Growing up in a landlocked state, I didn’t realize that dolphins lived outside of aquarium glass walls. This is sad. When I moved to the PNW over 5 years ago, I was amazed. I literally got in my car from Nashville and kept driving until I smelled salt water. Deep within the depths of this salt water amazing creatures dwell: whales, octopus and yes, orcas. This still blows my mind.

Ayala Moriel Orcas opens with refreshing lime and fresh ginger paired with freshly cut herbs. It’s bitter-green-fresh. I do get the sea in this. It’s sort of like an oyster bar – vanillic, salty and like the “coast” on ice. With time I get an astringent sharpness from crisp leaves and cedar. And suede. The dry-down is a salty ambergris with cool fir needles. It’s invigorating like the Northern Pacific.

Real life orcas*

Notes listed include rosemary, lime, cedarwood, fresh ginger, ambergris, boronia, clary sage, Egyptian geranium, seaweed, blue spruce, cypress and angelica. Launch date 2011. 

Give Orcas a try if you are looking for a natural sea fragrance. Or if you like perfumes like Roxana Illuminated Perfumes Green Witch, Aftelier Muse, DSH Perfumes Arnica, Joanne Bassett Reveiller, CB I Hate Perfume Mr. Hulot’s Holiday and/or Esscentual Alchemy Theo. Orcas is unisex and does make a great replacement for a men’s “eau de cologne”. It does smell natural. And it’s a great choice for hot summer days.

Orcas has below average projection and longevity fin comparison to mixed media perfumes. I get about 4 hours of wear (which is not unusual for all-natural perfumes).

Orcas comes in a few sizes. The 1/2 oz retails for $120 at Ayala Moriel. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION - Herbaceous Northern aquatic. Good job, Ayala. I smell it and I do think of the Pacific Northwest.

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*One time I went orca watching for my husband’s birthday. I got really seasick and almost hurled all over some Swedish tourists that wouldn’t stop talking to me about Twilight. Orcas are rad. Twilight isn’t.

*Disclaimer – Sample provided by Ayala Moriel. I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. My opinions are my own. Orcas pic is mine. I earned it.

Sweet Anthem is a Seattle-based perfume line by perfumer Meredith Smith. Here’s my review of a few of their floral perfumes that are in the all-year catalog.

Annabelle perfume oil has notes of jasmine, osmanthus, sea salt, and white amber.

Annabelle opens as a tropical coconut floral reminding me of manoï. I get a ripe banana ylang-ylang. It’s a tropical floral by the sea. It dries down to a warm, powdery amber. In the oil base, it’s a good choice for a “beach” perfume. If you’re looking for a beach fragrance for this summer, try Annabelle.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION- Tropical vacation crammed into a little magical bottle of oil.

Catherine perfume oil has notes of amber, bergamot, red tea and wisteria.

Catherine opens as a “purple floral” reminding me of lilacs in full bloom. Catherine is really heady floral for most of the wear until it turns into a brewed Earl Grey and amber. It has enough “umph” for evening wear. In the oil base, it smells like an “oil” which I associate with hippie or boho college students. I have sniffed this one as an EDP and prefer it in the alcohol base. Saying that, there are many people that may prefer the oil. I have some oil-based issues that I’m very open about.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Purple floral amber. I recommend it for evening.

Juliet solid perfume has notes of clove, jasmine sambac, mango, muskwood, neroli, pink pepper and tobacco.

Juliet is a fruity, juicy mango reminding me of Jumex. It gets spicier with a carnation-like clove and fruity pink pepper. The dry-down is a sweet pipe tobacco. I have a hunch that this one comes across as more complex in an alcohol or oil base. It’s good in a solid but I can tell that it could ”dazzle” more in a liquid base with those top notes.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Spicy mango shisa. It’s good and I like it but I want to try it in a liquid as I feel the neroli and pink pepper aren’t “projecting” in the solid.

Joan solid perfume has notes of beeswax, coriander, peony, tomato leaf and white mint.

Joan reminds me of madrone in bloom – like a honeysuckle with a “bite”. There’s a sharp tomato leaf and cool mint. Both are straight from the garden. Joan is both cool and warm. I typically prefer alcohol based perfumes but I like this honeyed floral in the wax base.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Madrone in bloom. I love it.  It’s full bottle (tub or whatever you say with a solid) worthy. It reminds me of late summer in Western Washington. I need it.

Solid perfumes are $8.50 to $16 depending on their size. Perfume oils are $28 to $42 depending on size. EDPs that are in an alcohol base are $28. All are available at Sweet Anthem (there’s a brick and mortar store as well located in West Seattle). *Note that pics above are of the EDPs. You can find the oils and solids on Sweet Anthem’s website. AND Sweet Anthem also sells generous sized samples.

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*Samples purchased by me. Pics from Sweet Anthem.

Lili Bermuda is a niche line located in Bermuda that draws their inspiration from the islands (how couldn’t you?).

Coral: Notes listed include clementine, freesia, rose and ginger.

Pink opens with a juicy orange mixed with rose. I also get a hint of ripe peaches. And then it becomes a freesia floral. It’s nothing special but it does smell like a watery freesia and I know some people are into that.

Give Coral a try if you like sheer florals or if you like perfumes like Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia, Tocca Stella, Fresh Pink Jasmine and/or Ralph Lauren Romance. It’s a sheer floral so it’s good for “day” wear.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Fruity, sheer freesia. It’s not my favorite from the line, but I never have luck with freesia. However, I think it is pretty and well-done.

Pink: Notes listed include pink mimosa, grapefruit and peony.

Pink opens as a watermelon mimosa. The violet in this comes across like a cucumber to my nose. Pink is a sheer citrus floral. It is a mimosa with delicate peony and magnolia. It’s really pretty and femme.

Try Pink if you like sheer florals or if you like perfumes like Gucci Flora EDT, L’Artisan Parfumeur Mimosa pour Moi, Bvlgari Pour Femme, Von Eusersdorff Classic Mimosa and/or D&G Rose The One. Pink is feminine, sheer and light. It would make a nice “day” fragrance for feminine types.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Magnolia watermelon. A sheer and light floral that stays out of your way. And sometimes we do want a perfume to get out of our way.

Both of these perfumes have the same vibe. Their sheer, floral and feminine. I can see those that like Jo Malone London florals liking these two. I recommend them for those that work in close spaces and don’t want to overwhelm (great choice for students) I think they’re a good choice for warm climates.  These aren’t necessarily ”me” fragrances but I appreciate them. They’re very delicate.

The EDTs wear like EDTs and have below average projection and longevity.

Lily Bermuda EDTs come in a few sizes with prices ranging from $52-$70 at Lili Bermuda. A parfum is also available. (I’ve reviewed the EDTs).

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*Samples provided by Lili Bermuda. I am not financially compensated for my review. My opinions are my own. Product pics from Lili Bermuda. Dorothy Dwan from www.fanpix.net

Everyone that doesn’t live in Seattle thinks it rains all of the time here. They’re thoughts are only partially correct. We have a wet and a dry season, but it doesn’t rain all of the time. It just depends on when you visit. Yes, I get sick of the rain because it’s the “same” rain. We rarely ever get fun things like thunderstorms. And we rarely get rain in the summer. Neil Morris Storm is a fragrance inspired by summer thunderstorms. I didn’t realize how much I missed a good ‘ole summer thunderstorm until I went back to Nashville last week and experienced one for the first time in years.

Storm opens as a minty hyacinth with nondescript fruits. The heart is a spicy but powdery floral that reminds me of carnations. There’s a hint of mineral ozone that adds a humidity. The dry-down is a Jovan Musk-ish musk with dry dirt. It eventually becomes warm musk and tonka.

Storm is unisex but I like to think of it as a hyacinth fragrance for masculines. It’s floral but not too floral. It’s mainly a musk fragrance with some dewy floral lift. Does it smell like a thunderstorm? No. It needs more dirt…and pavement. But, it does smell warm and humid.

Notes listed include papaya, lime, delphinium, hyacinth, tonka bean, golden musk, earth and marine notes. Launch date 2007.

Give Storm a try if you like musky florals. Or perfumes like aroma M Geisha Blanche, Jovan Musk, Illuminum White Datura and/or original Avon SSS. Like I said before, it’s unisex.

Storm has average projection and longevity. Most of the wear is the warm musks.

The 2 oz bottle retails for $90 at Neil Morris Fragrances. 

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Musky floral. Like I said, this makes a great masculine floral because of the musk and earthy notes.

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*Sample purchased by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Peggy Shannon pic from www.fanpix.net

If you did not know this, you should – Etro makes good perfumes. They’re hard to come by unless you live in a place with an Etro boutique, but they’re good. I think they’re worth the search. Etro Greene Street was launched last year to celebrate their Soho location in New York City. This one is marketed as a masculine but it’s coming from a line that makes hot pink paisley shirts for men. We’re throwing their gender classification right out the window, mmm-kay.

Greene Street opens as a spiced acrid incense (think pink pepper, myrrh and frankincense). It becomes a talcum powder barbershop violet. The base is a surprising “green” amber. It has all of the attributes of a classic amber but it has a green acridness. With time it dries down to this cuddly, soft and somewhat sweet amber. The base is one of those, “I smell good, what am I wearing” perfumes. And then I remember it’s Greene Street.

For some reason I have to try all of the ambers. And yes, I like Greene Street. It’s a familiar amber but has enough differences to be unlike the more spiky or vanilla ambers that I already own.

Notes listed include basil, nutmeg, pink pepper, incense, resins, violet, geranium, talcum, musk, labdanum, and ambergris. Launch date 2012.

Give Greene Street a try if you like amber perfumes. Or if you like perfumes like CREED Green Irish Tweed, Penhaligon’s Sartorial, Juliette Has a Gun Citizen Queen, Histoires de Parfums Ambre 114 and/or Montale Blue Amber. Greene Street is marketed as a masculine but I find it unisex. I feel comfortable wearing it.

Greene Street is an EDT but wears much more like an EDP. I get 8+ hours of wear from it.

Greene Street EDT is available at Etro boutiques and online at The Perfume Shoppe. It retails for $170 for 3.4 oz.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Barbershop “green” amber. Hey, I don’t really need another amber. Ever. But, I like this one.

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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Refinery 29.

I have seen the Royal Apothic line around and in the past I’ve bought a few of their hand creams. I never really tried the perfumes because Anthropologie never had testers out of the ones I wanted to try. I didn’t go out of my way to try them because at their price point and with the adorable vintage inspired packaging, I thought the line was only about the looks and not what was inside. Guess what? I was wrong!

Holland Park is inspired by a historic park in London. It does smell like an idealized stroll through an immaculate park. Holland Park opens a green citrus that reminds me of lemon rind and lime leaves. It’s bordering on waxy black licorice. It has that bitter greenness that I associate with summer. It’s like overgrown weeds in the best way possible. And then it becomes a pretty peachy floral. With time the magnolia takes over and it becomes this “oh so pretty” magnolia and white musk. It goes from “green” to “pink” (to be pacific a powder puff pink). I could see those that like Jo Malone London florals, Annick Goutal soliflores or any perfume with pink juice liking this one.

Notes listed include lemon, magnolia, peach, jasmine, orange blossom, lily of the valley, and powdery white musk. Launched 2012.

Give Holland Park a try if you like pretty, sheer florals. Or if you like Aqua de Parma Magnolia Nobile, Versace Bright Crystal, any of the Lili Bermuda feminines, Fresh Pink Jasmine, Bond No. 9 Sag Harbor, Lancome Miracle and/or Annick Goutal Un Matin d’Orage. Because of the florals, I think many people will associate this with the feminine.

I would say that this wears more like an EDT. It’s a sheer floral that is good for warm weather. I get about 4 hours of wear. Which doesn’t bother me because of the price.

The vintage inspired atomizer retails for $38 for 2 oz at Royal Apothic. Minis are also available for $15. This line is currently available at Anthropologie.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION - Summer walk through an idealized, immaculate park – lime leaves, peaches and magnolia blossoms. Usually I’m not a fan of stuff like this but I really do like this for warm weather. It smells pretty and I like the price. It’s much better than I had anticipated.

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*Disclaimer – Product provided by Royal Apothic. I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Royal Apothic. Helen Mirren pic from www.fanpix.net.

Clairvoyant Beauty is a skincare line by Lexie Masterson, former actress and art historian that is obsessed with quality skincare. And like any wise spa brand they realized they needed a fine fragrance. The truth is that in the spa industry one is selling you a ritual, a way to relax and pamper yourself. A fragrance is a logical extension of the brand. Clairvoyant Beauty went the all-natural route inspired by Mandy Aftel of Aftelier.

Clairvoyant opens as tart and juicy with fruits and roses. At this stage it reminds me very much of Rooh Afza syrup (a fruity floral Middle Eastern summer beverage). It’s juicy citrus with a hint of pineapple layered over bitter white florals and fruity roses. The heart is lush, heady white florals with a kiss of sunshine. The dry-down is a “green tobacco”.

Notes listed include bergamot, lime, rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, tobacco absolute,  fir absolute and green cognac.

Give this perfume a try if you like crisp florals. Or if you like perfumes like Anu Essentials Sita, Aftelier Candide, Esscentual Alchemy The Delicate Ones, House of Matriach Destiny and/or DSH Perfumes Rose Vert. Clairvoyant Beauty does smell like a natural fragrance and will most likely be appreciated by those that adore naturals.

This is an all-natural fragrance in a corn alcohol base. It wears closely to the skin so projection is below average. It also has below average longevity (3-4 hours) which is expected with natural perfumes.

Clairvoyant comes in a few sizes with prices ranging from $45-$125 at Clairvoyant Beauty.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Crisp Rooh Afza fruity floral. It’s pretty and easy to wear. This perfume uses high quality ingredients and you can smell that. I like that you can get a bottle for under $50! (practically unheard of in the naturals world)

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*Here’s a recipe for Rooh Afza lemonade.

*Disclaimer – Product provided by Clairvoyant’s PR. I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Clairvoyant Beauty. Roo Afza Lemonade from Jagran Post.

I challenge you to Eau Duelle.

Diptyque Eau Duelle opens as a sheer vanilla with a hint of juniper gin and cool cardamom. My best description of Duelle’s heart is a “clean vanilla”. It isn’t heavy or overly sweet which are traits that many people associate with vanilla. Eau Duelle’s vanilla is sheer and just got out of the shower. It becomes a spicy chai and smoky black tea over a sweeter vanilla amber.

I don’t say this very often but Eau Duelle is a sheer vanilla, a vanilla that works in the summer. And it works the rest of the year too.

Notes listed include cardamom, Asian cyprus, elemi, juniper, saffron, calamus, black tea, African olibanum, amber, vanilla, and white musk. Launched 2010. PERFUMER – Fabrice Pellegrin

Give Eau Duelle a try if you are looking for a sheer vanilla perfume or if you like perfumes like Atelier Vanille Insensee, B&BW Warm Vanilla Sugar, Bvlgari Omnia, Malle Van Dries Noten and/or Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanillle. Eau Duelle is completely unisex and works in all of the climates.

This scent has average projection and actually wears on me for a long time. I can smell it on myself all day (at least 12 hours of wear).

The 1.7 oz EDT retails for $88 at Beautyhabit, Nordstrom and Harrods (UK).

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Vanilla gin and tonic. You know, it’s rather simple but I love wearing it. I’m really surprised that I haven’t added a bottle to my collection yet.

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*Perfume sample obtained by me. Product pic from Beautyhabit. Walter Pidgeon pic from www.fanpix.net. Post contains affiliate links. Thanks!

If Goldilocks were at LUSH’s house of Furze looking for something just right, she’d find herself breaking a few chairs, picking herself up and walking right back out of the door she came through.

Furze  is one of those “almost right” fragrances. I *should* technically like it because I usually like notes like this. Furze is a good idea but something about it is “broken”. Now most people, OK, non-obsessive perfume people will smell this and think “sweet” which they’ll translate as wearable and delicious and “need to own it right now”. I was like this at first too but as it settled and as I wore  more times, the more it seemed like I should just keep searching for baby bear’s chair.

Furze AKA gorse is a flowering shrub that smells like coconuts; hence, the strong coconut theme in this fragrance. LUSH”s Furze is a really sweet toasted coconut mimosa. It’s caramelized coconut. This isn’t anything new or innovative in the fragrance world, it’s sore of a winning formula. But it does have mimosa. I’m a huge fan of mimosa and mimosa essential oil and absolutes are some of the most heavenly smelling substances on the planet. And I guess that is my problem with Furze. It ruined a really good mimosa by putting it with heavy gourmand notes (that frankly smell cheap) that hide the natural beauty of mimosa (and that nice neroli top). It’s like seeing a beautiful celeb styled terribly on the red carpet or on a magazine cover. You’re like “How did they make her look bad? I thought that was impossible?” Well, anything is possible. The coconut and vanilla take over this could-possibly-be-drop-dead-gorgeous neroli mimosa. It’s unbalanced.

Now, I don’t like Furze but I can see people liking it. Especially those that have scent memories associated with the plant. Or those that absolutely adore coconut. Or someone looking for something “beachy”. This does smell like Furze plants on holiday.

Notes listed include vanilla, honeyed caramel, mimosa, neroli and coconut. Launch date 2013.

Try Furze if you love sweet, sticky honeyed fragrances or if you just can’t get enough coconut. Or if you like perfumes like TokyoMilk Let Them Eat Cake, Lavanila Vanilla Coconut, Laura Mercier Almond Coconut, Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar and/or Sarah Horowitz Coconut Milk. I consider Furze unisex. Anyone that loves really sweet fragrances can pull this one off.

Projection and longevity are average for EDP but not really average in comparison to other LUSH EDPs.

Furze comes in a few sizes…many sizes with prices ranging from about $15 to $45 at LUSH.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Mimosa with a coconut cancer. Yes, I’m being harsh, but hey, furze is an invasive species! This is a wearable fragrance and I know of many people that enjoy it (and the price is great!). My complaint is that it is a good idea (a gourmand mimosa) but it’s really unbalanced. I feel like I’m sniffing the unfinished mod. Too big, too small and not right for me.

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*Product purchased by me. Product pic from LUSH. Elke Sommer pic from www.doctormacro.com. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

The phrase “natural beauty” is one of those phrases that I don’t like. One of the reasons I dislike it is that it is a term used to describe something that we perceive as “natural” even if it is or isn’t…it just has to look “natural”.  Another reason I dislike it is because I don’t believe “natural beauty” is any better than “faked” beauty. I think our culture often uses the phrase for shaming people that they may perceive as illusionists or “fakers”. Any way you slice it, when you talk about “natural beauty” in regards to a person, you’re talking about physical appearance. I guess that is shallow depending on who you ask. Anyway, what I’m getting at is that I dislike that phrase but it’s completely appropriate for describing April Aromatics Jasmina. Jasmina is a natural beauty and I mean it. It’s the sort of floral fragrance that will always be in style, an instant classic because beauty this pure is timeless.

Jasmina is an indolic jasmine and ylang-ylang which means it’s right up my alley. Grapefruit adds a natural “fizziness” or lift to these white florals. The white florals are naturally sweet like bubblegum. Jasmina wears rather linear as this beautiful, heavenly jasmine and ylang-ylang. And it’s not just a “natural beauty”; it’s not trying too hard. It seems genuine and pure and that’s why it’s so beautiful. Jasmina is being herself.

Winifred Lenihan, beautiful with and without makeup. 

Notes listed include jasmine, ylang-ylang and pink grapefruit. Launch date 2012. PERFUMER – Tanja Bochnig

Give Jasmina a try if you love jasmine. Or if you like perfumes like Annick Goutal Songes EDP, HEELEY Ophelia, Guerlain Chamade, Patou Joy and/or Diptyque Olene. Jasmina is an all-natural composition but you don’t have to be a fan of naturals to love Jasmina.

Projection and longevity are average. I have also found out by accident that this smells great layered over something really patch-heavy or woodsy.

The 1 oz EDP retails for €189 at April Aromatics. 

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Timeless, elegant, naturally beautiful ylang-ylang and jasmine. Beauty like this is always in style. – My only complaint is the price but I can say that the raw materials used in this aren’t cheap.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by April Aromatics. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from April Aromatics. Winifred Lenihan by Edward Steichen, 1924, from Conde Nast.

Out of all of the Arquiste fragrances, Flor y Canto has my favorite inspiration. So, I’m going to take this straight from the site:

August, 1400, Tenochtitlan, Mexico

“On the most fragrant festival in the Aztec calendar, the rhythm of drums palpitates as a wealth of flowers is offered on temple altars. Billowing clouds of Copal act as a backdrop to the intoxicating breath of Tuberose, Magnolia, Plumeria and the intensely yellow aroma of the sacred Marigold, cempoalxochitl.”

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to visit Xochimilco and do all of the wonderful tourist things. I’d rub my fingers over the glossy pages of an elementary school library book that featured the colorful flowers, altars and trajineras and wish I was there.

Flor y Canto opens as a huge, heady tuberose with fresh, plump peaches. It’s a sweet floral with ambrosia-like nectar. But, it’s not sweet. There’s a greenness and dewiness reminiscent of fresh florals and ozone. Eventually bitter tagetes/marigold comes into the picture. At this time I can’t think of any other bitter tuberose perfumes. Flor y Canto becomes a “green white floral”. Sweet incense notes are listed but I don’t pick them up in this composition. If you’re looking for those, you’ll be disappointed. The scent just seems to mellow with time and I do get a waxy, sweeter and fruitier plumeria. It never loses its lushness.

The only fault of Flor y Canto that I can think of is that it’s literal. Some people like this, especially when literal or “real life” can smell as great as this. I do find that I have tendency to be attracted to abstract florals. I sometimes wonder what Flor y Canto would be like with a little more fantasy, but that isn’t the point of the perfume. Flor y Canto attempted to capture an environmental fragrance of a certain point of time. And it does just that.

Notes listed include Mexican tuberose, magnolia, plumeria, marigold, copal, benzoin and Mexican vanilla bean. Launch date 2012. PERFUMER – Rodrigo Flores-Roux

Give Flor y Canto a try if you love tuberose. Or if you like perfumes like Diptyque Do Son, By Kilian Beyond Love, Tommi Sooni Tarantella, Calvin Klein Eternity for Women and/or Saffron James Nani. Flor y Canto is a floral so many will associate it with the feminine. I absolutely love this one in the summer. It does very well in the heat.

I do love that this should by the notes listed be a heavy floral but it isn’t. It’s sheer enough to celebrate in. It won’t weigh you down.  I find that projection and longevity are average.

The 1.9 oz bottle retails for $165 at Beautyhabit. 

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Green, bitter tuberose. One to try if you are looking for a festive and carefree tuberose.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by PR. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Fragrantica. Mexican Floating Garden from The Washington Post.

At one time, I liked Tom Ford Private Blends but then the line started discontinuing the good stuff and replacing it with crap like the White Musk Collection. Like many people, my heart fluttered when I heard about “Jardin Noir”. Yeah, “noir” is overused and abused in the perfume world but I mean, it’s a “dark” floral collection. What could go wrong? I couldn’t wait to try Lys Fume. In my mind it was a dark, smoky, boozy lily that was unlike any of the other lilies in my collection. It isn’t.

You spray Lys Fume and you know it’s a lily fragrance. It opens as a heady and spicy Asiatic lily. I do get the dry, almost numbing nutmeg and pink pepper over fresh lilies. It’s lily in a spice market. Inhale more and you get this mushroom meets prosciutto quality. Oh, and pink bubble gum. Tons of Bubble Yum. The dry-down of Lys Fume holds the shape of a lily; however, it has the addition of a waxy, cheap vanilla candle and ylang-ylang infused spiced rum. I also get hints of overheated hair being scorched by a flat iron.

You know, Lys Fume is a lily fragrance. It’s one to try if you want a lily scent; however, there are so many things like this on the market. It’s hard for me to recommend this one because it’s expensive and in my opinion not the best lily. If you want a big lily, try Donna Karan Gold or Serge Lutens Un Lys. Both of these are cheaper and “better” in my opinion. Now if those aren’t too your liking, keep trying and maybe try Lys Fume.

Notes listed include Italian mandarin, pink pepper, turmeric, nutmeg, white lily, ylang-ylang, artemsia, rum, Madgascar vanilla, labdanum, styrax, and oak. Launch date 2012. PERFUMER – Tom Ford likes to keep it a mystery…

Give Lys Fume if you must try all of the lilies. Or if you like perfumes like Donna Karan Gold, Serge Lutens Un Lys, Madonna Truth or Dare, Chantecaille Tiare and/or Etat Libre d’Orange Charogne. Lys Fume is a floral so many people are going to associate it with the feminine. If you’re looking for a more unisex/masculine lily, try ELdO Charogne.

Lys Fume has average projection and average longevity for an EDP.

Lys Fume comes in 2 sizes with prices ranging from $205-$495 at Nordstrom and Harrods (UK).

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Lily and vanilla plastic. You know, it’s a lily and all of that but you can find something like this for a better a value. Honestly, I think Lys Fume is a rip off.

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Fragrant Foodie

Basenotes - Member reviews

*Sample provided by a SA. Product pic from Nordstrom. Jeanne Moreau 1963 pic from www.reallifeiselsewhere.blogspot.com. Post contains affiliate links. Thanks!

Gardenia often seems like a note or theme that people look for in a perfume. I often get asked for gardenia perfume suggestions. However, I always have to tell people that I haven’t found my perfect gardenia. I’m still searching. So many gardenias smell like a functional fragrance. Some give me a headache. Others are merely “OK”. The closest to “my” gardenia is Kai perfume oil.

Kai is a clean musky floral. When the oil warms on the skin, Kai becomes more floral. It’s a melange of Southern Californian florals and a greener gardenia. The dry-down is a clean “Egyptian musk”.

If you’re looking for a gardenia, start with Kai. Gardenias typically don’t play nicely with me, but Kai does. It’s a straight forward gardenia that isn’t suffocating.

I actually prefer the oil of Kai over the EDP (which is odd for me). The oil is richer and more voluptuous. I also find that it lasts much longer on the skin.

Notes listed gardenia and white florals. Launch date 1999.

Give Kai a try if you like gardenia. Or if you like perfumes like J.Lo Glow, Chantecaille Tiare, Estee Lauder Tuberose Gardenia, Philosophy Amazing Grace, Penhaligon’s Gardenia and/or Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia. Even Kai says their perfume is unisex and Tommy Lee wears it. I don’t even like Tommy Lee but if he does wear Kai, I’ve decided that I like him.

The perfume oil has average projection and longevity for an oil. Keep in mind that most oils are more “intimate” and sit closely on the skin.

The perfume oil retails for $48 at Beautyhabit. Kai also has a line of body products that are absolutely fabulous and worth buying if you like scented bath and body products.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Gardenia over a clean musk. So far, it’s the closest to “me” gardenia that I have found.

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*Sample given to me at Barneys. I dare you to go to Barneys and not leave with a sample of Kai. Product pic from Barneys. Ava Gardner pic from www.fanpix.net. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

What? Do women have an expiration date now? Because I was under the assumption that we don’t “go bad”. I’m not a dairy product.

I try to not start reviews with rants, but sometimes I have to. I really hate the name of this By Kilian fragrance, Good Girl Gone Bad. I think it plays into slut-shaming that our culture loves to do. Maybe I’m being dramatic, but hear me out. I don’t believe in good girls or bad girls. I believe women are multi-dimensional beings and should not be labeled as “good” or “bad” based on mainstream cultural norms. Come on, we all know what “bad” means in this case…a woman that enjoys sex and has sexual desires. Is that “bad”? No. Sometimes a woman may be labeled as “bad” because of something as minor as her clothing or makeup choices. One doesn’t even have to do “bad’ things to be perceived as “bad” in our culture. Not only can we “be bad” or “look bad” but now can “smell bad”. I hate the name of this perfume. I don’t need a slut-shaming perfume. I don’t want a perfume telling me that I’m “good” or “bad”. Society already has that base covered.

After that rant, I’ll now talk about the perfume. A perfume in the “Garden of Good and Evil” Collection. Or what I call the “Vegas Tales”.

I would describe Good Girl Gone Bad as a “chewy floral”. I get rose, jasmine, peachy osmanthus and hints of dried fruits. And pickled plums. The osmanthus in this is gorgeous. It mingles with fruits and sweet violets. Eventually this perfume becomes a sweeter stone fruit floral with cedar. The dry-down is a fruity white musk. Overall, its’ a sophisticated/well composed, sweet fruity-floral with a name that works my nerves. And it’s so inoffensive that it borders on being offensive.

After this rant, I guess what bothers me the most is that this smells redundant for the By Kilian line. It just doesn’t seem necessary. I feel like it only exists to show off pretty new serpent packaging. And yes, the packaging is really pretty.

Notes listed include jasmine sambac, osmanthus, rose, tuberose, narcissus, violet, plum, cedarwood, amber, patchouli, vetiver and musk. Launch date 2012. PERFUMER – Calice Becker

Give Good Girl Gone Bad if you like fruity-florals. Or if you like  Etat Libre d’Orange Dangerous Complicity, L’Artisan Parfumeur Coeur de Vetiver Sacre, M.Micallef Rose Extreme, By Kilian In the City of Sin and/or By Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses.

Good Girl Gone Bad has above average projection and average longevity.

The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $245 at Luckyscent.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Sweet stone fruit floral over tons of white musk. An inoffensive crowd pleaser with an offensive name.

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*Sample provided by the company through a Facebook marketing campaign. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Fragrantica. Nuns having funs from www.picklope.com.

It seems that all designers have a high-end “luxury” fragrance line now because apparently the world didn’t have enough $200+ niche perfumes being launched every week. For Dolce & Gabbana it’s the Velvet Collection.

Velvet Vetiver opens as a bitter, green, crushed fig leaf. The vetiver in this is green, brisk and rather sharp. The dry-down is faint green vetiver with world’s faintest cedar. And some Prada Infusion d’Iris style powder to hold it together.

OMG. This perfume infuriates me. I love fig and I love vetiver. But, that’s all that is happening in this fragrance. So linear and watery! I would be angry with this fragrance if it were a $70 designer fragrance sold at every mall in America, but I’m as mad as a wet hen because this is sold as an “exclusive” fragrance and is $200!

Velvet Vetiver slightly reminds me of Guerlain Vetiver, Prada Infusion d’Iris EDT and Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio. Except those are all actual perfume-perfumes. 

Notes listed include vetiver, galbanum, and fig. Launched 2011.

Try Velvet Vetiver if you must try all of the vetivers. Or if you like vetivers like Chantecaille Vetyver. Or if you thought Diptyque Philosykos was too complex…or something. I mean try it if you want but trust me when I say you can get a better vetiver for half the cost.

Projection and longevity are below average. This wears like an EDT. I get about 3 hours of wear and it wears very close to the skin.

The 1.6 oz bottle retails for $200 at Saks and at Harrods (UK). Seriously, D&G, get a grip. And get sued. 

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Sheer bitter fig and green vetiver. If you have been wondering why nobody has been talking about these, it’s because there is nothing to talk about. The “regular” Dolce & Gabbana line is much more interesting. This reminds me of something L’Occitane would launch and sell for under $30. – If you do like the idea of a vetiver-fig, maybe layer some Guerlain Vetiver over Diptyque Philosykos. Two bottles of perfume is cheaper than this Velvet stuff.

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Katie Chutzpah - An overview of the collection

*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from Saks. Harrods is an affiliate link. Thanks!

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Last year, Smell Bent launched the Remix Project where old favorites where giving the “DJ Treatment”. The rest of the perfume world would call this a flanker, but flanker sounds so dirty! I’ll go with remix.

Little Miss Panda Gets Lei’d opens as a bright fruity jasmine with a dewy guava. With time the fragrance gets an overripe guava with delicate honeyed white florals. The dry down is more honeyed florals with a mix of skin-hugging musk. Overall, it’s a sheer, breezy tropical fruity floral. How does it compare to the original Miss Panda? This one is better

Talking to Brent last summer, he said this was his #1 seller. I don’t know if that has changed over the past year, it possibly could have since this is a summery scent and it was summer. Regardless, this is my favorite Smell Bent fragrance out of the ones that I’ve tried. There’s a use of restraint and pretty materials (now the name, that’s a different story!). The final product is really pretty and can easily compete with florals by Annick Goutal or L’Artisan Parfumeur.

Notes listed include pikake, tuberose, guava, Japanese honeysuckle, and teak. Launch date 2012. PERFUMER – Brent Leonesio

Try Little Miss Panda GL if you are looking for a fruity tropical floral. Or try it if you like perfumes like Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava, original Marc Jacobs, Ramon Monegal Kiss My Name, L’Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse Aux Papillons, Chantecaille Petales and/or Leila Lou. It is a feminine fragrance and I recommend it for warm weather wear.

Little Miss Panda GL wears like an EDT with average projection and longevity.

The EDT retails for $45 at Smell Bent. I have reviewed the spray (note that is the sample size pictured in this post). A perfume oil is also available.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Breezy, honeyed white floral with the perfect amount of fruit. It has a stupid (or silly depending on who you ask) name but it’s still my favorite from the Smell Bent line.

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Fragratinca – Member reviews

*Disclaimer – Sample provided by Smell Bent. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. First pic is a pic of my EDT sample. Michele Mercier pic from www.fanpix.net

Ormonde Jayne Osmanthus is a gilded, glimmering citrus floral. I view it like the sun setting over a tranquil body of water.

Osmanthus opens as an aquatic grapefruit floral. The sulfuric grapefruit is really prominent but it has enough juicy sweetness for me to like it (really does smell more pomello vs. grapefruit). The florals are dewy, light. There’s a peachy jasmine over a pencil shaving cedar. The fragrance with time gets fuzzier with peach and warm golden musk. After a many hours of wear, I’m left with a soft, faint vetiver-musk.

Notes listed include pomello, davana, pimento, osmanthus, water lily, sambac jasmine, cedarwood, labdanum resin, musk, and vetiver. Launched 2003.

Give Osmanthus a try if you like citrus florals. Or perfumes like Jo Malone London Orange Blossom, Bvlgari Omnia Coral, By Kilian Water Calligraphy and/or Fresh Citron de Vigne. I think Osmanthus is an excellent day fragrance or one for summer evenings.

Projection is average. I find that the longevity is below average especially in comparison to other Ormonde Jayne perfumes. I think it wears more like an EDT.

The 1.7 oz EDP retails for about $126 at Ormonde Jayne.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A gilded peachy ctirus floral. A really pretty fragrance that fits right in with the Ormonde Jayne line. It’s not my favorite OJ floral, citrus florals usually aren’t, but I like it.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by Ormonde Jayne. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Ormonde Jayne. Justine Johnson pic from www.fanpix.net. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

Why does the name of this perfume have to be so long? For the sake of this review, we will call HEELEY Oranges & Lemons Say the Bells of St. Clement’s by the name of St. Clements. I can’t deal with typing that over and over. It’s a phrase that is more fun to say than type.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that this fragrance opens with citrus. It’s a bitter citrus with tons of lemons and then a fresh neroli appears. This isn’t surprising either. It may surprise you just how much neroli is in this. It goes through a phase where all I get is a fresh orange blossom/neroli. And then there’s an overdose of bergamot. The scent has “Earl Grey Tea” but what we really have is a double dose of bergamot. And then it becomes a sheer, salty bergamot.

Overall, St. Clement’s is a pleasant fragrance that is well-suited for hot weather. But, I find it completely pointless. The world is filled with classic eau de colognes. St. Clement’s lacks a uniqueness especially at its price point. At this price I expect much more than a cute name.

Notes listed include oranges, lemons, bergamot, mandarin, neroli, petitgrain, Earl Grey tea, ylang ylang and vetiver. Launch date 2010.

Give St. Clement’s a try if you like citrus scents and classic eau de colognes. Try it if you like 4711, L’Occitane Bergamot The, Atelier Cologne Grand Neroli, CB I Hate Perfume Russian Caravan Tea and/or Demeter Earl Grey Tea. It’s unisex and probably best suited for day wear or warm climates.

St. Clement’s has below average projection and longevity for an EDP. Just because it costs more doesn’t mean that it stays on the skin longer than other citrus eau de colognes.

The 3.4 oz bottle of HEELEY St. Clement’s is available at MiN NY for $180.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Lemon, neroli, bergamot. It’s inoffensive but I don’t get the point of this fragrance. There are so many “eau de colognes” on the market like this. And there are so many that are cheaper. Now saying that, I’m no citrus connoisseur nor am I really a citrus fan.

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Fragrantica – Member reviews

*Sample provided by MiN NY. Product pic from basenotes.

Ineke Gilded Lily wears like a still life to me even though it does progress and change with wear. What I mean is that it reminds me of a painting with dense, saturated colors. It’s a dark table draped in rich embroidered velvet. On the table is a gold bowl of ripe fruits, a vase of blooming lilies and a rustic candelabra.

Gilded Lily opens with tart fruits and a sulfuric grapefruit. Underneath this is a hint of chypre – moss and patchouli. The top is rather bright with the fruits, citrus and lemon-y elemi resin. The heart is floral and mossy. Lily takes the place of a “classic” jasmine used in chypres. Despite the name, I wouldn’t call Gilded Lily a lily perfume. The lily is there but it’s not the focus as it is in such perfumes as Donna Karan Gold or Serge Lutens Un Lys. The lily in Gilded Lily is wearing a floor length coat made of moss and embellished in patchouli and has little labdanum buttons running down the front. It’s a modern chypre.

Notes listed include pineapple, rhubarb, grapefruit, elemi, Goldband Lily of Japan, patchouli, oakmoss, and labdanum. Launch year – 2010. PERFUMER- Ineke Rühland.

Give INeKe Gilded Lily a try if you like classic chypres or scents like Clinique Aromatics Elixir, Rochas Femme, Guerlain Mitsouko EDP, Estee Lauder Aliage, Lancôme Magie Noire, Sisley Eau du Soir, and/or Giorgio. Like many perfumes in this extravagant fashion,  I consider Gilded Lily unisex and best suited for elegant evening wear.

Gilded Lily has above average projection and longevity. I can smell it 12 hours after application.

The 2.5 oz spray of Gilded Lily retails for $95 at Beautyhabit.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A modern chypre. Yeah, there’s pineapple in my chypre and I like it.

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*Sample purchased by me. Product pic from Ineke. Severn Roesen pic from wikipedia. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!

La Bella Figura is a natural skincare line based in Chicago that has launched a trio of destination inspired perfumes. Barcelona is the crisp citrus from the trio. It’s my “summer choice” out of the three.

Barcelona opens with bright citrus. It’s a fruity pink pepper and orange juice. In the heart, I get a lemon and jasmine that mimics lemon blossoms in bloom. The dry-down is a waxy jasmine with bitter citrus. The overall feel of the fragrance is bright, sunny, you know, Mediterranean. It’s like an orange or a lemon grove.

Notes listed include pink peppercorn, cognac, Sicilian lemon, wild orange, elemi, jasmine, beeswax, peru balsam and amyris. Launched 2012.

Give Barcelona a try if you like natural citrus fragrances. Or if you like perfumes like Aftelier Candide, Olfactive Studio Still Life, Strange Invisible Perfumes Peloponnesian, Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom and/or Rebel + Mercury Zeste. Barcelona is unisex. I think it does well as a day time or “casual” weekend type fragrance.

Barcelona has below average projection wearing very closely to the skin. Longevity is average but keep in mind that it wears very close to the skin.

The 1.4 oz perfume oil retails for $90 at La Bella Figura. Samples are also available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Spiced, bright citrus. This isn’t my sort of thing, I’m so picky with citrus (if you read EauMG regularly, you know this). It’s one to try if having an all-natural citrus in your collection is a priority.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by La Bella Figura. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from La Bella Figura. Lilian Bond pic from www.fanpix.net.