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 Cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cake. Show all posts
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Cocoa Pink Bavarian Coconut Cake Review
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Rich creamy custard cake sprinkled with toasted coconut.
First impression out of bottle: Sweet coconut
Freshly applied: Sickly sweet caramel coconut with butter
Drydown: Still a bit sickly, butter cake with coconut. Has kind of a rancid butter smell.
After several hours: Same as drydown.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high
Would an [X] lover love this? I'm a gourmand lover and a coconut lover and I'm not a fan. I think Cocoa Pink can do milk/cream notes well, but the custard in this smells like scalded milk to me. Unpleasant. If you want to give it a try, I get the feeling it would be good on different skin chemistries.
Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate milk notes or custard notes because they tend to smell burnt or sickly to you, maybe give it a pass.
Where am I? Eating coconut mixed with burnt microwave popcorn butter.
Where would I wear this? I wouldn't wear it, but if it smelled more like what I imagined, I'd wear it for daytime and warm weather.
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Rich creamy custard cake sprinkled with toasted coconut.
First impression out of bottle: Sweet coconut
Freshly applied: Sickly sweet caramel coconut with butter
Drydown: Still a bit sickly, butter cake with coconut. Has kind of a rancid butter smell.
After several hours: Same as drydown.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high
Would an [X] lover love this? I'm a gourmand lover and a coconut lover and I'm not a fan. I think Cocoa Pink can do milk/cream notes well, but the custard in this smells like scalded milk to me. Unpleasant. If you want to give it a try, I get the feeling it would be good on different skin chemistries.
Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate milk notes or custard notes because they tend to smell burnt or sickly to you, maybe give it a pass.
Where am I? Eating coconut mixed with burnt microwave popcorn butter.
Where would I wear this? I wouldn't wear it, but if it smelled more like what I imagined, I'd wear it for daytime and warm weather.
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!
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.
Friday, October 16, 2015
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!
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
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.
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.
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.
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 Cake or Death Review
Brand: Sarawen
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: cake, allspice, cream frosting, amber
First impression out of bottle: Cinnamon bun with glaze and nuts
Freshly applied: Same glazed cinnamon bun (think Cinnabon) with something a bit aquatic and perfumed, almost like a masculine aftershave. This is really interesting- a mix of a traditional cologne scent with a spicy gourmand. It kind of ends up smelling a teensy bit soapy, not in a really gross way just in a clean and slightly powdery way.
Drydown: The soapiness/powder calms down and I get a warm unisex cologne (think a masculine oriental NOT some green/fresh aftershave Polo/CK business) with a hint of voluptuous sweetness. I think this is an ambitious gourmand/perfumey blend (which are my favorite types of perfume) and I'm not 100% in love yet. I think it would benefit from being heavier on the pastry/cake notes and lighter on the amber. But if I had no inkling of what this scent was supposed to be, going into it, I'd probably really like it as a slightly spicy, sweet oriental.
After several hours: Vaguely cakey amber spice oriental (with no floral notes.)
Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Medium
Would an [X] lover love this? Oriental/amber lovers will enjoy this. Gourmand lovers may be disappointed that the cake notes (which are awesome on first application) fade and become less pronounced. But that could be my skin chemistry.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think if you hate spice or amber you will dislike this. It's a slightly powdery amber blend, which I know is a characteristic that amber-haters tend to despise.
Where am I? Eating a Cinnabon out of the hands of a very-well-perfumed gentleman. Why such a sophisticated man is holding such a disgusting (delicious) treat I don't know.
Where would I wear this? Work, daytime, mayyybe nighttime as it has a bit of a sexy feel. I always think true unisex perfumes are sexy because they just remind me of couples' perfumes/colognes mingling together.
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: cake, allspice, cream frosting, amber
First impression out of bottle: Cinnamon bun with glaze and nuts
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| Cinnamon bun get in my mouth |
Freshly applied: Same glazed cinnamon bun (think Cinnabon) with something a bit aquatic and perfumed, almost like a masculine aftershave. This is really interesting- a mix of a traditional cologne scent with a spicy gourmand. It kind of ends up smelling a teensy bit soapy, not in a really gross way just in a clean and slightly powdery way.
 |
| Luxurious, warm oriental perfume |
Drydown: The soapiness/powder calms down and I get a warm unisex cologne (think a masculine oriental NOT some green/fresh aftershave Polo/CK business) with a hint of voluptuous sweetness. I think this is an ambitious gourmand/perfumey blend (which are my favorite types of perfume) and I'm not 100% in love yet. I think it would benefit from being heavier on the pastry/cake notes and lighter on the amber. But if I had no inkling of what this scent was supposed to be, going into it, I'd probably really like it as a slightly spicy, sweet oriental.
After several hours: Vaguely cakey amber spice oriental (with no floral notes.)
Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Medium
Would an [X] lover love this? Oriental/amber lovers will enjoy this. Gourmand lovers may be disappointed that the cake notes (which are awesome on first application) fade and become less pronounced. But that could be my skin chemistry.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think if you hate spice or amber you will dislike this. It's a slightly powdery amber blend, which I know is a characteristic that amber-haters tend to despise.
Where am I? Eating a Cinnabon out of the hands of a very-well-perfumed gentleman. Why such a sophisticated man is holding such a disgusting (delicious) treat I don't know.
Where would I wear this? Work, daytime, mayyybe nighttime as it has a bit of a sexy feel. I always think true unisex perfumes are sexy because they just remind me of couples' perfumes/colognes mingling together.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Cocoa Pink Linda’s Molten Fudge Cake
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Rich gourmet dark chocolate fudge cake made for the true chocoholic
First impression out of bottle: Fruity, synthetic chocolate
Freshly applied: Pure dark chocolate cake
Drydown: Getting a little fruity again, almost like maraschino cherries. Noooo, I didn't want another cherry chocolate scent. I already have and love SS Black Forest. I wanted a TRUE dark chocolate cake with nothing else added!
After several hours: Still with that weird spicy red fruit smell. This is officially a chocolate fruit cake smell, not a chocolate cake smell.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high
Would an [X] lover love this? Meh I don't think this will fly with true chocolate lovers. It's a nice scent for a beginner, but it doesn't smell like real true dark chocolate.
Would an [X] hater love this? Chocolate haters need not apply. It's not a good approximation of luxurious chocolate, so it will smell cheap to you.
Where am I? Eating airport cake that I paid too much for.
Where would I wear this? Daytime, weekend, maybe nighttime because the cherry/red fruit thing is kinda sexy, though it's not to my taste.
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Rich gourmet dark chocolate fudge cake made for the true chocoholic
First impression out of bottle: Fruity, synthetic chocolate
Freshly applied: Pure dark chocolate cake
Drydown: Getting a little fruity again, almost like maraschino cherries. Noooo, I didn't want another cherry chocolate scent. I already have and love SS Black Forest. I wanted a TRUE dark chocolate cake with nothing else added!
 |
| Goddammit. |
After several hours: Still with that weird spicy red fruit smell. This is officially a chocolate fruit cake smell, not a chocolate cake smell.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high
Would an [X] lover love this? Meh I don't think this will fly with true chocolate lovers. It's a nice scent for a beginner, but it doesn't smell like real true dark chocolate.
Would an [X] hater love this? Chocolate haters need not apply. It's not a good approximation of luxurious chocolate, so it will smell cheap to you.
Where am I? Eating airport cake that I paid too much for.
Where would I wear this? Daytime, weekend, maybe nighttime because the cherry/red fruit thing is kinda sexy, though it's not to my taste.
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.
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.
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.
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| 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.
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.
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.
/rec_CinCrumbCkMuff_BerryCobbler_lrg.jpg) |
| I don't get the vanilla ice cream though |
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.
Cocoa Pink Tahitian Monoi Cake Review
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Vanilla cake batter injected with candied citrus, moist white cake smothered in whipped buttercream icing touched with nuances of Polynesian Monoi oil.
First impression out of bottle: Buttered white toast (huh?)
Freshly applied: Buttery pound cake and white florals
Drydown: This is SO not a delicate pale white cake scent. This is a brash yellow pound cake, heavy on the butter and super rich in scent and feel. There is a touch of candied citrus I think, but it makes me think more of like...kumquat or something more tropical than standard lemon. It's not a citrus-y scent overall. The white florals/Monoi are so pretty and SO weird combined with the cake. Someone reviewed this and said it was weirdly great and it straddled the line between gourmand and floral and they were so right. It doesn't smell like...flowers on a cake...or cake infused with flowers. It smells exactly 50/50 real Monoi oil with luscious gourmand cake.
After several hours: More of the same, though I'd say the Monoi has now taken the wheel and this is a predominantly floral scent with nuances of buttery gourmand notes. Honestly this is a total weirdo of a scent. It makes me think of a sweet girl who is totally crazy and who can be fun but a lot of trouble.
Longevity: High
Sillage: High
Would an [X] lover love this? If you like cakes and florals you might like it, but it's not as friendly as SS Cameo or something similar. It's a little odd and it might be unsettling. Think more of the weirdness of SS Nightgown. You can't quite land on if it's food or flowers. I do adore white florals when the moon is right (literally, white florals smell better to me at some points in my cycle) so I will hang onto this.
Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate white florals or cake this is probably going to weird you out and it definitely won't convert you.
Where am I? I'm a weirdo on a tropical vacation.
Where would I wear this? I might wear this as a daytime scent but then again, it's a little kooky. I think this would be easier for me to use in a bath & body application. I don't know if I want to smell like this all day.
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Vanilla cake batter injected with candied citrus, moist white cake smothered in whipped buttercream icing touched with nuances of Polynesian Monoi oil.
First impression out of bottle: Buttered white toast (huh?)
Freshly applied: Buttery pound cake and white florals
Drydown: This is SO not a delicate pale white cake scent. This is a brash yellow pound cake, heavy on the butter and super rich in scent and feel. There is a touch of candied citrus I think, but it makes me think more of like...kumquat or something more tropical than standard lemon. It's not a citrus-y scent overall. The white florals/Monoi are so pretty and SO weird combined with the cake. Someone reviewed this and said it was weirdly great and it straddled the line between gourmand and floral and they were so right. It doesn't smell like...flowers on a cake...or cake infused with flowers. It smells exactly 50/50 real Monoi oil with luscious gourmand cake.
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| The cake element smells like this picture |
After several hours: More of the same, though I'd say the Monoi has now taken the wheel and this is a predominantly floral scent with nuances of buttery gourmand notes. Honestly this is a total weirdo of a scent. It makes me think of a sweet girl who is totally crazy and who can be fun but a lot of trouble.
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| Very realistic fresh monoi oil |
Longevity: High
Sillage: High
Would an [X] lover love this? If you like cakes and florals you might like it, but it's not as friendly as SS Cameo or something similar. It's a little odd and it might be unsettling. Think more of the weirdness of SS Nightgown. You can't quite land on if it's food or flowers. I do adore white florals when the moon is right (literally, white florals smell better to me at some points in my cycle) so I will hang onto this.
Would an [X] hater love this? If you hate white florals or cake this is probably going to weird you out and it definitely won't convert you.
Where am I? I'm a weirdo on a tropical vacation.
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| Yep, basically Rayanne if she ever went on an island vacation |
Where would I wear this? I might wear this as a daytime scent but then again, it's a little kooky. I think this would be easier for me to use in a bath & body application. I don't know if I want to smell like this all day.
Cocoa Pink Apple Cinnamon Funnel Cake Review
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: inspired by a quaint little shop in the Georgia Mountains. We just had to make a scent based on their fabulous apple cinnamon funnel cakes topped off with a dusting of powdered sugar.
First impression out of bottle: Apple donuts
Freshly applied: Fresh crisp red apples
Drydown: A bit of cakeyness, mostly fresh red apples. Not a lot of cinnamon, definitely not a "cinnamon sugar" scent, but there's a hint of the nice powdered sugar note that Cocoa Pink does well. Meh I was expecting WAY more funnel cake/donut type scent and this is almost entirely fresh apple, and I barely get any spice.
After several hours: Same sweet soft apple. Reminds me of the apple in OHWTO The Girl Who Waited. Or even Arcana Apples Crave Vanilla. I definitely prefer Arcana Apples Crave Cake over this one because it packs more punch and has a stronger dessert smell.
Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Low medium
Would an [X] lover love this? An apple fiend might find something here to love, but like I said, compared to other similar perfumes, it's nothing special. I especially think the throw is nothing to write home about, which would prevent me from getting it in a larger scent.
Would an [X] hater love this? Nah, apple haters won't find this interesting.
Where am I? Eating a fresh apple next to a bakery. I sort of smell baked goods, but I'm not eating them.
Where would I wear this? If it had better throw on me, as a daytime scent to work.
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: inspired by a quaint little shop in the Georgia Mountains. We just had to make a scent based on their fabulous apple cinnamon funnel cakes topped off with a dusting of powdered sugar.
First impression out of bottle: Apple donuts
Freshly applied: Fresh crisp red apples
Drydown: A bit of cakeyness, mostly fresh red apples. Not a lot of cinnamon, definitely not a "cinnamon sugar" scent, but there's a hint of the nice powdered sugar note that Cocoa Pink does well. Meh I was expecting WAY more funnel cake/donut type scent and this is almost entirely fresh apple, and I barely get any spice.
After several hours: Same sweet soft apple. Reminds me of the apple in OHWTO The Girl Who Waited. Or even Arcana Apples Crave Vanilla. I definitely prefer Arcana Apples Crave Cake over this one because it packs more punch and has a stronger dessert smell.
Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Low medium
Would an [X] lover love this? An apple fiend might find something here to love, but like I said, compared to other similar perfumes, it's nothing special. I especially think the throw is nothing to write home about, which would prevent me from getting it in a larger scent.
Would an [X] hater love this? Nah, apple haters won't find this interesting.
Where am I? Eating a fresh apple next to a bakery. I sort of smell baked goods, but I'm not eating them.
Where would I wear this? If it had better throw on me, as a daytime scent to work.
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 Potluck Review
Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Our favorite holiday tradition! The smell of a Southern family’s Christmas dinner: true Southern-style cornbread set out next to our honeyed, buttered oatcakes and warm zucchini bread
First impression out of bottle: Buttered toast
Freshly applied: Movie theater popcorn butter
Drydown: The movie theater butter scent turns into a more realistic, pleasant real butter smell. Still a hot, melty butter, though. Something sweet pops out. It's like honeyed oatmeal/oatcake. Then something a bit spicy and earthy. Definitely zucchini bread! I'm surprised I can smell all these individually and it's not just lumped together into one salty gourmand note.
After several hours: 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.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium
Would an [X] lover love this? This is a weird gourmand. I think if you're one of the folks who digs HoG Golden Corn Cakes you might also like this.
Would an [X] hater love this? Those who hate buttery things probably won't enjoy the salty butter in this. Then again, it's tempered by the sweet oaty/zucchini bread smells, so perhaps you could deal with it even if you usually only like sugary gourmands.
Where am I? Sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, appreciating the sweet and savory aromas mingling together.
Where would I wear this? Daytime, autumn, winter. It's a weird one but I'd wear it to work because I think people would be fooled into thinking I brought cookies (muahaha!)
I will compare this to Hog Golden Corn Cakes and Possets Iowa eventually, so watch for that.
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Our favorite holiday tradition! The smell of a Southern family’s Christmas dinner: true Southern-style cornbread set out next to our honeyed, buttered oatcakes and warm zucchini bread
First impression out of bottle: Buttered toast
Freshly applied: Movie theater popcorn butter
 |
| Dries into a realistic melty butter on baked goods scent |
 |
| Sweet, spicy oatcakes |
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium
Would an [X] lover love this? This is a weird gourmand. I think if you're one of the folks who digs HoG Golden Corn Cakes you might also like this.
Would an [X] hater love this? Those who hate buttery things probably won't enjoy the salty butter in this. Then again, it's tempered by the sweet oaty/zucchini bread smells, so perhaps you could deal with it even if you usually only like sugary gourmands.
Where am I? Sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, appreciating the sweet and savory aromas mingling together.
Where would I wear this? Daytime, autumn, winter. It's a weird one but I'd wear it to work because I think people would be fooled into thinking I brought cookies (muahaha!)
I will compare this to Hog Golden Corn Cakes and Possets Iowa eventually, so watch for that.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Arcana Aestas Review
Brand: Arcana
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: The ancient Roman goddess of Summer. Madagascar vanilla, yellow cake, soft peach nectar, golden musk, black musk, and a hint of patchouli
First impression out of bottle: Buttery golden cake and bright syrupy peach.
Freshly applied: Really nice blend of buttery pastry and sweet rich peach. This peach reminds me a LOT of the peach in Haus of Gloi Pumpkin Queen. Actually this whole thing makes me think of Pumpkin Queen, without the spice part.
Drydown: As it dries, it inverts and becomes peaches first and golden cake second. The peach notes are really voluptuous and pink now. I feel like there are multiple varieties of fruit: canned, creamy, fresh. The cake/pie note is now in the background only giving an overall dessert feel. It’s less buttery than it was on the opening. I love Arcana’s gourmands and this is no exception.The cake kind of weaves in and out so sometimes I smell mostly peach, then I get peachy cake right after, etc. The peach keeps dancing between fresh white peach and canned golden peach. I love the mix of fruity and cake here. This would be super comforting in cold weather, but I think the golden character makes it summer friendly too.
After several hours: This is a morpher, when I’m sitting in my cold office it’s a very peaches and cream scent, but in my hot car, it’s all buttery golden peach cake. I love both. The ultimate drydown is peaches on top of vanilla ice cream. The vanilla ice cream vibe is IDENTICAL to the one in Solstice Scents Violet Mallow (whose drydown is epic but the sharp opening florals are BLECH.)
Longevity: High, I can smell this way into the afternoon
Sillage: High, I can smell it on me, both in an ambient way and when I huff my wrist, and my coworker could smell it when she walked by me.
Would an [X] lover love this? Anyone who likes Yellow Cake, Apples Crave Cake, Ganesh, or any other popular indie cake scents like SS Cameo would go crazy for this. It's pretty much a peach version of Apples Crave Cake.
Would an [X] hater love this? If you aren’t nuts about cakey scents, this one probably won’t change your mind. Oh also take no mind of the patchouli in here- Julia from Arcana does some sort of witchcraft with patchouli in her gourmands where they are undetectable but lend some magic and tenacity. You can't smell it at all as "patchouli" or even a green/dark note.
Where am I? Eating a huge pile of peach cobbler cake with a big scoop vanilla bean ice cream
Where would I wear this? This is definitely a daytime scent for me, but since my SO seems to enjoy sweet gourmands, I'd wear this on a date. It's very strong and lush, so definitely has enough presence for a special occasion. I really love how it changes based on your environment, so I would wear this equally in winter and in summer.
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: The ancient Roman goddess of Summer. Madagascar vanilla, yellow cake, soft peach nectar, golden musk, black musk, and a hint of patchouli
First impression out of bottle: Buttery golden cake and bright syrupy peach.
Freshly applied: Really nice blend of buttery pastry and sweet rich peach. This peach reminds me a LOT of the peach in Haus of Gloi Pumpkin Queen. Actually this whole thing makes me think of Pumpkin Queen, without the spice part.
 |
| Buttery golden cake with sweet peach |
Drydown: As it dries, it inverts and becomes peaches first and golden cake second. The peach notes are really voluptuous and pink now. I feel like there are multiple varieties of fruit: canned, creamy, fresh. The cake/pie note is now in the background only giving an overall dessert feel. It’s less buttery than it was on the opening. I love Arcana’s gourmands and this is no exception.The cake kind of weaves in and out so sometimes I smell mostly peach, then I get peachy cake right after, etc. The peach keeps dancing between fresh white peach and canned golden peach. I love the mix of fruity and cake here. This would be super comforting in cold weather, but I think the golden character makes it summer friendly too.
After several hours: This is a morpher, when I’m sitting in my cold office it’s a very peaches and cream scent, but in my hot car, it’s all buttery golden peach cake. I love both. The ultimate drydown is peaches on top of vanilla ice cream. The vanilla ice cream vibe is IDENTICAL to the one in Solstice Scents Violet Mallow (whose drydown is epic but the sharp opening florals are BLECH.)
 |
| Cake and syrupy peaches with melty vanilla ice cream |
Longevity: High, I can smell this way into the afternoon
Sillage: High, I can smell it on me, both in an ambient way and when I huff my wrist, and my coworker could smell it when she walked by me.
Would an [X] lover love this? Anyone who likes Yellow Cake, Apples Crave Cake, Ganesh, or any other popular indie cake scents like SS Cameo would go crazy for this. It's pretty much a peach version of Apples Crave Cake.
Would an [X] hater love this? If you aren’t nuts about cakey scents, this one probably won’t change your mind. Oh also take no mind of the patchouli in here- Julia from Arcana does some sort of witchcraft with patchouli in her gourmands where they are undetectable but lend some magic and tenacity. You can't smell it at all as "patchouli" or even a green/dark note.
Where am I? Eating a huge pile of peach cobbler cake with a big scoop vanilla bean ice cream
Where would I wear this? This is definitely a daytime scent for me, but since my SO seems to enjoy sweet gourmands, I'd wear this on a date. It's very strong and lush, so definitely has enough presence for a special occasion. I really love how it changes based on your environment, so I would wear this equally in winter and in summer.
Monday, September 21, 2015
NAVA Trick or Treat Review
Brand: Nocturne Alchemy
Availability: Limited Edition Halloween 2015
Notes: Black Vanilla Caramel, Black Raspberry Sugar, Black Sugar, Bastet's Black Amber, Candy Corn, Black Cotton Candy, Blue Sugar Cream, Vanilla Flesh, Hot Cocoa Accord, Chocolate Sugar, Angel Food Cake and French Vanilla
First impression out of bottle: Alcoholic raspberry chocolate, like a cherry cordial truffle but with raspberry instead!
Freshly applied: Super sweet chocolate ganache and raspberry syrup
Drydown: A little less chocolatey (boo) with a little stronger raspberry and a fluffy note that I think is the cotton candy. NAVA cake/gourmand notes tend to go a bit plasticky/dusty on me, which is so unfortunate. This seems to be straddling the line of perfect- sweet and plasticky.
After several hours: This is like a gentler soft cocoa raspberry with a strong vanilla character after a few hours. I feel like the initial scent and the ultimate scent are DA BOMB, but the middle part is a leeeetle bit cloying. I can tolerate it though. The drydown is perfect soft vanilla wrapped around a chocolate raspberry heart.
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium. I can smell this very strongly when first applied but it dies down to medium throw and turns into a subtle sweet fruity gourmand.
Would an [X] lover love this? Chocolate lovers would probably be all over this, though the strong chocolate dies down early on and becomes a background player. I think if you have a fondness for raspberry this would be the perfect perfume for you. It's definitely syrupy/jammy, like the inside of a bonbon. This is no "sun-ripened raspberry," it's candy and syrup.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think a gourmand hater would probably dislike this. It is very candied and a teensy bit sickly sweet, though as a foodie perfume lover, I don't find it overwhelming. This won't convert gourmand haters.
Where am I? Eating bonbons in an expensive candy store
Where would I wear this? I would wear this to work, for a night out layered with something else (maybe another chocolate scent), and definitely as a fun weekend scent. It's not quite bright and not quite dark, kind of right in the middle. Good for daytime or night, and I can definitely see this in mid-winter or as a nice summer scent. It's quite playful but not super young.
Availability: Limited Edition Halloween 2015
Notes: Black Vanilla Caramel, Black Raspberry Sugar, Black Sugar, Bastet's Black Amber, Candy Corn, Black Cotton Candy, Blue Sugar Cream, Vanilla Flesh, Hot Cocoa Accord, Chocolate Sugar, Angel Food Cake and French Vanilla
First impression out of bottle: Alcoholic raspberry chocolate, like a cherry cordial truffle but with raspberry instead!
Freshly applied: Super sweet chocolate ganache and raspberry syrup
 |
| Substitute raspberry instead of cherry |
After several hours: This is like a gentler soft cocoa raspberry with a strong vanilla character after a few hours. I feel like the initial scent and the ultimate scent are DA BOMB, but the middle part is a leeeetle bit cloying. I can tolerate it though. The drydown is perfect soft vanilla wrapped around a chocolate raspberry heart.
 |
| Fluffy vanilla-raspberry with a hint of chocolate |
Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium. I can smell this very strongly when first applied but it dies down to medium throw and turns into a subtle sweet fruity gourmand.
Would an [X] lover love this? Chocolate lovers would probably be all over this, though the strong chocolate dies down early on and becomes a background player. I think if you have a fondness for raspberry this would be the perfect perfume for you. It's definitely syrupy/jammy, like the inside of a bonbon. This is no "sun-ripened raspberry," it's candy and syrup.
Would an [X] hater love this? I think a gourmand hater would probably dislike this. It is very candied and a teensy bit sickly sweet, though as a foodie perfume lover, I don't find it overwhelming. This won't convert gourmand haters.
Where am I? Eating bonbons in an expensive candy store
Where would I wear this? I would wear this to work, for a night out layered with something else (maybe another chocolate scent), and definitely as a fun weekend scent. It's not quite bright and not quite dark, kind of right in the middle. Good for daytime or night, and I can definitely see this in mid-winter or as a nice summer scent. It's quite playful but not super young.
Deep Midnight King Cake Review
Brand: Deep Midnight
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Yeasty bread dough, cinnamon sugar, vanilla, a touch of cream cheese frosting and a dab of strawberry filling
First impression out of bottle: Perfect yeasted doughnut, a kiss of cream cheese, and some jammy strawberry.
Freshly applied: The cinnamon sugar (which really comes across here as cinnamon-sugar NOT cinnamon + sugar) and strawberry jam are a perfect complement to the doughnut smell. This doughnut is not unpleasantly oily, yeasty, or salty like the note I got from Cocoa Pink's Jelly Doughnut. It's perfectly golden and a tiny bit savory. The cream cheese really helps lighten it up. Usually I dislike cream cheese as a note, but this doesn't go sour or too strong. It's a sweet cream cheese scent.
Drydown: Soft, slightly tart creamy cake. A hybrid doughnut-cake hybrid with a very light strawberry cream cheese note. Definitely distinct from Arcana Yellow Cake, as it's more pillowy and airy.
After several hours: The same as the drydown, but much fainter.
Longevity: Not fantastic. I can still smell it faintly after a long time, but whisper-throw doesn't count for me. I wish it lasted longer at a more potent level, because it's so gorgeous.
Sillage: Low-medium. I have to slather to get good throw out of this, and even then it's a medium-strength one.
Would an [X] lover love this? Yes, gourmand/cake lovers NEED this. It's delicate, interesting, and something different compared to the standard yellow cake scents. I will say I am picky about throw (I like intense, strong scents) so even though this one disappoints in that sense, I still needed it.
Would an [X] hater love this? Perhaps. I don't really think this has a lot to offer to a gourmand hater though. It's a true, pure food smell, very well-executed and NOT too sugary. If your issue with gourmands is sensitivity to sweetness, then give this a shot. If you just don't like smelling like dessert, this won't change your mind.
Where am I? An upscale doughnut shop, sampling a variety of flavors and enjoying the smells drifting from the ovens.
Where would I wear this? I would wear this to work, at home (although it might prompt me to snack), and on the weekend. It's a daytime scent, a little young, definitely feminine. Not quite bold enough for a night out. It's not a power scent, it's a gentle and enjoyable one.
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Yeasty bread dough, cinnamon sugar, vanilla, a touch of cream cheese frosting and a dab of strawberry filling
First impression out of bottle: Perfect yeasted doughnut, a kiss of cream cheese, and some jammy strawberry.
Freshly applied: The cinnamon sugar (which really comes across here as cinnamon-sugar NOT cinnamon + sugar) and strawberry jam are a perfect complement to the doughnut smell. This doughnut is not unpleasantly oily, yeasty, or salty like the note I got from Cocoa Pink's Jelly Doughnut. It's perfectly golden and a tiny bit savory. The cream cheese really helps lighten it up. Usually I dislike cream cheese as a note, but this doesn't go sour or too strong. It's a sweet cream cheese scent.
 |
| Perfect cinnamon sugar cake donut |
 |
| Add some strawberry cream cheese to your cinnamon sugar donut |
Longevity: Not fantastic. I can still smell it faintly after a long time, but whisper-throw doesn't count for me. I wish it lasted longer at a more potent level, because it's so gorgeous.
Sillage: Low-medium. I have to slather to get good throw out of this, and even then it's a medium-strength one.
Would an [X] lover love this? Yes, gourmand/cake lovers NEED this. It's delicate, interesting, and something different compared to the standard yellow cake scents. I will say I am picky about throw (I like intense, strong scents) so even though this one disappoints in that sense, I still needed it.
Would an [X] hater love this? Perhaps. I don't really think this has a lot to offer to a gourmand hater though. It's a true, pure food smell, very well-executed and NOT too sugary. If your issue with gourmands is sensitivity to sweetness, then give this a shot. If you just don't like smelling like dessert, this won't change your mind.
Where am I? An upscale doughnut shop, sampling a variety of flavors and enjoying the smells drifting from the ovens.
Where would I wear this? I would wear this to work, at home (although it might prompt me to snack), and on the weekend. It's a daytime scent, a little young, definitely feminine. Not quite bold enough for a night out. It's not a power scent, it's a gentle and enjoyable one.
Arcana Yellow Cake Review
Brand: Arcana
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: yellow cake
First impression out of bottle: Almost savory, definitely not too sweet pastry smell
Freshly applied: Lush, soft, heavenly yellow cake. Again, not too sweet, just savory enough like the combination of flour and eggs and butter.
Drydown: Still the same yellow cake perfection. Almost a subtle hint of spice, just the golden deepness that comes from true yellow (not white) cake. Smells homemade and hearty, not like a box mix.
After several hours: Same gorgeous single note perfection. This would layer extremely well with florals and creamy, sweeter gourmands.
Longevity: High, lasts for a full day.
Sillage: High. Good throw even after 8 hours. I can smell this without sniffing my wrist.
Would an [X] lover love this? Would a gourmand lover love this? YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES. Every single gourmand lover needs this note. It's like the ne plus ultra of cake scents. It's a classic basic, like the perfect little black dress that somehow looks sexy for a date but professional for a work meeting.
Would an [X] hater love this? A gourmand hater might in fact be ok with this scent. Yes, it's a true cake, but it's the most realistic impression of a cake I have smelled. If you are a hater because you find gourmand perfumes to be fake, plasticky, or sickly sweet, definitely give this a whirl, as it's none of those things. If you just plain hate smelling of food, well, this won't change your mind.
Where am I? In my mom's kitchen, baking cakes for a party. My hands are sticky from licking the bowl, and my nostrils are filled with the scent of that perfect fluffy cake baking in the oven.
Where would I wear this? I wear this everywhere. Work, home, date night, morning, night, hot weather, cool weather. It's very versatile. Like a true neutral perfume.
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: yellow cake
First impression out of bottle: Almost savory, definitely not too sweet pastry smell
Freshly applied: Lush, soft, heavenly yellow cake. Again, not too sweet, just savory enough like the combination of flour and eggs and butter.
Drydown: Still the same yellow cake perfection. Almost a subtle hint of spice, just the golden deepness that comes from true yellow (not white) cake. Smells homemade and hearty, not like a box mix.
 |
| Perfect yellow cake |
Longevity: High, lasts for a full day.
Sillage: High. Good throw even after 8 hours. I can smell this without sniffing my wrist.
Would an [X] lover love this? Would a gourmand lover love this? YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES. Every single gourmand lover needs this note. It's like the ne plus ultra of cake scents. It's a classic basic, like the perfect little black dress that somehow looks sexy for a date but professional for a work meeting.
Would an [X] hater love this? A gourmand hater might in fact be ok with this scent. Yes, it's a true cake, but it's the most realistic impression of a cake I have smelled. If you are a hater because you find gourmand perfumes to be fake, plasticky, or sickly sweet, definitely give this a whirl, as it's none of those things. If you just plain hate smelling of food, well, this won't change your mind.
Where am I? In my mom's kitchen, baking cakes for a party. My hands are sticky from licking the bowl, and my nostrils are filled with the scent of that perfect fluffy cake baking in the oven.
Where would I wear this? I wear this everywhere. Work, home, date night, morning, night, hot weather, cool weather. It's very versatile. Like a true neutral perfume.
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