Ho Ho Holidays, The Festive Fragrance Gratis Thread!

[Mochapj]

A little birdie told me that Santa's sleigh is touching down early this year and some of our active community members have a holiday gratis parcel en route.

Please feel free to use this thread to share your holiday gratis unboxings and let us all know what you think of this sweet surprise gift 🙂

Thank you, as always to @TeamBIC for putting together these wonderful opportunities that celebrate our members of the BIC community.

Can't wait to see what everyone got!

[Sunnysmom]

Love your photo and take on the fragrances @faeriegirl . Congrats! 

[tsavorite]

@faeriegirl ,

Beautiful photo!  Thank you for your thoughts about these scents!

[danielledanielle]

@faeriegirl , I feel the same way about the Kilian.  I get the hype now!

[pocketvenus]

Apologies for taking so long to write these reviews up!! It is a very busy time of year and I've had a lot on my plate, most of it not great to be honest! But testing new perfumes is always something I enjoy 🙂 I have been thinking about how to best convey each scent without using language that's too jargony that might sound impressive but may not help readers familiar with scents and notes. So I'm going to pair each review with some dresses that I feel really exemplify the vibe of each scent. I hope they help! 🙂 Also, I am looking forward to having time off in a couple weeks to read through this thread and respond to people's tags ❤️ Thank you for being patient with me <333

Chloe's Naturelle is a very clean, fresh, pale pink rose with a touch of crispness. It's a little reminiscent of Luten's Sa Majeste la Rose, but it's not as dramatic and green and is more youthful. The perfume deepens in colour as the rose becomes more tart in the drydown, but the mimosa gives it a touch of powder which softens it. It's an easy, pretty wear that has a very innocent, guileless quality to it. The kind of scent for a lazy weekend morning in spring. The sun is warming outside with a gentle breeze. It gives me really strong white prairie summer dress strolling in a meadow vibes. I think this would be a great starter perfume for a young, sweet girl but it's also entirely suitable for older people who are in a youthful, carefree mood. Something to chase the pandemic blahs away. Suitable for multiple settings.

YSL's Black Opium Extreme is like the opposite of the Chloe. She's bold, brash, fun-loving and doesn't take herself too seriously. A rich amber with sweet, abstract florals that leans in a gourmand direction but it's not gourmand to my nose as the notes suggest. And it's more toffee than coffee to me but from others' reviews, some people get a distinct coffee impression. This one has strong projection on my skin. I think the bottle is actually kind of accurate with the sparkles. To me, Black Opium Extreme is all sparkles and specifically, sequins! But it's too sassy to be black and chic and serious. To me it pairs better with bright jewel tones, especially attention grabbing dresses with asymmetrical cuts. Suitable for nightlife and clubbing. Or a devil may care day at the park!

Floral Street's Sunflower Pop is a tenacious fruity scent. This is described as citrusy which gave me the impression of something fresh and light but in fact, it's quite bold and sweet. If you are a fan of passionfruit, this one opens with a blast of the fruit that's unmistakable. This and the citrus are given density with the sweet amber and white musk in the drydown which are immediately present, right from the opening. I think the packaging has influenced me but the combination of fruit and sugars make me think of bright acid neon colours. Though despite the use of Van Gogh's sunflowers, this fragrance strikes me as very urban and contemporary, I see (or smell?) no relation to his painting. When I think of a setting for SP, I immediately think of street photography. Suitable for gallivanting about taking city street selfies.

Gucci's Gorgeous Gardenia. This is a very safe designer floral, that's inoffensive and very approachable. It's clean, modern and feminine in a way that does not draw too much to itself. The florals and fruit are abstract unlike say, Bloom which has a distinct and somewhat austere tuberose. You can definitely wear this to scent-permissive workplaces. I can imagine pairing this with a pastel coloured, girly sundress with a floral print. Though it's suitable for wear all year. I also want to add that the packaging feels quite substantial and heavy which is not what I expected. I'm glad they did the re-design.

Finally, we have Kilian's Apple Brandy. It has a gorgeous sweet and smoky, aromatic opening with cardamom and booze. Pineapple comes to the fore in the drydown, not freshly cut, but more abstract and caramelized. The ambery dry down has the woody darkness of ambroxan. It's quite sweet but there are Kilians that run sweeter. Opulent and great for autumn and winter. I know some Kilians are fantastic but lack lasting power while others are very long-lasting. Apple Brandy is a tenacious one, probably due to the ambroxan. To me, Apple Brandy is like a slinky bronze clubbing dress and like Black Opium, is suitable for nightlife. My personal favourite of this line is the absinthe one, L'Heure Vert which is less sweet. People seem to LOVE Angel's Share. I'd recommend giving the line a try.

[Tamara76]

Oh my! I love your descriptions and fashion pairings @pocketvenus ! You are so creative!❤️❤️

[pocketvenus]

@Tamara76 Thank you 🌻 I enjoy matching my scent to my outfit 🙂

[eshoe]

This was worth waiting for, @pocketvenus. what an absolute delight and ‘knowing’ these scents for the past couple of weeks, walking through this with you (or rather, your thoughts) helped me with my own suspicions on certain fragrances.

We have discussed L’Heure Verte, and now that I know you find it as long-lasting as the Apple Brandy, I am certain it will find its way into my home. 

[pocketvenus]

@eshoe I'm so glad you found these reviews helpful! <333 This is definitely how I taught myself more about scents. I'd make my own impressions and read other's reviews. In time you'll find that you consistently share the same impressions with and others you don't and that really helps with decision making! Not having the same experience doesn't mean you think they're wrong though! Like there's one reviewer I love who is way more sensitive to aromachemicals than myself and while I trust their reviews, I know I might really like a scent that turns them off.

[eshoe]

What an excellent point, and observation, @pocketvenus. I have found the same to be true with skin care. When others detail what they did not like about a product, sometimes that is the green light for me to try it, and vice versa. I recently read that writing how you speak is a good way to get your thoughts down, at least initially. Your descriptive words make it seem more like a conversation than a rote assignment. Thanks again 🙌🏼

[pocketvenus]

@eshoe Anytime! You're so right about skincare reviews 🙂 I find the same thing with movie reviews too! It just takes a little time to find those reliable people ❤️

[eshoe]

Hmmmm I had not yet considered movie reviews, @pocketvenus. Yes, reliable people…I guess on a site you don’t frequent often, the objective, in-depth ones stand out. 

[Titian06]

@pocketvenus - As always, your reviews do not disappoint! 🥰  Best wishes that things will become better for you soon! 💖💖💖

[pocketvenus]

@Titian06 Thank you for your kind wishes! Sending you holiday cheer! ✨🎉🥂

[haleyvvvv]

Omg, these reviews, @pocketvenus!! Such lovely notes!!

[pocketvenus]

@haleyvvvv Hope the reviews are helpful 🙏 ❤️

[tsavorite]

@pocketvenus ,

It's such a lovely journey to read and visualize your descriptions of each scent.  Thank you!

My thoughts are with you, and I hope that everything gets much better soon!

[pocketvenus]

@tsavorite Thank you for your kind well wishing and for thinking of me ❤️ Hope you're having a lovely holiday!

[tsavorite]

@pocketvenus ,

Thank you!  We are having a really nice Holiday!!!  I hope that you are also!

[Ispend2much6]

@pocketvenus   I hope things look up for you soon.  Loved your post!

[pocketvenus]

@Ispend2much6 Thank you! Just had a legal thing settled so things are def looking up! Here's to a wonderful new year 🙂

[Ispend2much6]

@pocketvenus  In full agreement with you; may it be so!