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| One Hand Washes the Other (OHWTO) somehow manages to catch the essence of spring and summer |
If you've already checked out Part 1 of my OHWTO spring/summer 2013 collection review, you know that I'm a pretty big fan! Somehow OHWTO has managed to bottle up so many little hints of spring and summer that just thinking about my little cardboard box full of sample vials makes me feel cheerful. Part 2 looks at the rest of the samples offered in this collection:
- The Girl Who Waited
- Chrietzhaus
- Something Blue
- Paradox
- ("This Is Not For You" - not part of the seasonal collection, but a free sample tossed in)
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| The Girl Who Waited by OHWTO |
Full size: 10mL amber glass bottle w/euro dropper for $10.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD
Solid scent: 0.15oz tube for $5.50 USD
Something Blue
Crisp apples, Raw honey, Lilacs, Cedarwood, Soft leather, Vanilla cream.
Originally this was supposed to be named for and inspired by an episode of Doctor Who, but considering how long Jen waited for me to get this custom scent done for her, I think maybe it was subconsciously named after her all along. "Can I have an apple? All I can think about. APPLES. I love apples."
I'm not really sure how I feel about this fragrance. A cold whiff from the vial immediately smacks of apples. But it's almost... too apple-y, if that makes sense. Like it's trying so desperately hard to be an apple fragrance that it's overcompensating.
There's something very juicy about the apples in this fragrance, and I think having them blended with honey and lilacs almost amplifies it. It's mouth-wateringly apple! As the apple fragrance slowly subsides, it takes a back seat to a sweet, leathery scent. It's not smoky in the least. I like to imagine it as the leather satchel that was carrying all the apples - even after they're gone, the fruity fragrance lingers and mellows into the leather. It's very soft and sweet without overdoing it. Towards the end, The Girl Who Waited is left with just a lingering whisper of apples and vanilla. The leather gets a little strange at the very end and smells a little off to me, but it's still a very pleasant fragrance.
Duration:
This fragrance has great mileage! Even though the initial SUPER JUICE APPLE WHOA fades off after about an hour or so, it never completely vanishes. The leathery vanilla fragrance creeps in subtly, so you don't really notice it happening. By the end of the day I could still pick this up on my wrists, although I'm not sure if I like the way this finishes with the leather.
Score: 4/5
I like it! I've worn it a few times already, and I've enjoyed it each time. This isn't the kind of fragrance I'd reach for all the time though; I really have to be in the right mood for it. The apples are not tart or zingy though (no Macintosh apples here!) which I think would really cinch this for me if they were. When I first read the description of this fragrance, I was a little skeptical because I usually equate apples with autumn, but don't let that confuse you. This totally can work for spring or summer. Give it a shot!
Duration:
This fragrance has great mileage! Even though the initial SUPER JUICE APPLE WHOA fades off after about an hour or so, it never completely vanishes. The leathery vanilla fragrance creeps in subtly, so you don't really notice it happening. By the end of the day I could still pick this up on my wrists, although I'm not sure if I like the way this finishes with the leather.
Score: 4/5
I like it! I've worn it a few times already, and I've enjoyed it each time. This isn't the kind of fragrance I'd reach for all the time though; I really have to be in the right mood for it. The apples are not tart or zingy though (no Macintosh apples here!) which I think would really cinch this for me if they were. When I first read the description of this fragrance, I was a little skeptical because I usually equate apples with autumn, but don't let that confuse you. This totally can work for spring or summer. Give it a shot!
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| Chrietzhaus by OHWTO in various forms |
Chrietzhaus
Full size: 10mL amber glass bottle w/euro dropper for $10.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD
Solid scent: 0.15oz tube for $5.50 USDSnayk Oyl: 2oz spray bottle for $8 USD, 4oz for $15 USD
Autumn leaves, Cedar, Oud, Leather, Ambergris, Civet, Bergamot, Orange, Black Pepper, Sandalwood, Teakwood, Patchouli, Vetiver, Fir, Oakmoss, and surprisingly there's some Neroli and Tuberose in there, to boot.
This wonderful beast of a scent is one of those "manly" scents I have a feeling a lot of the ladies are going to enjoy. This spicy, woody, gorgeous fragrance brings to mind a glorious old Moldavian castle, set high up on the side of a mountain, nestled in between ancient pines, perched high up above the rest of the world below.
I have a bit of a problem. Actually, it's more of an obsession, and that obsession's name is Chrietzhaus. Oh my goodness. My initial reason for exploring indie fragrances is because I'm in an LDR, and my boyfriend and I both were hoping to find scents that we could enjoy in the other's absence. While there have been several masculine fragrances I've come across and thoroughly enjoyed, nothing comes remotely close to the God-like powers of Chrietzhaus. I could write paragraphs about how attractive I find this fragrance on my boyfriend and how much I want to douse him in it. I'm desperately hoping it will become part of OHWTO's general rotation (and as you can see, I bought a lot).
Chrietzhaus is a masterful blend of breezy greens, spices and woods. It's so masterful that I really can't pick out any one note upon smelling it. It smells fresh and clean but not in a soapy or oceanic way. The sandalwood lends a little bit of warmth, while what I assume to be the oakmoss keeps things cool. They both seem to work together with all the other ingredients in a very harmonious way. I really am struggling to find a way to articulate just how fabulous this smells because there's so much going on all at once that just works so perfectly together. Sometimes I get nervous with spicy fragrances, especially patchouli, because they give me a burning sensation in my throat, but there's none of that here whatsoever.
The other thing I kind of liked about Chrietzhaus was that it didn't really morph or change at all (except softening and becoming lighter and fainter as the day progresses). Don't get me wrong! I really enjoy when a fragrance embarks on a magical journey while chilling out on my skin, but having this scent stay steadfast and true the whole time was very comforting. What you see (smell?) is what you get!
Does it smell like a glorious, mountainside Moldovian castle? I have no clue, and I kind of don't care, just sign me up!
Duration:
I wish I could say Chrietzhaus lasted all day long on my boyfriend, but sadly it did not. By mid-afternoon it was mostly gone. However, when I've applied it on myself it clings for dear life. Even a small application of oil on my fingertips from trying to open the sample vial stayed on for hours! I think this might just be one of those 'your mileage may vary' fragrances in terms of duration.
Score: 10/5
Okay, that's a bit dramatic, but I really, really do love this fragrance. It's in a whole league of its own. It's classy, fresh, clean, green, spicy, a little bit musky and sexy. It's appropriate for any season or occasion and doesn't pigeonhole itself into any specific category. While I think you could definitely get away with wearing this fragrance as a lady, I really do feel it errs on the masculine side. I'm crossing my fingers that this won't be some kind of limited-once-and-never-again fragrance from OHWTO! (Pretty, pretty please?!)
Chrietzhaus is a masterful blend of breezy greens, spices and woods. It's so masterful that I really can't pick out any one note upon smelling it. It smells fresh and clean but not in a soapy or oceanic way. The sandalwood lends a little bit of warmth, while what I assume to be the oakmoss keeps things cool. They both seem to work together with all the other ingredients in a very harmonious way. I really am struggling to find a way to articulate just how fabulous this smells because there's so much going on all at once that just works so perfectly together. Sometimes I get nervous with spicy fragrances, especially patchouli, because they give me a burning sensation in my throat, but there's none of that here whatsoever.
The other thing I kind of liked about Chrietzhaus was that it didn't really morph or change at all (except softening and becoming lighter and fainter as the day progresses). Don't get me wrong! I really enjoy when a fragrance embarks on a magical journey while chilling out on my skin, but having this scent stay steadfast and true the whole time was very comforting. What you see (smell?) is what you get!
Does it smell like a glorious, mountainside Moldovian castle? I have no clue, and I kind of don't care, just sign me up!
Duration:
I wish I could say Chrietzhaus lasted all day long on my boyfriend, but sadly it did not. By mid-afternoon it was mostly gone. However, when I've applied it on myself it clings for dear life. Even a small application of oil on my fingertips from trying to open the sample vial stayed on for hours! I think this might just be one of those 'your mileage may vary' fragrances in terms of duration.
Score: 10/5
Okay, that's a bit dramatic, but I really, really do love this fragrance. It's in a whole league of its own. It's classy, fresh, clean, green, spicy, a little bit musky and sexy. It's appropriate for any season or occasion and doesn't pigeonhole itself into any specific category. While I think you could definitely get away with wearing this fragrance as a lady, I really do feel it errs on the masculine side. I'm crossing my fingers that this won't be some kind of limited-once-and-never-again fragrance from OHWTO! (Pretty, pretty please?!)
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| Something Blue by OHWTO |
Full size: 10mL amber glass bottle w/euro dropper for $10.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD
Solid scent: 0.15oz tube for $5.50 USD
Bluebells, Jasmine, Ylang, Sandalwood, and Baby's Breath. Violets, Coconut, Coconut Milk, Madagascar Vanilla, Labdanum, Sandalwood, and gentle touches of Lavender, Valerian root, and White musk.
A simple-but-stunning feminine blend perfect for warm Spring afternoons or romantic summer weddings.
Have you heard of Anne Geddes? Maybe you don't know her name, but I bet you've probably run across her work before. She's most well-known for her flower babies series ("Down in the Garden" as so titled).
Something Blue is what I imagine an Anne Geddes flower baby photo to smell like: a snuggly, clean baby surrounded by fresh, clean flowers (stinky diapers not included). I've tried several floral fragrances, but one thing that strikes me about OHWTO's Something Blue is how weightless and fresh it is.
I have a confession to make: I have no idea what bluebells smell like. I actually had to stop in the middle of writing this and see if they actually grow in my zone (it looks like they can) because it dawned on me that I've never actually seen a bluebell.
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| Now you can smell like this! |
Despite that, it's not like Something Blue is a strange, foreign scent to me (nor do I imagine for anyone else it'd be bizarre and unusual). It's very soft and comforting. The baby's breath is more prominent on my skin in the beginning, and then as it wears on the fresh, sweet flowers mingle together in a powdery way. However, it never grows "heavy" - I find some fragrances cling and stick to your skin as they dry down, but Something Blue is always light.
Duration: After a full day of sunscreen, shopping, and a shower, I still could detect a bit of Something Blue on my wrists. It hugs very closely throughout the entire wear, so even though it's lightweight, it doesn't travel very far. While it's not a heavy, potent fragrance, it has staying power.
Score: 4/5
I really liked this. I'm actually leaning towards a 5/5, but something is holding me back... I think it's not knowing what bluebells smell like. How true-to-life is this fragrance? I don't know!! I'm very impressed with how airy and delicate OHWTO has made Something Blue, and it never, ever runs the risk of being an Old Lady Flower Scent (TM). Even though it reminds me of Anne Geddes's flower babies, it's not a baby powder scent by any means either. I highly recommend checking out this gentle, clean scent!
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| Paradox by OHWTO |
Paradox
Full size: 10mL amber glass bottle w/euro dropper for $10.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD
Solid scent: 0.15oz tube for $5.50 USD
Violets, Coconut, Coconut Milk, Madagascar Vanilla, Labdanum, Sandalwood, and gentle touches of Lavender, Valerian root, and White musk.
A curiously impossible blend of violets, coconut, and more, this intriguing scent will keep you sniffing your wrists for hours. It's food-y, but yet, it's flowery, but it's not, but it is. Or is it?
Oh man is this an accurately-named fragrance. I really don't know what to think about this or how to write about it. I thought I had it all figured out in the beginning. See, my sister wanted to wear this first before I got my hands on it, and while she was wearing it I really enjoyed it! It was just as they said, I kept sniffing her wrists for hours (although I imagine she wasn't too pleased about that). However, when it was my turn to wear this... it didn't smell as nice on me for some reason.
Paradox is kind of a salty sweet floral. I think that's the only way I can accurately describe it. There's a savory element to it. In my imagination I attribute this to the coconut milk, but this is a paradox so who knows. It's more floral and sweet when first starting out, but as times goes on it seems to become a bit more savory... gah, I really don't know how else to explain this!
However, as paradoxical as Paradox is, the whole time it felt oddly familiar to me in a weird way. It took me a few wears to really figure it out: it smells like a floral-scented playdough. (Humorously enough, there actually is a play-doh cologne in existence.)
Duration:
Despite the bizarre blend of fragrances, Paradox has decent staying power. I applied a bit around 7am and could still detect it on my wrists, albeit faintly, by 4PM. But towards the end it seems more savory than sweet.
Score: 2/5
I'm seriously not trying to play up the whole "Hur hur, the name is paradox and it's suuuuch a paradox!" thing, but really. This fragrance is pretty confusing. While it smelled pretty nice on my sister, it didn't transition over too well on me, and it ended up smelling weird and kind of unpleasant on me. It wasn't so bad that I felt compelled to rush off and wash my wrists, but I'm not keen enough on it to wear it again (and I've tried it several times hoping maybe it'd grow on me).
This Is Not For You
Paradox is kind of a salty sweet floral. I think that's the only way I can accurately describe it. There's a savory element to it. In my imagination I attribute this to the coconut milk, but this is a paradox so who knows. It's more floral and sweet when first starting out, but as times goes on it seems to become a bit more savory... gah, I really don't know how else to explain this!
However, as paradoxical as Paradox is, the whole time it felt oddly familiar to me in a weird way. It took me a few wears to really figure it out: it smells like a floral-scented playdough. (Humorously enough, there actually is a play-doh cologne in existence.)
Duration:
Despite the bizarre blend of fragrances, Paradox has decent staying power. I applied a bit around 7am and could still detect it on my wrists, albeit faintly, by 4PM. But towards the end it seems more savory than sweet.
Score: 2/5
I'm seriously not trying to play up the whole "Hur hur, the name is paradox and it's suuuuch a paradox!" thing, but really. This fragrance is pretty confusing. While it smelled pretty nice on my sister, it didn't transition over too well on me, and it ended up smelling weird and kind of unpleasant on me. It wasn't so bad that I felt compelled to rush off and wash my wrists, but I'm not keen enough on it to wear it again (and I've tried it several times hoping maybe it'd grow on me).
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| This Is Not For You by OHWTO |
Full size: 10mL amber glass bottle w/euro dropper for $10.00 USD
Sample vial: $2.50 USD
Solid scent: 0.15oz tube for $5.50 USD
Vanilla, Sandalwood, Sugar and Cedar, with hints of Myrrh, Amber, and Amyris.
Like a favorite sweater, warm and cozy and always the perfect fit, this fragrance is something I made just for me. Not for you. But I can't keep one this all to myself- that wouldn't be fair.
Okay, so this isn't part of the Spring/Summer 2013 collection, but it was tossed in as a free sample so I might as well take a look!
I kind of feel like vanilla + sandalwood fragrances are a dime a dozen, but they're kind of like an oldie but goodie. This kicks things up a notch with the cedar, myrrh, amber and amyris. There's almost a warm, buttery (but not in a foodie way) feeling to this. If you're familiar with the Harry Potter series, this is kind of what I'd imagine a fragrance inspired by the beverage "Butter Beer" to smell like. It's warm, but not in a spicy way. It's not a wildly complicated scent at all, but rather comforting in a familiar way.
Duration:
For me, vanilla + sandalwood combinations have crazy duration on my skin. They last a long time, even past a shower in some cases. This Is Not For You wasn't quite so intense, but it was still pleasantly robust. It actually softened up considerably after a few hours, and the sandalwood and cedar are nicely complimented by the amber so that they never really compete too much with the vanilla.
Score: 3.5/5
It's pleasant and comforting, but not incredibly unique either. It's still very enjoyable though, and if sandalwood and vanilla blends are your jam, then definitely check this out! For me, since it's so similar to many other fragrances I've tried, I usually don't find myself reaching for it, even though I liked it.
I kind of feel like vanilla + sandalwood fragrances are a dime a dozen, but they're kind of like an oldie but goodie. This kicks things up a notch with the cedar, myrrh, amber and amyris. There's almost a warm, buttery (but not in a foodie way) feeling to this. If you're familiar with the Harry Potter series, this is kind of what I'd imagine a fragrance inspired by the beverage "Butter Beer" to smell like. It's warm, but not in a spicy way. It's not a wildly complicated scent at all, but rather comforting in a familiar way.
Duration:
For me, vanilla + sandalwood combinations have crazy duration on my skin. They last a long time, even past a shower in some cases. This Is Not For You wasn't quite so intense, but it was still pleasantly robust. It actually softened up considerably after a few hours, and the sandalwood and cedar are nicely complimented by the amber so that they never really compete too much with the vanilla.
Score: 3.5/5
It's pleasant and comforting, but not incredibly unique either. It's still very enjoyable though, and if sandalwood and vanilla blends are your jam, then definitely check this out! For me, since it's so similar to many other fragrances I've tried, I usually don't find myself reaching for it, even though I liked it.
Final Roundup
Spring/Summer 2013 Collection count:
- 8 sample vials
- 1 free sample (unrelated to the collection)
Price:
- $19.00 for the full collection
- $2.30 per sample (a little less than the $2.50 price per individual vial)
Worth it?
Yes, definitely! This really is a fantastic and nicely balanced spring/summer collection, even though it errs a bit on the summery side. There are some real gems that I positively love (Chrietzhaus!!) and some I am strongly considering purchasing full sizes (Something Blue). There's not much in the way of heavy, masculine or smoky fragrances in this collection, but I wouldn't say it's wholly feminine either. I really feel there's a broad enough variety in this collection to at the very least pique your interest if not win over your heart.
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