Joyous

The Magnus Archives has always been a very comforting podcast to me, despite the horror of it all. It comforted me through some very, very tough spirals, and I still revisit it to this day, so when I heard there was a fragrance collaboration? I was elated! I've never wanted any fragrance more, mostly because of the novelty, I'll admit. But I was so delighted by the actual fragrance once I received it! If you’re a fellow perfume enthusiast, you know a good tea perfume is hard to find, especially one with depth and longevity - but I'm here to tell you this has both! It is a gorgeous black tea scent that genuinely does encompass the “vibe” of sitting with a cup of dark tea in a vast library of old books, without being buried by that paper scent.

It's heavy on that tea note, but the papery library vibe never goes away, even in the end of the dry-down. I won't say it's a photorealistic tea, I wouldn't confuse this for a steaming cup of black tea with a splash of milk, but it is very fragrant and similar enough to read tea to those close to me. And that's where you'll smell it - close to you. Projection is nothing to write home about, but this fragrance stays and lingers wonderfully. It isn't necessarily linear, but it also isn't one note, if that makes any sense. Regardless, I just love it so much. I highly recommend it!

This scent is a genuinely divine look into the dreams of a beloved toy maker, one who spreads joy through the town he blesses with his presence. It's sweet, comforting, and it has such a relaxed but warm overtone that makes it a simply divine fragrance. Almonds are heavy in this, but not the bitter kind, as you'd imagine - but just underneath is the scent of childhood wishes and memories alike. Perhaps the wish to return to a specific memory. Not quite the piney cinnamon of December, maybe early January. The children who celebrate their gift-giving holidays have all of their delightful toys spread around the home, the cakes have been eaten up, all that remains is the lovely memory of the depths of December snow.

From this perfume, I get a lovely almond treat that is just too good to eat. True to the name, Whipped Almond smells like the whipped cream my mother makes when we have pancakes deep in the wintertime. She mixes in an almond extract that livens up the flavor and smells like heaven to my nose. I think it may be one of my favorite almond scents I've ever had the pleasure of sniffing. I do have qualms with the longevity, but I try to think of that in a less negative way. Just like the memories of childhood, this perfume is fleeting. It's perfect to spray on my pillow after a hard day, because the scent lingers in the fibers and I can almost smell it in my dreams.

I wouldn't call Whipped Almond unique. I wouldn't even call it groundbreaking. But to the right person, it can smell like the things that made you the happiest.

From Wonderlust, I get a terrific blast of florals in the opening that refuses to quiet down with time. I am a lover of almond fragrances, and sadly, I don't see this as almond forward like others seem to. It is heavy with jasmine and soft with heliotrope, like someone has just given me a delightful bouquet. Or, perhaps, I've been handed the bouquet from my butler while I'm feasting on a delicious almond treat - I am too enchanted with the bouquet and the pleasant scent it gives me to focus at all on the dessert I've long left on the table.

I would say that this perfume isn't gourmand. It doesn't ring sweet like other almond scents do to me, it rings beautiful. I could imagine this at a wedding. I could even imagine this at a funeral. It is classy, beautiful, perhaps even mournful in the right context, but gracious and happy in others. I do not dislike it one bit!

The longevity is okay. It's not fleeting, but it doesn't stay with me all day like a clingy lover or an anxious dog. It projects well, and amongst knitters and scrapbookers, this has been a big hit! Compliments galore. It is a favorable scent with mass appeal, at least, so long as you are not in a room full of people who dislike floral scents...

When do perfumes live up to the hype? Rarely, I'd say. I don't often see a fragrance that becomes popular online without downfalls. Sneaky marketing has led me astray several times, but Crumb Couture has not done that to me. It has not betrayed me! It is wonderful. This fragrance smells truly like I have just ripped a delightfully warm, flaky croissant in half, buttered it ever so slightly, and then dipped it in jam. I would be lying if I said I could identify what jam, exactly, but it's tasty. I inhale a deep breath and the warmth of small bed and breakfast washes over me. A nice old lady has knocked on my door to inform me that breakfast is ready, and I know I will thank her profusely next time I see her. She simply makes the best breakfast pastries.

It lasts quite a while on my skin. I believe I've been blessed with a skin-type that can graciously accept Snif fragrances and keep them there for a while. Moisturizing has helped, but I find the typical gourmand oils I use under fragrances overwhelms the delicate croissant scent, so if I was able to get an oil that helped this scent float rather than drowning it, I believe I could get another few hours of wear out of it. She's a crowd pleaser, but be warned, people around you may complain of how hungry you've made them with your perfume.