Magnolia de Verano by The Exotic Island Perfumer

I got the opportunity to try a sample of Magnolio de Verano, by The Exotic Island Perfumer, recently. This is a reworked version of the previously released 2012 scent. 

A fresh lemony sparkle opens this perfume beautifully. It's a gorgeous blend of Italian lemon, citron, and bergamot. 

The scent quickly settles into what must be a pretty magnolia. Yes, I live in Virginia and don't know exactly what magnolia smells like. Eventually this folds into a creaminess that I can't get enough of. According to the perfumer, Juan Perez, this is likely the jasmine he's included, alongside the magnolia running along this whole scent, and it's lovely. 

All of this beauty culminates in more creamy goodness: a beautiful sandalwood meets cedar meets Haitian Vetiver.

New to this version: according to Juan Perez, this time it's "more about the flower and less about the tree." The citrus top notes are now a better quality, the magnolia flower runs throughout the length of the scent, as previously mentioned, and the woods "are more relaxed." 

Magnolia de Verano wears thickly for several hours with a softly wafting creamy base lasting far longer. It's, for me, full bottle worthy. Yet another slam dunk for this underrated perfumer. Look for it on Etsy soon! (ExoticIslandAromas)

Atelier Cologne - Vetiver Fatal: Lethally Lovely (perfume review)

Vetiver Fatal: Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian lemon, Paraguaian bigaradier, Tunisian orange flower, violet leaves, black plum, Haitian vetiver heart, Texan cedarwood, dark oud accord.

Vetiver is a pretty popular soliflore theme. Soligrass? Whatever. This one is a bit unique, showing less of the dry bite I have noticed in some vetiver perfumes. Instead it capitalizes on the citrusy-facet present in the grasses.

I tried this at Bergdorf Goodman in the Fall and liked it very much. I blew through a sample, and kept thinking about it. OK: obsessing. I bought a bottle last week and am more than thrilled with my purchase.

On me, Vetiver Fatal is pretty linear. It's a sweetened grassy goodness. It opens with a bit more citrus, definitely keeping this in the "cologne" frame, though typical of Atelier Cologne, that mood is blessed with longevity (hours and hours and hours) and actual sillage. It later settles into more of a buttery grass over a wood base that has just the faintest whiff of oud going on (which is about as much oud as I can take). The far drydown - I'm talkin' The Morning After, here - is my favorite part and if you're a fan of drydowns this is one to try. It's sweet and just a tad woody.  I have read a few reviews that mention that plum note; I don't pick it up.

According to Fragrantica, "the Vetiver root is used in folk magic for its purported ability to provide safety and increase financial resources. A ritual designed to promote personal safety calls for inhaling Vetiver while visualizing one’s body as being sealed off from negative energies." This is great, and I intend to use my bottle of Vetiver Fatal with intention. Maybe I'll get some money and be able to buy more. Is that like wishing for more wishes?

Buy Vetiver Fatal from a zillion sources, including: Luckyscent, Sephora, Bergdorf Goodman, and all of the other usual suspects.
Prices: 30ml for $70; 200ml for $185.
This perfume is one hundred and ten percent unisex.

image source: vetiver
bottle shot: my own
Reviewed from my own bottle

I want to lick your... perfume? Kerosene's Unknown Pleasures (perfume review)

I love the name of this perfume by The House of Kerosene. "Unknown Pleasures". What does it mean? Anything you want it to mean! That's the beauty of it. OK, technically it's the title of a Joy Division album. But really, isn't everything what you make of it? ;)

You're walking down a cold street in Manchester, listening to Joy Division, sipping on a warm cup of London Fog. This fragrance opens up with the smooth sweetness of honey with Earl Grey tea, with a zing of lemon. It dries down to a cozy vanilla, soft tonka bean and waffle cone base, sure to make any gourmand lover smile.
Notes: Earl Grey tea, lemon, bergamot, honeycomb, tonka bean, caramel, vanilla and waffle cone.

Unknown Pleasures is Kerosene's first gourmand, and it's a stunner. And that's coming from someone who rarely enjoys gourmands unless their nutty and bready! This one is not. It's a delightfully straight-forward tasty treat that springs up brightly with lemon and a splash of tea and honey, then rides that lemon-honey wave for a bit before folding into a vanilla-waffle cone base.

Straight-forward does not mean boring, and this scent is certainly not dull. The lemon is bracing and invigorating but never falls in to furniture polish territory. It's fresh-squeezed and sparkling. The tea is subtle, at least on my skin, adding a slightly herbal counterpoint to the acidic cheeriness of the lemon. The honey is also soft, never urinous or "iffy". And then there's that delicious base! I was discussing recently with some friends whether we enjoyed the top notes, the heart notes, or the base notes of scent best. I am a base notes kinda gal. This scent is almost all top notes and base notes. It's lemon-tea gelato scooped high on top of a waffle cone, a combination of two distinct experiences that are meant to be together. The base lasts for hours and gets more cuddly as it goes.

I love this on me. I love it on my kids. And it's 100% "unisex" - if my husband would let me spray things on him, he'd get doused with this. I will grab it frequently year-round, but I think a hot summer day will be extra-perfect for Unknown Pleasures. And rainy days. And snowy days. And sunny days... OK: all of them! Now, if you excuse me, I'm off to sniff my arm for awhile...

Disclaimer: I'm friends with the perfumer, John Pegg.
I'd like the perfume anyway, even if someone else made it. ;)
Sample via the perfumer

I recommend buying Unknown Pleasures via MiN New York. $140