Speed reviews of my 58 samples order!

Arabian Oud - Madawi

It's very intense, way too heavy, too strong. Smells like a luxury department store in Dubai where they sprayed too much perfume. After I tested it, I found out that Sofia Vergara uses this one, and I can see that! She's a super strong presence, immaculately dressed, superior human. I, on the other hand, am a little work-from-home goblin, whose daily battles are "does tomato sauce leave a permanent stain?" and "is it too late to start watching Game of Thrones?". So, I'll pass on this one.
Boyfriend's opinion: Damn, so intense. Heavy. Final Score: 2 / 5

Armani Prive - Thé Yulong

So I bought the full bottle already. Zero self-control. It's such a relaxing, fresh, aromatic, citrusy tea. This is one I can totally see expensive luxury spas using. Or fancy boutique hotels. As you read through these reviews, you'll discover my life's mission is to smell like an overpriced establishment. Thé Yulong gets me closer to that goal. It also lasts decently on my skin and clothes.
Boyfriend's opinion: "Mmmm what's in this, lemon? Orange? This is so nice, I like it a lot." Since I bought the full bottle, he's actually been requesting "the one that looks like a butt plug" because he loves the smell so much 🥹 Final Score: 5 / 5

Armani Prive - Vert Malachite

Smooth, slightly sweet, creamy white floral with a touch of vanilla. It's very floral and delicate, ultra-feminine. It's not really for me—I do wish the bitter orange came through more. Then I think it might be a contender for me. You really don’t need much of this; I imagine it will get too much if over-sprayed. Performance is great on this, so a bottle will last a long time. Final Score: 3.8 / 5

Armani Prive - Noir Kogane

This smells like a leathery ashtray and it stays in your nose for eternity like a clingy ex. That's it, that's the review.
Boyfriend's opinion: "It really does smell like an ashtray." Validation 😌 Final Score: 1 / 5

Byredo - Gypsy Water

It's very chic clean girl. At first it's citrus, sandalwoody, aromatic. Out of all the Byredo's I tried, this one has the worst performance on me. On dry down it becomes a slightly sweetened vanilla skin scent. Overall cute, but nothing more. Not worth the weak performance or getting a full bottle. There are other Byredo perfumes I much prefer to this. Final Score: 3.5 / 5

Byredo - Bal d'Afrique

Immediately yes. Love at first smell. This is really my taste. Aromatic, woody citrus perfection. Woody, floral, fresh, citrus, aromatic, this perfume could cater to lovers of all of these. It smells expensive, like a luxurious spa. I always look for a spa scent, just like I always look for more tea scents. To me, it's unique. Very bright, the wood grounds it and I LOVE that there is a touch of musk in here. I love that it smells natural. It really smells like you just got out of a very expensive hotel shower. It's year-round in my opinion, signature-worthy. The lasting power was also decent! I could wear this all the time.
Boyfriend's opinion: Lovely!! Final Score: 5 / 5

Byredo - Mojave Ghost

Something about this reminds me of skincare or fancy shampoo, in a good way. I think it deserves the hype. It has a fresh airy quality, but the sapodilla fruit used in it makes it a bit more interesting. I think Bal d'Afrique is overall better, but I go back and forth between them. This is another fresh out the shower type of perfume, but in a more girly and fruity floral way. I wish it had better longevity on me, but maybe with a proper sprayer on clothes, it would suffice.
Boyfriend's opinion: Also lovely!! I think I prefer this one over Bal d'Afrique, but they're both amazing. Final Score: 4 / 5

Byredo - Mojave Ghost Absolu

This one is expectedly an enhanced version of the OG. Performance is great! Somewhat musky, some woodiness and floral. However, it's stronger and more 'dense' than the OG (makes sense, 'absolu' being in the name). It has a thicker body. They are still quite similar! It's just more of everything compared to the OG. More sweetness but still fresh, more floral, more feminine. I think the fruity note comes out a bit more. The OG is more fresh, light, and airy. You don't need both; personally, I would go for this one (I have enough light airy fresh perfumes, and Bal d'Afrique also hits that spot for me in a way I think I prefer). Final Score: 4.5 / 5

Byredo - Casablanca Lily (Extrait)

Why aren't more people talking about this? (Maybe because it's expensive af.) This is so lovely! Wow. My immediate instinct was ugh, fuck, I want this too now. It's clean, slightly fresh, white flowers, slightly honeyed, ultra-feminine. There is plum in here, but it's not a fruity perfume; it just adds an extra something. It makes the florals more round. It's not overly sweet, just perfect. I think even if you don't love florals, you might still want to give this a shot. It also performs well. It smells so good on my skin, and it can totally be a signature. It's versatile—I can see this as an everyday perfume, date night, brunch. It's so pretty I want to cry. I think this is my number one from Byredo, or a very close tie for #1 with Bal d'Afrique, but the price is crazy for the small size! For now, this remains a fantasy, but maybe one day. Final Score: 5 / 5

Casamorati - Dolce Amalfi

Hate it. The opening is very artificial sweet bubblegum. Not something I want to smell like. After I was done testing it, I ran to read reviews, and apparently, a LOT of people smell bubblegum. The cloves and vanilla are more prominent than the bubblegum when it dries down, but even then, it feels too synthetic and it’s still bubblegummy.
Boyfriend's opinion: “It’s nice but not my favorite” (translation - it's not good.)
Final Score: 1 / 5

Casamorati - Italica

Hate this too. I'm shocked at how bad this smells to me. Like marzipan, and also an almost off-putting bitterness mixed with sweetness overload. Licorice? I expected an almond croissant vibe, but it's the farthest from that. Unfortunately for me, the projection and lasting power are really strong; it was hard to get off.
Boyfriend's opinion: “It’s nice (shocking 🤣) but it’s not my favorite.” Final Score: 1 / 5

Casamorati - Dama Bianca

I did not expect the sweetness in this. I thought I would LOVE this one. I do not enjoy the sweetness; it's a bit irritating. I mean, it's not the sweetest perfume on this list by any means, and yet there is still this cloying quality. I was hoping to smell the kumquat and lime, but no. It's not elegant on me, not airy or bright or anything I was expecting. I will let my sample sit for a while and go back to it in a couple of months.
Boyfriend's opinion: Ehm... not crazy about this one. Final Score: 2 / 5

Casamorati - Fiore D'Ulivo

This is a REALLY beautiful perfume. There was something sharp in the first 15-30 minutes I wasn't 100% about. But then, it dries down and... Wowowow I love it. This is a clean sophisticated perfume done perfectly, and I already purchased a bottle. I especially love when I only use 1, max 2 sprays of this. It's very elegant, sophisticated, delicate. Very cool, clean, and refreshing—it smells like very expensive soap, but in the best way! Like soap that you bought from a generational artisanal boutique in Europe located on an olive orchard that you paid way too much for.

For soap-like scents, I need a wow factor. Something extra, something interesting. This has that for me. It's delicate and aromatic. It's almost a bit oily and creamy in the best way. So unique. I always thought we are missing more aromatic feminine perfumes. Zero sweetness. The performance is so good too! How I feel wearing this is how I expected to feel wearing Dama Bianca. Elegant, sophisticated, rich, calm, zen, and cool without trying. I love it. Not a safe blind buy though—definitely sample this first.
Boyfriend's opinion: "Wow, you smell so good." Final Score: 5 / 5

Casamorati - Lira

THIS should be called Dolce Amalfi. I do smell the citrus, vanilla, sweetness, and some spice. It dries to a sweet vanilla with a hint of spice and citrus, but mostly slightly spiced vanilla. Boring, if I am honest. I just don't enjoy sweet gourmands, and this batch of samples was the last confirmation for that. I do not enjoy smelling like a sweet food, or any food. Even if the first sniff is a nice little lemon cake smell, I do not want a cloud of sweet vanilla lemon cake following me around all day. I would LOVE a candle that smells like this—I think that would be amazing.
Boyfriend's opinion: "This is so nice, one of the most unique ones you've tried. Smells like something we eat." Final Score: 2.5 / 5

Diptyque - Eau Duelle EDT + EDP

I tested these together, one on each wrist, for a few days. I will say, I don't think you NEED both. If I had to sum it up in very few words—the EDT is cool, the EDP is warm.

• EDT: A vanilla with more spice, greener, airier, lighter, fresher.

• EDP: A more incense-y, rounded vanilla, woodier, warmer, slightly creamier and sweeter (but not a sweet perfume by any means).

The lasting power is similar on both of them on my skin. I wish it was better—it becomes a skin scent within a couple of hours. The EDP I'd like more for winter and autumn. EDT is more year-round for me. They're okay, but sometimes I think I get a church vibe from them, and that bothers me a bit. I prefer Bo by Liis for this type of woody vanilla. Final Score: 3.5 / 5

Diptyque - Philosykos EDP

This smells like the stem of a plant or freshly cut grass. What I enjoy about this the most is the coconut on the dry down—it becomes less green and more creamy, which I do prefer. Less like grass, more like fig and coconut. If it stayed that way, I'd give it a higher rating, but this sadly disappears so quickly. For the record, I don't care about beast performance. I don't need a scent trail, and I don't need the perfume to last 12 hours, but this is just way too weak even for me.
Final Score: 3 / 5

Diptyque - L'Eau Papier

"In what world would I want to smell like sesame paper mache?" That's what I thought before smelling this, but it's actually not bad. At first, I thought it was a love, but after wearing it a couple of times, it’s not, unfortunately. It’s okay. I get why people love it, and on paper, I should love it too, but I don’t. It’s a powdery musk, clean, and it kind of does smell like paper, in a detergent kind of way. I don’t get rice, though. Something about it bothers me—I am not sure if it’s a specific note (maybe it’s ambroxan?), but I don’t crave more of it as I get whiffs of it. It’s annoying and screechy after a while. Final Score: 3.5 / 5

Etat Libre d'Orange - You Or Someone Like You

This is the only perfume I've ever tried that went from a hate to a love in like 15 minutes. At first it is an obnoxious bomb of mint and green notes. However, after it settles on the skin... It becomes a beautiful, cup of fresh mint tea with a bit of lemon. It’s addictive—I keep sniffing myself. The florals and citrus come through a bit more, and the mint becomes more delicate as it dries. It reminds me of the fresh mint tea my grandma used to make, so it is a bit sen(tea)mental. I love discovering a scent that is both unique, pleasant, and wearable for different occasions. I think for warm climates and any casual occasion, it’s perfect. It’s on my full bottle list.
Boyfriend's opinion: "It smells exactly like the mint tea that we drink! I like it a lot. It reminds me of my favorite shower gel I used in Italy called Pino Silvestre."
Final Score: 5 / 5

Fragrance Du Bois - Oud Jaune Intense

So, when I said Byredo Casablanca Lily was the most expensive per ml on this list, I was wrong—it might actually be this one. 335 euros for 50ml, just to smell like synthetic sweet fruit spray with some florals. By the way, I can't smell any oud in this. If you told me this was a cheap, sweet, tropical body spray, I’d believe you. Oh, and the cherry on top—longevity isn’t good. I can’t believe the price of this for what you get. Not in a million years would I ever recommend anyone to purchase this. Even if you are looking for something in this genre, there are way better and cheaper alternatives out there. Guerlain Terracotta has similar notes and vibe, at a fraction of the cost, and in my opinion, smells better.
Boyfriend's opinion: "I don't like it at all. Too sweet." Final Score: 1 / 5

Frederic Malle - Carnal Flower

The immediate floral-green bomb was a bit scary. I don’t know what that was, but it goes away, and the dry down is LOVELY (if you don’t overdo it). It has some green in it too. The greenness, however, calms down a lot upon dry down, and it becomes a nice creamy tuberose. If you like tuberose, I think you’ll like this one. The lasting power and sillage are crazy on this—easy to overspray, so I would be very careful. It can get overwhelming even with a dabber. I do think it smells like it costs. I think I would guess it's luxury even if I hadn't known. It’s just not really my taste, but I do appreciate it. I’d enjoy it maybe on someone else. It’s very classy. Apparently, this is both Mila Kunis and Zoe Saldana’s signature scent.
Boyfriend's opinion: "Wow, this is so nice and delicate." Final Score: 3.8 / 5

Giardini di Toscana - Bianco Latte

If you told me to close my eyes and take a guess at what I am smelling, I would tell you cheap, off-brand vanilla extract that is made with a thousand chemicals except actual vanilla. Or any cheap paraffin vanilla candle. It smells very synthetic. And for that price?! No. No ma’am. Makes me angry. Go for the dupes. Save your money. If you do want to spend niche money on this kind of vibe, go for Gioiosa.
Boyfriend's opinion: "I agree with you." Final Score: 1 / 5

Profumum Roma - Gioiosa

Immediately, I thought—"Bianco Latte smells like a cheap dupe of this." Straight up—if you want what Bianco Latte is marketing to you and want to smell like real, high-quality vanilla, go with this one instead. I thought I had made an amazingly original observation here, felt proud of myself, but then after a quick check, this seems to be the consensus. It’s VERY vanilla, and I don’t love vanilla perfumes enough to enjoy this. The performance on this is great—lasts all day and projects well even with the dabber. If you love a solid, strong vanilla, I think you’d love this.
Boyfriend's opinion: "Uhmm it's very vanilla. It's not my favorite, but it's decent."
Final Score: 3.5 / 5

Goldfield & Banks - Sunset Hour

This perfume is forgettable and bland. Goldfield & Banks promised great things with this. "Scents of native fruits, evening breeze, juicy citrus, and spicy delight." Instead, we get a cheap-smelling, synthetic fruity perfume that starts off too sweet and dries down to a generic, mid-range fruity floral. Not worth the price whatsoever. Apparently, it's hard to get 'tropical' right without it being overly sweet or synthetic.
Boyfriend's opinion: He just made a face of disapproval when smelling this. Final Score: 2 / 5

Jeroboam - Gozo

This is STRONG. I only dabbed a bit on my wrist, and my boyfriend could smell it as I walked past him. I wanted to test it because a Youtuber claimed it's her most complimented, that strangers tell her how good she smells, blah blah blah. It's too sweet, too synthetic, off-putting. Like when you are at a club, and someone sprayed way too much perfume, and you just want to get out. Had to scrub it off—it was literally suffocating me as I was trying to work.
Boyfriend's opinion: "What is that smell? There is a really strange smell. Did you spray detergent anywhere? Oh, are you trying a new perfume? Yes, that's what the smell is."
Final Score: 1 / 5

Jo Malone - Scarlet Poppy

Wow. Yes, I bought a full bottle of this already. This perfume makes me feel like an imposter, like I crawled into the skin of a rich woman whose house is spotless and modern. She has those remote-control fireplaces and a home that’s smarter than all of us combined. She probably has a Tesla robot, and she’s not very nice to it. She just finished her evening skincare after a day of reformer pilates, unicorn plasma facials, and other forms of rich-people self-care. I am not worthy of smelling like her, but I did legally purchase this bottle, so I don’t care. This has good performance, gentle projection. Creamy, luxurious, feminine, with a beautiful tonka note. I can see this working year round except maybe super hot or humid days. Signature worthy. It’s rich but not heavy. It’s one of those rare ones I can see working as a wedding scent, after an evening shower, Netflix and chill, date night—so many occasions.
Boyfriend's opinion: "Wow, you smell so nice, you always smell so good." (This is his reaction every time I wear this.) Final Score: 5 / 5

Jovoy - Fire At Will

This is too sweet for my personal preference, and I discover that I am really not a vanilla girl, ever. This perfume is both sweet and vanilla. It’s good for those who love gourmands, sweet cookie-like vanillas—not very complex, a bit basic, but also for this genre, it's one of the better ones. Mostly because it's not as cloying and overbearing as some of the others—it's a relatively lighter vanilla. Like an angel food cake. Not my thing at all, but if what I described is your vibe, it's definitely worth sampling. Final Score: 3 / 5

Kilian - Woman In Gold

This lasts ages on my skin. Sillage is good too. With my pathetic little dabber, I didn't need more than a few small dabs. A bottle will last ages. While I can appreciate it, it's just not "me". I don’t love vanilla-forward perfumes. It’s just missing something for me. It's super feminine, slightly powdery, sweet (not overbearingly) vanilla with a good touch of rose and some citrus. The dry down leaves more of a sweetened vanilla. I get some woodiness too. It's not the most unique to me, but it's high quality for sure. It is quite grown-up. I think this can be someone’s signature scent for sure.
Boyfriend's opinion: "I like it." (Not an overly enthusiastic tone. Translation - it's nice but nothing special.) Final Score: 3.8 / 5

Kilian - Moonlight In Heaven

I liked this a lot upon first sniff. I immediately get a combination of grapefruit, mango, and tonka, which surprisingly works so well. The grapefruit is more dominant than the mango at first. There is an aquatic freshness that makes it much more sophisticated, uplifting, and clean than most fruit-forward perfumes. Sadly, about 10 minutes after putting it on my skin, it became a close skin scent that I really needed to push my nose into my wrist to detect. I poured on some more of the sample because it was so hard to judge this way. On my shirt, it dried down to more of a citrus with tonka. I like the scent profile here, but it's so fleeting on me—shame. Final Score: 3.5 / 5

Kilian - Angels' Share
This type of gourmand gets my support. Sometimes I forget that gourmands don’t have to be an overly sweet dessert vanilla explosion. Angels' Share is that type of sophisticated gourmand—it’s well done. While I don’t want to smell like this personally, but I can totally appreciate it. It’s a slightly boozy, woody, cinnamon apple pie. It has this freshness and gets better and better as it dries down. There is no apple note listed, which is shocking—I swear I smell apple-like acidity. I took it with me to my trip to Cologne's Christmas markets, and it was perfect for that atmosphere. I think it would be perfect for autumn. The dry down is more delicate and woody. I never thought an apple pie cinnamon smell could be sexy and sophisticated. It’s not that photorealistic to me, especially as it dries. I see this as a slightly more feminine perfume, actually.

Boyfriend's opinion: I like it, it smells kind of fresh. Then on another occasion he said it's okay but he prefers others. Final Score: 4 / 5

Laurent Mazzone - Soleil Infidèle
The only coconut scent I ever loved. Not sweet, not artificial. It’s like natural coconut water, sea notes (which I actually do register as fresh sea—how did they do that??), lemon zest, lotus. It’s a bit creamy and actually transports me to a luxury resort somewhere in Southeast Asia or Hawaii. On my skin, it dries down to a creamy natural sea and coconut water scent. There is this addictive quality, freshness too. Online, this one is almost nonexistent. I emailed the brand, and they said they are discontinuing this, which is so sad—why must good things get discontinued? Anyway, if you happen to see this in-store, you must give it a try! Final Score: 5 / 5

Le Labo - Another 13
I am confused by this. It’s a nice and subtle modern iso-e super musk. I always want to smell clean and put together, like my clothes just got out of the laundry, I eat super clean, I exercise on a regular basis, my hygiene is impeccable inside and out, and I am not trying to smell like anything. That vibe is one I typically enjoy a lot, and that’s what I look for with this one. When I first smelled it, I got pencil shavings and pollution. Now I get a synthetic musky skin scent at first with maybe some tiny bit of pear. Then it becomes weirdly metallic, then it’s totally gone? I am so confused. I keep hearing about how this is a huge compliment-getter, so perhaps it’s one of those that you go nose-blind to. It’s a strange one! I think I’d need a proper decant with a sprayer to fully test this one.
Final Score: I don’t know / 5

Le Labo - Thé Matcha 26
I don’t like matcha, but wow, do I love this. I think it’s my favorite Le Labo ever. It’s very hard to describe because it does not smell like straight-up matcha or like one or two specific notes. It smells fresh, there is definitely fig, it’s not too sweet (but there is a hint of sweetness that I register as slight creaminess), and it’s woody. If the last few months taught me anything, it’s that I enjoy woody perfumes more than I thought, so I welcome it in this one. I spray it when I’m at home or for more casual occasions. However, if you expect a photorealistic cup of matcha, this isn’t it. Final Score: 5 / 5

Les Liquides Imaginaires - Blanche Bête
I read some say this smells like a newborn's head, baby formula, and a plethora of other strange things. I do actually see the newborn head comparison, but it’s still overall a good smell to me. For my boyfriend, it was one of his top favorites—"it’s perfect for this season." He said it smells like "something we eat," and then decided it’s vanilla. The performance is good too for this type of delicate scent. I can put it on in the evening and still smell it the next morning. It’s a very soft perfume, and it’s super cozy. I can totally see myself wearing this at home in colder months or when I want to smell as if I smell naturally good. However—when I finally got to test a proper spray in store, the strange note in it came out a bit more. I wouldn’t purchase it because Musc Moschus scratches the same itch for me but in a better way, so of the two, I would definitely choose Musc Moschus.
Boyfriend's opinion: Mmmm this is so nice. This is so perfect for winter. I wish our whole house smelled like this, so perfect for this time of year. (On average, he just says "nice, I like it," so this is a great compliment for Blanche Bête.) Final Score: 4 / 5

Initio - Musk Therapy
I love this, and I already bought the full bottle. Soft, fluffy, clean white musk. I imagine this is what the most expensive fabric softener at Erewhon would smell like, and I’m here for it. It’s such a relaxing, clean, soft scent—I want my entire house to smell like this. The blackcurrant and citrus are blended so well with the musk—it just adds brightness, sunshine. Bal d’Afrique and Mojave Ghost could be its sisters (except lasting power here is better than the other two). It is as if I just did my laundry with my overpriced softener, wore my freshly washed clothes after putting on my skincare. It’s one of the best musks out there in my opinion.
Boyfriend's opinion: Every time I wear it, he says, "wow, what’s that one? I LOVE it."
Final Score: 5 / 5

Initio - Paragon

This is woody, aromatic, slightly sweetened but still fresh. I immediately get lavender, a bit of plum, and palo santo. It dries less plummy, more woody-aromatic. It reminds me of Finnish saunas where they slap you with birch branches. I would love to smell this on a man, not so much on myself.
Boyfriend's opinion: It’s okay, it’s not my favorite. The one you gave me is much better. (I got him Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche EDP, and it's amazing—just need to overspray it because it's delicate.) Final Score: 4 / 5

Initio - Side Effect

This is not bad, it's just really not my preference. It's sweet, boozy, and a bit dense for me. The tobacco is not overly aggressive like in Noir Kogane, but I can still detect it. Too sweet for me. It's quite masculine, I wouldn’t wear this myself, but I would also prefer other scents on a man. For me, it's a bit cloying. Final Score: 3 / 5

Rania J - Musc Moschus

Despite reading this perfume name as Musc Mucus, which is quite gross, I love this. This is a your-skin-but-better scent, but elevated. It’s not just a skin scent, it’s this cozy fluffy cloud. If I hugged someone and they smelled like this, I would immediately want to know how they smell so good, and I wouldn't necessarily associate it with perfume. It’s clean and classy, but with a delicate powdery sweetness. The lasting power is great too. There is a nice mix of vanilla and jammy blackcurrant, which is not typically what I like (I do NOT enjoy vanillas, apparently). When I run out of my full bottle of Clean Reserve Skin, I might get this one instead. Final Score: 5 / 5

Liis - Floating

Ooo. Delicate, clean peach, and realistic clean linen—how cool!! There is slight sweetness. This is the type of fruity perfume I absolutely love because it's still fresh and natural-smelling. Very bright and happy scent, especially good for summer or spring, but honestly, I'd wear it year-round. This works really well on my skin, the peach stays, but it becomes a bit cleaner and more linen-y. If I lost the peach, I’d be sad, but I didn’t! I want a full bottle so bad, and it's one of my boyfriend's favorites out of this whole list. Final Score: 5 / 5

Liis - Studied

This is definitely a your-skin-but-better scent. The vibe reminds me of my beloved Clean Reserve Skin. They both dry down close to the skin, with this delicate sweetness. I will say I prefer Skin over this. There is something a bit strange about the sweetness in this, like brown sugar with something that I can't put my finger on. It is nice, don't get me wrong, but I don't feel like I need a full bottle when Skin exists. Skin has a nice natural sweetness that’s still clean and delicate, as if you just smell really good naturally. It’s quite addictive—when I get whiffs of it, I’m happy and cozy. When I get whiffs of Studied, I'm like, "it's kinda nice, but what IS that strange little note?" Final Score: 3.8 / 5

Liis - Bo

I would like this more if it was a bit less incense-y. Looking at the notes on the Liis website though, it smells exactly as one would expect. Woody, smoky, and a touch of vanilla. For me, it was too much like raw wood/tobacco leaves/smoke to enjoy it on myself. It’s too "dry," for me. Final Score: 3.8 / 5

M. Micallef - Ylang in Gold

This was a disappointment. This is mostly vanilla after an hour - where are the rest of the notes listed? So many creators online were hyping the shit out of this one. This is it? This smells like banana custard with vanilla. The dry down is also mostly vanilla and nothing special. I was promised creamy, unique, exotic tropical paradise with a hint of coconut and musk at the base. My boyfriend, for example, could only smell vanilla when it dried down. It doesn't smell ethereal, luxurious, and beautiful like I hoped. Final Score: 2.5 / 5

Parfums de Marly - Delina Exclusif

Now I've smelled all Delinas. They are the porridge to my Goldilocks. The Exclusif is thick, cloying, syrupy, and unpleasant. The OG has this slight screechy tartness and is just basic and nothing special, in my opinion. Delina La Rose is light, fresher, airier, so pleasant, wearable, and super feminine. I just finished my full-size bottle a couple of months ago. One can absolutely love La Rose and dislike the others. I think I smelled the Exclusif on a woman on NYE; we were in a small space, and I felt so trapped in her bubble. Pass. Final Score: 2.5 / 5

Maison Crivelli - Hibiscus Mahajád

First I have to say - if you have this, please don't overspray. You might kill someone. This lasts so long that unless you wash it off your wrists with soap and intentionally rub - it WILL stay, and it WILL merge with your DNA. The first dab was frightening. So potent and sweet. Sharp and cloying, cough syrupy and overwhelming. The vibe really reminded me of Delina Exclusif. Unlike Delina, this one settles after about 30 minutes. Until then, you might want to self-quarantine. The vanilla and hibiscus settle, the sweetness becomes more toned down and not as cloying and syrupy. My boyfriend absolutely LOVES this (he also loves Delina Exclusif but prefers Hibiscus Mahajad between the two). For me, it's a bit much - even with the nicer dry down, it's still too sweet and potent for my personal preference, and I was tired of smelling it after a while. Final Score: 3 / 5

Memo Paris - Sintra

I bought this for all the wrong reasons—the hype, the name, and the pretty bottle. First sniff is not good, I won’t lie. It initially smells like an herbal marshmallow. This perfume isn't really my vibe, but the dry down is cute and much better than the initial sniff—it becomes a more floral, toned-down marshmallow, and is more sophisticated than LDBS. There is a bitter note in here that I dislike, which I assume is petitgrain. This entire sample order taught me that the lesser-talked-about perfumes are the ones I typically end up liking more. With Memo, I love Ilha do Mel the most so far. Final Score: 3.8 / 5

Nishane - Ani

Even if you love the notes like I do, this is NOT a safe blind buy whatsoever. Let's start with the positives—I like the ginger note. It also does smell like an expensive perfume. Now for the negatives—I do not enjoy this fragrance at all. To me, it's heavy, it's thick, even nauseating after a while, and there is something medicinal about it. The vanilla here is too much, too dense. I know I use this word a lot, but to me, it has a cloying element, and it's just too loud for me. I can see someone getting headaches from this. At some point, I really just wanted to scrub it off. Final Score: 2 / 5

Nishane - Hundred Silent Ways

It's delicate, slightly sweet but not too much. There is some fruit in this that blends in very nicely but not so specific that I can pick up what it is. It dries down more floral. The question I always ask myself is, "If I blind smelled this, would I be able to tell it's niche? Am I getting something special for the price?" I don't want to encourage someone to buy these expensive-ass bottles just for it to smell like something else they can easily find for half the price. For this one, as much as it's a lovely scent, I would not be able to tell that it's niche. It's basic. I don’t need every perfume to be super unique and groundbreaking, but I want an added something. That's why I got into niche in the first place. I think this would be a crowd-pleaser, and I think men especially would love this, so for a date, I think it's a perfect choice. I would only get a bottle if I found a great deal on this. Final Score: 3.5 / 5

Nishane - Wulong Cha

This one is a very zesty fig leaf citrus bomb at first, sharp. The tea is overpowered a bit throughout the perfume lifecycle. I wish they toned it down a bit and elevated the tea a little more—then it would be perfect and align with the name. This way, I don't really see this as a tea-centric perfume. I am still very curious about Wulong Cha X. I do really like this, though, don’t get me wrong. After about 30 minutes, it smooths out. It does have strong performance—even the sad little dabber was enough. Thé Yulong by Armani Prive is definitely in the same family, but I like it more. Wulong Cha is more zesty and tangy, while Thé Yulong is softer and fresher, an easier reach, with a slightly more prominent tea feel. Neither are very tea-centric or photorealistic, they are both more of the clean tea spa vibe. Final Score: 4.5 / 5

Ormonde Jayne - Levant

I do like this one a lot, even though it's not what I expected. I expected a bright, youthful, happy, citrus confetti party. That’s not it. It is bright, but it's more like a proper grown-up brunch at a mansion garden, where a lady in Louboutin heels and organic pearls is reminding me to sit up straight while sipping her orange mimosa. The jasmine, orange blossom, peony, and orange are all there, and I distinctly smell each one. It's more sophisticated than expected, but I love that juicy burst of citrus. Final Score: 4 / 5

Ormonde Jayne - Champaca

This one is so underwhelming. Ormonde Jayne describes the Champaca flower as creamy, elegant, and intimate, claiming this was made with notes of rice, bamboo, green tea, and neroli. It sounded so intriguing and unique, so I was disappointed that the scent itself is very typical floral 90s perfume. I mean, it's just alright—not unpleasant. It's a slightly sweet, very generic floral. Very meh. I would have loved it when I was in high school. The lasting power isn’t great either. Not worth it. Final Score: 2.5 / 5

Ormonde Jayne - Damask

The comparisons with Delina got me excited because Delina La Rosee has my heart, but I do not see similarities except that they share rose notes. This is way too rose-forward on my skin. People claim to smell blackcurrant, pear... For me, the rose is taking over everything, and I have to look really hard to detect anything else. I kept getting whiffs of it, and it wasn't pleasant—just a rose bomb. Final Score: 2 / 5

Parfums de Marly - Valaya

This went from a disappointment to a love. That’s why I never judge a perfume after one wear. I took a break from it, and then the next few wears, I suddenly loved it. I understand some people who are bothered by the "screechy note," but I don’t mind it nor find it screechy. To me, this is a similar vibe to Musk Therapy. Musk Therapy is more "fluffy" and, well, musky. I already bought a full bottle of Musk Therapy, and it’s a huge favorite for me and my boyfriend too. Same with Valaya. I guess we have a type, lol. Valaya has this beautiful brightness from the peach but is also comforting and clean. I don’t mind smelling like this year-round, in bed, brunch, picnic. It’s not boring at all. It has main character energy, but a beautiful girly, delicate main character. Final Score: 5 / 5

Perris Monte Carlo - Ylang Ylang Nosy Be

I am realizing that ylang-ylang is a challenging note for me—so far, I have only liked it in Chloe's Ylang Canaga, and even that—I am not sure is FB worthy for me since I've only smelled it on paper. These ylang-ylang perfumes easily become just a sweetened vanilla on me with a tiny hint of banana, and I don’t love that. This one is very vetiver and wood heavy, then I get vanilla and cardamom. It’s very hard to detect the ylang-ylang in here, and there is a vintage aspect I don’t like. Not a safe blind buy at all, and really not my taste. However, I think it just doesn’t work with my skin, but for someone else, it might be lovely. Final Score: 3 / 5

The Merchant of Venice - Gyokuro

So I wanted to love this as an excuse to buy the beautiful bottle. This exceeded my expectations—so underrated!! I bought a full bottle already. Even if the bottle looked like ass, I would love this. I tested it on a bunch of people, and they all absolutely loved it. I love tea perfumes, and this one has lotus, peach, neroli, sandalwood. Tea is actually not the star here but I don't care. It’s sexy and feminine, like a beautiful flawless girl next door. I could see this working all year round, and as a signature. It dries down to a cleaner, less fruity version of the initial spray. If I wear this at night, I get little whiffs, and it’s so comforting and pleasant. The performance is good on my skin—when I put it on at night, I can still smell it on my skin the next morning. Final Score: 5 / 5

Welton London - Keemun

So this is marketed as black tea, but the tea note is not as prominent as I hoped. It’s also not as fresh as I expected. It’s very well blended though, maybe that’s why I am having a hard time distinguishing individual notes, except maybe the bergamot at the top in the first 30 minutes. It’s slightly creamy almost, and sweetened, maybe because of the cacao. It’s also quite woody and a bit smoky. It’s more sophisticated than I expected and definitely cold weather appropriate. I can't really picture it for summer and spring. There is a slight anise element in here at least to my nose, which is a note I cannot stand even in the smallest dose, but I don’t think it would bother most people. I do like it, especially at the 2-3 hour mark once it settles completely, but I don’t love it. Final Score: 3.5 / 5

Xerjoff - Erba Gold

This is meant to be a zesty and citrusy perfume at least in the top notes, but it's actually an overly sweet fruit bomb. I was promised bergamot, orange, lemon, ginger, pear, green apple… so I didn't expect how cloying and sweet this is! It's very syrupy to me, and performance is nuclear unfortunately. Am I crazy, or do some Xerjoff perfumes have a bubblegum undertone? I got it with Dolce Amalfi, and I am getting it here as well. Final Score: 2 / 5

Xerjoff - Apollonia

I expected this to smell a lot more vintage and old-fashioned than it does. It's a very understated powdery musk, there is something hard and cold about it, in a good way. I love getting whiffs of this. It's delicate but lasts decently. It smells like a sterile-clean human. You know that unhinged billionaire Bryan Johnson who spends $2 million per year on his body to stay young? Takes 111 supplements a day, gets plasma transfusions from his teenage son, has an insane clean diet, has a rock-solid body, and almost scarily clean, bright, shiny skin? I imagine his natural skin scent is Apollonia, but in a feminine way. Love it! Final Score: 4.5 / 5

Xerjoff - Cruz del Sur II

To me, this is not a realistic, refreshing, creamy tropical mango smoothie. It's syrupy sweet, cloying, like mango-flavored gum. It genuinely had me questioning, do I actually want to smell like a tropical goddess if this is it? Maybe I am a cubicle girlie after all, maybe I am just meant to smell like Nivea body cream and Dove soap. But after a few hours, it got better, less sickening. However, life is too short to wait hours for a perfume to smell bearable. Final Score: 2.5 / 5