Ever since I got into indie fragrances, especially oils (actually wanting to figure out what I like in fragrances, as I'd been receiving and buying "mainstream" frags for a while and never being really attached to any of them), I've been on a no-buy (well, low, I bought some Lush I actually liked) of alcohol-based fragrances to try to start emptying my collection out. I've been doing the same to most makeup except for what I actually use up (mascara, eyebrows).
These are all the VS body sprays I have left. I realize they (at least these) have basically no longevity – except for clothes, where I can't actually smell them after a while but other people tell me their clothes faintly smelled like mine after hugging me etc. So inspired by that, I got the idea of using up these mists not only for the gym and errands, but more liberally as bedsheet scents and generously on my clothes, regardless of what oil I was wearing on my skin. And it's been working out pretty well! I finished 2 VS sprays before this I didn't think of posting (Sparkling Crème and Flower Sorbet). I also have:
2 more body sprays, but which I actually actively like (1 Lush, 1 Sol de Janeiro)
2 Eau de Toilettes (Spanish supermarket brand)
3 Lush Eau de Parfums which I like a lot
4 Eau de Parfums I am "eh sure, it's fine" about (1 Gucci Flora, 1 Jean Paul Gaultier, 1 Rituals, Flower Knows)
The rest are all indies – several non-alcohol EdP, and oils. I'm using up the VS body sprays as I described, and after that might go for the EdTs. The Gucci Flora and Rituals I pack for business trips because they're dumb reaches, the JPG I guess I can use for "fancy" occasions (though I like the Lush-es more, but they are quite potent), the Flower Knows is a shockingly strong citrus and Pink Pepper that I guess I'll have a crack at next summer.
My ideal will be to only keep EdPs I actively enjoy (like the Lush – Lust, Turmeric Latte and Chelsea Morning. I'm thinking of adding more because I do enjoy their collection a lotbut again: low-/no-buy), and one or two EdTs/body sprays for everyday, errands, etc. Otherwise I am very happy with my indies.
As for these scents' reviews: Private Sundeck (Tonka, pineapple, citrus) was pretty nice, actually. The description makes it sound very tropical but it's actually a sweet and powdery vanilla with fairly juicy pineapple. I think it made my clothes smell pretty nice! Next on the chopping block is Sunrise Waves (orange blossom, bergamot, amber) and it's honestly giving me absolutely nothing. It's just plain and even fainter than Private Sundeck? It's kind of slightly orange blossomy I guess? (As for the older ones: Flower Sorbet (sugar, peony, blackcurrant) was a floral, too-sugary juicy blackcurrant, stronger and sweeter than Private Sundeck. I liked Mallow Crème (marshmallow, gardenia, coconut) a lot more, a sweet powdery lactonic. Very synthetic of course but it's VS. From the Private Suneck collection I wish I'd gotten the discontinued Poolside Service (gardenia, terry cloth, papaya). The terry cloth note seemed controversial but something I might be into.
As for the other 2: Amaretto Fizz (almond coffee, orange blossom) goes a bit into VS plain, synthetic territory but has more character than Sunrise Waves, the almond coffee note is quite apparent and caramel-y. I like it fine. Cedar Breeze (rosemary, cedar, salty coast) is a bit of a standout, pretty different from VS's usual synthetic sweetness. It's clean, woody, calming, and bit of aromatics. The rosemary feels like it's including the trunk and branches of the rosemary bush rather than just the fresher leaves. Quite unisex, almost like a room scent. Smells exactly like something I want to spray on my clothes right out of the washing machine. A bit of spa vibes, it's nice if boring.
by Ainaraoftime