Binxcat's Purrfect Fragrance

Lilee Fragrance Studio – Iris Nights EDP I want to share with you some fragrances from the brand new fragrance brand – Lilee Fragrance Studio.   The brand was started by a Facebook friend of mine, Robert Hunt, who I met through an online fragrance group.   Iris Nights (“Iris”) is the first fragrance I’ll be reviewing.   With Iris Nights, the brand introduces the fragrance by setting the scene: “The vision is of a woman of quiet sophistication sitting by the warmth of the fire, sipping fine cognac with aromatic scent of a floral bouquet by her side.”   Iris opens with a soft citrus white floral.   The citrus is present enough to add brightness and elevation to the floral without becoming “fruity” in any way.   The opening floral accord is reminiscent of a bouquet of fresh picked white flowers from the garden.   They are clean and light with just a hint of green freshness.   As Iris wear, I get a soft, powdery iris that comes forward. ...

Juicy Couture - Majestic Woods EDP Majestic Woods (“Woods”) is an oriental woody fragrance released in 2017.   It’s Juicy Couture’s spin on niche oriental woody fragrance and is very different from the classic Juicy scent profiles. Woods opens with an intense woody note that seems to take on elements of an oud-like replica.   There is a moderate patchouli that adds an earthy element and a lightly sweetened praline.   The praline both intensifies the wood theme and adds a slightly sweet caramelized note.   Tonka bean seems to lay in the background adding some warmth and shy vanilla spice to the accord. As Woods wears, some of the initial intensity of the woody – patchouli opening seems to soften.   A lightly syrupy note enters and the wood note becomes somewhat more complex.   There is a somewhat synthetic, but not unpleasant, feel to the fragrance at this point in wear.   Woods takes on a brief pipe tobacco tone and remains a warm, lightl...

Alexandria Fragrances - Sweet Revenge Launched in 2017, Sweet Revenge (“Revenge”) wears on me as an oriental woody vanilla.   The name of the fragrance seems appropriate.   While the notes are filled with ones typical of an angelic, sweet gourmand, there is a spicy woodiness to the wear that shows a slightly devilish side. Revenge opens with a spicy vanilla.   The vanilla is not overly sweet or cloying on me.   In the beginning of wear Alexandria adds a lot of depth to the traditional vanilla-based fragrance with woodsy notes.   The first hour of wear is a rich, warm, spiced vanilla wood journey.   As Revenge continues to wear, the fragrance takes on a slight feel of pipe tobacco on me.   I get a deeper, creamier spiced vanilla and a burnt sugar much like the top of a creme brulee.   It is a lightly powdered white chocolate which softens and adds creaminess to the fragrance but does not overly sweeten it. Revenge dries down to an...

House of Matriarch - Coco Blanc I was gifted a sample of this oriental vanilla fragrance from a very good friend of mine.   I had been interested in testing it for some time and had simply not gotten around to it.   Sometimes, you need that little push from a friend!   In this case, I’m so happy I got that push. While on the surface, the main notes in this fragrance read as gourmand, let me stop you there – this fragrance does not wear as a traditional sweet gourmand.   Instead, like all of the House of Matriarch fragrances I’ve had the chance to try, this one is intensely complex.   Coco Blanc opens on me as a creamy white chocolate, chai spiced, walk in the woods.   There is almost a warm floral quality to it.   The fragrance does not feel weighted down but instead has a lightness to it.   Hints of coconut peek through enveloped in an accord that reads on me as a smoky leather.   I get a lightly resinous warmth.   Coming ...

L’Artisan Parfumeur - Natura Fabularis Collection: Mirabilis EDP Mirabilis is an oriental woody fragrance which is part of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Natura Fabularis Collection.  With the fragrance, the perfumer melds nature and science with the use of created notes and traditional “mystical” ones.  According to the House, it is a “reconciliation of reason and belief”. Before even spraying to test, the first thing I noticed is the surprising color of the juice.  Unlike what one would expect from an oriental woody fragrance, Mirabilis glows like a light neon blue beacon.  The shade is intriguing and inviting.  The presentation of a fragrance with this shade also starts the wearer on the path of questioning…What is Man? Mirabilis opens with a creamy spicy vanilla-tipped musk.  The vanilla does not pull gourmand.  The ambroxan adds a sweetness that walks the line between natural and synthetic.  About thirty minutes into wear the spice, franki...

Molinard - Les Amoureux Peynet Les Amoureux Peynet (“Les Amoureux”) is a citrus aromatic that was created as a tribute to the illustrator of Les Amoureux.  Les Amoureux opens with a bold citrus accord.  The notes are lean decidedly orange; very much like a freshly grated orange rind.  There is a very subtle hint of the grapefruit.  Overall the opening is crisp, fresh, and juicy.  After roughly thirty minutes, the citrus softens somewhat and in comes a lovely blend of Fall-like spices.  I clearly get the ginger and nutmeg.  The blend of the spices with the citrus reminds me of the very best of Fall.  Les Amoureux begins to transform with a touch of cleanness to the zest at roughly 2 hours.  As the fragrance begins its drydown, the spices mellow and the citrus becomes wrapped in a light-hearted dry woody amber musk base.  Les Amoureux wears on me for roughly 5-6 hours with moderate projection. Notes: bergamot orange, mand...

Dreaming Tree Soapworks - Once Upon a Dream Mystic Mists (Black Cat) No better time than Halloween to share my review of the oriental body mist Black Cat.  Black Cat is a creation from an independent cruelty free company – Dreaming Tree Soapworks.  Black Cat is my first purchase from this brand.  I honestly wasn’t certain what to expect as the quality from independents can often be pretty hit or miss.  This fragrance was also offered in other forms (note – the brand creates soaps, candles, oils, and other body care products) but I went with the Mystic Mist as it seemed the safest bet for a first try. Black Cat opens with a beautifully spiced plumy jasmine.  The spices have a distinctly Fall-like feel to them without becoming gourmand.  The rich, juicy dark plum tempers the jasmine so the fragrance does not become a floral.  A bit into wear an exotic wood enters and envelops the notes like a night fog in the forest.  The spiced plummy jasm...

Ex Nihilo - Fleur Narcotique EDP Fleur Narcotique (“Fleur”) is a fruity floral.  It bursts open with juicy notes of litchi and peach and a blossoming bergamot and a bold jasmine.  The florals are quite intense.  The fruity notes serve to create florals that feel much like candied flowers on a beautifully decorated cake.  The twist is decidedly sweet.  As Fleur wears, a rich peony and delicate orange blossom appear.  The peony is strong while the orange blossom is mild.  Woody and moss notes both ground and lift the peony – orange blossom blend.  I get the feel of both earth and sky.  A delicate musk rounds out the fragrance. Fleur wears on me as a sweet, fruity, strong peony and white floral for roughly 9 – 10 hours with heavy to moderate projection. Notes: bergamot, litchi, peach, jasmine, peony, orange blossom, woody notes, moss, musk Created by Quentin Bisch Cruelty Free

Gallagher Fragrances: Tobacco Silk Tonight I am transported to a tobacco farm in Southern Maryland. The heat of the day has slipped away and I can smell the tobacco drying in the barns around me. As I walk through the fields, I get a musky, woody whiff from the treeline just ahead. Tobacco Silk is a lovely composition with a clean tobacco and a light musk wood to carry the main note. This easily makes a nice stand alone fragrance for someone looking for "the perfect" clean tobacco juice. It would be equally as nice adding it as a layer of complexity to another in the Series or a fragrance already in your collection. "The Silk Series is made up of ten fragrances with one “featured note” in addition to a blend of woody base notes. Each featured note is the main focus of the fragrance and the woody notes serve as a graceful, yet bold dry-down. The ten featured notes within The Silk Series are Bergamot, Black Currant, Jasmine, Lavender, Mandarin, Orange Blossom, Sanda...

Gallagher Fragrances: Bergamot Silk. Bergamot Silk is the 4th in the Gallagher Fragrance Silk Series that I'm testing. Bergamot Silk opens with a blast of citrus. The bergamot is a bright and sparkling note that holds it's own for about an hour on me before the white amber musk and woody notes make an entrance. Like with the others I've tested in this series, Bergamot Silk balances the featured note with a nice base blend making this an easy option for layering. The freshness of the main accord also makes this more flexible with respect to seasonal options. "The Silk Series is made up of ten fragrances with one “featured note” in addition to a blend of woody base notes. Each featured note is the main focus of the fragrance and the woody notes serve as a graceful, yet bold dry-down. The ten featured notes within The Silk Series are Bergamot, Black Currant, Jasmine, Lavender, Mandarin, Orange Blossom, Sandalwood, Tobacco, Tulip, and Vanilla. Simplicity is the beauty...