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| Darling Clandestine's Vortex promises to have you smelling like the frozen abyss |
Rarely does a new fragrance release get me this excited. I don't know if it's the concept, the shiny "pre-order" status, or the fact that I feel like I emotionally need this in my life right now, but there is been something so tantalizingly irresistible about Darling Clandestine's Vortex that seized hold of me from the moment I saw teasers posted for it on Facebook.
Just to back up for a bit, a sizable portion of the United States has been experiencing much colder temperatures and harsher winter weather than usual this year - the 2014 polar vortex. You can read more about it on Wikipedia if this tickles your inner meteorologist, but in a nutshell it's COLD!
Full size: 7.5mL chubby glass bottle for $11.00 USD
This winter is not your average winter, and Vortex is not your average "winter" fragrance. There's no evergreen, no mint, no "holiday" spice---just a vast expanse of cold, white and blue, frigid, soundless. Stark and invigorating, this fragrance is purely unisex.
I live on the northeast coast, so I have not been spared from the wrath of the polar vortex. I knew as soon as I read the description for Vortex that I needed it and promptly completed my most hasty impulse purchase to date. A winter fragrance that's not full of minty spice? In addition, it was listed at a lower price ($8) as a pre-order incentive. So not only was I being fancy by pre-ordering, but I was saving money! That's good, right?
Despite pre-ordering, I didn't receive my order until much later than I'd have hoped, and after others received theirs judging by the reviews left on Darling Clandestine's Etsy page. I suspect it was thanks to that rascally polar vortex, since harsh winter weather delayed a lot of mail carriers. So was it worth the wait?
I'm not sure how I feel about Vortex. I'm a little torn. Despite the claims that it's a "purely unisex" fragrance, I simply can't envision my boyfriend wearing this. In the bottle it smells almost fruity, with a tingle that slightly pricks at the back of your throat. After sitting on my skin for a little bit it warms up into something a smidge more powdery that reminds me of flavored club soda crossed with fabric softener sheets. I know that sounds kind of awful, but it's really not that bad. For me it's reminiscent of pulling out a long-forgotten wool sweater stored away at the bottom of a bureau - it has a particular scent that's still lingering behind and feels like it's almost become woven within the very fabric.
One thing that stands out to me is that unlike several other Darling Clandestine fragrances I've tried, Vortex is very muted. I normally apply such small amounts, but I really dabbed it on heavy this time! It's not a strong scent, but I prefer it that way because I don't think a polar vortex should have a heavy smell. This seems doubly appropriate given that one of the reasons why odors seem less intense in cold air is because molecules slow down as temperatures drop.
Duration: Since Vortex isn't some super-stinky powerhouse, I was surprised that I got a good 5-6 hours of wear. The twinkling fruitiness fades first, but the sweet powder lingers in its wake. You won't even notice it has worn off by the time it's gone (I suppose this would be a lovely spot to compare it to footprints in the snow quietly covered up by more snow) It's a pleasant "background" scent to ground your day.
Score: 3.5/5
The power of suggestion is pretty strong. Vortex is a tricky scent, it's not like you're going to apply it to your wrists, slap your knee and exlaim, "Hot diggedy, this smells just like that frozen expanse outside my backdoor!" - in fact, I wager you could probably stick another label on Vortex and call it something wholly different (I dunno, "Vanity Whisper" or something ridiculous) and no one would probably question it. But calling it by "Vortex" and associating it with cold, frozen air creates a set of expectations.
Does that mean I'm disappointed? Maybe a teeny bit, but then again the coolness factor (no pun intended) of being able to pre-order it and the claim that it's a true, frozenly cold scent sans mint all built it up in my mind. Is Vortex a bad scent? Not in the least! It's a soft yet slightly prickly scent with a faintly powdery trail that hugs closely to your skin. In fact, the closest I get to it smelling like a true, crisp chilly day is if I inhale deeply. So dab some on and breathe, it's definitely worth a try!
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| Bonus: Polar vortex-ing it up in my backyard |
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