spice left, mostly sweet round baby oil. This is a very simple but expensive-smelling scent. It smells like a luxurious midcentury ladies cosmetic product.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think if you love the scent of baby oil, old-fashioned cosmetics (like Pond's Cold Cream, Nivea, etc), or powdery scents in general, you will love this. 

Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate powdery scents, this is not for you. I like it a bit, but I'm sensitive to powder and it's a little simplistic for me. I think with a touch more spice I would enjoy it more.

Where am I? Applying Nivea/Ponds before bedtime in a sophisticated powder room.

Where would I wear this? To bed, daytime, spring, summer

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 Shemhazai Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Frankincense, myrrh, French cypress, saffron, bergamot, teak wood, black pepper, sage, mahogany and oak moss.

First impression out of bottle: Frankincense and myrrh.

Freshly applied: Fruity green resins. Myrrh has kind of a warm, honeyed fruit thing going on, whereas frankincense has that green, almost pine-like aroma. I definitely smell the black pepper but it's not too much. 

Drydown: Still bright and evergreen-y from the cypress. This smells a little fresh and green but also woodsy and brown. I would say this is a unisex scent.  It smells like expensive aftershave. Very sexy and warm but fresh at the same time.

Smells like a wet Darcy drying in the warm sun.

After several hours: Warm woodsy coniferous scent. Less herbal and complex than Deconstructing Eden Mercutio, and a bit damper.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? If you like evergreen/pine/cypress scents then you will love this. Or if you are a sucker for frankincense/myrrh combos, this is one of the best greenish ones I've tried. 

Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate fresh scents, this has a warm undertone that makes it more wearable and not so EVERGREEN. The pepper is very subtle and just underscores the warmth along with the sage, so you don't end up smelling like roast chicken.

Where am I? Playing in a cypress grove on a warm day after taking a dip in a lagoon.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, outside, spring, summer, maybe into colder weather. I think this would be amazing on a man, and I don't love it as much on me because I go for sweeter florals.

Deconstructing Eden Haunted Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Ghostly roses, ethereal lilacs and wisteria. Pale, pale Asian lilies on a soft bed of delicate woods and ambergris.

First impression out of bottle: Ladylike lilies and lilac

Freshly applied: Very lush white lilies. My dad hates the scent of lilies because they remind him of funerals, but I don't necessarily have that association. To me, lilies are very rich but also very clean. They remind me of expensive hotel bathrooms. 

Drydown: Yep, still a bit bathroom-y. I don't think it's super soapy necessarily, but that clean scent just makes me think of bathrooms. I get the lilac and the wisteria, but I think those aren't helping the issue. It's a little old lady-ish but also a little soapy/not rich enough. It's not really giving me a ghostly impression, it's just like a ritzy hotel powder room.

After several hours: Same white clean floral lily scent.

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

Would an [X] lover love this? I think if you love the scent of lilies, you will really enjoy this. I love wisteria and lilac but they don't save the fragrance for me.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think if you are not a fan of funereal type flowers, this will definitely offend your sensibilities.

Where am I? Pink ladies' powder room.

Where would I wear this? To have afternoon tea. Daytime, spring, summer.

Deconstructing Eden Autumn ’15 (the Gourmand Version) Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: Autumn 2015 Limited Edition
Notes: Warm Autumn spices, a hint of cider, saffron, leather, tolu balsam, dark amber, cedar, maple leaves, moss and a drop of patchouli.

First impression out of bottle: Savory leather and apple cider

Freshly applied: New car leather, saffron (which always gives me a savory-spice feel), patchouli, and a teensy bit of apple.

Drydown: More warm spice coming out now- not just saffron but the traditional Autumn Spice kind of thing. There's a drop of golden sweetness from the amber I think, and it's a very well balanced sweet-spice-earthy-leather scent. I don't love leather but even I can appreciate how nice this smells.

After several hours: Similar to the drydown but sweeter and with a bit less leather. Lovely morph-y blend of woods/leaves, resin, spice, and leather. Unisex. Crisp leaves, a bit of apple, the leather of your boots, and various exciting woodsy smells.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high

Would an [X] lover love this? I think somebody who likes leather would really enjoy this. It's a true leather scent, but it doesn't just smell like a handbag, it smells spicy and warm and softened by wear. If you like earthy scents, this is a surprising and very autumnal earthy scent that is light on the spice, so it's not generic at all.

Would an [X] hater love this? I'm a leather hater and I still find this...better than tolerable. I have worn it for a few hours and while it's not my favorite scent, I can still sniff it and appreciate it, rather than scrubbing it off.

Where am I? Taking a walk on a brisk but sun-warmed autumn afternoon. 

Where would I wear this? Autumn, daytime, on a hike, to an outdoorsy event.

Deconstructing Eden Catherine de Medici Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Oakmoss, precious woods, spices and cinnamon in the base. Ripe peaches, jasmine sambac and roses in the heart and top notes of very understated citrus and bergamot.

First impression out of bottle: Cranapple cocktail juice

Freshly applied: White floral room spray, peach brandy, and cinnamon

Drydown: The moss is more apparent now. It smells like an autumnal table decoration with dried moss, spices, and some fruits scattered around. I would say the spicy green moss is the strongest note at this point. The peach takes on a more peach-gummy feeling and settles into the background along with the jasmine. Part of me likes this and part of me thinks this smells like a crafts store in September! I think this would be an awesome room scent, but I don't know that I want to smell like it.

After several hours: Still similar to the original drydown, but the peach comes back a little more. I get a bit of fragrant wood now and some voluptuous sweet jasmine. Kind of weird because I definitely don't associate jasmine with autumn, but it's also kind of interesting. This is now a peach/jasmine/oakmoss/wood scent with a very small hint of cinnamon but not too much. 

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? If you like jasmine, this is a bizarre but really pretty and unexpected take on it. This is a really cool dry oakmoss scent, so if you are looking for a sweet, dry oakmoss thing this would be great.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think if you hate moss notes, this will be too dusty/mossy for you. The peach and jasmine are really pretty but subtle in here so they may not redeem the scent for you.

Where am I? At a pumpkin patch/hay festival. Wearing jasmine perfume. 

Where would I wear this? Maybe to carve pumpkins. It has a really weird feel like I could ONLY wear it on the hot Indian Summer days of September/early October and NO OTHER TIME of the year. 

Deconstructing Eden Black No. 1 Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Milk white skin, a haze of clove cigarette smoke, burning leaves and the blackest patchouli in my collection

First impression out of bottle: Spiced smoke

Freshly applied: Sweet smoke, spice, and patchouli

Drydown: Man I love how almost JUICY the patchouli is in here. I never thought I'd enjoy such a strong patch note but I do. It's altered by the haze of clove smoke (it REALLY does smell hazy!) and it almost starts to smell like those spiced pinecones that people decorate with in the wintertime. A little green and resiny, a little spicy and brown. I was expecting a much drier scent than this. It's sweet and dark and a bit fresh, but also a little spicy. It's not as smoky as you'd expect- more like toasted cloves than real smoke.

After several hours: FACCCCKKK. I understand it now. I *get* patchouli, completely and entirely. I feel like this scent is 80% patchouli, but it's delicate, juicy, like a crushed green leaf. There's a bit of clove and spice, but really it's all just ephemeral ingredients writhing around the patchouli and conspiring to make it smell absolutely glorious.

Wet, wonderful patchouli

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

Would an [X] lover love this? A patchouli lover would be like YEAH BUDDY and bathe in this.

Would an [X] hater love this? A patchouli hater would smell this and be like WAIT A MINUTE, IS THAT YOU, PATCHOULI? Everyone needs to try this.

Where am I? Heading home from a death metal concert by way of a dark forest path after a rainstorm.

Where would I wear this? I love the juicy earthiness, so I would absolutely wear this during the day. To me it's so green it doesn't read sexy/nighttime but for a man, it might be. I prefer sweeter scents for night wear, but this is a year-round one for me.

Deconstructing Eden Be My Druidess Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Incense, woods, tree moss, light and dark musks and a smokey fire.

First impression out of bottle: Musky sweet smoke

Freshly applied: Musky sweet smokiness! Like a non-foodie Solstice Scents Smoky Mountain Mallow. 

Drydown: Oh lord this is heavenly. I am usually not a huge fan of musks, but the smooth silky musks here are bolstered with the most heavenly sweet fiery smoke note and a hint of woods. It's a sweet scent, but like I said, not at all on the vanilla/marshmallow end of the spectrum. More like amber/resin and sweet burning incense. I love how balanced the smoke and incense notes are. It's not acrid like you swallowed a lungful of campfire smoke, but it IS dark and a bit ashy. But then that's mixed with an almost syrupy musky resin note and something like spiced wood.

After several hours: Same weaving mixture of smoke and musk-resin with incense.

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

Would an [X] lover love this? This is like THE ultimate incense/resin scent. I'm a fanatic about my smoky and incense smells and this is a seriously absurdly good version. It's a burning-incense smell, so you get the smoke and the body of the incense. It smells like the smoke, plus the air that's being fragranced, plus the actual incense sticks. It's sweet but not at all gourmand.

Would an [X] hater love this? If you despise smoke/wood/resin scents I think this is going to push all your buttons. I can see it being a touch too resinous for you especially if you gravitate to fresher scents. But if you only dislike smoke scents, this is a subtle and wearable smoke.

Where am I? Burning sacred incense in a temple

Where would I wear this? I'm a hoor for incense, so I consider this an all-weather all-occasion scent. Sweet enough for daytime, smoky enough for nighttime. But if you are more conservative about your incense scents, I'd say to be safe, wear this on a date or to a party.

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.

Deconstructing Eden Halo Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden

Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Moonlight, sea water, lilacs, wisteria, honeysuckle and moonflower

First impression out of bottle: Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray 

Freshly applied: Light fluffy lilac plus that same beachy expensive hair product scent. 

Fragrant soft lilacs with ocean breeze

Drydown: Sweet delicate lilacs and maybe something sweeter like alyssum or osmanthus, along with that sweet relaxing surf spray smell. This is not a kelpy/true earthy beach smell. It is not sandy or sunscreen-y. It smells identical to that B&B hair product. A perfumey/luxurious interpretation of "beach."

After several hours: Same as drydown. Something I love about DE's floral mixes is that on the drydown, you'll get one aspect (beachy) popping out more strongly, but then it backs down and the floral aspect (lilac) comes forward. And it sort of weaves in and out and you get a very interesting sensory experience!

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think someone who loves lilacs would really enjoy this, because it's somehow a TRUE lilac scent but with something a little different and beachy. It doesn't smell..tropical or like jasmine or anything. But it smells like flowering lilac bushes by the seaside.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think haters of beachy or lilac scents will still find this sweet rendition wearable. The lilac isn't cloying or powdery, it's got the soft roundness of real lilac blossoms, but a certain freshness that makes the perfume very "easy on the nose."

Where am I? Getting my hair cut in an absurdly upscale and relaxing salon. I'm almost crying because this is the exact scent memory of the first/grownup haircut I got. I was just starting to get out of my awkward middle school phase and I had my hair cut short and adorable before going on a shopping trip with my mom. This smells like the hair salon + the Lanvin perfume she bought me that day (Éclat d'Arpège.) It smells like sunny weather, happiness, and youth. 

Where would I wear this? Definitely a summer/spring scent. It evokes weekends and vacation for me, but I would absolutely wear it to work to brighten my spirits.

Deconstructing Eden Gentian House Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Frankincense, myrrh, opium smoke, gentian violets, vetiver, french lavender, a touch of smoke.

First impression out of bottle: Grassy dirt

Freshly applied: Lavender, grass, and earth

Drydown: Mmm this is a robust, DRY lavender. You know the type that is very dusty gray-purple and smells herby and dry. This is ever so slightly smoky, like you burnt some sage and lavender in an old house. It smells a bit ancient and sacred, but not like a church. Maybe like a mansion that belonged to witches, and this is the lingering scent of the cologne of one of their gentleman callers.

Like an old, creepy, very well-maintained home

After several hours: What I like about this is it's strongly lavender, and has an almost citrusy freshness (I think from the vetiver, which doesn't smell grassy or overly green, but just fresh and clean.) There's an underlying old (but not dirty) feel from the frankincense and myrrh. It's overall just an incredibly well-done blend. 

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high

Would an [X] lover love this? I think someone who enjoys any sort of resin, smoke, herb, or lavender scents will LOVE THIS. 

Would an [X] hater love this? Honestly, I don't love lavender all the time. It's a fickle beast that often smells off in perfumes, but this is like a bundle of real lavender, combined with all the other amazing notes. It's also not too earthy, so if you hate smelling like dirt, you will still love it.

Where am I? Spring cleaning a witch's mansion with super high-end organic cleaners.

Where would I wear this? I love that, unlike the super summery Legare, this could be easily worn for all seasons.  This is a spring cleaning scent to me, but it also reminds me of being inside a cool dark house on a rainy day. I would wear this throughout the year, and definitely for daytime occasions. Will also attempt to get my boyfriend to wear this. He said he liked lavender deodorant one time 2 years ago, so as far as I'm concerned, I'm IN.

Deconstructing Eden Alice in Wonderland Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Candied lemon peel and sugared violet and rose petals

First impression out of bottle: Floral marshmallows

Freshly applied: Floral marshmallows with a citrus twist

Pretty much exactly this

Drydown: Powdered sugar with a hint of flowers and lemon. This is a really great floral gourmand. I like it far better than Solstice Scents Violet Mallow, which is insanely sharp and a bit grassy on the opening. This is like the slightly purpler version of Solstice Scents Rose Mallow Cream. But where that has a very vanilla-marshmallow quality, this is more like powdered sugar marshmallow fluff. The violet is quiet and very well behaved here. It's melded with the rose into some sort of fantasy flower that smells like both and neither. 

Something fluffy and powdery (in a good way)

After several hours: Sweet powdered sugar and flowers with a gooooorgeous sweet candy lemon. The violet becomes way more "violet"y after drying down more and smells a bit purplish. Still well-behaved, but the scent reminds me of those violet candies from Italy. More violet than rose on the drydown.

Such a sweet, perfect lemon

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? Gourmand lovers would really like it. I think fans of Solstice Scents' Mallow blends will enjoy this different spin on a candied floral scent. There's really no vanilla in this, which I think makes it different and interesting. Violet lovers will enjoy the tamed and lovely violet.

Would an [X] hater love this? Gourmand haters will probably find this too fluffy. Violet-haters (I count myself among you) will probably actually be fine with it. The violet is totally tolerable and not sharp or grassy. It actually works with the scent instead of competing with the other notes, which is often something I dislike about violets.

Where am I? Having an elegant tea party with a bunch of rich children

Where would I wear this? Daytime, afternoon, girl's day out, weekend. It's a bit too sweet for work, but it's perfect to wear out shopping or something. Springy/summery. 

Deconstructing Eden Legare Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Mahogany, magnolias, gardenias, spanish moss, iced tea and petitgrain

First impression out of bottle: Cologne and bergamot 

Freshly applied: Mmm floral but green cologne smell. Sophisticated and unisex like something in a fancy hotel shower.

Drydown: The soft white florals are blossoming (har) now and making this way less green/cologne like. The petitgrain (which generally smells like bergamot) is prominent but it's not a citrusy scent. I can smell a really true, golden brown iced tea. I can smell the flowers from the garden, the mossy-woodsiness of the trees lining the drive, and a fresh pitcher of iced tea straight from the fridge. I think if you love Lady Nada, this is like a slightly less frilly/girly version. It combines a certain citrus freshness with a pillowy white flower vibe.

Drinking tea in a flower garden in the South

After several hours: Still cold brown tea and white florals. I would say at this point the white florals are more voluptuous and prominent, comprising at least 50-60% of the scent. The iced tea in this really provides the perfect fresh/cold background, but is maybe only 25-30% of the entire scent. It's not zingy like lemon tea or over the top, just cold and dark and sweet. The moss and mahogany are giving an earthy but not dirty foundation. I don't think this is masculine, but I can easily see a man wearing it because it kind of melds with the skin's natural scent. It smells glorious but if I didn't know the notes, I might not be able to say with certainty that it was floral tea. It's not a literal gourmand, much more of an atmospheric one. 

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think somebody who likes white florals would really enjoy this, as it's a fresh but NOT green take on the theme. If you like unisex perfumes that aren't your basic hurr-durr Green Fresh Cologne, this would also be interesting. Finally, if you're a tea fan you will probably love it, but be warned it doesn't literally smell like tea leaves. The scent gives the suggestion of the temperature, briskness, and color of iced black tea without being overtly astringent or herbaceous.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think white floral/tea haters would definitely like this, as it's a very clever mixture of the two, and it's not too obvious. Tea scents can be sour/bitter, and this is neither. White florals can be too sweet or heady, and this doesn't have that issue either.

Where am I? Drinking iced tea on a pristine white porch.

Where would I wear this? Definitely a great spring/summer scent. It's too bad it's winter, or I would really want to wear this a lot. I see this as a daytime scent. It's perfect for work or weekend as it's inoffensive but whimsical enough to be fun. 

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.

Sixteen92 Spellbound Review

Brand: Sixteen92
Availability: Fall Collection 2015 (Limited Edition)
Notes: Creamed pumpkin, spiced bourbon & Tahitian vanillas, sticky marshmallow fluff

First impression out of bottle: Buttery pumpkin

Freshly applied: Pillowy pumpkin churros

Drydown: Same fried, golden churro goodness. Definite orange pumpkin-y feel but with generous cinnamon-sugar. 

Mmm, pumpkin churros

After several hours: Creamy, cinnamony pumpkin. This reminds me of of Alkemia's Pumpkin Strumpet but where that one is more pumpkin-spiced-cream, this is pumpkin-fried-dough. 

Longevity: Medium high
Sillage: On the low end of medium. It's not dismal but it's not as pungent as I like my gourmand scents.

Would an [X] lover love this? I think someone who enjoys any pumpkin scents or gourmands will like this! It's a very basic pumpkin gourmand, but it gets that fried dough smell PERFECTLY.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think gourmand haters might be ok with it, seeing as it's very light and inoffensive, but if you hate buttery perfumes or anything with cinnamon, stay away.

Where am I? Frying up some fall-themed doughnuts

Where would I wear this? Daytime, autumn, winter, weekend. I love this scent but it's not quite pungent or spicy enough for nighttime. 

Sarawen Ambrosia Chocolat Review

Brand: Sarawen
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: chocolate, amber, honey, vanilla

First impression out of bottle: Chocolate honey, mmm!

Freshly applied: Oh snoes, it's turning waxy and plasticky on me...mostly fake honey with beeswax and a hint of something like cut green flower stems. No chocolate. COME BACK.

None of your beeswax.

Drydown: Burnt honey with hints of plastic and Band-Aids. Nope nope nope. The chocolate, which was SO lovely in the bottle on cold sniff, is a mere trace here. I'm sure this one will be ok on some but if you have trouble with honey or chocolate notes (I do, and I've tried em all) you should be wary.

Like this, but more chemically and dirty

After several hours: Honey that is simultaneously waxy/plasticky and sharp. No chocolate. Still with that weird sappy green flower stem note.

I really fucking hate this smell, if you can't tell.

Longevity: Medium.
Sillage: Medium. 

Would an [X] lover love this? I have heard plenty of people say they enjoyed this, but like Smelly Yeti Not the Bees, this went immediately plasticky and nasty on me. I love chocolate but have a hard time finding good cocoa notes, and this was no exception. 

Would an [X] hater love this? Unless you have skin chemistry that melds well with these type of notes (cheaper/simplistic blends IMO) I think you will hate this and find it turns fake-y.

Where am I? Accidentally melting plastic and food together in a kitchen mishap.

Where would I wear this? Nowhere. If it smelled like it did in the bottle on me, I'd wear it for sexy nighttime fun.

Sarawen The Piemaker Review

Brand: Sarawen
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: berry pies, pale musk, apple spice, tuberose, amber

First impression out of bottle: Red berries and white florals

Freshly applied: Stately tuberose and raspberries

Sophisticated tuberose is the loudest note at first

Drydown: Very good but faint light red berry note, non-obnoxious tuberose, and a large dose of a generic perfume smell. It sucks because I like all the elements alone here, but together they are turning bland. Nothing is offensive (surprising, considering how nasty berry notes can go, and ditto for tuberose) but I expected a more exuberant, unusual end result. It's basically a light and inoffensive tuberose perfume with a faintly fruity undertone. I get no spice or heavier gourmand (pie crust etc) notes. 

After several hours: All gourmand notes are gone, but maybe a hint of berry remains as a pink tone to the tuberose.

Longevity: Low
Sillage: Low medium. I was expecting something more powerful- you've got powerhouse tuberose and some heavy gourmand notes up in here but it turns out a bit watery, which is the worst.

Would an [X] lover love this? Gourmand-floral lovers (of which I am one) may like it if their skin chemistry is right. I personally disliked it, as the reason I enjoy gourmand-florals is that they are unusual and funky. This smells generically floral. 

Would an [X] hater love this? If you have been curious about white florals but find them all heavy and cloying, AND you like very subtle scents, you may enjoy this. 

Where am I? Sitting in an empty dance hall after the flowers and cakes have been cleared from a wedding. Mostly empty air with a hint of fruit and flowers.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, work, weekend, summer, spring. It's too light for me to enjoy regularly. 

Sarawen Pixie Dust Review

Brand: Sarawen
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: sweet orange, vanilla cake, honey, sugar

First impression out of bottle: Cinnabon with cream cheese glaze.

Freshly applied: Cream cheese icing and a hint of Tang.

Horrifying.

Drydown: Sticky dark honey and Tang. This has an unsophisticated sticky feel. Like you spilled orange juice and syrup on a tablecloth and it just dried.

After several hours: A bit less gross than the initial drydown, but mainly like pre-packaged cake with a hint of orange icing.

Like something you'd pick up in a gas station

Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Low-medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I don't think this is a sophisticated/unusual gourmand. I think Sarawen's cake notes are weak and nothing compared to something like Arcana or Solstice Scents, who really develop a true voluptuous set of cakey/gourmand accords. 

Would an [X] hater love this? I don't think a gourmand hater would like this. It's everything that can go wrong with a foodie perfume.

Where am I? Eating cake from a rest stop on a road trip with a stomachache. 

Where would I wear this? I wouldn't. If it worked on me, maybe daytime or work. 

Sarawen Mina Review

Brand: Sarawen
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: rose accord, musk, rosewood, incense, myrrh

First impression out of bottle: Rose and tea

Freshly applied: Lush juicy rose

Like a beverage made from rose petals.

Drydown: Very pleasant deep pink rose scent with a hint of warmth. I think the myrrh is well-placed here as it lends a fruitiness that isn't fruit. You will sometimes see raspberry mixed with rose and that can go a bit Kool-Aid-y or too RED, but the myrrh makes this bright/juicy without tipping into very edible territory. If I inhale VERY deeply I get the fuzzier deep incense and soft wood notes, but it's very heavy on the musky rose and myrrh. I get the sense of a cosmetic product, like a rose face cream.

After several hours: Myrrh and wood with a bit less of the musky rose. I enjoy this at all stages actually. I do wish that there was a stronger rosewood/wood note but I think it will be great layered with a sandalwood perfume such as NAVA's Santalum.

Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think lots of rose lovers will enjoy this. It's a pretty, kind of old-fashioned interpretation of rose. Very Crabtree & Evelyn/Yardley's-reminiscent which I enjoy.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think someone who hates rose will find this pretty grating and standard. I personally embrace the more old-fashioned/grandmotherly associations with the flower, but if you dislike that aspect, I don't think this is an updated twist that will change your mind.

Where am I? A fancy expat grandma's apartment- mix of Western beauty stuff with something a bit Eastern.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, weekend, work. I would wear this to sleep after taking a bubble bath and moisturizing.