Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain Review

Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain           75ml EDP for $350 NZD from Nordstrom

Notes: Top notes are pink pepper, bergamot and incense; middle notes are ylang-ylang, cedar, bulgarian rose and jasmine; base notes are benzoin and vanilla.

Since Vanilla is my favourite note I simply had to get my hands on Guerlain’s rare, expensive and worshiped SDV. I normally buy my samples from Luckyscent but since they don’t stock SDV I bought a 3ml vial from The Perfumed Court.

It opens as a benziony and woody bergamot with a touch of pink pepper. It reminds me of the opening of Mona di Orio’s Vanille. It’s bit too mature for me (as I’m 22) with a tad too much benzoin. Up close it’s really intense but from a distance I get wafts of this gorgeous vanilla. A kind of creamy vanilla ice-cream but it’s more liquid than solid – like a high-end vanilla beverage flavoring. I would like a perfume based on that vanilla because, sadly, this isn’t really it. This is too elusive; it dances around the vanilla but doesn’t truly embrace it. I can’t really tell where the fragrance is coming from despite knowing it’s my arm as it halos.

This is mainly a smoky-woody-incensy-ambery-benziony-tobacco scent with wisps of vanilla. I don’t find it sweet or boozy. It also reminds me slightly of Serge Luten’s Un Bois Vanille which was honey/beeswax, liquorice and benzoin on me and I didn’t like it. Whilst there’s some sort of deeply woody aspect to this I don’t get cedar. I don’t get any florals – I was hoping for rose.

SDV smells like the kind of stuff millionaires wear in their luxury houses on the top of snowfield-hills with glass walls for views whilst smoking a cigar with a sexy woman in their arms. Or, more like, it’s rubbed off onto this woman as it does have hints of that feminine vanilla. She has a fur wrap, dark red nail polish and a glass of expensive liquor.

A few hours in it does get more vanillic and weaker. It becomes softer, more feminine and almost powdery. It feels shier now. It brings to mind images of an exclusive club in a library. It’s warm and cozy. At times I almost want to lick my arm as it’s yummy but it’s still not what I imagined it to be. From the bottle it smells like a gorgeously boozy vanilla essence with a tinge of benzioned cedar. That’s how I thought it would be on my skin but it’s not.

The fleeting whispers of vanilla I get it are nice but it’s not enough. In-fact I don’t actually know if vanilla is an active ingredient or if some ingredients are trying to emulate it. It just doesn’t feel real enough to me. I have a love-hate relationships with this perfume. Sometimes I think it smells gorgeous but other times it makes my stomach curl. I can’t justify buying a (RARE AND EXPENSIVE) full bottle and maybe when I’m older I’ll like it more. 7/10.

Vanilla Lace by Victoria’s Secret Review

Vanilla Lace by Victoria’s Secret                                   250ml Mist for $18 NZD on TradeMe

Notes: Vanilla and musk.

I got this at the same time I got Warm Vanilla Sugar from TradeMe since Victoria’s Secret isn’t stocked in New Zealand. I bought it because I’d heard it was similar to Tihota but much cheaper. On first spray it’s alcoholic and chemical but after a minute it settles down into a fresh and airy vanilla ice-cream musk. There’s a slight caramel (maybe even burnt-caramel) vibe with a tiny bit of smoke. It’s mostly vanilla with some musk though. It’s yummy but not too sweet. It’s warm, cosy and happy.

Apparently it’s infused with Aloe Vera and Chamomile which I can actually get and adds to the comfortable vibe. After it dries down it smells rather quality for what it is. It’s mostly a skin scent but lasts a decent hour or two which is good for a mist. It comes back in whispers too – especially if you spray a lot. And that’s the best part about it. You can be heavy-handed with it as there’s lots of it and it’s cheap. You can spray it around your house, on your sheets and all over your clothes. It encircles you in a positive vanilla mist. With Tihota you have to use little cautiously but with Vanilla Lace you can go wild.

I’ve been wearing Tihota a lot more since I’m buying a FB soon (yay) and, although these are somewhat similar, I’ve been noticing their significant differences. I’m doing a side-by-side comparison now. Tihota is much much much better. It’s sweeter and richer but also darker and deeper. It’s purer, has more substance and is more refined with extraordinarily high quality ingredients. I give Vanilla Lace 8/10 but I love and crave Tihota much more.

Vaniglia del Madagascar by Farmacia SS. Annunziata Review

Vaniglia del Madagascar                                    100ml EDP for $160 USD on LuckyScent

Notes: Lemon, floral notes, amber notes and Madagascar vanilla.

I was recommended this as a vanilla lover and was excited to try my sample but when I did I can barely smell it. I actually had to apply very heavily, almost pouring half the sample on my wrist, before I get something. I get an alcoholic lemon burst for a few seconds but after that only the tiniest trail of a creamy vanilla with some floral notes.

There’s this soft lemon-vanilla cream meringue aspect with a noticeable warm amber. This is very nice and the amber is particularly dominant. The lemon fades and some floral notes (heliotrope?) come through but it’s mostly vanilla-amber. It’s extraordinary light, subtle and airy.

After an hour I can barely smell anything at all. I get whispers of this coming back every now and then but it’s hardly there. I think I’d like this if it was MUCH stronger – it’s just so watered down to me. Maybe it’s my body chemistry or I got a bad sample because few others seem to be pointing this out. 5.5/10.

 

Warm Vanilla Sugar by Bath and Body Works Review

Warm Vanilla Sugar by Bath & Body Works                                   88ml Mist for $12 NZD on TradeMe

Notes: Top notes are floral notes and vanilla; middle notes are coconut, vanilla and rice; base notes are sandalwood, musk, vanilla and heliotrope.

I was looking for a plastic-bottle travel perfume spray that I could carry around in my purse when I found Warm Vanilla Sugar. I think everyone should have at least one top-up spray on them if they need a freshen up, are sweaty or to cover up an environmental smell. Bath & Body Works isn’t stocked in New Zealand so a TradeMe seller had imported them.

On initial spray it’s very alcoholic and sweet. I can smell some sort of subtle floral accord and, later, heliotrope but it’s mostly a warm vanillaic and sugary coconut and rice mix. It’s rather unique and complex for a B&B mist due to the rice. It can smell a little strange – the coconut rice is what does it. It’s a cozy oriental gourmand for lazy days at home. It’s light, soft and musky. I only get some sandalwood well into the dry-down.

The notes kind of all blend together as is with cheap interpretations and I don’t find the vanilla true but it’s nice nonetheless. It has medium sillage for the first half hour before turning into a skin scent and lasts a couple of hours which is good for a mist. It has a slight plasticy aspect but, for what it is and the price, it’s a very good buy. The bottle is pretty. 6.5/10.

Tihota by Indult Reveiw

Tihota by Indult                                                         50ml EDP for $200 USD from Luckyscent

Notes: Vanilla bean and musks.

Tihota was one of the first samples I purchased from Luckyscent. I was recommend it as the Holy Grail (costs as much too) of Vanilla since I love the note so much. On first application I get a wonderfully creamy vanilla musk. Almost like vanilla ice-cream. It’s warm, simple, mature, light and kind. You can tell that these are high quality ingredients and I don’t get any alcoholic/chemical aspects from this.

I was initially disappointed when I first tried this because I’d hyped it up too much and was expecting it to blow my vanilla world away. It didn’t. But as time went on I begin to appreciate it more and more. I have little left of this beautiful liquid in my sample so I’ve been saving it. When I decided I’d do a review of Tihota today I was very happy that I would get to wear it again.

Tihota means ‘Sugar’ in Polynesian which makes sense as it is sweet and pure. It’s not too sweet though so have no fear. It has a slightly burnt caramel aspect and a hint of smoked wood at it’s end. It’s like a comfy blanket and the best of dreams. It’s a loving hug. It’s bottled joy. It’s radiant. It’s a sun glare. There’s no fruity or floral aspects it’s just the pure vanilla (bean). It’s a subtle aroma scent that lasts all day and suits me. I have had so very many compliments when wearing this. People instantly gravitate towards you. It’s such a happy and warm scent.

I will buy it when I have a spare $200 around but in the meantime I bought a bottle of Vanilla Lace by Victoria’s Secret because I heard they were rather similar. They are but Vanilla Lace smells much cheaper, has an alcoholic initial spray and the ingredients aren’t as fine or deep as Tihota. I’ll do a separate review on VL at some point. This is one of my favourites and a 9.5/10 perfume.

Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has a Gun Review

Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has a Gun                      100ml EDP for $120 from Luckyscent

Notes: Bulgarian rose, vanilla, patchouli, lavender, Iso E super and musk.

It opens as a strong and soapy Bulgarian Rose. It’s like a rose-scented bath product but maybe that’s just my skin chemistry. It’s light, musky and feminine. It’s a dry and powdery rose whereas I prefer the wet and fresh rose fragrances. I can actually smell hints of lavender and Iso E super but I don’t get much vanilla.

It definitely has a darker aspect but in a transparent way – it’s not mysterious but rather simple. The patchouli darkens it a bit and adds a hint of earthy spice whilst the Iso-E adds a slight woody velvet aspect. It’s not what I pictured this perfume to be. I thought it would have that femme fatale, mysterious dark secrets, tall women in a red cocktail dress with a gun aspect. Instead it smells like a demure, mature and modest lady with well kept secrets.

Sillage is average but it only lasted about two hours on me. I really like the Juliette Has a Gun bottles and branding but this perfume, despite having notes I love, let me down. 5.5/10.

Imaginary Authors Sample Review

I ordered a 2ml sample of Memoirs of a Trespasser by Imaginary Authors from their website and they kindly gave me samples of Violet Disguise and Cape Heartache as well – all for $6!! Awesome value and service. 🙂

The concept of Imaginary Authors is rather unique and self-explanatory. The perfumes are based off the lives of these authors that the perfumer made up. The real version of this would be if people made perfume out of the lives of J.K Rowling or Jane Austin or George RR Martin – it’s interesting concept to think about.

MEMOIRS OF A TRESPASSER – 60ml EDP for $85 USD

Notes: Madagascar Vanilla, Guaiacwood, Myrrh, Benzoin Resin, Ambrette Seeds & Oak Barrels.

This opens as a dusty vanilla with some sweet wood but at the same time, as someone previously mentioned, it has a faint tar/shoe polish scent for a few minutes. This is probably from the myrrh and/or benzoin which is noticeable but not overwhelming. I’m getting a lot of guaiac wood (and a little oak barrel) from it with a rather smoky and slight incense tinge.

I don’t get much vanilla for the first hour or so, as it seems to be used more as a base to back up the overall concept, but I finally get a rather incredible vanilla. I can see, now that I know what kind of Vanilla it is, how it was subtly there at the start but the smoky wood was veiling it. It’s a very pure vanilla, more essence than cake-sweet. The vanilla does gets slightly sweeter in a woody-way though as it goes on and resins influence it heavily. The more I smell this the more I like it and it’s, somehow, strangely exactly what I imagined this perfume to be.

It is a warm, cozy and nostalgic perfume with a mysterious ‘it smells like something from my past that I can’t quite put my finger on’ aspect. Amber isn’t a listed note but it has an ambery aspect. It is surprisingly unisex. It reminds me, of course, of campfires and autumn but is also a rather lonely scent. It’s much lighter than Mona di Orio’s Vanille and isn’t a home-fireplace scent like Firebird’s Woodsmoke Vanilla. It also reminds me of Loreena Mckennitt’s music. 7.5/10.

Gothic I by Loree Rodkin Review

Gothic I by Loree Rodkin                                  50ml EDP for $140 USD from Luckyscent

Notes: Vanilla pod, Madagascar vanilla, spice accord, Tunisian patchouli and Indian patchouli.

The description on Lucky Scent does it justice “A moody vanilla shrouded in a mist of light woods and patchouli. Sensuous and unrepentant. We picture long hair whipping in the wind, a search by candlelight and a man driven half mad by love. Still, for all of its gorgeous drama, we could wear this everyday. It has the luxuriant skin-caressing softness of a vintage silk velvet cape. Worn over nothing. Voluptuous and mesmerizing.”

It opens with a deep and velvety vanilla, backed up by a dark patchouli and smoky spices. I really like the vanilla in this, it’s warm and full-bodied. The Patchouli is a strong force, dirty and earthy. Gothic I flickers like a candle between the Patchouli and the Vanilla – some reviewers have mentioned this might have to do with temperature; that the vanilla is more prominent in cooler temperatures and the patchouli is more prominent warmer temperatures. It’s very complex and well blended.

This is rich, luxurious, silky, seductive, mysterious, dark and dramatic. However, at times, I’m sure some people will find it medicinal or too incensey. This perfume is quite powerful and not for the light-hearted but it’s not at all too much for me. It’s reminds me of things like Phantom of the Opera and Sarah Brightman – both of which I love.

I believe you’d have to be a certain type of person to pull Gothic I off which, at times, I am so I’m probably going to have to buy a full bottle of this. It’s my dark secret. Some people have said this is really sweet but I find it actually suits it’s name, gothic, with only a touch of vanillac and patchouli-esque sweetness. It’s a definitely a night perfume and I’d keep it away from the office. It’s more suited to colder seasons and smells like an alternative shop. Both the sillage and longevity are medium on me. 8/10.

OlivineAtelier Sample Review

I bought a sample set of six perfume oils from OlivineAtelier on Etsy for $38 NZD. This was my first perfume sample purchase in early 2014 so it holds a special place in my heart. I had no idea where my perfume adventures would take more nor did I know much about what notes I liked – ie I realized I’m not a fan of white florals, especially Jasmine.

Full Regalia is quite dry, light, sweet and powdery. I can smell a sweet vanilla and – a lot of – jasmine before it settles into a gentle musk on me. It smells very feminine, borderline girly, on me. The image it brings to mind is of a young Victorian women in a pastel-pink lacy corset with a hint of something darker/mysterious. Not much like the racehorse description…maybe it’s my body chemistry. 6/10.

She Belongs There is very floral with the jasmine being particularly strong. It settles into something lighter once it dries down and after a while I can finally smell the vanilla but the jasmine, which I don’t really like, remains the star of the show. 4.5/10.

Olivine is very light, wet, fresh and musky to my nose which was a pleasant shock because I was expecting a full on blast of gardenia. It very accurately matches its description and I actually kind of like the subtle gardenia in this one. It smells like sitting by the riverside to me in a white flowy skirt. OH WOAH – AFTER A WHILE THE GARDENIA KICKS IN AND BECOMES RATHER STRONG. 5/10.

More Than The Stars is quite strong when you first put it on, I think it’s the Stargazer Lily coming through, and I like how obvious the top note of almond is . It’s a bit too floral for me at the start but I love when it settles down into its base notes; the Sandalwood, Vanilla and Musk are glorious. It really does feel like gazing at the stars from a blanket on grass with your lover next to you. It’s quite mature, almost motherly and probably the most sensual of the lot. I might actually buy a FB of this. 7/10.

Amongst the Waves lives up to its description of being a gentle beachy breeze. I can smell the sea salt and a various types of Lily which I think are actually nicely subtle and not overwhelming at all. The base of musk, sandalwood and tonka is glorious – that’s exactly how bases should work! It’s a nice warm, comforting exotic floral-oriental scent. I think layering this with my Madagascan Vanilla from the Body Shop would be amazing. I might actually buy a FB of this. 7/10.

Oxley starts with a strong burst of Gardenia and Jasmine which is, of course, just a bit too floral for me but I like how it blends with the vanilla and musk. It does feel like a partner to Olivine, it’s the warm and deep to Olivine’s cool and light. Could be unisex. 5/10.

I found all of the oils had medium to strong sillage and lasted for a decent 5ish hours. It was gorgeously packaged with a unique style and stability to it. I love the branding as well as the promoting of self love and care that Julie embodies with her products.

FirebirdBathBody Sample Review

I bought a set of three 1ml samples from FirebirdBathBody on Etsy for $6 NZD. The value of these is great because a full 9ml roll on perfume oil bottle is about $13 NZD.

Woodsmoke and Vanilla: This is a lovely and cosy scent. It definitely smells of wood-smoke but in a fireplace-way more than a campfire-way like Memoirs of a Trespasser by Imaginary Authors is. I like this a lot because it reminds me of stormy nights curled up by the fireplace reading a book with tea as opposed to an earthy bonfire night dancing with alcohol scent. The vanilla is definitely there, and becomes more prominent in the dry-down, but is more of a backdrop to the smoky wood (cedar?) with a minty fir aspect. 7/10.

Vanilla Amber: Goodness this is yummy, I will simply have to buy a full bottle of this. It’s a soft, warm and cozy Oriental Gourmand. The amber is very rich and almost honeyed whilst the vanilla is a unique vanilla bean. The other notes of coconut, cardamom and sandalwood blend perfectly around this lovely creation. I recommend layering this with Woodsmoke and Vanilla. 8/10.

Black Cocoa: Dark chocolate. This is literally black cocoa. This is one of the closest to real chocolate scents I have come across. It’s rich and dark – not sweet or really even edible. There’s a woody aspect to it (cedar and sandalwood). It’s a bit dramatic and strong for me but I admire it. 6/10

I do get a slight soapy scent from these sometimes though. They are mostly skin scents but have a bit of throw and last about 3 hours.