SS review by Liber Vix

Hi all! I suppose this is the place to put a link to my blog, I just posted a review of my latest order


http://libervix.blogspot.com/2011/10/solstice-scents-i-feel-addiction-coming.html

Awesome review.

I love your autumn display. I can see wht you get voted in to do them.

This is the right place! What a killer review. Thank you so much, not only for writing it but for posting it here for others to enjoy as well.

Great review! Thanks for posting it and welcome to the SS addiction! Pull up a chair and make yourself comfy....

Thank you all for reading! I truly can't afford another vice, but I suppose there are worse ones to have!

Liber Vix wrote:

Thank you all for reading! I truly can't afford another vice, but I suppose there are worse ones to have!

The reviews were great on the blog. I have English in my college major and love to write, as well. Was it difficult to create a blog? Or did you hire a Web Master to create it? Very lovely.

@sweetgardenangel: So glad you liked my blog! I'm not super computer savvy, but it wasn't very difficult to set my blog up. Blogger has lots of pre-made templates for you to choose from, and you can customize it very easily. I wanted a few more shabby chic/ vintage elements so I went to shabbyblogs.com, which has cute extras for you to add to your site. It's just a matter of cutting and pasting the code. My header design was a little more work on my part but all those extras are totally optional. I love to write and my blog has allowed me to feel like I'm doing something with that passion, much easier than trying to get published!

Hey all! Here's another SS haul review for you :
http://libervix.blogspot.com/2011/11/ganaches-glaces-and-scrubs-oh-my.html#more

Liber Vix wrote:

Hey all! Here's another SS haul review for you :
http://libervix.blogspot.com/2011/11/ganaches-glaces-and-scrubs-oh-my.html#more

Thanks for the blog review! Very informative. I might gamble on Jack and the Devil, too....but saving for the Winter release. I truly believe that although I appreciate and wear these dark men's scents, I still like florals by retailers such as Flowerbomb or Chanel Chance. I think that SS is geared toward men, personally. Haus of Gloi is geared toward the ladies. At least, that's my opinion. There were so many SS fragrances that did "not" work wiith me...cenobite, pharoah, spellbound woods, foxcroft, postprandial. My current faves are Manor and Pumpkin Spice Latte and Cafe Mallowmel. I also like Travelers.

I can definitely see that, HoG doesn't have many super dark musky scents, lots of delicate, sweet, fruity, or foodie ones though. I think I actually gravitate towards the darker, more incense-y scents myself for the most part. Jack and the Devil is quite strong though, with powerful sillage and a serious presence, so if you lean towards more traditionally feminine florals it may be a bit too intense. But of course, a sample never hurt anyone...and you just never know

The most floral scent from SS I've tried is Dellamorte. It reminds me of something I'd get at Crabtree and Eveyln, maybe that could be something to try?

I don't know if I would say that SS is geared towards men. I do think that Angela is creating scents that are "out of the box" of how perfumes are traditionally marked on the basis of gender, which is why I love indie perfumers--they can take more risks. Who is to say that florals are "feminine" and woods are "masculine" etc.? These are just ideas that someone made up. It's not like flowers have "lady parts" so only women can smell like them and woods have "man parts"...hehehe, you catch my drift. I think we should throw ideas about gender out the window when it comes to scent and just wear what we like!

Also, Liber Vix--another great review! I love the Banana Nut Bread whipped soap--good choice!

Absolutely, I agree totally that we should all just explore everything and find what works best for us. But it is sadly true that we're conditioned to assign scents places on a sort of weird gender-spectrum, hence my saying that true florals are traditionally seen as feminine. I myself, however, am all for bucking tradition.

Ohhh can't wait to check out this latest review!! Thank you!

Reading the comments I just wanted to throw out that we like to definitely consider our male customers since I feel they are sorely under-served in the fragrance industry. However, we try to have a great deal of floral, foody and fruity type scents for those who don't care for incensey and woodsy scents. There are many women, like me, that like darker scents so I try to have a lot of unisex scents for those who lean darker. That is just my personal preference but during spring and summer we had a ton of fruity, floral and aquatic offerings. I know the General Catalog has a stronger ratio of incensey/woodsy/resinous scents but don't forget about Spirit Tree, Savannah, Cocoa Mallow, Cafe Mallowmel, Cenobite, Honeysuckle Green Tea, Garden Gate, Cherry Vanilla Amberosia, Lace Draped Spectre, Lavender Vanilla, Quiet Night, Moonlight on the Grove and Violet Truffle. Those aren't necessarily "masculine" even though I know some of them are big loves from my male customers. Of course, many of those may not work for you or your taste and that's not something I can really change. Your taste and chemistry is your own but I did want to interject that we try to have a nice balance of scents that are outside of the box both in the General Catalog and Seasonal collections.

There's a lot of returning scents and a few new ones that are foodie for Winter but not really anything floral. I do more floral scents in the Spring. There is one that is an ethereal white scent that might be of interest too.

Travelers is an example of one that is created to be unisex and if you like that one, you may also enjoy Astral Temple or some of the other Amber scents in the collection.

I think the thing that is so amazing about Angela's scents are how versatile they are. I can easliy wear Jack and the Devil, but would love it on my husband. I feel that is is feminine and sexy on me, but masculine and sexy on him. There are many like that. After trying many different companies, I realize how well SS fragrances last. I really appreciate the range of scents-incensy, floral, foodie-you have it all, Angela!

I really appreciate that you do think about the men folk, even though many of the more traditionally masculine scents could be worm by women as well. I, for one, appreciate that you specifically designate fragrances that could be unisex. I have had the experience with other perfumers in the past (BPAL comes to mind) where the notes listed would lead one to think the scent would smell traditionally masculine or unisex and was anything but. I like knowing that when I order an SS perfume that it will smell exactly as described and last a long time too, as debibob points out!

SS-

You and I think so much alike, it's almost scary!

I totally agree with your thoughts on the feminine/masculine scents! I agree that Angela thinks out of the box, which I find totally intriguing. That's why I'm so obsessed with Solstice Scents.

I don't know who originally claimed that light, floral scents were feminine and darker scents were masculine, but it's not going to work for much longer. There is quickly becoming a cross between the genders and their scent preferences and I love the fact that it's happening, because it gives a wider choice of scents for all of us.

When I was younger, I remember loving a few "feminine" perfumes, but of course never wore them. I did in the 70's wear Coty's Musk, which was definitely geared towards women. I loved that particular musk so much, I wore it anyway.

Today, I wear what I like regardless. If we were to classify Angela's scents, I probably wear a handful of the "feminine" blends and love them.... like Spirit Tree, Dellamorte, Devil's Millhopper, Lavender Vanilla & Quiet Night.

I love the fact that Angela offers more for the darker, resinous, woodsy lovers... be they male or female. I agree that it is a much under-served community, most likely because the perfume/bath/body world up until now has been mostly women who prefer the lighter, floral scents.

I guess being a bit unusual myself, I like things that aren't typical, and prefer the unique.

Unique and unusual are definitely ways I would describe Angela and her amazing creations!!

I think we are scent twins, Rob. You should check out Katie Puckrik's perfume reviews on YouTube. She has a very gender-neutral attitude when it comes to fragrance and is always suggesting scents marketed to women that men can also wear and vice versa. Cheers!

Having gotten to know you both in depth and your taste, I can tell you that you guys are crazily similar in your taste!

Liber Vix, loved your review. Thank you! On the J&TD Glace, I think you hit the nail on the head with the open pores after shower = possible reaction. You can have a reaction to anything at this vulnerable time! I know I've used commercial and other etailer products, as well as my own, and had reactions fresh out of the shower but if I use them on dry skin, I rarely have an issue. I am still sorry it happened though! I try to be as thorough as possible regarding my disclaimer page or any warnings I can give since anyone can have a reaction to anything and it is especially important when working with EOs and absolutes!

No worries Angela! I had my first bad reaction in the shower to an apple cinnamon body wash from Ulta so it can totally happen at any time! So I *try* to avoid scents that are heavily cinnamon, which is the only sensitivity I know I have for sure, though I love them I can't even bring myself to try Harvest Moon, because I bet I'd love it and would hate if I couldn't wear it. But since I've smelled Jack and the Devil I wouldn't care if I was walking around covered in red blotches every time I used it, I must have that scent in my life! Just kidding, but really, it's about that awesome!

Another wee review for you all :

http://libervix.blogspot.com/2011/11/one-last-autumnal-hurrah.html

Wonderful description of Basilica. I am not one for church, but I don't mind smelling like one, haha. If you enjoy Basilica you may want to check out Inquisitor and Scrying Smoke.

Wooooowwww....! I'm so gonna need to snag a sample of the Basillica with my next order! Thanks Mucho for giving such a wonderful description!

SolsticeScholar wrote:

Wonderful description of Basilica. I am not one for church, but I don't mind smelling like one, haha. If you enjoy Basilica you may want to check out Inquisitor and Scrying Smoke.

LOL...I put in my order yesterday for the Cyber Monday sale and snagged the Scrying Smoke ganache and a sample of Inquisitor. Eerie....

What an evocative review! Basilica is one of my favorites already, but your description nails how I feel about it, too. (runs off to go dab some on . . .)

Thank you, LV!

Your reviews are always so well done and soooo descriptive!

I agree with the rest... your description of Basilica is spot on! It really does remind me of being a kid and back in the Catholic church around the holidays. That scent really sets a scene with scent memories just like most of Angela's creations!

Thanks again