WINDOW-SHOPPING PERFUMES

May 21, 2022

I went to Brooklyn with my sister today, and it was SO hot and humid out. As a pale, lazy person that likes to stay indoors, it was not the tea. However, I got to visit a couple perfume stores with air conditioning, so I'm somewhat happy. My perfume addiction was at its peak today.

As always, top, heart, and base notes are separated with PERIODS. Notes are either from company websites or Fragrantica. This list is only fragrances that I enjoyed. 

D.S. & DURGA

I think I first hear about this brand while browsing Surrender to Chance or Lucky Scents. You can read all about their brand on their "Who What Why" page. If it's too long, or you don't like the website design, they believe in the power of smell and its ability to transport you, conjure up real/made-up memories, and they're New York (Brooklyn) as heck. Each perfume has a Spotify playlist, so check that out. 

The store, to my knowledge, had almost all the perfumes the brand offers, except their "studio juice" line. Everything was laid out and I sniffed every single one. I did not write how I feel about each/what visuals they conjure up, but I did note which scents I enjoyed, which may change when I purchase samples to make sure. 

100 ml is $260 and 50 ml is $175. They also have pocket perfume oils for $72.

• Crystal Pistil: orange flower water, dew-on-petals, pink pepper. Crystal flower parts, paradisone, jasmine water. Civettone, white musks, ambrette seeds. 
• Rose Atlantic: bergamot, petals, lemon oil. Linden, rose accord, dune grass. Muscone, salt water, white moss. 
• Radio Bombay: radiant wood, copper, cedar. Sandalwood, radiant iris, boronia. Balsam fir absolute, coconut musc, ambergris. (TMI: my sister dislikes this scent, but I don't. She also like Le Labo's Vetiver, which I do not like.)
• Jazmín Yucatan: water, passion flower, bergamot. Jazmín yucateco, sambac, clove. Snake plant, vetiver, copal.

There are some notes that I rarely see, like snake plant, that interest me. For the most part, my tastes are consistent: florals, woody, and citrus. 

I think it's absolutely wild that I smelled over 12 fragrances and only liked 4.

Le Labo

Y'all have seen me write about Le Labo before. This brand is hit or miss for me, but when there's a hit, it's a mega-hit. It is like Levitating by Dua Lipa. They also last so long! I loved going in the store, geeking out about fragrances, and washing my hands/trying their products! The only products I was not a fan of were the candles...

It was very tempting to buy more samples, but I have two other discovery sets to get through. One of them is very basic (haven't tried it yet; it's another predominantly florals, uninspiring set of perfumes.)

• Iris 39: iris, Patchouli, Violet, Musk, Civet, Ylang-Ylang, Ginger, Lime, Cardamom, Rose.
• Jasmine 17: Orange Blossom, Jasmine, Bitter Orange, Neroli, Musk, Vanilla, Palmarosa, litsea cubeba, Sandalwood, Amber.
• Thé Matcha 26: Fig, Vetiver, Matcha Tea, Cedar, Bitter Orange.
• Rose 31: Rose, Cumin. Rose, Vetiver, Cedar. Musk, Guaiac Wood, Agarwood, Olibanum, Labdanum.  
• Bergamot 22: Bergamot, Vetiver, Grapefruit, Orange Blossom, Petitgrain, Musk, Cedar, Vanilla, Amber.
• Lys 41: Tuberose, Lily, Jasmine, Vanilla, Musk, Woody Notes.

I'm just as surprised as you with all the rose fragrances on this list, despite having said I dislike rose in the past. I'm also noticing how basic my perfume tastes are. 

Diptyque

I just want to say I highly recommend the Bedford Ave. location because the sales associate, I did not catch their name, was one of the kindest sales associates I have ever met. Super knowledgeable about the fragrances, suggested other perfumes I'd like and was so warm and personable. She made me realize I'd be absolutely shit as an associate because of my nasty attitude. Sadly, I didn't like most of the perfumes, completely not her fault! 

These are the scents I tried. I went in wanting to try Philosophykos and was let down. Since I tried it, the associate suggested Tam Dao (which smells like Eau de Sens IMO) and Do Son. Surprisingly, I liked Do Son, however, I would not ever purchase it because it's nothing particularly special. 

• Tam Dao (EDT): Italian Cypress, Myrtle, Rose. Sandalwood, Cedar. Brazilian Rosewood, Spices, Amber, White Musk.
• EDP: Sandalwood, Cedar, Amberwood, Coriander, Lime, Musk, Vanilla, Ginger
• Eau des Sens (EDT): Orange Blossom, Bitter Orange. Juniper Berries. Angelica, Patchouli. 
• Do Son: African Orange FLower, Iris, Rose. Tuberose, Pink Pepper. Benzoin, Musk.
• EDP: Tuberose, Orange Leaf, Musk, Pink Pepper. 
• Philosophykos (EDT): Fig. Fig Leaf. Fig Tree. 
• EDP: Fig Leaf, Fig. Green Notes, Coconut. Fig Tree, Woody Notes, Cedar. 

It's good to know that I do not have to purchase any samples from this brand. I don't think I'll ever reach for this brand again.