I got some Solstice Scents samples last week, so they're what I'll be talking about today!
Coquina (Summer Collection; sandalwood, orange blossom, clementine EO, beach sand, plumeria absolute, coconut, ginger EO, sea spray): I brought this with me to LA, and found it fit in perfectly with the palm trees and sun and bleached sand. The orange blossom is pervasive throughout, but fortunately doesn't pull soapy on me as so many do, and the sandalwood-sea spray accord gives it a very driftwood feel, which is softened by the plumeria and coconut, which make it very tropical. Altogether, Coquina is light, happy, sunny, and sandy, but thankfully never trite. I'm by no means a California girl––all the sun and people gives me hives––but Coquina lets me pretend I am, at least for a few hours.
Tropical Moon (Summer Collection; coconut, tuberose, Tahitian gardenia, lime EO, pink lotus attar): Larie loved this, and I've found that we both tend to like white florals (the only scent commonality we have!), so I ordered a sample. On me, I find that the coconut far out-dominates the tuberose and gardenia, which makes me sad, and there's a rather strong almond note, which makes me sadder. I seem to have inherited my mother's dislike for that note (don't even get her started on cookies with almond flavoring: "this bears no resemblance to the actual nut!"), and I can't quite get past it. If you like gourmandy white florals, though, Tropical Moon could be just the ticket!
Nag Champa (permanent; incense, champa, vanilla, jasmine, spices): Blue toilet.
Okay, I probably shouldn't leave it at that. Nag Champa opens okay, somewhat incensey, a little floral, but it quickly goes downhill. T tried it on also, and it smelled better on her for about 15 minutes after it turned on me, at which point it veered into toilet freshener territory. If you have never been to a public restroom, you might like Nag Champa! It might be lovely, once you get past the toilet association, but I'm not going to subject myself to that again.
Moonlight on the Grove (permanent?; jasmine): Okay, straight talk: this one seems to be absent from the general catalog and unavailable in full size, but it's still showing up in the samples section, so if you want to try it, you still can. And if you like jasmine, or white florals, or happiness, you do want to try it. It's pretty much just pure jasmine from start to finish, but it's such a pretty jasmine, a little indolic, a wee bit powdery, but mostly just heady, narcotic blossoms. It only lasts a few hours, but by golly, it's lovely. I might have to order a few more samples' worth so I can make my own bath oil from it!
I would definitely purchase a larger size of Moonlight on the Grove (or at least more samples), and Coquina if I lived someplace where people can surf without wearing a wetsuit, but the other two are passes for me. Oh, well. 2 out of 4 ain't bad!
Coquina (Summer Collection; sandalwood, orange blossom, clementine EO, beach sand, plumeria absolute, coconut, ginger EO, sea spray): I brought this with me to LA, and found it fit in perfectly with the palm trees and sun and bleached sand. The orange blossom is pervasive throughout, but fortunately doesn't pull soapy on me as so many do, and the sandalwood-sea spray accord gives it a very driftwood feel, which is softened by the plumeria and coconut, which make it very tropical. Altogether, Coquina is light, happy, sunny, and sandy, but thankfully never trite. I'm by no means a California girl––all the sun and people gives me hives––but Coquina lets me pretend I am, at least for a few hours.
Tropical Moon (Summer Collection; coconut, tuberose, Tahitian gardenia, lime EO, pink lotus attar): Larie loved this, and I've found that we both tend to like white florals (the only scent commonality we have!), so I ordered a sample. On me, I find that the coconut far out-dominates the tuberose and gardenia, which makes me sad, and there's a rather strong almond note, which makes me sadder. I seem to have inherited my mother's dislike for that note (don't even get her started on cookies with almond flavoring: "this bears no resemblance to the actual nut!"), and I can't quite get past it. If you like gourmandy white florals, though, Tropical Moon could be just the ticket!
Nag Champa (permanent; incense, champa, vanilla, jasmine, spices): Blue toilet.
Okay, I probably shouldn't leave it at that. Nag Champa opens okay, somewhat incensey, a little floral, but it quickly goes downhill. T tried it on also, and it smelled better on her for about 15 minutes after it turned on me, at which point it veered into toilet freshener territory. If you have never been to a public restroom, you might like Nag Champa! It might be lovely, once you get past the toilet association, but I'm not going to subject myself to that again.
Moonlight on the Grove (permanent?; jasmine): Okay, straight talk: this one seems to be absent from the general catalog and unavailable in full size, but it's still showing up in the samples section, so if you want to try it, you still can. And if you like jasmine, or white florals, or happiness, you do want to try it. It's pretty much just pure jasmine from start to finish, but it's such a pretty jasmine, a little indolic, a wee bit powdery, but mostly just heady, narcotic blossoms. It only lasts a few hours, but by golly, it's lovely. I might have to order a few more samples' worth so I can make my own bath oil from it!
I would definitely purchase a larger size of Moonlight on the Grove (or at least more samples), and Coquina if I lived someplace where people can surf without wearing a wetsuit, but the other two are passes for me. Oh, well. 2 out of 4 ain't bad!
