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Do you have a box full of perfume vials and/or a vanity covered in perfume bottles? Are you the Goldilocks of perfume, just looking for the perfect signature scent? Do you want an opportunity to post daily about how your perfume of the day smells oaky and smoky with hints of blackberry and currant, like a cigar in a whisky barrel rolling through a Mediterranean orchard on a breezy summer morning?
If you answered yes to any of the above, or you just want to hop on board for the ride, join us for a 31 days of perfume challenge starting January 1st! Some of us from the 25 days of lipstick challenge wanted to continue the fun and exploration, and since many of us have so many perfume samples, we thought this challenge would be perfect. If you don't have 31 perfumes or hate everything that doesn't smell like Meyer lemons and fresh goat cream, that's fine--we're just aiming to use the neglected perfumes we have laying around and incorporate them into our perfume rotations.
And if you want more perfume vials, there's no better time than now to take a peek at Sephora's samples section.
Edit: Anyone can join in at anytime! We're here to support, live vicariously through, and encourage everyone in their olfactory adventures!
@MissMisato @eshoe You're both too kind ๐ Had a rough day and your comments lifted my spirits xoxo
@pocketvenus I am so happy our comments brightened your day. I hope your day goes more smoothly today.
So okay, I have 31 scents ready to go! Should I start on November 1st, post the the first 5 today and continue with a daily post to generate interest in the thread or do 1 post with my opinions? I am ready for the challenge. ๐
@MissMisato I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! โค๏ธ There are no rules on this thread, it started off with everyone posting a new scent per day for a month but now it's just people sharing impressions of new fragrances ๐ Looking forward to reading your thoughts!
@pocketvenus No rules, just right. I love it! I am waiting until November to do a daily perfume impression here and on my IG. I want my perfume challenge to be inspiration for Christmas gifts. I will definitely remember I can post individual perfumes here, Now, I will collect more! Hope you have a great day.
Hi, @MissMisato ! Looking forward to your perfume thoughts! ๐ฅณ
A TF SA at Holts had a tiny tester, so not a full bottle, for Ebene Fume today so I am testing this now on my skin. I didn't get a chance to enjoy the opening as I was masked while indoors but I caught a lovely rich and resinous character to the woods when I stepped outside. It's pretty promising but the warm, smoky dry down is, well, common. It's not scratchy or raspy like the genre can be but it also feels very behind the curve. I'd try it if you enjoy the genre but at this point, it's pretty saturated.
Tested Synthetic Jungle both on paper and on skin. I was really looking forward to this, especially because the notes pyramid was appealing to me. I'm still on the fence about it. I'm finding it very appealing, but I'm not sure if it's a love for me like others in the line like Fleur de Cassie.
The opening is a fantastic one for green lovers. The green is very much of the fresh cut plants and herbs character so no conifers, no mint and so on. You're treated to a rich and complex green landscape, full of bitter galbanum, dense foliage and earthiness. There's also this fantastic thread of sap interwoven through the composition.
The dry down shifts right into the florals for me on my skin and this happens disappointingly quickly because I'm really smitten with the opening. As one would expect, the first phase lasts a fair bit longer on paper. I don't get a strong jasmine, SJ smells very hyacinth and lily of the valley forward on me though it remains fairly green.
Although SJ hearkens back to 70s greens, it distinguishes itself in a couple ways. First, while it's polished, it doesn't have the sharp edges of earlier compositions like the bracing chill of Vent Vert, the cut-glass aldehydes of No. 19. The dry down is also pretty sleek, I don't get a huge drop from weighty patchouli or oakmoss, so it feels cleaner and lighter than a vintage. But otherwise, SJ exudes classic vibes, especially in the floral dry down which I think most would read as a vintage on first sniff.
I also read some speculation that this might compare to French Lover. It makes sense as they both share that galbanum green-ness and earthiness but SJ is not quite as damp and dark as FL. And FL isn't really a green scent. Despite SJ being more classically green, I do prefer FL for its more dramatic shades although I'm open to SJ growing on me more.
Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not sure SJ reminds me of a jungle. FL, with its contrasts between light and dark, strikes me as more jungle-like. There are other perfumes like Indolis that strike as a better candidate too in representing a jungle. Like SJ, Indolis is a green floral and its deep, dark shadows instantly bring to mind a tropical getaway. But I believe this is where the Synthetic part of SJ comes in. SJ reads more like very brightly lit up greens in a photography studio, not at all like what you would find in a real jungle with its organic rot and dampness. It's like a filtered photograph where the all greens have been heightened.
@Samtian Definitely worth trying if you like the green genre and are looking for something with both vintage and modern qualities ๐ How is your sense of smell these days? Do things still smell different?
@pocketvenus Sadly still no real improvement. Thank you for asking! It's been one year already.
Oh @Samtian, that is a long time! I truly hope you are able to regain your full range of scent again <333
Tried KILIAN Paris Apple Brandy Eau de Parfum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Eau de Parfum Spray but just on a tester strip. Honestly, it's been so many years since I tried the original, I'm not terribly confident comparing the two but I think they're quite different. I seem to recall the original being like, well, an apple brandy. This new version os pretty fruity and despite the name, it's a pineapple note that hits me and dominates the scent. I would have preferred this if they had really dialed down the fruit and intensified the wood and smoke. Or maybe not added pineapple at all?? ๐๐
Finally got around to trying Tom Ford's Tubรฉreuse Nue. It's a dense, fruity and soapy take, more white floral than tuberose soliflore. A lot of people seem to get plastic or latex, for me it's not as synthetic but there's definitely a fruit-candy sweetness to it that reminds me of a toned down Fracas. I'm not a fan of the candy side of tuberose and the monotone density of it in the dry down is exhausting, a hard pass for me. If this wasn't such a blunt scent, if it had more breathing room, I'd say this was formulated to cater to Chinese tastes.
EDIT: I smelled a card I sprayed with this after and wow, it gives full-on synthetic rubber latex vibes! I guess my skin really tones it down and definitely agree with what others have written about latex. It was also woodier and spicier on paper than my skin, not so monotone.
Trying Ceylon by Xerjoff. No lie, I kind of avoided this house for awhile because of the price and I didn't hear much "buzz" about it.
I like tea scents though Ceylon is a real outlier in the genre. It's very sweet, syrupy and thick in a honeyed way. Its gentle animalistic purr and rich florals balance out the scent from being sickly but oh is it close. This is a seriously heady and rich fragrance, very unexpected for the tea genre. In fact, I'm not getting much tea at all. It's much more like an assortment box of Indian desserts than tea to me. There's creaminess to it, but also a dusting of powder. Stays pretty linear on my skin although the sweetness fades first, leaving you with the musk and animalic notes of the oud which is full-bodied and fruity with a touch of supple, suede-like leather.
The projection is way too strong to wear regularly. Honestly, I'd let this dry down for a couple hours before going out. Absolutely save this for the winter, this would be suffocating for the summer. Not a bad introduction to this house though!
Tried a few scents and thought I'd share some brief thoughts
CdG delivers again with its 4th Monocle collaboration, Yoyogi. This one is super green, fresh with a mentholated head and wonderfully coniferous sap in the dry down. I personally did not find this to be grassy. A great, solid line for wood lovers.
Not nearly as rosy as I'd expected and far more sweet. A strong cinnamon up top coming through. This is the third of the Renaissance line that doesn't quite do it for me.
Interlude Man Black Iris. I'm a fan of the original Interlude but it's not an easy wear. It's very brash and uncompromising. Iris here smooths and cools down the whole composition and makes it more wearable.
Fate Woman sounded right up my alley but it is a total powder bomb and I don't care for powder. Fate Man on the other hand, is really spicy and dry, which I do love. A fantastic fresh cumin note that never becomes dirty or gourmand like. Easier to wear than other Amouages for men but still very distinctive.
I only took a whiff of this but it seemed very much in line with Fleur de Lalita, very pretty, very balanced, just a lovely demure floral. Not an iris soliflore despite the name.
Got AC Lemon Island sample with my order and I am testing it today. I am kind of liking it. It is soft, quiet ( too quiet! ), with subtle beach vibes. It opens with a splash of this soft and almost creamy lemon. Not your typical AC sharp citrus. Then it quickly turns into soft beach vibe kinda scent. Bit creamy, bit sweet, bit salty, definitely sunny and warm. Like a lazy day at some sandy beach hidden among lemon trees. It's simple, but pleasant, and I am really enjoying it. The only problem is... the sillage is almost non existent. I can barely smell the cologne, even after I first apply it. I wonder if it would be better if actually sprayed ( this is that typical AC sample vial without anything to help you apply it easier/better )? Anyone tried this one?
Thanks for your review, @RavenR ! I want to try this scent, but haven't been to Sephora to pick up a sample. I'm more curious now that I've read your review! ๐