Hello, everyone. Here is my (almost late) review on my winter collection purchases. I wanted to be sure that I tested everything for a good amount of time before giving my impressions. I will try to review based on individuals scents as opposed to type of product.
Snowshoe Pass (I have the perfume, glace, and ganache): I figured from the notes I would like this scent, but I did not think it would be my favorite! At first I get a top note of cold, sweet peppermint cream. The scent quickly settles into a sweet but not foody vanilla and musk combo with a touch of coldness. The scent has a well-rounded plushness to it, I imagine from the white amber. I can imagine the characters from Game of Thrones (particularly those from Winerfell) wearing this scent. It is reminiscent of the cent of skin after one has come in from the cold. It also draws comparisons to three other scents for me: Lucy from The Morbid the Merrier, Snow on Bare Skin from Possets, and Dorian from BPAL. Perhaps the comparison to Dorian is not fair because it has more of a masculine cologne scent to it with an element of tea. Snowshoe is similar to, but better than the other two scents that I mentioned. It is extremely well-blended and one of those scents that when you catch a whiff you say to yourself "wow, that is good!" It also lasts forever. I told myself that I wouldn't purchase any more ganaches till I used a few up, but Snowshoe smells so good that one just fell into my cart during one of my orders (I don't know how that happened!). I may have to get backups of the perfume and glace. This one should go general catalog!!!
Flintlock: (I have the perfume and glace): Flintlock was my second favorite from the collection. On me it is mainly a smooth tobacco and brown leather blend with a hint of dark woods lurking underneath. I was actually hoping this would be even darker with more woods (I pictured something along the lines of Shoikan Grove with tobacco and leather). I like the scent the most after it is first applied. The dry down on me is a bit playdough-y after the tobacco and woods have gone away. There is also a minty or medicinal element to the scent that I can't quite place. I like Flintlock, but for leather blends I far prefer Russian Caravan and Devil's Tongue. Flintlock is more of a casual, rugged leather than a sexy, badass leather.
Outpost: (I have the perfume and glace): Outpost begins as sugar-encrusted evergreens and dries down to a scent that is akin to Manor without the vanilla-musk element. On me, this scent didn't have the lasting power I wish it did. It is strong initially, but the dry down to me is like a faint agarwood and aloeswood blend. It is an interesting scent, but not my favorite. I would like to see another blend with agarwood in it that has the lasting power of Manor.
Night Star (perfume): I appreciate this scent, but I don't think it is one I will reach for often. It is a bit too dry for my tastes. I don't get a ton of patchouli likes others have mentioned, but I do get dry resins and nutmeg with a hint of lemon. When I think of the story behind the perfume I imagine a scent that is more rich, golden, warm, and syrupy--something akin to Astral Temple, but more incensey and resinous. I think I will try blending Night Star with SS's single note Amber perfume and see what happens! Frankincense and myrrh have been growing on me lately, so who knows, I may end up loving this one afterall.
Russian Caravan (glace): I already own several bottles of the Russian Caravan perfume and am thrilled that Angela offered this as a glace. Russian Caravan is one of my top favorite scents overall from SS. My preferred way to wear the scents is to layer the glaces and perfume oils, so I am happy to have this, though the perfume on its own is quite potent and has great lasting power. Russian Caravan is mixture of smoky black tea and leather sweetened with pomegranate, currant, pepper, and amber. The fruity notes keep the tea from being too smoky and the leather from being too dangerous. To me, Russian Caravan draws comparison to two other high end fragrances: Blvgari Black and Van Cleef and Arpels' Midnight in Paris, but costs a fraction of the price and smells better! Don't be scared by the leather in this one--it is beautiful and perfect for the colder weather, so give it a try!
HFOs in Roasted Chestnut and Marshmallows and Gingerbread and Vanilla Cream: SS's HFOs are absolutely wonderful. They last a long time, are richly scented, and smell amazing. I use them in a soapstone burner I got from The Body Shop ages ago. I used to use The Body Shop's HFOs as well, but they did not last at all and would burn up quite quickly. SS HFOs last for ages in the burner and the scent stays strong over time. I generally do not like wearing foody scents, but am glad I can enjoy them in this format. My only complaint is that I would love to see an expanded HFO collection, in particular a woody scent (Enchanted Forest please!) and a relaxing scent along the lines of Quiet Night or Lavender Vanilla.
Bath Soaks in Spiced Cranberry and Spruce and Cedar and Siberian Fir: SS bath soaks are my favorite type of product after the perfume oils and glaces, of course. I used to like bath bombs, but these salts are just so much better--richly scented, moisturizing, relaxing. Part of their wonderfulness is the combination of the salt, coconut milk, and oatmeal, and the other part is that they are scented with Angela's beautifully crafted fragrances. I was not even really much of a bath person until I discovered these. Spiced Cranberry and Spruce smells like drinking a festive cranberry juice in the woods! It is a very realistic cranberry scent without being overly tart or overly sweet. Cedar and Siberian Fir is now one of my favorite scents in the bath soaks. It smells exactly as the name implies--relaxing, uplifting, fresh, and woodsy! The salts are really great for helping you fall asleep at night. You will be sad when the water turns cold and you have to begrudgingly climb out of the tub.
Angela, I can't wait to see what scents you will come up with next! Perhaps a "sexy English professor" type scent for Valentine's Day (hehehe) or that tobacco vanilla blend you keep mentioning!
