Purchased
What happened in the year 1692? A lot of things, and many of them weren't so great:
It's not just a vial of smelly liquid, it's curated magic. That sort of thing might not fly in Salem, but I think today is the perfect setting for a little fragrant magic, don't you?
If you're familiar with Darling Clandestine's sample vials, these are pretty much the same thing. The vials are larger (2mL!) and very easy to pop open and use. This is great news because you get an excellent bang for your buck.
However, if you use one of those cute little ammo storage boxes for all your sample vials, you're out of luck because they won't fit! I experienced a little bit of leaking with my Sixteen92 sample vials, but I think that was because I was not handling them gently enough.
Sixteen92 lets you buy samples individually or in packs. The following choices are:
And as mentioned earlier, you have two larger size options
I wouldn't say these prices are cheap, but they're not outlandish either, especially considering the sample vials are larger than your standard indie sample fare. I do find the $20 price tag for a 10mL roll-on bottle a little steep and feel maybe $15-18 is more in my price range.
The shop's owner Claire and I exchanged a few notes prior to the release, and it was clear to me from the get-go that she was really passionate and excited for opening her shop! I was really excited too, and I signed up on the email list so I'd know when their shop opened. Apparently I was really really excited because she sent me a note letting me know that I was the very first buyer and offered to toss in a few extra surprises. Everyone loves a bit of special treatment, and having her reach out like that made me feel even more eager to try everything!
Although Sixteen92 is still pretty new, Claire is very prompt, professional, and approachable. A quick glance through the shop's feedback shows I'm not the only one who has nice things to say!
The store policy page clearly states all their shipping policies. Most US orders typically arrive within 2-5 business days after shipping, whereas international orders are usually within 3 weeks depending on location.
Although I'm a little sad that my first taste of Sixteen92 perfumes isn't as hearty and robust as I'd have liked, I'm very optimistic. I think this shop has a lot of potential and am excited to see what other "fantastical times, places and experiences" they plan on sharing with my nose. I'm going to be keeping a close eye on this shop to see what they have in store for the future!
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| Sixteen92 packs a magical punch in style. |
What happened in the year 1692? A lot of things, and many of them weren't so great:
- The Salem witch trials in Salem Massachusetts
- A large earthquake and tsunami hit Jamaica, affecting (and probably killing) almost 6,000 in total
- An angry mob torched the Viceroy's palace in Mexico City, setting fire to lots of old archival pieces
Needless to say, I imagine if you were prancing around claiming to be some sort of olfactory magician and trying to help people smell better, you might attract some unwanted attention, especially if you're hanging out in Salem, MA. ...
I think it takes a certain personality to investigate and persue indie fragrances. Many people who buy indie are often all on a similar quest: I want something different. This is especially true regarding indie fragrances - something so close to your skin that crafts a fragrant presence to define yourself... wouldn't you want it to be something unique that few others have?
That being said, half the fun in exploring a new indie perfume shop is sniffing out their "style" - what makes them different? Are they a good fit? Is there enough of a variety to satiate my curiosity? Is this unique enough that I might actually be condemned of witchcraft if I wear it?
Sixteen92
The recently launched Sixteen92 Etsy shop has some rather big boots to fill. Their mission statement claims that they want to bring a little "magic" to your senses:
Alchemy. Science. Magic. In the seventeenth century we would be outcasts, sorceresses, witches. Today, we are olfactory artisans, authors and curators of the tiny works of aromatic art that you carry on your skin.
Sixteen92 is a conceptual fragrance house that crafts small-batch perfume blends inspired by literature, history, lore...and, yes, a little bit of magic.
Blended to inspire, our fragrances are small journeys, transforming on your skin to awaken a strata of fantastical times, places and experiences.
It's not just a vial of smelly liquid, it's curated magic. That sort of thing might not fly in Salem, but I think today is the perfect setting for a little fragrant magic, don't you?
Selection
As of right now, Sixteen92 only offers perfume oils for sale, but I would not be surprised if in the future they infused their blends into other products (lotions, sprays, who knows)! They currently have a general catalog and an autumn collection that was recently released.
Their fragrances have a decent range, from feminine to masculine to unisex. This is refreshing because many new shops often lean heavily one way or the other. Sixteen92 gives you the chance to dip your toe in all types right off the bat.
Their fragrances have a decent range, from feminine to masculine to unisex. This is refreshing because many new shops often lean heavily one way or the other. Sixteen92 gives you the chance to dip your toe in all types right off the bat.
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| Sample labels |
Packaging
I haven't purchased any full-sized bottles. However, there are two sizes and styles to choose from:
I'm really pleased with having two separate sized options. Sometimes I love a fragrance enough that I want it to live inside of a proper bottle instead of a vial where I'm leaking oils down the side and ruining the label. But many times the next size up is so big that I know it will take years before I use even half!
- 5.5mL dram vial for $13.00 USD
- 10mL glass roll-on bottle for $20.00 USD
I'm really pleased with having two separate sized options. Sometimes I love a fragrance enough that I want it to live inside of a proper bottle instead of a vial where I'm leaking oils down the side and ruining the label. But many times the next size up is so big that I know it will take years before I use even half!
Samples
If you're familiar with Darling Clandestine's sample vials, these are pretty much the same thing. The vials are larger (2mL!) and very easy to pop open and use. This is great news because you get an excellent bang for your buck.
However, if you use one of those cute little ammo storage boxes for all your sample vials, you're out of luck because they won't fit! I experienced a little bit of leaking with my Sixteen92 sample vials, but I think that was because I was not handling them gently enough.
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| Sample vials in all colors and styles |
Quality
My first order from Sixteen92 contained a plethora of samples, most on the feminine side of the spectrum with a few exciting freebies tossed in! I received:
The bag my order arrived in smelled intoxicatingly different. It didn't smell like perfume. My father owns a small, carved metal box lined with soft velvet where he keeps some unique oddities and special memorabilia, the sort where their scents seep into the fabric and stick around long after they've been removed. The scent of my order reminded me of this little box.
One thing I noticed about all the fragrances I sampled was that while they all had marvelous top notes, many of them fizzled out rather quickly. I think stronger bases to keep things clinging past 2 hours would be a fantastic improvement. The other thing I couldn't help but wonder (and I'm not very well-versed in the actual blending process of perfumes) is that some fragrances such as Grimm were "separated." There are these beautiful dark globules suspended within the oil, and it took some vigorous shaking to get everything properly mixed. I'm not sure if this is just the nature of these scents or if there's some sort of missing component to blend things more evenly.
I really love how many Sixteen92 fragrances take a well-known classic and spin it on its head. Black Sugar is a great example of this in theory - a classic, fluffy pink aqualine scent's dark, brown-sugar cousin! But it was missing something heavier and more robust to anchor it after the top notes flittered away. My coworker also told me I smelled like a sugar cookie, so I suppose that's still a win!
- The Awakening
- Black Sugar
- Grimm
- Lolita
- Mellifera
- Rei
- Raven 2014 (a preview of the now-live Autumn collection)
- Southern Gothic
The bag my order arrived in smelled intoxicatingly different. It didn't smell like perfume. My father owns a small, carved metal box lined with soft velvet where he keeps some unique oddities and special memorabilia, the sort where their scents seep into the fabric and stick around long after they've been removed. The scent of my order reminded me of this little box.
One thing I noticed about all the fragrances I sampled was that while they all had marvelous top notes, many of them fizzled out rather quickly. I think stronger bases to keep things clinging past 2 hours would be a fantastic improvement. The other thing I couldn't help but wonder (and I'm not very well-versed in the actual blending process of perfumes) is that some fragrances such as Grimm were "separated." There are these beautiful dark globules suspended within the oil, and it took some vigorous shaking to get everything properly mixed. I'm not sure if this is just the nature of these scents or if there's some sort of missing component to blend things more evenly.
I really love how many Sixteen92 fragrances take a well-known classic and spin it on its head. Black Sugar is a great example of this in theory - a classic, fluffy pink aqualine scent's dark, brown-sugar cousin! But it was missing something heavier and more robust to anchor it after the top notes flittered away. My coworker also told me I smelled like a sugar cookie, so I suppose that's still a win!
Cost
- 1 for $4.50 USD
- 3 for $12 USD ($4 USD apiece)
- 5 for $18 USD ($3.60 USD apiece)
And as mentioned earlier, you have two larger size options
- 5.5mL dram vial for $13.00USD
- 10mL glass roll-on bottle for $20.00USD
I wouldn't say these prices are cheap, but they're not outlandish either, especially considering the sample vials are larger than your standard indie sample fare. I do find the $20 price tag for a 10mL roll-on bottle a little steep and feel maybe $15-18 is more in my price range.
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| Thanks, Claire! |
Customer service
Although Sixteen92 is still pretty new, Claire is very prompt, professional, and approachable. A quick glance through the shop's feedback shows I'm not the only one who has nice things to say!
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