Waterlily
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A bit too sweet for me
There's definitely some of the aromaticness of a cherry in this fragrance. You know, that characteristic velvet-y taste that's almost a little boozy. And I don't know if it's just placebo - the perfume is named after a cherry *stem*, after all - but I smell a very slight hint of something woody/green.
It's not bad. It's a fairly good execution. The pairing of cherry, plum, and brandy notes is inspired. But... together with all those notes is something sweet, almost approaching a really generic vanilla. That ruins my enjoyment of the perfume. Reminds me of a cherry and cola popsicle, and I feel like I've let it melt and dribble onto my wrist.
It's not bad. It's a fairly good execution. The pairing of cherry, plum, and brandy notes is inspired. But... together with all those notes is something sweet, almost approaching a really generic vanilla. That ruins my enjoyment of the perfume. Reminds me of a cherry and cola popsicle, and I feel like I've let it melt and dribble onto my wrist.
Shame
I first smelled this on a paper strip, and... it was delicious! It smelled fruity, juicy, and sweet, but light st the same time. I wanted to buy it.
Well... unfortunately, on my skin it has that juiciness for about 20 seconds. It then decays into a bitter base, a mix of synthetic vanilla and bitter I don't-know-what. It then lingers on my skin in that form for several hours.
Well... unfortunately, on my skin it has that juiciness for about 20 seconds. It then decays into a bitter base, a mix of synthetic vanilla and bitter I don't-know-what. It then lingers on my skin in that form for several hours.
You'll like this if you like the liquid.
The bottle is lovely but slightly impractical; you have to use your finger to get some out and then rub it on your wrist.
It smells just like the perfume, but in solid version. I have a soft spot for solids, they often smell like a more delicate, more rounded version of the original perfume. This one is exactly like that. The projection is nonexistent, but you already knew that.
It smells just like the perfume, but in solid version. I have a soft spot for solids, they often smell like a more delicate, more rounded version of the original perfume. This one is exactly like that. The projection is nonexistent, but you already knew that.
Great for a solid
Great for a solid. My longevity and sillage ratings should be interpreted relative to the typical solid perfume.
1. It's cheap - many other solid perfumes suffer because the value proposition is just weaker compared to the liquid version, especially if you care about longevity. This one is £12 making any concerns about price irrelevant.
2. The projection is great for a solid perfume - I can smell it projecting off my forearms without holding them up to my nose. It still can't match the regular liquid stuff - if you want to leave a delicious scent trail behind you then this is still not the perfume for you - but this is a solid perfume you can actually smell.
3. I prefer the scent of the solid perfume over the liquid perfume. This is nutty and buttery, with a slight hint of caramel and fenugreek. I may be the only person in the world who has this impression but it absolutely smells like walnut to me. The liquid version smells unbalanced and disjointed in comparison.
I think this is a great demonstration of why the solid format can rock. Isn't it crazy how nowadays we expect to be able to encapsulate any smell within a bottle of slightly colourful water?
This is now my go-to for days when it's too hot to wear anything else.
Oh, and fun fact: this is named after a Joni Mitchell song. I'm a huge Joni fan, which is what originally got me interested in this perfume.
1. It's cheap - many other solid perfumes suffer because the value proposition is just weaker compared to the liquid version, especially if you care about longevity. This one is £12 making any concerns about price irrelevant.
2. The projection is great for a solid perfume - I can smell it projecting off my forearms without holding them up to my nose. It still can't match the regular liquid stuff - if you want to leave a delicious scent trail behind you then this is still not the perfume for you - but this is a solid perfume you can actually smell.
3. I prefer the scent of the solid perfume over the liquid perfume. This is nutty and buttery, with a slight hint of caramel and fenugreek. I may be the only person in the world who has this impression but it absolutely smells like walnut to me. The liquid version smells unbalanced and disjointed in comparison.
I think this is a great demonstration of why the solid format can rock. Isn't it crazy how nowadays we expect to be able to encapsulate any smell within a bottle of slightly colourful water?
This is now my go-to for days when it's too hot to wear anything else.
Oh, and fun fact: this is named after a Joni Mitchell song. I'm a huge Joni fan, which is what originally got me interested in this perfume.
What is this fragrance and the strange hold it has on me?
When I smelled this on a paper strip in a store, it was an immediate no. Almost gagged.
The first time I tried this on my skin, from a sample, it was still a no. It immediately smelled really antiquated to me, for reasons that will probably stay unclear to me forever. It was heavy and oppressive and like the only place this smell belonged was in an antique closet - in a bad way.
Something - masochism? - compelled me to try it on a second time. I thought "actually, you know what? I don't think it's the smell itself I dislike, it's just not very, very much not me. This is a vibe, just someone else's vibe."
I kept thinking about it, and something, again, made me try it on a third time. And something clicked. And I've loved it ever since.
Some report this smells like Portrait of a Lady by Frederic Malle. Does it? I tested POAL to settle this question for myself. My verdict: yes, it's quite similar. Not identical, though. I think the rose is more prominent here - it's heady, it's jammy, it's spicy. POAL feels a little more leathery, a little more smooth.
The first time I tried this on my skin, from a sample, it was still a no. It immediately smelled really antiquated to me, for reasons that will probably stay unclear to me forever. It was heavy and oppressive and like the only place this smell belonged was in an antique closet - in a bad way.
Something - masochism? - compelled me to try it on a second time. I thought "actually, you know what? I don't think it's the smell itself I dislike, it's just not very, very much not me. This is a vibe, just someone else's vibe."
I kept thinking about it, and something, again, made me try it on a third time. And something clicked. And I've loved it ever since.
Some report this smells like Portrait of a Lady by Frederic Malle. Does it? I tested POAL to settle this question for myself. My verdict: yes, it's quite similar. Not identical, though. I think the rose is more prominent here - it's heady, it's jammy, it's spicy. POAL feels a little more leathery, a little more smooth.
