i've always wanted to be someone who was into perfume more than i actually was. as a kid, i just found most scents overwhelming and too sweet, and then when i was older and discovered the whole world of notes and layers, i felt intimiated: like there was just too much arcane knowledge i had to unlock before i could enjoy this hobby. i've tried on and off but it didn't stick until recently. like any language, it takes a while to become conversant in perfume, and after enough attempts i got there eventually. i've had a few free samples from sephora and elsewhere, then a few discovery kits, and now i'm subscribed to scentbird. i'm learning what i like, and smelling pretty great along the way.
my tastes tend towards fresh scents with a hint of musk or wood; i like soft florals, warm citrus notes, and i go crazy for anything that smells green and grassy. i don't like anything too sweet or too smoky, and overwhelmingly fruity scents tend to turn me off too, though not always. i don't have a signature scent yet but i'll let you know when i do.
none yet! but i want to treat myself to byredo mojave ghost absolut as my first...
scent: clean warm cotton
notes: citruses, lemon verbena / sea notes, orange blossom, fruits / musk, fern, amber
thoughts: this legitimately smells exactly like laundry fresh out of the dryer and i'm a sicko for it. not something i'd wear out except in winter. perfect for an at-home day or sprayed right before bed just to boost the coziness factor.
scent: jo malone frangipani flower
notes: solar notes, lemon / frangipani, ylang-ylang, jasmine / sandalwood, benzoin
thoughts: frangipani is such a nostalgic scent for me and this is photorealistic enough to evoke my childhood. it smells like sunscreen on my skin but in a pleasant way, the perfect scent for a hot summer day out. it stays close to the skin on me, but lasts moderately long, and plays nice with my sweat.
scent: byredo mojave ghost
notes: sapodilla, ambrette / magnolia, violet, sandalwood / ambergris, cedar, musk
thoughts: this is perfection and it smells so good on me, makes me feel unreal. the magnolia note is dominant on me and everything else adds amazing complexity. i tried the absolut in store and it lasted longer, so when my sample runs out i'll be buying that.
scent: clean reserve radiant nectar
notes: pear, ambrette / tobacco blossom, carrot seeds, orris / musk, ambroxan, white cedar extract
thoughts: i have stockholm syndrome with clean sparkling sugar so it's hard to know exactly how i feel about radiant nectar, because they smell almost identical, but radiant nectar is much fruitier. i really like it, but i probably won't re-up, because sparkling sugar is forever my girl and they're just too similar.
scent: clean reserve skin
notes: bergamot, orange blossom, honeysuckle / skin, vanilla orchid, peony / praline, musk, salt, white cedar extract
thoughts: i LOVE this scent but it is so weak. it is like the epitome of a skin scent. i'm particularly obsessed with the base notes: i can pick out each one individually once it dries down. but i have to really sniff hard. a good work scent, i'll probably buy a travel size.
scent: clean reserve sparkling sugar
notes: peach, white musk, black current
thoughts: this is my go-to scent when i have a serious work occasion. it has an old school mature quality for it, and makes me feel a little intimidating and sexy. i have tied it so much to its use case that i find it impossible to be objective about this scent. however i don't use it crazy often so i'll invest in a travel size rather than full when my two little samples run out.
scent: clean reserve whipped cherry
notes: cherry, pineapple, coconut water / almond blossom, apple blossom, mimosa / whipped cream, cherry, vanilla, praline, cedar
thoughts: i took one look at the notes and thought i'd hate this, but it turns out i kind of love it. very mature for a cherry scent, and the sweet top notes fade fast thank god. very sexy. but probably won't re-up it because i think i could find something more to my tastes for the same use case.
scent: future society floating forest
notes: black pepper, bergamot / water lily, freesia, rose / driftwood, wet stone, papyrus, cedarwood, musk
thoughts: TBD
scent: jo malone english pear and freesia
notes: pear, melon / freesia, rose / musk, patchouli, rhubarb, amber
thoughts: i like this scent but it is super sweet and bright. i'll wear it out a day outdoors, but when i finish the sample, i'll be retiring it.
scent: jo malone english pear and sweet pea
notes: williams pear / sweet pea / white musk
thoughts: a simpler, gentler version of english pear and freesia. it doesn't last very long but it gives a beautiful fresh scent. i'll probably retire it when i finish the sample.
scent: jo malone nectarine blossom and honey
notes: green notes, black currant, petitgrain / nectarine, black locust / peach, plum, vetiver
thoughts: this is one of those crazy "what it says on the tin" scents. it is so obnoxiously nectarine-y and i love it, but it is certainly not a wear-to-work scent, lol. it shares notes with clean sparkling sugar, which is one of my go-to work scents, so this is like its evil twin. i would probably buy a travel size of this but not a full.
scent: jo malone peony and blush suede
notes: red apple / peony, rose, jasmine, carnation / suede
thoughts: i looooove this scent it makes me feel so sexy and grown up, and has that fresh edge that i always love. something about musky pink florals really jives with my skin profile. i will def be re-upping with a travel size, and would consider a full.
scent: jo malone wild bluebell
notes: dew drop, green leaves, bluebell, clove / persimmon, peach / musk, powdery notes
thoughts: this is a really gentle and green floral scent that smells so lovely on my skin. unfortunately, it is also pretty weak and fades too fast for my liking. i would consider buying a travel size but first i'll need to work out the ideal type of day for wearing it.
scent: jo malone wood sage and sea salt
notes: sea salt, sage, grapefruit, ambrette, seaweed
thoughts: this is a beautiful, sparkling, fresh, clean, sea breeze moment. unfortunately it is also piss weak and lasts about 30 seconds on my skin. i wish it was more powerful because it would be a perfect work scent. as it is, i will not be re-upping when i run out.
scent: YSL MYSLF
notes: calabrian bergamot, bergamot / tunisian orange blossom / ambrofix, patchouli
thoughts: found this in the back of a cupboard when i was cleaning up, no idea where i got it, but it smells great on me even though it's marketed for men. i won't be re-upping on the sample, but i can see myself wearing this on a nice mild day or even to work.
scent: 5 sens catch feelings
notes: damask rose, grapefruit, suede, litchi, vetiver
thoughts: this is an interesting scent that i haven't worn often enough to get a good feeling for it, but i like the vibe, and i want to understand it better. it has that musky pink floral thing going on that works so well for me, and i like the fruity edge.
scent: 5 sens lit
notes: smoke, sage, cannabis, woody notes, blood orange, bergamot
thoughts: this is like a blood orange explosion right in the face. the smoky notes are not to my taste in general, but they work here as a supporting cast to temper the blood orange just enough. but not much. it is quite cloying. i'll have my fun with this sample, but i won't re-up it.
scent: 5 sens twin flame
notes: cucumber, sandalwood, cardamom, white musk, osmanthus
thoughts: the cucumber and musk combination is so thrilling to me in an understated way, i've worn this to work a couple times and it's just safe enough but has a fun, unexpected edge to it. i won't re-up it, but i do think the cucumber perfume for me is out there somewhere.
scent: byredo velvet haze
notes: coconut, hibiscus, bergamot / patchouli, tuberose, osmanthus / patchouli, musk, cacao pod, ambrette, cashmeran
thoughts: kind of girly, kind of rich. i couldn't tell if i liked this or not so i kept wearing it and still couldn't tell and eventually i just threw it out. i don't wear perfume to be confused!
scent: caswell massey honeysuckle
notes: honeysuckle, green notes, orange
thoughts: it smells divine, exactly like honeysuckle, and lasts for about ten seconds flat. such a pity, because otherwise this would be so perfect for me.
scent: chasing scents rain tea
notes: chamomile, chrysanthemum, acacia / white tea, rain notes / honey, barley, longan berries
thoughts: i loved this scent but after a while it's just overwhelmingly chamomile and honey. it's fun as a gimmick but not something i want to wear anymore.
scent: clean reserve acqua neroli
notes: bergamot, sicilian orange, mandarin orange / neroli, orange blossom, jasmine / musk, ambrette, amber, sandalwood
thoughts: this is the scent that made me realise classic white florals smell terrible on my skin. it was giving sunscreen in a bad way, with base notes of clorox lemon scent. just not for me.
scent: clean reserve rain
notes: bergamont / white flowers / patchouli
thoughts: hotel hand soap. i always want to love a rain scent but this is crass.
scent: clean reserve sel santal
notes: tonic water, bergamot, mandarin leaf, nutmeg / salt, fig, violet, whipped cream, iris, hazelnut / sandalwood, musk, amber, styrax, rose
thoughts: idk really what's going on here because it is such a busy scent. you do pick up the sandalwood eventually but it's kind of meh to me, not my favourite woody, and just didn't last well or mix well with my skin scent.
scent: gucci flora gorgeous gardenia
notes: pear blossom, red berries, italian mandarin / gardenia, jasmine, frangipani / brown sugar, patchouli
thoughts: this is fine, but a little artificial. i love gardenias but this is not really a dupe; it captures the spirit in a pleasant enough way, but doesn't move me.
scent: gucci flora gorgeous magnolia
notes: dewberry, coconut, orange / magnolia, jasmine sambac, ylang-ylang, lily of the valley / musk, patchouli, blonde woods
thoughts: one thing this doesn't smell like is magnolia, lol. like gardenia, it has a grandma-ish artificiality to it that isn't unpleasant, but it's so old school and really pales compared to mojave ghost in terms of the magic you can work with magnolia.
scent: kerosene summer of 84
notes: grapefruit, water notes, lemon, melon, bergamot, musk, white flowers
thoughts: i liked this a lot more in theory than in practice. it's fun and citrus-y but gets kind of acrid on my skin after a long while. ultimately just not worth the great opening.
scent: jo malone scarlet poppy intense
notes: ambrette / orris, fig, poppy / tonka bean, heliotrope, barley
thoughts: this doesn't smell bad on me exactly, but it is intese and spicy in a way i don't like. i'm not averse to a more masculine scent, but i would want it to be more subtle than this.
scent: 5 sens burn for you
notes: clove leaf, atlas cedar, amber, cashmere musk, madagascar vanilla
thoughts: i tried this once and then got rid of it. too much clove, too strong for me.
scent: 5 sens life of the party
notes: black currant, peach blossom, ambroxan, saffron, night blooming jasmine
thoughts: on paper i should love this scent but it was just way too sweet for me. not a fan.