Cocoa Pink Genevieve Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Milk and toasted smoothness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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 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 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 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. 

Sarawen Georgina Review

Brand: Sarawen
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: peach, black tea, mint, incense

First impression out of bottle: Airy florals with a hint of dark tea

Freshly applied: Fruity tea cough drop

Drydown: As it dries, some fresh mintiness peeks out from what was initially peachy tea. It's definitely more full-bodied than a plain tea scent would be, and the incense is making it more soft and round. The incense definitely has a pale Nag Champa feel- not hot/red like Dragon's Blood. Also not a smoky scent at all. The fresh mint leaf mixes so nicely with the incense. The peach is more like peach skin- I don't get juiciness or obvious fruitiness. Just sweet fuzziness.

The essence of fuzzy peach skin

After several hours: Ultimately it's a really lovely soft peach scent. The incense and mint/tea are supporting it but it's all fuzzy voluptuous (but innocent) peach. So cuddly.

Like this blanket

Longevity: Medium.
Sillage: Low. I would really enjoy this if it were a more robust scent. I think the peach/tea fresh notes and the incense are a good mix, but it's not punchy enough.

Would an [X] lover love this? I think anyone who likes incense or fresh scents will love this. Especially if you have really loud skin chemistry that amps everything. Because then maybe it'll last longer on you! 

Would an [X] hater love this? I think even someone who despises incense or fruity notes could get on board with this. It's so nicely blended and maybe because it's whisper-soft it's easy to wear? I wish it were stronger. 

Where am I? Rubbing my face on a peach

Where would I wear this? Bed, daytime, work. I don't know if I want a full-size because who wants to bother wearing a scent they can't smell? Then again if I had a bigger bottle maybe I could slather and get a stronger effect?

Cocoa Pink Twist of Lime Noel Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog 
Notes: Twist of lime blended with VBN.

First impression out of bottle: Sweet lime candy

Freshly applied: Sweet lime with beautifully fluffy vanilla

Drydown: Same sweet, candied lime with fluffy Vanilla Bean Noel. I love this! It's a perfect sweet lime scent. I had tried Lime Sugar and it was too astringent and sharp. Key Lime Clouds was too fluffy and not lime-y enough. This is what I wanted Key Lime Clouds to be! Hnng I really love the VBN note, because it's deep enough to be interesting and a bit caramely, but not so deep as to be smoky or sexy. It's still a very youthful, daytime-appropriate note.

Key lime marshmallows

After several hours: Vanilla fluff with a hint of key lime

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium- I find some of the VBN blends to be a little lower in sillage. They don't scream as loudly but they do linger a long time.

Would an [X] lover love this? Lime or vanilla/marshmallow lovers would go crazy for this. If you have ever looked for a key lime scent with no crust/graham cracker, then this is it!

Would an [X] hater love this? This avoids the pitfalls of lime. It's not super zesty, sour, or cleaning-product-like. I find it super pleasant and easy to wear, and if you hate lime, this might change your mind.

Where am I? Making fancy marshmallows for someone's summer wedding.

Where would I wear this? This is definitely a summer scent to me. It is light enough for hot weather and the notes are perfect for summertime. I don't think I will wear this in the Winter, but I will DEFINITELY break it out come spring. Good for work or for weekend/date stuff!

Solstice Scents Heart of the Night Review

Brand: Solstice Scents
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Moroccan & Bulgarian Rose, Chocolate, Vanille, EoTN Base (Edge of the Night Base: blend of amber, oakmoss, aged patchouli, bergamot, black vanilla, a touch of red musk and buddha wood and a delicate blend of organic clove EO, star anise EO and cinnamon)

First impression out of bottle: Soft rose like in Rose Mallow Cream.

Freshly applied: Sweet lush red roses and chocolate.

Drydown: This is like a more assertive version of Rose Mallow Cream, with a kick of sexy amber and spice. It's like Rose Mallow Cream was Sandra Dee at the beginning of Grease and then morphed into Heart of the Night (all-leather-clad Sandy at the end of Grease.) There's the teensiest bit of chocolate, but not much. The chocolate keeps darting in and out but it's not a major player.

Incredibly lush sexy rose

After several hours: Still sexy creamy rose with hints of cocoa. Lovely amber and spice base which becomes dominant after a few hours (as in all SS Night perfumes.)

Longevity: Medium
Sillage: Medium

Would an [X] lover love this? I think a rose lover would fall in love with this. I was expecting a deeper, richer chocolate scent but after it dried I didn't get any. So chocolate lovers would be disappointed.

Would an [X] hater love this? Rose haters would probably dislike this, unless they had only smelled very powdery/fake roses. But if you dislike Rose Mallow Cream, chances are you will not enjoy this.

Where am I? Laying in a bed of rose petals

Where would I wear this? Nighttime, date, but it would be good for daytime too. It's honestly not that strong or brash, just very lush and pretty.

Cocoa Pink Marshmallow Candy Cane Noel Review

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

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

Freshly applied: Peppermint with a hint of caramel

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

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

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

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

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

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

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

Cocoa Pink Buttermint Candy Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Not super sweet peppermint

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

Very cold mint...brrr.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cocoa Pink 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.

Cocoa Pink The Un-Red Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: This blend would make any vampire or other undead creature stalk your bathroom. Buckets of bloody orange juice, sweet vanilla, bourbon vanilla, sandalwoods and ambers. 

First impression out of bottle: Campari and orange juice (it was my mom's signature drink in the '90s, ok?)

Freshly applied: Tart, super nice blood orange juice, like the kind you'd find freshly-pressed in Ina Garten's kitchen.

"If you can't harvest your blood oranges from a centuries-old Sicilian orchard...store-bought will be fine."

Drydown: Same tart luscious blood orange juice, now with a beautiful sweet vanilla woods tone. I really do get the "buckets" of juice smell, because it has kind of a cascading juicy smell. Reminds me of the scent you get from pouring a glass of fresh blood orange juice. The vanilla sandalwood background is so soft and almost fuzzy. This is like the gorgeous but demure sister of the brash and sexy grown-up creamsicle Lucrezia Borgia from Deconstructing Eden. Where that has patchouli and labdanum to deepen and adult-ify the blend, this relies on more innocent sandalwood vanilla. 

Sophisticated vanilla orange

After several hours: Same, but lighter on the citrus and more focused on the soft vanilla sandalwood. 

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium. The blood orange isn't POW after the first few minutes, but overall the perfume has nice throw and it doesn't immediately lose the citrus. 

Would an [X] lover love this? Citrus-vanilla lovers, i.e. members of the Possets Dance With Me army, will really like this. It's fluffy and sweet without being childish, thanks to the sophisticated blood orange.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think if you hate sandalwood, vanilla, and orange, then you can give this a pass. If you are open to any of those notes, then try it out as it's a really fun blend of the three.

Where am I? Eating a creamy citrus dessert in a room filled with sandalwood knicknacks.

Where would I wear this? This is a daytime scent to me, but I'd wear it for summer or winter, work or social stuff. I think the notes are a great marriage that don't specifically scream one occasion or weather type.

Cocoa Pink Black Marshmallow Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: You love sweet things like sugar cubes and white lace. But sometimes you need to be a little naughty. Try this new "foodie sexy" blend of sweet marshmallow fluff and rich ambers for a dessert you won't forget.

First impression out of bottle: Dark alcohol and amber

Freshly applied: BLACK amber, like something dark and sweet, mixed with the more fluffy marshmallow note that Cocoa Pink is famous for.

Drydown: Still the same sexy amber marshmallow blend. I don't know how to describe Black. Alone it's a little plain but I really like it here blended with marshmallows. It's a little sexy, not too sweet, and not "spicy" as such. It reminds me of how your hair smells after sex if both partners smell really good/have perfume on. Like this intangible, mingled sexy sweet smell. But it's like 30% amber 70% marshmallow even at the beginning. 

After several hours: Same, but even less amber and more fluffy marshmallow.

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium, a little lower than my other Cocoa Pink marshmallow scents.

Would an [X] lover love this? Marshmallow lovers NEED IT. Rarely do you find a "dark" marshmallow that doesn't incorporate smoke or wood notes. This is that slightly deepened but still fluffy and sweet  marshmallow. 

Marshmallow with a hint of darkness

Would an [X] hater love this? Marshmallow haters (who are you people, even??) will probably not enjoy this, or find it too plain. 

Where am I? Eating marshmallows after sex.

Where would I wear this? Daytime, hot weather, cold weather. Probably not out at night because the "sexiness" of this perfume is still very light. It's predominantly marshmallow. 

Cocoa Pink Faded Memories Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: A blend of delicate vanillas, soft osmanthus, autumn hay bales, golden amber and copal.

First impression out of bottle: Soft, floral copal resin

Freshly applied: Mmm like an Asian antique store. The combo of osmanthus, amber, and copal is seriously giving me Asian vibes. And the copal/vanilla says antique store to me. 

Drydown: Fruity-floral (that'll be the osmanthus, which some liken to the scent of peach fruit), a bit nutty (I think that's the hay, but it makes me think of wooden furniture), sweet resinous wood. This is like the Japanese version of Golden Morning, which smelled like an Egyptian antique shop. 

Glorious osmanthus

After several hours: Still sweet, floral wood. Mmm this is unique and familiar at the same time. The osmanthus is used perfectly here- unusualy, a little lush and velvety, but also kind of vibrantly fruity. The vanilla comes out more after a while, and what a glorious woody vanilla it is. I'm always surprised when Cocoa Pink puts out these incredible "perfumey" scents considering they are so well-known for their foodie stuff. This is signature scent worthy- not some frilly fluffy seasonal concoction to be worn once and then forgotten. If you loved their Summer scent Paper Butterfly (Osmanthus, paper, golden fields of wheat, powdered sugar, cream, dry white amber grounded with the beautiful memory of soft pale musk) then this is an amazing fall version.

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

Would an [X] lover love this? I think this just needs to be smelled and judged on an individual level. It's unusual and gorgeous. With the mix of floral, vanilla, and wood notes, I think there's something here for everyone.

Would an [X] hater love this? See above. But I think amber haters probably will find this to be characteristically sweet as most ambers are and may be turned off. 

Where am I? Standing outside an antique shop, smelling osmanthus blossoms from the trees outside, catching a whiff of a mysterious lady's vanilla perfume.

Where would I wear this? Like I said, this is totally signature scent worthy. I think it has that je ne sais quoi quality that allows it to be worn daytime/night and for more professional or fun activities. It's quite mature but unusual. Not your grandma's perfume, but if she smelled it, she'd probably take it for herself too.

Cocoa Pink Orb Weaver Review

Brand: Cocoa Pink
Availability: General Catalog Autumn/Winter (N/A in Spring/Summer)
Notes: Dried black tea leaves seeped in searing hot water, infused with chilled milk and sweet amber drops of tupelo honey.

First impression out of bottle: Bottled milk tea

Freshly applied: VERY diluted black tea in lots of milk, a bit watery

Black tea leaves

Drydown: Wow this is a lovely black tea scent- not at all like chai or like Earl Grey (no zesty notes.) Pure black tea leaves and lots of cold milk. There are a few drops of something like a romantic perfume floral honey- not super literal honey. But I prefer it this way. It's such a cool pure tea scent with just the right amount of sweetness.

Reminds me a lot of bottled Asian milk tea

After several hours: Same, slightly earthy black leaves with sweet milk

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high

Would an [X] lover love this? Anyone who enjoys drinking milk tea or bubble tea IRL needs this. Tea-scent lovers will appreciate a non spiced and non lemony black tea.

Would an [X] hater love this? It's not a "creamy" scent so people who find cream notes go sour on them needn't worry- it's very soft and slightly floral. I think you'll just have to try it because it's an odd duck! I find it lovely.

This scent transports me to a cute café, watching the rain and drinking tea

Where am I? Drinking milk tea in a café on a rainy morning

Where would I wear this? This is absolutely a daytime scent. Good for cool autumn mornings (definitely reminds me of rainy days) or spring days. Not comforting enough for really cold days or nights. Not super sexy, more cute and quirky.

Possets Courtly Love Review

Brand: Possets
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Coconut (here used more as a serious element rather than a novelty) dances with apricot and a light kiss of vanilla and a very sweet, not stinky, jasmine. 

First impression out of bottle: Apricot jam

Freshly applied: Mm this smells just like KIND bars- Apricot & Almond flavor mixed with the Almond & Coconut flavor. The apricot is  jammy on me, like semi-dried fruit with a concentrated flavor.

Smells like an overpriced fruit and nut bar

Drydown: There's now a little more "perfumey" scent, not so much the straight food scent that it was at first. The coconut pops out too, it smells very much like the coconut in the LE Silver Coconut from Possets, which is a bit musky and vanillic. Mmm now I get a really nice pure jasmine note, very soft and tropical. I think it's mingling with the coconut to give me that beachy/humid feel and I love it. Not stinky or spicy at all! The apricot is still there, but it's almost like a background note now. I love it. The apricot comes back out to play, stronger than the jasmine again and this is my favorite part of the transformation. It's a sweet, pure apricot with nutty nuances from the almond/coconut and a hint of delicate jasmine.

YES, Apricot Jasmine Macarons exist and that's exactly what this smells like

After several hours: The strongest remaining notes are the apricot and jasmine. Super delicious, swirly, and feminine. The mix of notes on the drydown almost makes me think of jasmine tea, in addition to the jasmine/apricot macarons from before. 

Longevity: High. This 
Sillage: High. This has amazing throw for a fruity-floral! Intense, sweet, floral, and powerful.

Would an [X] lover love this? Fruity-floral lovers need it. It's more unusual/unexpected than your mainstream fruity-floral but it's totally beginner-friendly.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think this could appeal to jasmine-haters but they'd need to try a sample first.

Where am I? Having a tea party in a secret garden.

Where would I wear this? This is a spring/summer scent for sure. I'd wear this to a wedding, garden party, or other romantic/girly event. It's super fun and that perfect combo of perfumey and edible that I love so much.

Solstice Scents Maplewood Inn

Brand: Solstice Scents
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Maple, Woods, Amber, Benzoin, A Roaring Fire & A Hot Cup Of Frothy Vanilla Chai

First impression out of bottle: Liquid smoke/and candied maple bacon. 

Smoky maple syrup

Freshly applied: Same blackened smoke and maple candy.

Drydown: Maple fades a bit from initial prominence but is still there. The woods and smoke come forward and I get a beautiful resinous cedar/redwood. I detect the spicy vanilla chai as well, it reminds me of Sycamore Chai.

Woodsy smoke and sweet chai tea

After several hours: Still beautiful, smoky sweet woods. The astringent red wood you get in Solstice Scents Attic is here, but sweetened up with a dollop of maple sugar and some chai. This reminds me a lot of Deep Midnight A Study in Brown, but with a maple spice character.

Imagine drinking a cup of chai and snacking on maple candy here

Longevity: High, this lasts from the morning till late at night, even with multiple hand washings. If you loved SS Sycamore Chai but hated that it faded so quickly, pick this one up.
Sillage: Also very high, this creates a beautiful spiced foody woodsmoke cloud. I love how strongly this smells.

Would an [X] lover love this? Anyone who likes spice or wood scents definitely needs this. And if you think it smells too bacon-y at first, let it age a few weeks. You'll be shocked at how gentle and gorgeous the woodsmoke becomes.

Would an [X] hater love this? This is quite sweet and spicy, so those of you who dislike woodsy or autumnal scents might not enjoy it. I think it's quite a balanced and original scent though, so if you're afraid of smelling generic, give this a shot.

Where am I? Sitting in a ski lodge, drinking maple chai next to a roaring fire.

Where would I wear this? I wear this to work (but am careful to limit the amount I wear) and it's not too smoky/sexy for daytime. It would be amazing as a nighttime scent in cold weather though. Definitely more suited to autumn/winter than the warmer months.