Perfume Review! Sixteen92's Spring 2015 Collection

By Unknown

Purchased

Sixteen92's Spring 2015 collection is based on literature from the American south.

Spring is such a dangerous season when you enjoy indies, and it's particularly impossible to keep true to any no-buy initiatives you might have. It seems everyone has so many great seasonal collections bursting into bloom this time of the year. How do you keep up with them all?

I enjoyed my first blush with Sixteen92 back during the autumn, and I missed out on the winter collection. So when the shop's first spring collection popped up and was American literature in the south-themed, I was eager to try it! I tossed it into my carriage without really stopping to read any of the descriptions. Did it pay off? Let's look.

Sixteen92's Spring 2015 Collection

Set of five 2mL vials, for $18.00 USD

A full set of all five Spring Collection scents in 2mL deluxe sample vials.

I've already gone on and on about how I appreciate the cohesiveness of Sixteen92's branding, and this carries over nicely to the typography on their vial labels. I'm a bit undecided on the large "delux" sample vials... on one hand, it's nice getting more product, but typically the tiny samples are just right for me because if I never have run out of a sample (unless it turned into a full-size purchase). Furthermore, I can't tuck these away in a little ammo box like my other sample vials, so it feels a little wasteful.

The Grass Harp

Orange blossom, clover, hyacinth, ruby red grapefruit, sweet basil

I was really excited for The Grass Harp because it sounds like the classic springy scent - fresh flowers with a tinge of fruit and herbs, hooray! Unfortunately, something went terribly wrong on my skin and I morphed into a flowery little old lady. Granted that's probably my destiny in several decades, but I'd rather not fast forward there just yet. It starts out green and grassy but turns... steamy? Like florals in humid weather with a nose-wrinkling tart bitterness in the background. I'm rather sad about it because I suspect that's the grapefruit, and grapefruit is one of my favorite notes.

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Tuberose absolute, soft skin musk, oakmoss, fresh earth, vanilla, iris (This is a premium fragrance -- sample vial will be filled approximately 2/3)

I really wanted to enjoy The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. It has been a long time since I read the book, but I remember that I enjoyed the story and have been thinking of rereading it. This fragrance bursts into beautiful, "green" and fresh vanilla on my skin, almost a dizzying floral on my skin - but it evaporates extremely quickly for some reason and after 20 minutes I can barely detect anything left behind. Disappointing!

The Orchard Keeper

Night blooming Jasmine, peach, apricot, pink pepper, sandalwood

I was a little nervous about The Orchard Keeper at first because jasmine tends to be a bit of a melodramatic drama queen on my skin. However, The Orchard Keeper wound up being my favorite of the lot! Dripping with fresh, wet sweetness, the peach notes upon application are so fresh and fruity, I love it! The notes actually remind me of some of the nectarine notes in Enchanticals Perfume's Go Ask Alice. The Orchard Keeper still keeps a little "twang" of fruitiness but does start to give way to a softer, "toasty" jasmine floral note. However, much like The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, this fragrance too is short-lived and did not even last an hour and a half.

The Sound and the Fury

Southern sweet tea, Carolina jessamine, balsam, fern, warm skin musk, loam

I'm still a bit undecided on this one. I don't think it belongs in a spring collection - to me The Sound and the Fury smells like fresh cut wood, little shavings and sawdust floating lazily through the sunbeams of a sticky summer afternoon with the sound of locusts humming nearby. It's funny because one moment I'll think I can smell the tea and it's unmistakable, but then on second sniff I'll change my mind, "It's definitely fresh-cut wood!" and I keep going back and forth. The blend of the two is curious for sure. Does it last long? Not really... although after five hours I can still smell SOMETHING on my wrists, but it's more like a death rattle rather than a mellow ending base note.

Wise Blood

Champaca absolute, tuberose, white pepper, orris root, guaiacwood, cardamom (This is a premium fragrance -- sample vial will be filled approximately 2/3)

Ugh. I was so ridiculously excited for this scent because it uses orris root, and I rarely see that in indie fragrances. What went wrong? It smells like burnt plastic on my skin and makes me nauseous. I haven't managed to wear it long enough to see how it unfolds because I have to wash it off before I get too queasy. But just because my nose is broken don't be dissuaded by my bad experience... that's what a sample vial is for!

Worth It?

I'm sad to say, but for me the Sixteen92 spring collection was just not worth the money. From the jarring nausea of Wise Blood to pretty much all the other fragrances just evaporating so quickly, it hasn't been as enjoyable set for me. Although I enjoyed several initially, the lack of longevity really puts a damper on the fun for me. However, everyone's skin chemistry is different, and just because something didn't work for me doesn't mean it can't for you.