Category: now sampling

Brand Spotlight: Chris Collins

July 29, 2020

A couple of weeks ago, I participated in a zoom session with Chris Collins arranged by Tigerlily Perfumery. The event was open to anyone who wanted to sign up. There was a registration fee, and it included a discovery set with samples of his current line, plus two samples of up-coming launches. I have to thank my friend, Christina, who alerted me to this event.

It was a non-work zoom session and it was actually really fun! Chris was very personable and talkative. He is the brand founder and creative director, and he works closely with perfumers to realize his vision. He came across as very passionate and said that it sometimes brings him to tears when he and the perfumer get it right with the composition.

Tigerlily sent the sample set, which includes his current line-up.

Harlem Renaissance Collection

  • These scents are composed by Laurent Marrone

Harlem Nights: My impression is that this is a good introductory scent to Chris’ vision. It’s a boozy, rum-centric scent. There are also spices, vanilla, and patchouli to round it out. The word that comes to mind for this scent is classic.

Renaissance Man: This one is interesting and definitely not just for men. It opens with a fresh marine accord, but it’s not a calone bomb. It’s more oceanic, and the marine notes don’t last long on my skin. Renaissance turns into a yummy honey and tobacco scent, at least with my skin chemistry. It’s a touch powdery. It’s entirely unisex.

Danse Sauvage is also part of this line but it was unavailable for samples due to some covid-related delays.

Dark Romance Collection

  • These scents are composed by Nathalie Feisthauer

Autumn Rhythm: Unfortunately, this one just doesn’t work with my skin chemistry. It’s too bad because there’s a great leather accord here. There’s also some interesting texture happening, like dried leaves crunching underfoot. However, there is a dill note that smells like pickles on me. Christina mentioned it too so it’s not just me! I get a similar dill pickle effect from Marc Jacobs Decadence. If you like that one, you may be able to wear Autumn Rhythm.

Oud Galore: I am, quite frankly, tired of oud scents being everywhere. Fortunately, the oud here is not overbearing. It’s actually quite wearable, even in the summer. I really get more rose than oud. The rose leans on the fresh, green side to me. This really is a rose/oud composition for spring/summer, which is great. There aren’t many of those.

Sweet Taboo: My personal favorite of the collection. It’s a gourmand but not overbearingly sweet. There is a roast coffee note that I appreciate. I’m always looking for coffee, but I want a bitter coffee, not a sugary coffee. This comes close to what I am looking for. The cacao nibs bring an earthy and dry note to the composition. There’s green cardamom and clary sage to add a green and aromatic aspect. Then there’s a healthy dose of cinnamon to keep things on the delectable side of gourmand.

Tokyo Blue: This is the most interesting one in the collection for me. It’s also the most personal for Chris. He said it was inspired by his Dad. It’s mainly a violet leaf on me mixed with a smooth orris. Tokyo Blue is the lightest in terms of sillage, but it feels quite dense on the skin, if that makes sense. It has a weightiness to it, and maybe it’s the orris acting as a solid anchor for the composition. It’s so smooth, I just want to keep smelling it! I would be interested to smell this one on a man and see how it changes with skin chemistry.

I won’t comment on the two as-yet unreleased scents except to say they’re both nice. Chris couldn’t share the scent names or launch dates yet, so I’ll wait until we have some definitive information.

Overall, the impression I get is that this is a very classic and elegant line. (Chris is a former Ralph Lauren model, after all!) I have seen some women comment that they assumed these fragrances are only for men. From what Chris has said, and from what I’ve smelled, that’s not the case. These scents are for anyone who wants to try them.

It looks like Tigerlily still has the sample set available (and they have individual samples if you only want to test a couple of scents.)

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The photo was taken by me. Nothing in this post was gifted. I paid the zoom registration and discovery set fee myself.

Brand Spotlight: Motif Olfactif

June 17, 2020

Motif Olfactif is a US-based independent and Black-owned fragrance brand. Oswald Paré is the founder and the perfumer. In fact, he does everything from the fragrance formulations, to designing the packaging, and marketing the brand.

Oswald Paré was born in Burkina Faso, attended university in Minnesota, and now lives in the US. I’m sure this has given him a richness of perspective, and I think you can smell it in his compositions. I received four scents as part of the current discovery set, and each scent feels so imaginative. They take you on a journey, which is my favorite aspect of fragrance.

Mon Oasis: This one stood out to me right away. A cooling lavender, blended with a blooming jasmine, with a subtle undercurrent of smoky tobacco. It reminds me a little bit of Do Son with that luminous white floral quality, and a little bit of Carven Le Parfum, with its slightly smoky jasmine. And yet, Mon Oasis is a fragrance all its own. It takes me to a place of peace and calm. It’s really an oasis.

Nectar Boisé: I don’t have synesthesia, but I sense this one as a bright, dense orange color. There’s a lovely peachy-fruit and vanilla accord. I get a Serge Lutens vibe with that dried, candied fruit note you often smell in a Christopher Sheldrake composition for Lutens. It’s funny, I don’t find Nectar Boisé sweet or gourmand though. It definitely has a warmth and a richness, but it’s balanced. It’s refined. I think this one is the most sophisticated composition of the group.

Vêtu de Vert: This is the one in the bunch that just doesn’t work with my skin chemistry. It’s bound to happen, and 3 out of 4 isn’t bad! There is a wet soil accord here that just does not mesh with my skin. The composition seems to hover slightly on top of my skin and never develops or changes.

Voile d’Encens: This incense scent is pure balsamic, resinous heaven. It feels textured, like a layer of dust on a hymnal in a church pew. It feels so tangible. The cedar stands out here as well. I just love it. It’s also the scent with the strongest sillage and longest staying power on my skin. This reminds me just a touch of my beloved Costes EDT by Olivia Giacobetti, and I mean that as a huge compliment.

There are two other scents that are currently sold out: De Toma à Zouma and Murmure Chypré. Those two scents are not part of the current sample set, so I haven’t tested them.

Cafleurbon has a recent write-up on Oswald here. It’s a really interesting article, if you’re interested in learning more about the brand and the perfumer behind it.

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The photo was taken by me. I purchased the discovery set directly from the Motif Olfactif site. It was not gifted to me.

Now Sampling: Rogue Perfumery Part 2

September 4, 2019

Hi, everyone!

Happy Wednesday! I’m here with the second part of my initial thoughts on the Rogue sample set.

40 Rogue: This one feels genuinely vintage without the contemporary edge that the other Rogues have. This is deliberate, as the 40 Rogue composition is based on 40 Love by Jean Desprez. 40 Rogue smells like a garden at first sniff, with fruity and green notes. There are notes of tarragon and basil, so it’s quite herbaceous. I get a nice bit of carnation coming through on my skin. And, of course, a hefty dose of textured oakmoss. There are some aldehydes, which on bounce around on my skin, and keep everything from becoming too dense or heavy. I’ve never smelled 40 Love, so this is a cool opportunity to get a feel for the real thing.

Fougère L’Aube: This one is an instantly recognizable fougère. I get plenty of lavender and a cool, metallic geranium. There’s lots of herbaceous greenery. I don’t sense much of the hay note, but I’ll have to wear it more in cooler weather. I wonder if it might come through more prominently then. Fougère L’Aube comes across as rather dry to me, which I like. It has a crackling cool edge to it, which is nice for the fougère genre. It’s a genre that can sometimes feel dated (although I personally love fougères). This one smells familiar enough as a fougère, but not dated or overdone.

Le Canotier: This is an extremely elegant and very dry vetiver. It’s blended quite cleverly with a pretty, soapy jasmine. Personally, I also get tons of bergamot from this one. I don’t know if it’s just my skin chemistry. I have a jasmine earl grey tea blend from Twinings, and that’s exactly what Le Canotier reminds me of! There’s some ambergris in the base to add some warmth and anchor this on the skin. Otherwise, I find it dry and cool-toned in nature. It’s a very intriguing composition.

Tabac Vert: This one really took me by surprise. I was expecting a somewhat heavy tobacco composition appropriate for fall/winter. Tabac Vert is delicate and elegant, with tendrils of tobacco smoke weaving their way through a soft, powdery composition. I get a black pepper spice mixed with soft jasmine. The base is an amber and wood accord, but it has a sheerness to it that lends a sophistication to the composition as a whole.

All of the Rogue scents are entirely unisex. (Indeed, all fragrance is unisex.) If you’re a woman who feels self-conscious about wearing a fougère or a tobacco fragrance, give Tabac Vert or Fougère L’Aube a try. Likewise, if you’re a guy who doesn’t typically go for sweet or vanilla scents, you might want to give Derviche a shot.

Lastly, don’t be put off by the fact that Rogue is available through Etsy. Ordering was simple and the shipping was faster than some orders I’ve placed with larger department stores. Manuel Cross is committed to pursuing his own independent view of fragrance as art. And, because he is not compliant with IFRA regulations, he can’t sell through the typical platforms that we’re used to. Personally, I think it’s cool that platforms like Etsy allow independent artists to reach their audience.

Final verdict: give the Rogue sample set a shot! You’ll be busy sniffing and testing for days on end!

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The photo above was taken by me. I purchased the Rogue Perfumery Boxed Sample Set through the Rogue Etsy store. Nothing in this post was gifted.

Now Sampling: Rogue Perfumery Part 1

August 28, 2019

I have seen and heard quite a bit recently about Manuel Cross and his non IFRA compliant fragrance line, Rogue Perfumery. Rogue has been added to Fragrantica’s database and you’ll encounter photos of Rogue bottles all over social media. The positive commentary did not seem to be sponsored. I figured the hype might actually be real in this case and I ordered the sample pack!

The shipping was super quick from California to Pennsylvania. The sample pack includes so many scents that I’m breaking this overview into two parts. Part 2 will be up next week. I really want to take my time and give each of these little gems a fair wear test.

Champs Lunaire: This is a lovely creamy white tuberose compositon, bolstered by coconut and sandalwood. It’s like a cross between Fracas and Carnal Flower. There is something here that gives me a slight headache though, so I am using it sparingly.

Chypre-Siam: I find this one quite woody and herbal in the top. Apparently there is a basil note. The jasmine in the mid notes leans clean and soapy (some commenters on Fragrantica mention Irish Spring and I can see the comparison). The base is the star, with rich civet and oakmoss. It’s textured, damp, dense, weird, and amazing. It reminds me of an old sample I have of Cabochard by Gres.

Derviche: This is the undisputed crowd pleaser in the collection. This is how a crowd pleasing, mass appeal fragrance should be done. It’s a yummy amber accord that is delicious, but not quite gourmand. It’s very Autumnal. It reminds me of apple cider. And yet, it gives off a sunny vibe and it shines in this current August weather. Derviche is a crowd pleaser, but not one dimensional or juvenile. I can’t help but smile while wearing it.

Flos Mortis: If Champs Lunaire feels a bit too polite, then Flos Mortis is the tuberose for you! The opening is bizarre. It smelled like smoky cherry cough syprup to me. It started to make sense to my nose once the tuberose really became apparent. There is also a smoky leather and a fruity red currant (which is where my brain was getting the cherry note). This tuberose smells in turns: animalic, like melting plastic, and even a little like corn meal. I got whiffs of the corn tortilla tuberose in Tom Ford’s Orchid Soleil. Flos Mortis is the weirdest Rogue I’ve smelled, and also the most interesting.

Mousse Illuminée: This is my favorite so far. Mousse Illuminée brings every aspect of a forest to life. It’s earthy, woody, mossy. There’s a quite a bit of green, vegetal influence here even apart from the oakmoss. There’s some cypress that really elevates the composition. We’re taken from the mossy forest floor to the higher reaches of greenery. If this were a designer scent, it would definitely be marketed towards men. However, I love it and I think it’s a really sophisticated option for women.

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I ordered the Rogue sample pack online. Nothing in this post was gifted.

The photo was taken by me.

Now Sampling: Chris Rusak

June 29, 2019

I first learned of Chris Rusak’s fragrances through instagram. He’s an indie perfumer based in LA. Chris is pretty open and honest on social media about the challenges of being independent in the fragrance industry. And he shares raw materials he comes across (as in some tree resins he recently gathered from the San Bernardino National Forest). On his website, he states that all of his fragrances are “built for women, men, and non-binary skin” which is fabulous and inclusive! I think his fragrances are still flying a little bit under the radar, but they are well worth seeking out.

Quasi Una Absurdia: This one is the star of the set for me. QUA recalls classic Guerlain compositions like like L’Heure Bleue with the powdered floral accord and Jicky with the civet. Yet, QUA is modern and daring, even. The civet is right up in my face (and my nose) on first spray. I love it, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart, especially when paired with a huge spiced lily note as it is here.  QUA is simultaneously a classic and feels like a breath of fresh air.

Bluer Skies (Whenever You’re Around): This one took some time to click for me. Bluer Skies is subtle on my skin, but it’s not without impact (especially in hot weather like we’re having right now). The main impression I get is a subdued cloud of peppered musk. There’s some coriander and even a salt accord sprinkled in the mix. Depending on your skin chemistry, this one could be much more loud and tenacious. I would recommend Bluer Skies in particular for someone looking for a scent that’s off the beaten path.

Io: This is a gorgeous balsamic and resinous incense and smoky cedar wood scent. Io comes across as elegant to me. And yet, there’s some actual dirt mixed into the composition. Yes, one of the accords is dry soil! I love the contrast, and who says we can’t be both elegant and edgy, anyway? I enjoy wearing Io in the evening when doing some meditation to wind down before bed. The dry down makes for the perfect meditative scent.

33: This is another one that has taken time to click. The vetiver is so smoky on first application on my skin that it’s almost too much. I really have to be patient with 33 and let it settle into my skin. The patience is worth it, though! There’s a crackled, dry orris melded with a funny kind of green vegetal accord. Fragrantica lists angelica as a note, which always manifests as a bitter celery scent on me, which may explain the vegetal note. For me, 33 requires further wearing because there’s a lot to unpack here. It’s much more than a typical vetiver scent.

Timbre: This one is limited edition and I’m not sure if full bottles are still available. Timbre is an EDT concentration and I believe the only EDT from Chris so far. It’s sharp and aromatic. There is something about it that feels very well-tailored and elegant. I think it’s the balance of notes here. The yuzu in the opening is the star for me. I must admit, I have oud fatigue, but the oud is deployed in a clever manner here. It anchors the composition while keeping everything in balance. I appreciate that Timbre is included in the discovery set so that people can experience a limited edition scent!

Overall, I highly recommend the discovery set! The spray vials are a good size to get some quality wearings out of these scents. I’m not sure yet what I would choose for a full bottle simply because each scent gives me so much to think about.

There are times when I’m in the mood for something more effortless and easy to wear (like my Tocca Simone or Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte). Then, there are times when I’m in the mood for an intellectual challenge and Chris Rusak falls into that category. I have to spend time with each individual scent in the discovery set and really get to know it. It brings out the literature student in me — studying the text and subtext! I appreciate Chris’ cerebral and thought-provoking approach to perfumery.

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I purchased the discovery set directly from the Chris Rusak Perfume site. Nothing in this post was gifted.

The photo was taken by me.

All of the Chris Rusak scents have been added to the Fragrantica database, so you can conveniently browse them there!

Sniffing Adventures in New York

May 18, 2019

My trip to New York was a lot of fun, although it was slightly hampered by the weather. It was unseasonably cold for May (temperatures in the 40s) and it rained non-stop for two days! I’d forgotten just how tough the city can be when the weather is miserable. I didn’t get around to doing as much sniffing as I had planned, simply because I spent more time indoors and at the hotel than I had planned.

However, I did still get the chance to sample a couple of designer releases that I was really curious about!

Holy Peony by Maison Christian Dior: I love a pretty peony scent, especially for spring. Acqua di Parma’s Peonia Nobile doesn’t quite work for me. There is something in the base that doesn’t quite agree with my skin. Holy Peony does work for me, and, I have to say, it’s very pretty. It’s not a photo-realistic peony. It actually comes across more like a pink rose blended with a fresh green accord, and sitting on a base of soft musk. I’d love to buy this one, but I don’t truly need it in my collection. I already have Belle de Jour, which I love. Holy Peony would have to be seriously special to out-perform Belle de Jour for me. Still, it’s very pretty and worth sniffing. I’m sure this will be a successful release for Dior.

I have to give a shout-out to the Dior Sales Associate at Saks. She guided my friend Sarah and I through the entire Maison Christian Dior collection (the new Dior Privee) at length! She made samples for us and let us take our time sniffing everything. She was extremely knowledgeable, and it really speaks to the training and education program at Dior. Even when I worked at Sephora, our Dior rep was by far one of the most knowledgeable brand reps we had. I may not love each and every Dior fragrance, but they are taking the time to educate their staff, which reflects well on the brand as a whole.

1957 Chanel Les Exclusifs: I did not expect to like 1957 at all. None of the marketing copy put out by Chanel appealed to me. Still, it’s an Exclusif. I have to at least test it, right? My sister & I had lunch at Bergdorf’s to get out of the rain. We weren’t in a rush to go back outside, so we took a stroll around the Bergdorf’s beauty level. Lo and behold, the Chanel counter had 1957 and I spritzed it right on the skin. My first reaction was: Just as I thought, it’s not for me. But then, I couldn’t stop sniffing my wrist. And I noticed the fragrance persisted. It lasted all afternoon and well into the evening. I could smell traces of it even after taking a shower. I went back to Bergdorf’s the next day to test it again!

I have to admit, I love 1957. It starts as a burst of citrus (A zesty lime to my nose, although I don’t know the official note.) It moves into an orange blossom, soapy but pretty and not astringently clean. It then moves into an orris, with the earthy aspect of orris root just barely held in check by a gauzy musk. It’s like a cloud but, at the same, feels very grounded and rooted because of the orris. It’s surprisingly lovely. It lasts for ages on my skin, easily over 8 hours. If I’m still thinking about 1957 come June, I may spring for a bottle as a birthday gift to myself. However, if I’ve moved on to other shiny fragrance releases, then I know it’s not a need in my collection. I really urge everyone to test 1957 though. The performance and longevity are fabulous.

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The photos in the post were all taken by me.

Now Sampling: Aftelier Perfumes

May 4, 2019

The thing I appreciate most about Mandy Aftel (and there is much to appreciate!) is that she makes natural perfume for people who truly love perfume. This is not natural perfumery for people who want to smell like a rose quartz crystal or whatever the current wellness trend is. Aftelier is all about natural perfume for people who love Shalimar and Mitsouko. The selection of samples I recently ordered really reflect that!

Fig: I love fig scents so this one is an easy like for me. It’s not a scent that conjures up emotions or deep thoughts for me. It’s just one of those nice and easy-to-love scents that I could wear on a daily basis. This is the type of scent I love to have in my collection to balance out some of the more challenging ones.

Embers & Musk: This is Aftelier’s newest release and I’m afraid it’s not suited to my skin chemistry! The pine tar is so smoky on me, it overpowers the composition. It’s beyond Zoologist Tyrannosaurus Rex levels on me. It’s just so out of balance and I don’t believe that’s what Mandy intended at all. I will give it a couple more tries in different weather just to make sure it’s not a fluke of my current body chemistry.

Sepia: This is an Aftelier that I’ve been eyeing for years now and finally took the plunge to sample it. It did not let me down! Sepia is a unique composition that is centered on a full-on indolic jasmine. There’s also a jammy strawberry and, somehow, I get a sweet caramel popcorn note! This is such a lovely and interesting composition.

Secret Garden: Even more than Sepia, this one seems to suit me all the way. It really evokes the book for me, which was a childhood favorite of mine. Secret Garden doesn’t just smell like a green and floral garden. It smells like soil, like manure, and like the old stone wall and heavy wooden door that keep the garden hidden for so many years. I may do a separate write-up for Secret Garden because it brings up a lot of details for me.

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I purchased these four samples directly from Aftelier. I hope to purchase a full bottle of Secret Garden (and possibly Fig) at some point soon!

The photo of my samples was taken by me.

Now Sampling: DSH Perfumes

April 20, 2019

I recently placed another order from the lovely DSH Perfumes. I ordered a shower gel (in Tonic, which is ginger + bergamot. It’s so invigorating and refreshing!) and a couple of samples with it. I wanted to try Je Suis la Lune in particular because it sounded like the perfect jasmine for my skin chemistry. Dawn very kindly sent a few other samples along with my order, including one of her newest releases: Au Crépuscule de Lavande.

Au Crépuscule de Lavande: This is such a different take on lavender. It’s not an aromatherapy lavender, nor is it cold or metallic. It’s actually a beautiful warm and rich composition. Funny enough, this reminds me of New Haarlem from Bond No. 9, which is one of my favorite gourmands. But, whereas New Haarlem features notes of coffee with pancakes and maple syrup, Au Crépuscule de Lavande reminds me of sipping coffee along with a buttery, flaky croissant, fresh from your local Parisian patisserie. Au Crépuscule de Lavande definitely has a warm and rich gourmand vibe, but the lavender gives it a more subtle and refined edge. It’s like the best of the gourmand genre paired with a fougère. I plan to order a larger size of this since I drained my sample vial pretty quickly!

Je Suis la Lune: Likewise, I drained this sample vial very quickly! Je Suis la Lune is a creamy and luminous jasmine. It shimmers on the skin, bright and dazzling white, just like the moon, for which it is named. Je Suis la Lune just smells like happiness. It smells happy and peaceful. I’m always on the lookout for a creamy white floral that works with my skin. I’ve been trying to make a decant of Frederic Malle’s Carnal Flower (from The Perfumed Court) work for a few months now, and it just smells wrong on me. Granted, that one is tuberose and not jasmine. But I connect much more with this one. I plan to order a larger size of this for the summer!

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I ordered my sample of Je Suis la Lune, while Dawn very generously included a sample of Au Crepuscule de Lavande with my order.

The photo of my samples was taken by me.

Now Sampling: Papillon Artisan Perfumes

March 16, 2019

Papillon Artisan Perfumes has been on my list of independent and artisanal perfume houses to try out this year. I’m a little embarrassed that it has taken me this long to get around to trying some of Liz Moores’ work, but I’m finally here!

Angélique

I wanted to compare Angélique to Jo Malone’s Mimosa & Cardamom, which I enjoy but not enough to spring for a full bottle in my collection. Angélique is lovely and definitely its own scent. Mimosa & Cardamom kind of shouts “yellow floral!” in my face, whereas Angélique does not. There’s a touch of green here, and a touch of bitterness. I actually wanted more from the galbanum! Angélique leans a little more floral on me than I expected, and it’s quite dry from the cedar and incense accord. It’s very pretty, remains fairly linear on me, and only lasts for 3-4 hours. If I could squeeze 5 hours of wear time out if this, I’d consider purchasing it, but the longevity is just not there. It’s so lovely though and I’m glad to have sniffed it.

Dryad

I was intensely curious to sniff Dryad! I have to say, on my skin, it’s an oakmoss bomb. I get oakmoss right from the opening, not just in the base. This is not a bad thing, but it’s A LOT on my skin. It’s damp, earthy, green mossy all at once. It’s also sweaty. This may have been amplified by the fact that I wore Dryad out to dinner during one of our first true warm weather evenings of this spring. It was actually slightly sweaty weather, as opposed to the extremely dry, cold winter we’ve had. My body chemistry was probably adjusting. I have used half of my Dryad sample vial, and I’m excited to get a couple more wearings out of this. Right now, it’s less green than I was expecting on my skin. It’s oakmoss overload for about an hour on me, and then settles into a skin sweat smell. It mainly captures the way I smell after a vinyasa yoga class, right before I take a shower. Its not a bad thing — a little natural sweat is normal and very human. But it is slightly jarring to smell it. I’m so glad I ordered a sample of Dryad because it’s given me a lot to think about.

I want to explore the Papillon line much more in-depth, but I’m glad to have started with these two. Angélique has given me a very pretty composition to admire, and Dryad is a challenging one to really think about. Judging from instagram, it looks like Liz Moores is launching a new creation soon, so that will be exciting!

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I ordered my Papillon samples from Twisted Lily.

The photo of my samples was taken by me.

Now Sampling: 19-69

February 23, 2019

19-69 is a Swedish brand founded by Johan Bergelin. The line was first launched at the beauty cult favorite pharmacy, Colette, in Paris in 2017. This house has been on my radar for about six months, as I’ve seen various people on social media posting about these fragrances.

Then, I noticed that a few of the fragrances are now available online at Nordstrom. A sign that the brand might be breaking into the mainstream US beauty scene? Of course, the problem is that you can’t sample online from Nordstrom. Luckily, Twisted Lily also carries 19-69 so I ordered a couple of samples to test.

Capri

This one is going to be an absolute stunner in the high summer months. It opens with a mouth watering orange citrus note. I was all set to compare Capri to Atelier’s Orange Sanguine, but Capri really develops and comes into its own on the skin. There’s a yellow floral anchoring the heart. And there is definitely a hint of green galbanum that I am simply crazy about! It dries down to a very pleasant cloud-like musk base. I don’t see it being too heavy or overbearing for summer wear, and I’m really enjoying it in these cold mid-winter months, too! There are currently no comments about this one on fragrantica, and I expect that to change soon.

Rainbow Bar

I liked the sound of the woody, vétiver, and cypress notes listed for this one, so I also picked this up as a sample. If you’re at all into a cedar wood note, you’ll love Rainbow Bar. It feels like a base note-driven fragrance to me, in that I sense the cedar and vétiver right away, with the other notes weaving in and out. I also get some nice wear time here: about 7 hours with just my little splash sample. I’m sure you’ll get nice projection and longevity with a couple of spritzes from the full bottle. Rainbow Bar is meant to evoke the West Coast. Indeed, it reminds me of Woody Mood from Olfactive Studio, which also evokes the forests of California. I’m not considering a full bottle of Rainbow Bar for myself because Woody Mood currently fills this spot in my collection. However, it’s a quality composition and well worth sniffing, particularly for any cedar lovers!

*As of this morning, I received an email from Luckyscent announcing that 19-69 is now available there as well! So there are plenty of options for sampling this house now.

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I ordered both of my 19-69 samples from Twisted Lily. I took the labels off because I spilled from both sample vials (another reason I prefer spray samples) and the label ink started smearing. These scents are different enough from each other that I can easily identify them even without the labels!

The photo of my samples was taken by me.