sixteen92 Summer Collection

sixteen92 just released their Summer Collection, which consists of five scents based on the Jazz Age.  I was lucky enough to get in on the Circle, sixteen92's annual subscription box. For $85 you get first crack at a sample size of all of the new collections for the next year, and a coupon for 30% a full size item from that release.  Of course it sold out in seconds.    The only hiccups I had were thanks to USPS.  It sat in a limbo somewhere in Texas for about a week.  At least it didn't show up in a box that was dented to hell like my poor Blackbird order did (and I promise I'll have a review of that coming up soonish).  When it finally did arrive, inside of the mailer I found a beautiful card with my coupon on one side and the scent notes on the reverse.

Also a real cute rose bracelet

Aaaand the back

Blood & Honey

Blood orange, wildflower honey (vegan), pale amber, honeysuckle

In the bottle:  Exactly what it says on the tin:  blood orange and honey.

On my skin:  Starts out sour orange with just a hint of honey. Honey gets stronger until they reach an equilibrium after about 15 minutes in.  This scent has excellent throw without being overwhelming. It's also surprisingly long lasting for me: Got about 2 and half hours and it lingered on for about another hour.  Normally scents without a wood or musk base disappear after about an hour on me.  This feels like Mellifera's big sister.

Eternal Return

Peat moss and damp garden soil, tomato leaf, beetroot, grass, herbs, lavender spikes, galbanum, sun-warmed oak bark
In the bottle: Sharp and green.

On my skin: Opens smelling lightly of tomato leaf. As it dries the leaf gets stronger (and feels cool on my wrist) and deepens as the dirt comes out.  It also gives this sense that almost like smelling a breeze.  This one took me by surprise.  It was the one I was least interested in and I actually loved it.  



Paper Moon

Soft vanilla musk, benzoin, oakmoss, trailing ivy, peach blossom, rose

In the bottle:  Sexy fruit.  

On my skin:  Sweet fruit with a coolness underneath. Thought it was strawberry at first, but its definitely peaches. When it dries, It smells like the peaches mix with the benzoin and then I get a bit of oakmoss.  I don't ever get any of the rose. Fleeting. Lasted barely an hour.

The Beautiful & The Damned. 

Sparkling pink grapefruit, strawberry, raspberry and currant with soft violet, gardenia and vanilla absolute
In the bottle:  Sweet and fruity and a tiny bit floral.

On my skin: It's sweet fruity gardenia.  I love gardenia.  They're my second favorite flower. I keep trying to grow them and killing them.  I haven't had a good gardenia scent since Bath and Body Works discontinued theirs.  I'm calling it; this is gonna be my favorite of the bunch.



Theda

Tart sangria infused with ripe summer fruits (white peach, nectarine, berries, citrus), dark vanilla, wild vines, rose absolute
In the bottle:  Sweet and citrusy.

On my skin: Fresh squeezed citrus medley: Grapefruit and orange maybe and a white floral, I think. If Blood & Honey is Mellifera's big sis, this one feels like a grown up Lolita.


I'm kind of sad that Paper Moon burned off so fast, and I'm surprised by how much I love Eternal Return since I'm not really a fan of green scents unless there's some flower in it.  I have no idea what I'm using my upgrade on since these are all amazing.  If you were on the fence about picking any of these up, don't be.  You need them.  

~M