Binxcat's Purrfect Fragrance

Pinrose – Secret Genius Secret Genius (“Genius”) was released in 2015 and is the first fragrance I’ve tested from Pinrose.   Genius is an oriental vanilla. If you look below the main review, you’ll see I’ve kept the brand’s Notes as published instead of converting it to the “standard” fragrance terms for the note construction.   The way the brand describes Notes and, moreover, the way they describe the basic “vibe” of their fragrances speaks to who their target audience is.   In the case of Genius, the fragrance is described as: VIBE   Trustworthy • Comforting • Sexy PERFECT FOR Hatching plans and sneaking kisses SIPS LIKE   White Russian Genius isn’t a fragrance that has much by way of development with the exception of the initial note I get in the very opening.   Basically, it’s a “what you smell is what you get”.   And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.   What was less than spectacular was the very first opening note that I...

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 ...

Kiss My Sass Cosmetics – Decadence Decadence is a fun to wear, cozy, sexy, and…well…decadent fragrance from the Indie brand Kiss My Sass.   The brand does some really stellar cosmetics and their fragrance line is equally respectable.   I ordered Decadence along with a cosmetics order as the notes sounded appealing.   Decadence opens with a rich dark chocolate coffee note.   The note is deep, dense, and luscious as if you had gone to a coffee roaster and had your cup of comfort made to order.   About an hour into wear, the dark chocolate recedes and in come an old school patchouli and musk tipped with vanilla bean and white chocolate.   The notes twirl in a hypnotic dance that it reminiscent of the best of the 60s; it’s gourmand meets Haight Ashbury.   There is sweetness balanced with an earthy, edgy, sensual, somewhat animalistic feel.   The fragrance wears in this hedonistic and sensual way through the remaining wear.   Decaden...

Dua Fragrances - Taboo Taboo is an original creation from Dua Fragrances.  It’s classified as an oriental gourmand.  Taboo was a blind buy for me.  Admittedly, I was drawn in by not only multiple fragrance notes that tend to be in my “loves” but also the awesome label design for the bottle.  Taboo is not shy.  It opens with a gorgeous clean patchouli and moody incense tempered with a semi-sweet white chocolate.  It’s bold but not offensive.  As the fragrance develops I get a spicy soft leather sprinkled with a light cocoa.  Neither the patchouli nor the incense have disappeared and these notes, along with the suede leather, prevent the juice from becoming full on gourmand.  There’s just enough sweetness to this to give it interest without becoming cloying.  The notes are gently cradled in a creamy vanilla and amber light musk base.  The base notes give the already intriguing scent a feel of intimacy.  For me, it become...