MORE MACY'S DESIGNER PERFUMES

Designer fragrances might not always be the best, but their promotional photos are usually better than some niche brands, which are often too minimalistic and not all that exciting to look at. 

VICTOR & ROLF SPICEBOMB NIGHT VISION EDP POUR HOMME

Green Apple, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Chili Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Grapefruit, Lemon
Lavender, Clary Sage, Mint, Rosemary, Mastic or Lentisque, Coriander
Pistachio, Nutty Notes, Benzoin, Balsam Fir, Cedar, Olibanum, Peru Balsam, Patchouli, Labdanum

Herby, spicy (in the hot and actual spices way,) warm, smoky, thick/resinous, and musky. I mainly get chili pepper, lavender, sage, rosemary, cedar, olibanum, and patchouli. More of a Fall/Winter fragrance with how heavy and warm it is. It's challenging to review colognes because I don't typically wear them, nor am I shopping for anyone in particular. If a man/person is wearing a cologne, it's an afterthought for me: Wow, he doesn't smell terrible and perhaps takes care of himself/values how he is perceived to some degree. 

When I write reviews, I fall into the crux of creating odd and overly specific personifications of the scent. For this one, I imagined a guy working in this vegan soap/essential oil shop with incense burning at all times. He's here because he's back home for the holidays. He's not vegan. The store is owned by this girl he likes. He discovers the magic of the holidays and veganism. 

The vegan incense shop vibe comes from all the spices and incense-y, smokey, and resinous base notes. The spices create warmth, and because it's Christmas Eve while writing this, he's back for the holidays. He's not a vegan because there's something heavy and musky, not in an animalistic way, about this perfume. 

But this smells like Ambercrombie and gives me a headache, so I'm not sure why I thought up something so elaborate. 1/5 stars.

YSL LIBRE LE PARFUM

Ginger, Saffron, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot
Orange Blossom, Lavender
Bourbon Vanilla, Honey, Tonka Bean, Vetiver

This photo looks like BR540. Looks great, but not incredibly original. First, brands are copying the juice, and now they're copying their marketing! 

"The iconic structure of Libre, a tension between cool Diva lavender. Heart from France, crafted for YSL beauty and sensual orange blossom absolute from Morocco, reinterpreted in a spicy way. A flamboyant juice enriched with a warm accord of saffron from YSL beauty Orika Community Gardens in Morocco fashioned via headspace technology."

I'm getting orange blossom, ginger, vanilla, lavender, and tonka bean. Sweet and creamy. Still don't know what saffron smells like, so I can't discern it. Reminded me of root beer Dum Dum Lollipops the first time I tried it, but I didn't get that when I retested. 

Either designer brands have been using the same base and altering slightly from the latest samples I received, or my body chemistry is throwing off these perfumes. 

Valentino Voce Viva, Prada Paradoxe, and this perfume have similar compositions: bergamot, orange blossom, and tonka bean. The only thing that sets this fragrance apart from the former two is the creamy vanilla and honey that shift it from a floral to something a little more gourmand, but it is still floral/lavender and tonka bean dominant. They all smell about the same. 3.5/5 stars. 

GIVENCHY GENTLEMAN EDP BOISÉE

Black Pepper, Geranium, Coriander
iris, Cacao Pod, Cedar
Woodsy Notes, Sandalwood, Patchouli

Givenchy L'Interdit is one of my favorites, so I have high expectations from Givenchy. 

"The elegance of iris mingled with the strength of burning wood. A sensual woody floral warmed by addictive cocoa bean. Woody, floral, spicy."

Black pepper, cocoa, patchouli, cedar. Iris and cacao create a cocoa powder effect. SUPER WOODY and smokey. 2/5

BURBERRY HER ELIXIR DE PARFUM EAU DE PARFUM INTENSE

Strawberry, Blackberry
Jasmine
Vanilla, Amber, Sandalwood

"A bold fragrance for women. The daring gourmand fragrance is carried by powerful signature notes of crushed berries, enhanced by sensual vanilla and amber."

The first spray hits you with amber and vanilla. The vanilla is creamy and not artificial. The mix of sandalwood creates this cinnamon-spiced effect reminiscent of chai lattes. Very subtle berry scent, though it smells like an artificially flavored candy or cough syrup. 

The fragrance's longevity [of a conservative spray on both elbow crooks] is excellent. I wore a sweater at work the day I tested it and still smelled it after 8 hours. The amber and vanilla are the loudest. Oddly reminds me of Jazz Club by Margiela... 

2.75/5 stars. Not a fragrance I would typically go for, but the longevity is a plus. 

YSL Y EDP

Apple, Ginger, Bergamot
Sage, Juniper Berries, Geranium
Amberwood, Tonka Bean, Cedar, Vetiver, Olibanum

"The intensity of a white and dark Fougere. The powerful radiance of sage and geranium absolute magnified by the addictive intensity of sensual woods and the elegance of tonka bean. The fragrance of freedom to dream, dare, and live."

This profile sounds like my nightmare because most of them are notes I've had multiple bad experiences with. Juniper berries, geranium, vetiver, olibanum, and sometimes cedar. Before I sprayed it, I smelled it through the bottle, and it reminded me of Carolina Herrera's Bad Boy Cobalt. 

Fresh, crisp, and tart. Very citrusy. I'm definitely getting bergamot and tonka bean because I am all too familiar with how these notes react with my skin. It's difficult to detect the spice, green, wood, or resin notes because there is a lemon-cleaner quality enveloping the entire perfume. Once the lemon calms down, I smell cedar, other woody notes, and my aunt's old minivan. 

If this cologne was an article of clothing, it would be a clean, freshly ironed white button-up shirt. 2/5 stars

DOLCE & GABBANA LIGHT BLUE EDT

Sicilian Lemon, Apple, Cedar, Bellflower
Bamboo, Jasmine, White Rose
Cedar, Musk, Amber

The grand tradition of shitting on D&G at the end of every post. Sweet, citrus baby wipes. Smells juicy and generic. Headache-inducing and one-dimensional. 1/5 stars.