andromed

Island Vanilla was my first foray into fragrance after BBW's Warm Vanilla Sugar, and how different it is. Disclaimer: I have not tested the new formulation--my bottle is from around 2021. This is a sweet, light vanilla carried on a gentle breeze of jasmine and honey, evocative of white tea on the porch on a cool summer afternoon. It's a very linear scent, so there are no unwelcome surprises. If you prefer deeper, darker vanillas, this may not be for you--this smells nothing like vanilla extract to my nose. To the contrary, upon my first sniff years ago, I smelled pure cream soda. I can still sense the cream soda accord now, but it only adds a playful quality to this delightfully airy vanilla. I would say it smells closer to vanilla pods--slightly floral rather than boozy. As a vanilla lover, this is my favorite summer scent. Island Vanilla is sweet, in a not quite edible way, and fresh. It strikes me as a scent for someone who does not take themselves too seriously (trying to live up to that myself is another story!).

The longevity is about what I've come to expect of body mists--it will last a couple hours maximum, with an echo of vanilla left behind on clothes for a bit longer. Sillage is fairly intimate, but noticeable--my boyfriend never fails to tell me how good I smell when I wear this at home! It's my favorite scent to spritz when I am relaxing around the house, painting my nails, or just getting out of the shower.

Overall, the only thing I would change about this fragrance is longevity! At this price point, I don't feel guilty about respraying, and the bottle is small enough to take on the go. I have ordered a bottle of the EDP version (as far as I know, it's pre-reformulation) and will update this review with a comparison.