SmellsPrettyGood2Me

Knowing how beloved the perfume oil version of this scent is (by me, and so many others) I thought it would be best to give my impressions as a stand-alone product first, then compare it to the OG fragrance. Here we go! Although not explicitly stated anywhere, I like to shake my hair oils prior to application to ensure that everything is properly mixed prior to application. I have fine, untreated hair that is oily at the scalp and drier on the ends; I aim for the mid-back part of my head and brush down from there. Two sprays on mostly damp hair was enough to provide good coverage, and everything distributed evenly and nicely. First whiff is overwhelmingly green cardamom, very snappy and spicy, followed by the vanilla chiffon that almost smells marshmallow-esque. The orchid petals are there, but not very "floral" in tone. As it dries down, the sugared amber pops up from a nap in the back seat, looks around, and lays back down again. There is a light resinousness that accompanies the dry down which could be called incense smoke, but it isn't "smokey" like a campfire or woodstove at all. The cardamom abandoned ship pretty quickly and left the vanilla chiffon steering the way. Very pleasant, and lasted a good 8 hours before I either became anosmic to it or it largely just faded away. (The former is probably true, because I got a whiff of it the next morning when the water hit my hair in the shower.) This hair gloss formulation has cyclomethicone and botanisil, two synthetic silicone type molecules that coat the hair to give it shine. I noticed that this texture benefit seemed to persist even after shampooing my hair the next day, even though the fragrance itself washed away. How does this compare to the perfume version? Much chirpier, brighter cardamom leads the way in the hair gloss format, and fluffier, mallowy vanilla carries it the rest of the way, with much less amber and orchid. It smells exceptionally good, but not an exact note experience match to the perfume in real world wear. I like to think of them as fraternal twins, easy to tell apart although clearly sharing a lot of DNA.

Incredibly fabric forward! In the imp, the silk note is the most prominent, followed by the cotton. The grey musk is also there, but surprisingly little lavender or vanilla. On skin, I feel like in the wet open the silk note has elements in common with the satin note in White Satin Hearse; there is the impression of a soft sheen. The French lavender appears, barely, in partnership with the grey cotton note, almost like a freshly laundered hand towel. The grey musk is more potent on skin, showing up as fast as 20 minutes post application. I couldn't tell you what silver thistle smells like, because there isn't anything particularly distinctive about it. Maybe there is a hint of a lace note in here too? The bourbon vanilla almost seems like dried baking extract remnants stuck to a measuring spoon that didn't get washed right away; no boozy, alcoholic or particularly dark undertones are present. The musk is a little sweatier than I had expected, and (to echo and affirm another reviewer) the whole scent gives post-warm up, lightly perspiring ballerina vibes. Delicate, low sillage and only about 5 hours of perceptible wear. Freebies are generous, much appreciated, and fun to try, but I don't think I'd be tempted to buy a full bottle of this if it was available.

A very juicy fresh red apple with a hint of scorch or cooked skin that must be the "black" part of that note. The pomegranate isn't terribly prominent, but gives a slightly deeper sweetness and tone to the scent. The pink pepper only emerges on skin after a few minutes, smelling like whole peppercorns, papery and piquant in ways that aren't entirely pleasing. I'm in an uneasy truce with it for an hour or so, until the apple and pepper both fade away and a faint hint of dried pomegranate juice is all that is left behind. By the end of the second hour, it's 90% gone. At the four hour mark, it was as if nothing had ever been there at all. This trio is inoffensive if you like peppercorns (and even if you don't, it won't torment you for very long).

Big, fat, wet lemon peel that smells juicy in the bottle but gets a little pom skin pithy once it is applied on skin. As it wears, the scent softens barely 15 minutes post application into something a lot more airy and ephemeral. The white musk has a touch of vanilla to it that emerges around 35 minutes in and brings a subtle sweetness. I wish the pomegranate rind wasn't so enduring; it's a little too bitter and intermittently throws the balance of the scent off a bit for me. By hour 2, the musk is all that is left. HUGE open, moderate dry down and soft wear for a total of about 5 hours before it fades away. Work and small space safe after the first 15 minutes. This scent is Sally Struthers on All In The Family, sitting cross legged on a yellow shag carpet, playing a guitar.

Juicy, fruity, mandarin and pear in the bottle. There aren't any other dominant notes, but a deep sniff gives me just a faint hint of ink lurking and swirling below the surface. These fruit top notes continue their domination when applied to skin. Finally, a citrus that doesn't turn my stomach when it hits my skin! Cursed with a citrustank microbiome, I've generally learned to avoid anything grapefruit, orange, lemon, or lime. But mandarin, by some anomaly, seems to be not only ok, but actually enjoyable. The benzoin and tar come in next around 40 minutes later and give the scent some depth. Surprisingly, the mandarin sticks around for quite awhile, defying my usual experience with top notes. I don't get much incense until about 2 hours in, and it's more of a waft than a plume. The ink remains very indistinct through dry down and ongoing wear. The scent projection overall is pretty strong, and lasts almost 9 hours. By the notes description, I would have passed this over without thinking twice. Having tried it, I really like it a lot. It's a hidden gem for people who don't like many fruity scents but want something a little brighter sometimes. Wearable for all seasons!

I'm genuinely surprised not to see more comparisons to the GC gem Morocco here, as to my nose this shares at least 50% of the same DNA both wet and in drydown. The two differentiating notes feel like the olive blossom and the orchid, which give a more green floral vibe to this by comparison. Although a bit sharp around the edges on the wet open when applied to skin, it dries down to something pleasantly fragrant. Moderate to strong sillage, with good staying power as I can still smell it 8 hours later. Most people seem to not like this, but I do!

Very pretty! As an only-sometimes-under-the-perfect-conditions violet wearer, this was an unexpected hit. I think I recognize at least a couple of the elements here; the violet is the same as in Bruised Violet Compound, and the "sugared" note has also appeared in other scents (the sugared amber in Dahlia, for example). There is a dry, powdery element to the scent that keeps it from being too sweet. After 2 hours it started to get a little woody, which means there is also a touch of vanilla in there as I've gotten this undertone a few times before (but can't seem to pinpoint exactly which vanilla it is). I appreciate that there is nothing that gives "artificially flavored candy" at any point in time. Medium throw and very good longevity at about 7 hours at nearly full strength.

**Warning: Anne of Green Gables spoiler** "Wan" is the perfect descriptor here. Barely perceptible, orris forward scent in the imp that makes a half-hearted attempt to perk up on skin but then collapses into a velvet chaise while weakly fanning itself. I'm reminded of Ruby Gillis in the Anne of Green Gables series; this is the perfume of her dried funeral flowers after she tragically dies of consumption. Delicate, subdued, and a little bit haunting, with very low projection and only about 4 hours of wear.

On the open, apple, rose, and something a bit sour. I am also getting that waxiness that others have mentioned. VERY pulpy. Vanilla and cacao are very late to the game, appearing about an hour later. The patchouli must be here in only very small parts, as I can't pick it out of the lineup. Medium throw and decent longevity at about 6 hours. I'm glad I had the chance to try it, but I will be passing this on. Someone who likes the combo of roses and apples more than me is sure to love it!

Minty lemon peel with dried apple Poo-pourri in the bottle, which I am certain was not the intended vibe at all. On skin, I don't hate it, though! Very "cold" smelling without being too sharp or astringent. Dries down to a lovely, ephemeral sweetness and lasts for about 4 hours. Pleasant, and will be enjoyed for as long as it lasts.

Evokes an 18th century gentleman's daughter taking a turn around a spring garden on a sunny day. The chlorophyllic greenness generally associated with these flowers is tempered by the sweetness of the amber and a very delicate, airy softness. I almost feel as though I can smell an actual breeze when wearing this! With very low sillage, this is for you and you alone. Lasts about 6 hours before fading away. This is a beautiful blend of happiness and softness in a bottle. I agree with others who said it's work (and small space) safe. Perfect for those days when you want to feel pretty.

Woof, that first wet whiff is intense! Big, astringent black pepper and water soaked wood, along with citrusy mace. I find the cardamom here to be more green than warm, and there is just barely a hint of tonka sweetness lurking at the very bottom of the barrel (bottle). Not unexpectedly, my skin takes those top notes and dials them up to 100/10 when applied. I think the mace is in the lead, with an almost orange peel quality to it. I'm also getting more brackish water now, before a more fougerey tone takes over. It does actually smell like wood, not sweet, but weather beaten. Opens loud but gets to a more moderate projection over time. I think I picked this up because of the patchouli, but there's no distinctive stank here to signal that much of it is present as anything other than a base note anchor (too on the nose? ha, nose!) which never fully and independently reveals itself. I like it a lot post drydown, but the first hour was not as nice to experience. Wear this when you're taking a day trip to Salem, MA in spring or summer and cruising on a restored wooden schooner. Ahoy!

Church basement bake sale. Catholics will either delight in this or develop PTSD flashbacks. Almost too much cookie sweetness in the open, but fortunately it settles down after the first 10 minutes and really gets nice about 30 minutes in. I like that I can smell something like baseboard heat dust and wood wall paneling, which must be the Cathedral part of the equation. Softens into something pleasant, incense-y with a touch of sweetness and lasts about 6 hours on me. Wear this for the olfactory experience of being a 1960's housewife who volunteers to lead Bible class and sell cookies for Saint Mark's every week.

I'm not truly certain how old this bottle is, but time has firmly worn down the ginger and balsam so that the rosewood, tobacco and elemi are left, in that descending order of influence. Extremely mellow, and yes, a bit medicinal as it wears. Low projection but good longevity at about 9 hours. My feelings on this scent morphed over time. I like rosewood a lot, so getting a strong punch of it in the open was not at all unpleasant. The herby elements were confusing, and I couldn't decide if they were enjoyable or off-putting. This scent pulls masculine, which I generally don't mind and often even gravitate towards, but it didn't entirely work for me. At about the four mark I was doing some laundry and caught a whiff of myself and it wasn't at all unpleasant. Net impression is pretty neutral. I think back in the day when this may have been a bit brighter I would have really liked it. Will keep to retry again in a few months before deciding if it stays or goes.

Very floral orange blossom dominates in the bottle and on skin. The honey is thick and sweet, not at all dry or dusty. After about an hour, the Snake Oil really started to push forward. I think there is a sneaky extra vanilla in here, too! Lasted a good 6.5 hours of pleasant, wafting sweetness and warmth. Adding this to my list of Snake Oil variants that I really enjoy!