Category: Fragrance Reviews

Categories
Fragrance Reviews Mainstream Monday

Jay Z Gold Fragrance Review (MAINSTREAM MONDAY)

jay-z-gold-macys
* Gold starts off with a loud blast of sweet fruits (a mix of berries and citrus) and spice.

* Initial projection is quite loud and stays strong for about 30 minutes.

* Then the scent fades really quickly into a weak nondescript mix of woods, amber and vanilla.

* Within two hours, you can barely smell it.

SUMMARY:  When I first smelled Jay-Z Gold, I thought, “Wow, this is a knock off of One Million.” Wearing the two side-by-side, I realize that I was only partially right. Jay-Z is incredibly similar to One Million for 30 minutes.. and while One Million keeps projecting its strong synthetic and narcotic sweet fruity essences, Gold devolves into an emasculated, cheap, generic, woody amber musk skin scent. Two hours later, Gold is barely noticeable – as if the fake veneer (gold plating) has rusted away and you are left with little to show for what you paid. In case you are looking for an example of everything that is wrong with top-loaded celebrity fragrances, look no further than Jay Z.

Disclaimer: Sample came from a Nordstrom’s department store. Image courtesy of Nordstrom website.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Lush Scent Snowcake  Fragrance Review

lush-scent-snowcake

* Before smelling the perfume, I stopped by a Lush store to smell the snow cake soap.  It’s sweet almond – almost edible, like a cookie-  maybe an Americanized version of Loukoum.

* Snowcake perfume starts off strangely vegetal.   The almond on top isn’t as sweet – it’s cut with a cooking oil, like canola, that gives its an oddly astringent texture

* Then something seems to go wrong and this odd accord comes through which I think is a mix of fig, ambergris, and sulfur.  It’s not unpleasant – it’s just a bit outerworldly and surreal how it floats over my skin.

* Sometime in that mix I get a bit of rose in the background as well.  

* The dry down is a subtle and sheer dry, sweet vanilla.

Summary:  I had a quick sniff of Snowcake soap at Lush and think it is a little bit sweeter than the perfume.   Snowcake is office-friendly because it is not that loud, yet it’s not exactly a shrinking flower either.  Longevity is the lowest of the series with it becoming a very subtle skin scent after about six hours. Snowcake is nice, but not one that I would strongly recommend, if only because other lines have stronger almond/marzipan/loukoum products.

Other opinions:

All Things Lush (Soap)
Meteo Beauty (Soap)
The Notice
Vampy Varnish (Soap)
Writing Whimsy

Lush Scent Snowcake is a limited edition that was available only from their website. Check there first to see if it is still available. If not, ebay is pretty much your only option.

Disclaimer: Bottle purchased – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lush website.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Lush Scent Ponche Fragrance Review

lush-scent-ponche
* Starts off with the money shot – boozy fruit.  Specifically tequila that is strong- slightly tempered with citrus and a little bit of cinnamon.

* I would not recommend wearing this when driving.  If you happened to be pulled over by a police officer, they won’t even bother with a breathalyzer.

* When the fruit starts to burn off – it’s full-on tequila with a hint of resins burning.  

* You would get the same effects by splashing the real stuff on you and walking by a campfire.

* The base is fruity wood and stays really close to the skin.

Summary:  Ponche has the best longevity of the collection, always lasting over 
12 hours.  I’ve only smelled Ponche Shower gel once and I remember it being tequila and citrus – so, based on that scent memory, this is a faithful interpretation.  Reeking of Tequila is not the best approach for work, so this is clearly not office-friendly.  Although this is full-bodied, I see this being a great spring, summer, and vacation scent.

Other opinions:

Pretty in Pink (Shower Gel)
Musings of a Muse (Shower Gel)
All Things Lush (Shower Gel)
SwatchGirl (Shower Gel)
Scatter Braintures (Shower Gel)
Writing Whimsy (Shower Gel)

Lush Scent Ponche is a limited edition that was available only from their website. Check there first to see if it is still available. If not, ebay is pretty much your only option.

Disclaimer: Bottle purchased – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lush website.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Lush Scent Snow Fairy Fragrance Review

lush-scent-snow-fairy
* The top smells just like the shower gel – sweet cotton candy (what the Brits call candy floss)

* It is loud and projects strongly – but it’s not as overbearing as the shower gel can be.  That’s not saying it’s weak or anything – it’s just not AS strong as it could be.

* Wait, I take that back.  After five minutes it gets stronger.  Okay, here comes the cotton candy attack with bubble gum and vanilla as supporting players.  Imagine floating in clouds of cotton candy .   It feels like you are enveloped in it.

* While it is quite linear, there is a bit of melon that wafts in from time to time.

* The sweetness stays present even when it dries down to a sweet vanilla musk and becomes a skin scent.

Summary:  I am a huge fan of Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel, so when I hear they were releasing the pure perfume version, I ordered it the first day.  The perfume is faithful to the shower gel and will bring a smile to your face.  Spray some on and your spirit is instantly lifted.  With the strong projection and silage, this isn’t office-friendly and I couldn’t imagine wanting to smell like cotton candy in the office anyhow.  Longevity is really good – between 8 and 12 hours when I wear it.  Since the shower gel is colored pink, this is obviously aimed feminine, but it definitely smells great on the right guy as well.

Other opinions:

Art Evolve (Shower Gel)
Love For Lacquer (Boxed Set Review)
Review Addict (Shower Gel)
Lusholic (Shower Gel)

Lush Scent Snow Fairy is a limited edition that was available only from their website. Check there first to see if it is still available. If not, ebay is pretty much your only option.

Disclaimer: Bottle purchased – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lush website.

Fragrance Reviews – Page 11 – Notable Scents

Category: Fragrance Reviews

Categories
Fragrance Reviews Mainstream Monday

Jay Z Gold Fragrance Review (MAINSTREAM MONDAY)

jay-z-gold-macys
* Gold starts off with a loud blast of sweet fruits (a mix of berries and citrus) and spice.

* Initial projection is quite loud and stays strong for about 30 minutes.

* Then the scent fades really quickly into a weak nondescript mix of woods, amber and vanilla.

* Within two hours, you can barely smell it.

SUMMARY:  When I first smelled Jay-Z Gold, I thought, “Wow, this is a knock off of One Million.” Wearing the two side-by-side, I realize that I was only partially right. Jay-Z is incredibly similar to One Million for 30 minutes.. and while One Million keeps projecting its strong synthetic and narcotic sweet fruity essences, Gold devolves into an emasculated, cheap, generic, woody amber musk skin scent. Two hours later, Gold is barely noticeable – as if the fake veneer (gold plating) has rusted away and you are left with little to show for what you paid. In case you are looking for an example of everything that is wrong with top-loaded celebrity fragrances, look no further than Jay Z.

Disclaimer: Sample came from a Nordstrom’s department store. Image courtesy of Nordstrom website.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Lush Scent Snowcake  Fragrance Review

lush-scent-snowcake

* Before smelling the perfume, I stopped by a Lush store to smell the snow cake soap.  It’s sweet almond – almost edible, like a cookie-  maybe an Americanized version of Loukoum.

* Snowcake perfume starts off strangely vegetal.   The almond on top isn’t as sweet – it’s cut with a cooking oil, like canola, that gives its an oddly astringent texture

* Then something seems to go wrong and this odd accord comes through which I think is a mix of fig, ambergris, and sulfur.  It’s not unpleasant – it’s just a bit outerworldly and surreal how it floats over my skin.

* Sometime in that mix I get a bit of rose in the background as well.  

* The dry down is a subtle and sheer dry, sweet vanilla.

Summary:  I had a quick sniff of Snowcake soap at Lush and think it is a little bit sweeter than the perfume.   Snowcake is office-friendly because it is not that loud, yet it’s not exactly a shrinking flower either.  Longevity is the lowest of the series with it becoming a very subtle skin scent after about six hours. Snowcake is nice, but not one that I would strongly recommend, if only because other lines have stronger almond/marzipan/loukoum products.

Other opinions:

All Things Lush (Soap)
Meteo Beauty (Soap)
The Notice
Vampy Varnish (Soap)
Writing Whimsy

Lush Scent Snowcake is a limited edition that was available only from their website. Check there first to see if it is still available. If not, ebay is pretty much your only option.

Disclaimer: Bottle purchased – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lush website.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Lush Scent Ponche Fragrance Review

lush-scent-ponche
* Starts off with the money shot – boozy fruit.  Specifically tequila that is strong- slightly tempered with citrus and a little bit of cinnamon.

* I would not recommend wearing this when driving.  If you happened to be pulled over by a police officer, they won’t even bother with a breathalyzer.

* When the fruit starts to burn off – it’s full-on tequila with a hint of resins burning.  

* You would get the same effects by splashing the real stuff on you and walking by a campfire.

* The base is fruity wood and stays really close to the skin.

Summary:  Ponche has the best longevity of the collection, always lasting over 
12 hours.  I’ve only smelled Ponche Shower gel once and I remember it being tequila and citrus – so, based on that scent memory, this is a faithful interpretation.  Reeking of Tequila is not the best approach for work, so this is clearly not office-friendly.  Although this is full-bodied, I see this being a great spring, summer, and vacation scent.

Other opinions:

Pretty in Pink (Shower Gel)
Musings of a Muse (Shower Gel)
All Things Lush (Shower Gel)
SwatchGirl (Shower Gel)
Scatter Braintures (Shower Gel)
Writing Whimsy (Shower Gel)

Lush Scent Ponche is a limited edition that was available only from their website. Check there first to see if it is still available. If not, ebay is pretty much your only option.

Disclaimer: Bottle purchased – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lush website.

Categories
Fragrance Reviews

Lush Scent Snow Fairy Fragrance Review

lush-scent-snow-fairy
* The top smells just like the shower gel – sweet cotton candy (what the Brits call candy floss)

* It is loud and projects strongly – but it’s not as overbearing as the shower gel can be.  That’s not saying it’s weak or anything – it’s just not AS strong as it could be.

* Wait, I take that back.  After five minutes it gets stronger.  Okay, here comes the cotton candy attack with bubble gum and vanilla as supporting players.  Imagine floating in clouds of cotton candy .   It feels like you are enveloped in it.

* While it is quite linear, there is a bit of melon that wafts in from time to time.

* The sweetness stays present even when it dries down to a sweet vanilla musk and becomes a skin scent.

Summary:  I am a huge fan of Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel, so when I hear they were releasing the pure perfume version, I ordered it the first day.  The perfume is faithful to the shower gel and will bring a smile to your face.  Spray some on and your spirit is instantly lifted.  With the strong projection and silage, this isn’t office-friendly and I couldn’t imagine wanting to smell like cotton candy in the office anyhow.  Longevity is really good – between 8 and 12 hours when I wear it.  Since the shower gel is colored pink, this is obviously aimed feminine, but it definitely smells great on the right guy as well.

Other opinions:

Art Evolve (Shower Gel)
Love For Lacquer (Boxed Set Review)
Review Addict (Shower Gel)
Lusholic (Shower Gel)

Lush Scent Snow Fairy is a limited edition that was available only from their website. Check there first to see if it is still available. If not, ebay is pretty much your only option.

Disclaimer: Bottle purchased – no disclaimer needed. Image courtesy of Lush website.