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| Haus of Gloi's spring perfumes are full of variety! |
- Honeybelle
- Lassi
- Maedwe
- Milkmaid
- Ploughman
- Ruth
- Selkie
- Splendiferous
- Tonic #4
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| Honeybelle from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
A blooming orange orchard, orange blossom honey, soft white tea and creamy white amber.
It took me several tries to get my hands on Honeybelle because everything sold out lightning fast for this year's spring lineup. Luckily the rush has finally subsided and I managed to snag a sample vial. It's no small wonder Honeybelle sold out the fastest. Doesn't it sound so dainty and feminine? How could I say no?
I haven't the faintest idea what an orange orchard smells like having never been to one. However, I use orange blossom honey all the time and drink white tea even more often than that, so Honeybelle was high up on my "to buy" list!
Honeybelle is one of those beautiful, gentle understated fragrances that sort of mimic a "fresh out of the shower" clean skin scent. It opens with a fresh, bitter green breeze that quickly settles down into a creamy white musk with just a tinge of honeyed sweetness. It reminds me of Pharaoh from Solstice Scents, but with a lighter, less cloying honey note. I know some people find the honey notes from Haus of Gloi to be unappealing, but I don't notice anything funky on my skin. Don't be misled - this is not a zingy citrus ("orange groves") or a sugary sweet scent (honey). It's like soft, clean skin. This is what I'd want to smell like during a cuddle session with my boyfriend after a long exhausting day. It's clean, but not squeaky-soapy clean.
Duration: If you have the sort of skin that just seems to gobble up lighter scents, you might want to be a bit heavy-handed with your application of Honeybelle, as it's a soft and delicate perfume. It clings closely to the skin and is not something you'll catch wafting around in the room after you've left. I'm juuuust emerging from the winter gloves weather (I know, it's April but New England is strange) and many times I can tell how potent a scent is if I can still pick it up on the cuffs of my gloves. But Honeybelle is like a gracious houseguest - quietly dropping by, turning the lights off when she's done, and not making a peep as she leaves.
Score: 4/5
I really like Honeybelle. It pleasantly surprised me, as I was expecting a sweet, florally citrus. What do I know, huh? It's beautiful and delicate, and some days I'm just in the mood for something that's light and soft, a scent that's more suggestive than anything. However, it's a wee bit too light - I'd have liked it to be just a hint more potent because it doesn't last very long at all.
I haven't the faintest idea what an orange orchard smells like having never been to one. However, I use orange blossom honey all the time and drink white tea even more often than that, so Honeybelle was high up on my "to buy" list!
Honeybelle is one of those beautiful, gentle understated fragrances that sort of mimic a "fresh out of the shower" clean skin scent. It opens with a fresh, bitter green breeze that quickly settles down into a creamy white musk with just a tinge of honeyed sweetness. It reminds me of Pharaoh from Solstice Scents, but with a lighter, less cloying honey note. I know some people find the honey notes from Haus of Gloi to be unappealing, but I don't notice anything funky on my skin. Don't be misled - this is not a zingy citrus ("orange groves") or a sugary sweet scent (honey). It's like soft, clean skin. This is what I'd want to smell like during a cuddle session with my boyfriend after a long exhausting day. It's clean, but not squeaky-soapy clean.
Duration: If you have the sort of skin that just seems to gobble up lighter scents, you might want to be a bit heavy-handed with your application of Honeybelle, as it's a soft and delicate perfume. It clings closely to the skin and is not something you'll catch wafting around in the room after you've left. I'm juuuust emerging from the winter gloves weather (I know, it's April but New England is strange) and many times I can tell how potent a scent is if I can still pick it up on the cuffs of my gloves. But Honeybelle is like a gracious houseguest - quietly dropping by, turning the lights off when she's done, and not making a peep as she leaves.
Score: 4/5
I really like Honeybelle. It pleasantly surprised me, as I was expecting a sweet, florally citrus. What do I know, huh? It's beautiful and delicate, and some days I'm just in the mood for something that's light and soft, a scent that's more suggestive than anything. However, it's a wee bit too light - I'd have liked it to be just a hint more potent because it doesn't last very long at all.
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| Lassi from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
Cool, fresh mango cream, Tunisian orange blossom absolute, black ginger to ground, splash of green tea and a soft squeeze of lime juice.
Mango lassi is my absolute favorite beverage when I'm out getting Indian food. Smooth, cool and creamy, it's also very rich and heavy which doesn't pair too well with other dishes. Although my sample of Lassi was from last year's spring release, it's essentially the same as this year's Lassi.
A cold sniff from the vial left me kind of confused. I've smelled this before, I just don't know where - and it certainly isn't mango lassi. There's sort of something mango-y, and I definitely can pick up on the orangey/lime notes. It's sort of fruity with a bit of a bite to it.
Honestly, what this reminds me of most of all are Swedish Fish candies. I just can't get away from that comparison! They really do smell similar. They both have that "sort of fruit but not really" sweetness with a bit of a tangy twist. I find it a bit humorous that the "soft squeeze" of lime in my vial seems a bit more generous, and I don't pick up any sort of green tea at all!
Duration: Lassi doesn't have super strong silage, but it also doesn't hug as closely as Honeybelle. It doesn't really morph too much either, although the "cool, fresh mango cream" elements don't seem to hang around very long.
Score: 3/5
I'm not in love with Lassi, but I don't hate it either. On its own it's perfectly fine, but it doesn't seem to really fit the description whatsoever. Instead of cool and creamy mango with ginger I'm stuck with prickly lime-ish Swedish Fish. That's not bad, but it just isn't a mango lassi to me!
A cold sniff from the vial left me kind of confused. I've smelled this before, I just don't know where - and it certainly isn't mango lassi. There's sort of something mango-y, and I definitely can pick up on the orangey/lime notes. It's sort of fruity with a bit of a bite to it.
Honestly, what this reminds me of most of all are Swedish Fish candies. I just can't get away from that comparison! They really do smell similar. They both have that "sort of fruit but not really" sweetness with a bit of a tangy twist. I find it a bit humorous that the "soft squeeze" of lime in my vial seems a bit more generous, and I don't pick up any sort of green tea at all!
Duration: Lassi doesn't have super strong silage, but it also doesn't hug as closely as Honeybelle. It doesn't really morph too much either, although the "cool, fresh mango cream" elements don't seem to hang around very long.
Score: 3/5
I'm not in love with Lassi, but I don't hate it either. On its own it's perfectly fine, but it doesn't seem to really fit the description whatsoever. Instead of cool and creamy mango with ginger I'm stuck with prickly lime-ish Swedish Fish. That's not bad, but it just isn't a mango lassi to me!
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| Maedwe from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
Pesky dandelions, red clover patches, creeping sweetpea blooms and the dense afternoon haze of blossoming fruit trees.
Along with Lassi, Maedwe is a scent that's been kicking around the Haus a long time (since 2009ish). However, when the Spring 2014 collection went live, there was only a limited amount of Maedwe, and it was only in full size 5mL bottle, similar to Saft Ernte in the Autumn 2013 collection. I actually had a really difficult time getting my hands on this year's spring scents because twice I had items sell out between when they were added to my cart and when I went to check out! Maedwe went really fast, despite being a full sized bottle! I was pretty bummed - I felt like I was missing out on a little piece of Haus history!
But I got really, really lucky, and this is just another anecdote in the mountain of awesome customer service stories surrounding Haus of Gloi. I shot them a quick email asking if Maedwe would ever come back in stock and received a prompt reply:
Maedwe has that same warm, sun-kissed grass quality that's present in OHWTO's Dandelion Wine, but it's a smidge more soapy and floral and less like grassy hay. I used to love picking red clover when I was little (and when I was smaller I may or may not have attempted to eat it a few times, thanks Bambi for being a poor influence), and I do smell the resemblance
Duration: Maedwe is no powerhouse - by lunchtime I was having a tricky time smelling it anymore. It also hugs closely, so I really had to press my nose closely to notice it.
Score: 3/5
I really like Maedwe, and I think it's a lovely scent. However, I don't think it does as good a job emulating the field of dandelions and clovers quite as nicely as OHWTO's Dandelion Wine does. I also am not too fond of how it turns soapy towards the end. It's lovely for sure, but if you weren't able to snag one of the very few bottles that went up when the Spring 2014 collection launched, don't fret too much.
But I got really, really lucky, and this is just another anecdote in the mountain of awesome customer service stories surrounding Haus of Gloi. I shot them a quick email asking if Maedwe would ever come back in stock and received a prompt reply:
Unfortunately we are sold out of Maedwe – due to supplier issues we are unable to restock. I do have one sample vial’s worth left – I’d be happy to add it as the freebie on your next order.Does this mean Maedwe is never coming back? I have no clue, but I was shocked they put aside a sample just for me! And I'm infinitely grateful because Maedwe truly is a lovely fragrance.
Maedwe has that same warm, sun-kissed grass quality that's present in OHWTO's Dandelion Wine, but it's a smidge more soapy and floral and less like grassy hay. I used to love picking red clover when I was little (and when I was smaller I may or may not have attempted to eat it a few times, thanks Bambi for being a poor influence), and I do smell the resemblance
Duration: Maedwe is no powerhouse - by lunchtime I was having a tricky time smelling it anymore. It also hugs closely, so I really had to press my nose closely to notice it.
Score: 3/5
I really like Maedwe, and I think it's a lovely scent. However, I don't think it does as good a job emulating the field of dandelions and clovers quite as nicely as OHWTO's Dandelion Wine does. I also am not too fond of how it turns soapy towards the end. It's lovely for sure, but if you weren't able to snag one of the very few bottles that went up when the Spring 2014 collection launched, don't fret too much.
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| Milkmaid from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
Flushed, but demure. Fresh milk, clean linens, pale musk and pink sweet pea blossom.
Although my sample vial is from last year's spring collection, it smells exactly the same as it did then, and I'm rather fond of Milkmaid. It was one of the very first scents from Haus of Gloi I ordered. And why would I ever pass on it? That description sounds like the sort of thing I'd want to smell like on a nice spring day!
At some point in time I received a single note sample vial from Haus of Gloi for "sweet cream" - I wasn't a huge fan of it, but suddenly so many other scents from them made so much more sense (scents? har har). On initial application Milkmaid is heavy with the sweet cream note. It's actually almost sour on my skin. Luckily, it smooths itself out within about 10 minutes and morphs into something far softer and powdery. I know Milkmaid is supposed to be all fresh-youthful-innocent, but frankly I find Milkmaid to be Odette's slightly sultrier older sister. They both have a similar creaminess, but Odette is an airier, greener clean scent and Milkmaid has a milky sweetness.
Duration:
Milkmaid is a nice, long-lasting scent. All last spring I used it as my "nighttime" fragrance, dabbing a bit on after my nightly shower. I'd still smell some on my pillow and wrists when I woke up the next morning!
Score: 4.5/5
I'm very fond of Milkmaid. When I spilled my first sample vial, AG was kind enough to swap with me and send a second! But I'm not quite fond enough to spring for a full size. It's soft and feminine, but just a bit too hazy and heavy for me to consider wearing all the time. I also wish it didn't start out so sour - I know for some people that sourness doesn't really taper off either so be wary if you struggle with milky scents!
At some point in time I received a single note sample vial from Haus of Gloi for "sweet cream" - I wasn't a huge fan of it, but suddenly so many other scents from them made so much more sense (scents? har har). On initial application Milkmaid is heavy with the sweet cream note. It's actually almost sour on my skin. Luckily, it smooths itself out within about 10 minutes and morphs into something far softer and powdery. I know Milkmaid is supposed to be all fresh-youthful-innocent, but frankly I find Milkmaid to be Odette's slightly sultrier older sister. They both have a similar creaminess, but Odette is an airier, greener clean scent and Milkmaid has a milky sweetness.
Duration:
Milkmaid is a nice, long-lasting scent. All last spring I used it as my "nighttime" fragrance, dabbing a bit on after my nightly shower. I'd still smell some on my pillow and wrists when I woke up the next morning!
Score: 4.5/5
I'm very fond of Milkmaid. When I spilled my first sample vial, AG was kind enough to swap with me and send a second! But I'm not quite fond enough to spring for a full size. It's soft and feminine, but just a bit too hazy and heavy for me to consider wearing all the time. I also wish it didn't start out so sour - I know for some people that sourness doesn't really taper off either so be wary if you struggle with milky scents!
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| Ploughman from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
Well worn leather, dirt n' dandelions, carrot, a pinch of tobacco and a light sheen of feral skin musk.
Can I be really silly for a moment?
So when I first read the description for Ploughman, I had a healthy giggle. Between the leather, the "pinch" of tobacco, and the "feral musk" (whatever in the world is that?), my mind was conjuring visions of some sort of dandy farmhand depicted on the cover of a shlocky harlequin romance novel. You know the sort - for some reason they're at the supermarket checkout, and they all have nonsense titles like "THE ASTRONAUT'S BABY" and "THE COWBOY'S SECRET" (oh my gosh I think this actually is a real book), and of course there's a gentleman sporting rippling pecs, plagued with an unfortunate allergy to wearing shirts. (Disclaimer: I don't read harlequin novels, nor do I judge anyone who does!)
"Maybe I can get my boyfriend to try this on when he visits."
"But... then I'd have to wait a month for him to get here. I want to know what it smells like now."
"Well I certainly can't go testing it on my DAD...ew."
So one thing led to another (isn't that how it always goes in those harlequin romances too?) and I was trying out Ploughman for myself (tee hee). Which then eventually led to my purchasing a full-sized bottle. For myself.
Backtracking for a bit:
Ploughman is marvelously unisex. And who says smelling like hard work and dirt isn't for girls? This is Samhain's wet, cooler cousin. It kind of has a funny twinge initially - I think the leather is a smidge dominating for the first ten minutes before it settles in and figures out what to do. But once it's comfy being in the background, things get really good. This is what damp, spring soil smells like. That first chance you get once the ground is starting to thaw, and you've got a lot of work ahead of you. The best thing about Ploughman is that it's not a dirty dirt scent. It's more earthy than dirty, which... somehow makes it smell clean in a way because it's not cluttered with anything extra.
Duration:
Ploughman has about 5-6 solid hours of "cool damp soil" before slightly warming up a bit, bringing the early leather notes forward. I suppose after 5-6 hours working in the garden, I'd be warmed up too! It clings closely, so while someone might pick it up on you when they get all close and cuddly, it's not really going to waft around.
Score: 5/5 (I bought a full size!)
What I love about Ploughman is its authenticity. Sometimes I really miss being outside and getting my hands dirty in the garden, and I forget what it's like now that I spend so much time in a cubicle. I love how it's a versatile, unisex scent, and it fits a mood moreso than just a season. I highly recommend it.
So when I first read the description for Ploughman, I had a healthy giggle. Between the leather, the "pinch" of tobacco, and the "feral musk" (whatever in the world is that?), my mind was conjuring visions of some sort of dandy farmhand depicted on the cover of a shlocky harlequin romance novel. You know the sort - for some reason they're at the supermarket checkout, and they all have nonsense titles like "THE ASTRONAUT'S BABY" and "THE COWBOY'S SECRET" (oh my gosh I think this actually is a real book), and of course there's a gentleman sporting rippling pecs, plagued with an unfortunate allergy to wearing shirts. (Disclaimer: I don't read harlequin novels, nor do I judge anyone who does!)
"Maybe I can get my boyfriend to try this on when he visits."
"But... then I'd have to wait a month for him to get here. I want to know what it smells like now."
"Well I certainly can't go testing it on my DAD...ew."
So one thing led to another (isn't that how it always goes in those harlequin romances too?) and I was trying out Ploughman for myself (tee hee). Which then eventually led to my purchasing a full-sized bottle. For myself.
Backtracking for a bit:
Ploughman is marvelously unisex. And who says smelling like hard work and dirt isn't for girls? This is Samhain's wet, cooler cousin. It kind of has a funny twinge initially - I think the leather is a smidge dominating for the first ten minutes before it settles in and figures out what to do. But once it's comfy being in the background, things get really good. This is what damp, spring soil smells like. That first chance you get once the ground is starting to thaw, and you've got a lot of work ahead of you. The best thing about Ploughman is that it's not a dirty dirt scent. It's more earthy than dirty, which... somehow makes it smell clean in a way because it's not cluttered with anything extra.
Duration:
Ploughman has about 5-6 solid hours of "cool damp soil" before slightly warming up a bit, bringing the early leather notes forward. I suppose after 5-6 hours working in the garden, I'd be warmed up too! It clings closely, so while someone might pick it up on you when they get all close and cuddly, it's not really going to waft around.
Score: 5/5 (I bought a full size!)
What I love about Ploughman is its authenticity. Sometimes I really miss being outside and getting my hands dirty in the garden, and I forget what it's like now that I spend so much time in a cubicle. I love how it's a versatile, unisex scent, and it fits a mood moreso than just a season. I highly recommend it.
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| Ruth from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
Fresh strawberry, green patchouli, rose geranium and crushed violet leaf.
Ruth and I have a very strained relationship. I suppose it was destined to be a disaster from the very beginning. First of all, my only knowledge of patchouli was "something that smells like hippies" and "I think there's an anime character with that name." Followed by, "aren't hippies supposed to smell bad?" Then, I saw strawberry on the list and thought, "OH THIS IS PERFECT." And that's about all the thought that went into selecting Ruth.
Confession time: This vial of Ruth was purchased last year. I tried to wear it last year too, multiple times. And each time I wore it, my mother refused to be in the same room as me. She said that it smelled "vile" and she felt like she was going to be sick.
Sometimes when you leave a fragrance to sit for a while, strange things happen. Maybe it's a placebo effect, where your memory of the scent has changed so you think the actual perfume itself is different. Or maybe ingredients settle and it really truly isn't quite the same. Part of me hoped for the latter with Ruth so that I'd finally be able to properly try it.
Spoiler alert: Haus of Gloi does a marvelous job with their blends, and my sample vial of "aged 1 year" Ruth perfume is pretty much identical to when it was brand new. So I wound up trying it on at work and secretly hoping everyone else was too busy to notice that I smelled like my mother's worst olfactory nightmare ever.
Ruth starts off smelling like strawberry incense. If you like incense and you're used to it, this is probably isn't a bad thing. But if you aren't used to incense, Ruth is disorienting. I can pinpoint the strawberries, but it's like they're being smothered in something else, maybe these strawberries grew up in a rough neighborhood or they have a tragic backstory, but they're not classic, dew-kissed strawberries sparkling on a sunny porch. These strawberries have been lounging in their mom's basement, getting all moldy and gross while avoiding looking for a job. They're nose-wrinklingly bad.
So just as a reminder, I still don't properly know what patchouli is or what it smells like, so perhaps there's some level of transcendent inner peace that is achieved while smelling like a musty strawberry that I'm not privy to. But whatever it is, I'm not hip enough to pick up on it. The juicy notes evaporate within an hour or so, but what's left behind is green - not fresh, sharp green, rather a wilty, "I can't believe I left this sitting at the back of my refrigerator" green.
Duration: It's funny how the scents we like the least also tend to be the ones who overstay their welcome. Ruth has seeped into the cuffs of my coat sleeves, and I still smell it two days later. If only it could take a note from Honeybelle and be a bit more considerate!
Score: 0/5
If you hadn't guessed, Ruth isn't for me. If you are a die-hard strawberry fan with a proper appreciation for patchoul, obviously this is your thing and you need to check it out. Or if you're that one person in the office who experiences a thrilling adrenaline rush while cleaning the company fridge, unearthing moldy mysteries like an archaeologist on a dig, and you want to re-experience your glory days, this might be for you too.
Confession time: This vial of Ruth was purchased last year. I tried to wear it last year too, multiple times. And each time I wore it, my mother refused to be in the same room as me. She said that it smelled "vile" and she felt like she was going to be sick.
Sometimes when you leave a fragrance to sit for a while, strange things happen. Maybe it's a placebo effect, where your memory of the scent has changed so you think the actual perfume itself is different. Or maybe ingredients settle and it really truly isn't quite the same. Part of me hoped for the latter with Ruth so that I'd finally be able to properly try it.
Spoiler alert: Haus of Gloi does a marvelous job with their blends, and my sample vial of "aged 1 year" Ruth perfume is pretty much identical to when it was brand new. So I wound up trying it on at work and secretly hoping everyone else was too busy to notice that I smelled like my mother's worst olfactory nightmare ever.
Ruth starts off smelling like strawberry incense. If you like incense and you're used to it, this is probably isn't a bad thing. But if you aren't used to incense, Ruth is disorienting. I can pinpoint the strawberries, but it's like they're being smothered in something else, maybe these strawberries grew up in a rough neighborhood or they have a tragic backstory, but they're not classic, dew-kissed strawberries sparkling on a sunny porch. These strawberries have been lounging in their mom's basement, getting all moldy and gross while avoiding looking for a job. They're nose-wrinklingly bad.
So just as a reminder, I still don't properly know what patchouli is or what it smells like, so perhaps there's some level of transcendent inner peace that is achieved while smelling like a musty strawberry that I'm not privy to. But whatever it is, I'm not hip enough to pick up on it. The juicy notes evaporate within an hour or so, but what's left behind is green - not fresh, sharp green, rather a wilty, "I can't believe I left this sitting at the back of my refrigerator" green.
Duration: It's funny how the scents we like the least also tend to be the ones who overstay their welcome. Ruth has seeped into the cuffs of my coat sleeves, and I still smell it two days later. If only it could take a note from Honeybelle and be a bit more considerate!
Score: 0/5
If you hadn't guessed, Ruth isn't for me. If you are a die-hard strawberry fan with a proper appreciation for patchoul, obviously this is your thing and you need to check it out. Or if you're that one person in the office who experiences a thrilling adrenaline rush while cleaning the company fridge, unearthing moldy mysteries like an archaeologist on a dig, and you want to re-experience your glory days, this might be for you too.
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| Selkie from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
The break of waves, gurgling sea foam, kelp, rain tinged air, sand smoothed driftwood and wild sage.
Selkie is an old fan favorite that has been around for ages. A selkie refers to those wily ladies in Irish/Scottish lore who were actually seals and would shed their seal skin to become humans and party it up on land. But don't worry, there's nothing fishy about Selkie one bit.
I once received a tube of body lotion from Avon that claimed to smell like the ocean. It was a Christmas gift, and it promptly went into that pile of "Ugh I keep getting body products just because I'm a girl and no one actually knows what I like and I'll never use these ever," gifts. But I did give it a try once and it was gross. So I was a little nervous about Selkie (and all ocean scents in general) because of that experience.
Selkie is so lovely though - instead of your classic beachy scent where things smell like salty, wet bathing suits and sunburns, Selkie is more like a cool and breezy day by the ocean. I lived away by the ocean for four years while in school, and the ocean gets moody - some days it smells salty and stagnant, others it's breezy and spicy. Selkie is the ocean on one of those breezy, spicy days. It has a bit of a chilly nip to it (but not in a minty-cool way). I notice the sage and kelp too, and they pair exceptionally well together and keep Selkie in balance.
Duration:
I have a difficult time pinpointing when Selkie tapered off because it's very gentle and understated on my skin. I did appreciate it through the majority of my work day though. I think this would be a gorgeous hair oil!
Score: 5/5
While Selkie isn't something I'd choose to smell like all the time (hence no full-size purchase), it's a stunning and unique spin on the quintessential "ocean" staple fragrance. It's familiar but different. It's also worth checking out if you live in an area where you've never really been around or seen the ocean as well, because I feel it's close to the real thing!
I once received a tube of body lotion from Avon that claimed to smell like the ocean. It was a Christmas gift, and it promptly went into that pile of "Ugh I keep getting body products just because I'm a girl and no one actually knows what I like and I'll never use these ever," gifts. But I did give it a try once and it was gross. So I was a little nervous about Selkie (and all ocean scents in general) because of that experience.
Selkie is so lovely though - instead of your classic beachy scent where things smell like salty, wet bathing suits and sunburns, Selkie is more like a cool and breezy day by the ocean. I lived away by the ocean for four years while in school, and the ocean gets moody - some days it smells salty and stagnant, others it's breezy and spicy. Selkie is the ocean on one of those breezy, spicy days. It has a bit of a chilly nip to it (but not in a minty-cool way). I notice the sage and kelp too, and they pair exceptionally well together and keep Selkie in balance.
Duration:
I have a difficult time pinpointing when Selkie tapered off because it's very gentle and understated on my skin. I did appreciate it through the majority of my work day though. I think this would be a gorgeous hair oil!
Score: 5/5
While Selkie isn't something I'd choose to smell like all the time (hence no full-size purchase), it's a stunning and unique spin on the quintessential "ocean" staple fragrance. It's familiar but different. It's also worth checking out if you live in an area where you've never really been around or seen the ocean as well, because I feel it's close to the real thing!
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| Splendiferous from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
White cake, lemon zest glaze and sugared violets.
Initially I thought Splendiferous was going to be like Beguiled, a gourmand lemon cake fragrance from last summer's lineup. It starts off similarly too! Splendiferous opens with a sharp, zesty lemon (but just a bit too sharp, it cautiously straddles the line between lemon and lemon cleaning product) and cake. It's really lovely for the first five minutes.
Then things sort of grind to an abrupt halt and it's just Play-Doh. Really, really strong Play-Doh. I know there actually is a Play-Doh fragrance out there, but Splendiferous is not supposed to be Play-Doh!
I experienced this with OHWTO's Stolen Bouquet where it started off so beautifully with wet, soft florals and then suddenly Play-Doh storms in. What's happening here?
I think the violet notes are what's turning into Play-Doh, and it's certainly an ingredient they both have in common. I'm not sure why either. I used to pick violets in my backyard for years growing up (I wasn't eating them like the clover, I promise), and nothing smelled very Play-Doh like to me!
Luckily, at least in the case of Splendiferous, after about 3 hours the Play-Doh notes wind down. I'm not sure if I'd say it became more floral or what, but whatever lemony white-cake notes were around in the first five minutes were driven out by the Play-Doh violets, and they never came back. It's a bit tragic really.
Duration: A comfortable 5 hours of wear, Splendiferous clings closely and doesn't really drift around too much. It's just a shame that 90% of the time it's Play-Doh.
Score: 2/5
I really wanted to love Splendiferous - I was excited for a springy, more floral sister-scent to Beguiled. But I just can't get on the Play-Doh bandwagon. I don't have any desire to smell like that. You may have better luck with Splendiferous (and I suspect many people do judging by the fact that the sample vials are often sold out).
Then things sort of grind to an abrupt halt and it's just Play-Doh. Really, really strong Play-Doh. I know there actually is a Play-Doh fragrance out there, but Splendiferous is not supposed to be Play-Doh!
I experienced this with OHWTO's Stolen Bouquet where it started off so beautifully with wet, soft florals and then suddenly Play-Doh storms in. What's happening here?
I think the violet notes are what's turning into Play-Doh, and it's certainly an ingredient they both have in common. I'm not sure why either. I used to pick violets in my backyard for years growing up (I wasn't eating them like the clover, I promise), and nothing smelled very Play-Doh like to me!
Luckily, at least in the case of Splendiferous, after about 3 hours the Play-Doh notes wind down. I'm not sure if I'd say it became more floral or what, but whatever lemony white-cake notes were around in the first five minutes were driven out by the Play-Doh violets, and they never came back. It's a bit tragic really.
Duration: A comfortable 5 hours of wear, Splendiferous clings closely and doesn't really drift around too much. It's just a shame that 90% of the time it's Play-Doh.
Score: 2/5
I really wanted to love Splendiferous - I was excited for a springy, more floral sister-scent to Beguiled. But I just can't get on the Play-Doh bandwagon. I don't have any desire to smell like that. You may have better luck with Splendiferous (and I suspect many people do judging by the fact that the sample vials are often sold out).
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| Tonic #4 from Haus of Gloi |
Full size: 5mL amber glass bottle for $15.00 USD
Sample vial: $3.00 USD
Yuzu, basil, cilantro, lemongrass and raw sugar cane accord.
Obligatory, "But what about the first three?" joke here. I knew going into it that Tonic #4 was going to be peculiar. In the spring newsletter, it was presented as such:
Our strangest blend, Tonic #4 is super fresh and lovely. I've always wanted to work with cilantro essential oil, it's a tricky one! It's not super strong in this blend, but it is present after initially applying it. If you're wary of cilantro but curious, as always I suggest sample sized products. It's a surprisingly warm and delicious blend, in my opinion and it will carry of very well into the warmer months. I think many of you will enjoy it.
Tonic #4 is bizarre. It really is. It's sort of foodie, sort of herbal, sort of pleasant, sort of offensive. Every so often when I apply a new scent for the first time, I might experience an initial, "This was a bad idea," gut reaction and resist the urge to dash to the sink and scrub it off. I definitely had that moment with Tonic #4 because it starts off sharply citrus and cilantro. In fact, in many ways it reminds me of a delicious ceviche I had when I was out in California, which was also equally sharp and citrusy with oodles of cilantro tucked away underneath. It's a very strange scent, and I really was uncertain about it for the first hour of wear.
Once that initial sharpness mellows out, something softer and almost sweeter slinks in. I'm guessing this is the sugar cane because it does a really nice job rounding out the sharp edges from the yuzu and cilantro. By the way, I know basil is listed pretty high up on the ingredients list, and I love basil and can usually pick up on it right way. But I think the basil in my sample vial is MIA because I can't smell any of it.
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| Tonic #4 smells like ceviche. |
Once that initial sharpness mellows out, something softer and almost sweeter slinks in. I'm guessing this is the sugar cane because it does a really nice job rounding out the sharp edges from the yuzu and cilantro. By the way, I know basil is listed pretty high up on the ingredients list, and I love basil and can usually pick up on it right way. But I think the basil in my sample vial is MIA because I can't smell any of it.
Duration:
This stuff is pretty potent. Even getting a tiny bit on my fingers leaves a lingering haze for hours. Tread with caution - if you don't think you'll like it do NOT slather it all over yourself.Quite honestly, I have no desire to smell like ceviche. Sometimes I like to smell like food (vanilla, fruits, etc) but ceviche? I think I'll pass. The very final stages of drydown, where it's sort of a sweet echo of cilantro-lemon, is really pleasant, but I don't enjoy sloughing through seven hardcore hours of ceviche to reach that point. I'd rather eat this than smell like it!
Worth it?
Okay, I'll be really honest - I was so sad "Komodo" from last year's spring lineup didn't come back. It was my very first indie perfume EVER and I still regret not getting a full size! Bah!
With that out of the way, This was a pretty impressive lineup compared to last year's selection. We got some fun new scents and the classic favorites came back. It's also nice that it's not strictly feminine either, as Tonic #4, Selkie, and Ploughman can all be considered more masculine or unisex. It's really exciting to see the team at the Haus explore more unique combinations and break out of their comfort zone, and this collection has made me even MORE excited for whatever the summer release is going to bring!
Did you try anything from the Spring 2014 lineup from Haus of Gloi? What are your favorites?
With that out of the way, This was a pretty impressive lineup compared to last year's selection. We got some fun new scents and the classic favorites came back. It's also nice that it's not strictly feminine either, as Tonic #4, Selkie, and Ploughman can all be considered more masculine or unisex. It's really exciting to see the team at the Haus explore more unique combinations and break out of their comfort zone, and this collection has made me even MORE excited for whatever the summer release is going to bring!
Did you try anything from the Spring 2014 lineup from Haus of Gloi? What are your favorites?
cilantro? ok need to smell them first to make a judgment, some of the notes seem too kitchen like , but you never know they may be great.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan when it comes to gourmand scents, which might also be partly why Tonic #4 is just a bit too foodie for me too. What I *do* really like is how it's representative of Haus of Gloi really breaking out of their box and taking some exciting risks!
DeleteIndeed hard to find out when you don't live in the states, but is interesting indeed, Sadly we don't have acces to indie , vegan and cruelty free products with out spending to much on shipping.
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