Deconstructing Eden These Are the Days of Wine and Honey Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Dark sweetness

Freshly applied: Grape cough syrup/Flintstones vitamins

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

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Shemhazai Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Frankincense and myrrh.

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

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

Smells like a wet Darcy drying in the warm sun.

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Haunted Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Ladylike lilies and lilac

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

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

After several hours: Same white clean floral lily scent.

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

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

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

Where am I? Pink ladies' powder room.

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

Deconstructing Eden Catherine de Medici Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Cranapple cocktail juice

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

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

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Black No. 1 Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Spiced smoke

Freshly applied: Sweet smoke, spice, and patchouli

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

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

Wet, wonderful patchouli

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Be My Druidess Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Musky sweet smoke

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

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

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: High

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

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

Where am I? Burning sacred incense in a temple

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

Deconstructing Eden Theodora Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Fruity Dragon's Blood

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

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

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Halo Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden

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

First impression out of bottle: Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray 

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

Fragrant soft lilacs with ocean breeze

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

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Gentian House Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Grassy dirt

Freshly applied: Lavender, grass, and earth

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

Like an old, creepy, very well-maintained home

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium high

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Alice in Wonderland Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Floral marshmallows

Freshly applied: Floral marshmallows with a citrus twist

Pretty much exactly this

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

Something fluffy and powdery (in a good way)

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

Such a sweet, perfect lemon

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Legare Review

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

First impression out of bottle: Cologne and bergamot 

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

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

Drinking tea in a flower garden in the South

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

Longevity: High
Sillage: Medium

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

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

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

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

Deconstructing Eden Lady Nada Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden
Availability: General Catalog
Notes: Pink lemonade jasmine, pink roses and udambara blossoms

First impression out of bottle: Pink lemonade, like the ultra concentrated sweet and slightly tart stuff from a chain restaurant.

Mmm zesty.

Freshly applied: Delicious pink lemonade mixed with a lush soft floral. The florals in this are mostly rose with a bit of soft white jasmine mixed in at first. Overall absolutely reminds me of a department store perfume but less obnoxious. Like the kind of scent I would have adored as a 15 year old. This shouldn’t be perceived as an insult, it’s lovely and super yummy.

Drydown: Now that the initial fizzy pink lemonade has faded, I get way more jasmine in a sweet, girly, and romantic way. I am surprised by how much I like this interpretation of jasmine. It’s got the creamy lushness I like along with a really beautiful foodie fruit note, and it almost has the effect of feeling tropical. 

After several hours: Fluffy pink and white florals, creamy and lush, with a zesty spark of juicy pink lemonade.

Longevity: Very high, especially on hair and clothing.
Sillage: Medium-high, this is a perfume you can't smell if you sniff your wrist. You have to let it waft about you.

Would an [X] lover love this? Jasmine lovers need to try this fruity tropical take on the note. It's unusual and not indolic/super sexy but it's flirty and cute.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think jasmine haters would actually be fine with this- it isn't stinky or hard to wear like many jasmines. It's really creamy and fresh at the same time.

Where am I? I'm me, as an annoying 15 year old, on a beach vacation, thinking I'm hot shit (I AM THO.)

Where would I wear this? I have worn this during the daytime, summer, fall, and on dates. It's a great all-purpose scent. I think I'll have to retire it during cold weather but maybe I'll take it out when I'm missing summer. 

Deconstructing Eden Blanc Review

Brand: Deconstructing Eden

Availability: Formerly permanent, now discontinued, but she may bring it back (you can also check with owner to see if she can sell you even though it's not listed in store)
Notes: White musks, white mint, white jasmine and linden blossoms

First impression out of bottle: The sweetest, earthiest mint, like crushed peppermint leaf in a dewy garden

Freshly applied: Sweet white mint, like minty tea. Then I get a touch of sweet green from the linden blossoms. It never gets that honeyed scent that Possets' linden gets on me, which almost has a sticky pollen feel. This is a clean, refreshing, lightly floral blend with an eensy touch of jasmine. The swirling musks make me think of morning mist or fog, they are not powdery or perfumey, but rather kind of damp and natural.

Minty, misty morning

Drydown: The mint is halway between candied mint and freshly-crushed garden mint. The juicy greenness makes it feel like earth/a garden without actual dirt or grass notes. Someone on IMAM told me they got hardly any mint from this, which I was bummed about, but I'm so happy that it's mostly mint on me.

Love the earthy, cool mint character

After several hours: A whisper of minty musk. 

Longevity: Very bad. This scent disappears on me but I just spritz more on because I'm obsessed with it. I wish it lasted longer.
Sillage: Quite low after the first few minutes. It lingers a little on hair and clothing, and I need to spray liberally to get good throw, but as I noted above, the longevity leaves a lot to be desired. These are all very faint notes, so you can't expect the potency you'd get from a spicy oriental, but STILL. I want it to stick around longer. 

Would an [X] lover love this? I think this is a highly unusual scent and basically everyone should try it if it becomes permanent again. A mint lover might adore it (hello, I do) but other people say they don't get much mint. So it's kind of a toss up.

Would an [X] hater love this? I think a mint hater could come around to this, as it's a very faithful representation of realistic mint. Also musk haters need to try it, as this is some of the best musk blending I've ever smelled. Not powdery, grandma-ish, or cloying.

Where am I? It makes me think of Cinderella trudging home in the morning mist after the ball, her bare foot squelching in the fresh garden herbs, and a single sparkling glass slipper.

Where would I wear this? I love wearing this during the day, especially on hot days. It's no use wearing it to bed as it disappears almost before I fall asleep, but I find it to be a super elegant but fun daytime scent. Very youthful but not childish.