[Hey, everyone — Patty’s in India and we’ll be mixing up the schedule for the next couple of weeks. Here’s Tom.]
By Tom
A couple of years ago I met Brent Leonesio, the youthful founder of smell bent, the West Hollywood based house known for its playful packaging, low price points, and seriously good scents. He has released his limited Holiday line for 2010, and sent me samples of them to try.
Dr. Dreidel is woody, with cool anjelica balanced with spices. He writes its pimento leaf. I swear there’s cardamom or mace in there. I like the way it dances from warm to cool- like coming in from a snowball fight to a warm fire and the smell of baking.
Sexy Turtleneck is a resiny tonka with a disconcerting butter element that’s discernible and surprising. (Hey, Uncle Serge is going to do a butter scent in 2011,(LINK) I read this morning…) Luckily after finishing his croissant, Mr. Turtleneck snuggles in to share reading the paper, and his soft musk and patch makes you not mind so much that he insists on hogging the style section…
Elf-Fulfilling Prophecy lists “cinnamon sugar cookie, naughty pipe tobacco and toy shop sawdust”. There’s also some funk in there; like Santa needs to remind the Elves to dryclean, and a fatty nuttiness to it. Not my thing until the drydown when the sweeeeetnessss burns off and its all tobacco and woods.
Reindeer Games is bergamot, incense and woods and is the polar opposite of “Elf”. While I wish “Elf” was diluted by about half (at least the beginning), I wish “Reindeer” was about three times stronger. Maybe I need the oil?
Bi-Polar Express starts with comb honey, complete with wax. It’s closer to Botrytis than Miel de Bois- no cats here. Chamomile joins in cutting the sweetness with a fresh wood note at the base. I never thought I would like to smell like sweetened tea. Well, that kind. Live and learn.
Once again I have to marvel that smell bent manages to come up with scents that are this good (even the ones that I wouldn’t wear personally) at this price point. $20 for 8ML oils and $45 for 55ML EDT make these practically stocking stuffers. I gave some to my godchild for her birthday and she was thrilled- and this is a young lady who wears Bandit, Asja and Norell (courtesy moi) and Lutens (pilfering from her mother). I have three of his scents in my rotation and enjoy them immensely, and not in a palate-cleanser sort of way.
Brent’s been kind enough to offer a pack of samples of these five to one commenter. Please leave a comment today saying that you wish to be entered in the draw. I’ll pick a winner and announce next week.
My samples: came from smell bent.
Hi there!
Didn’t find the contact email address, that’s the reason why I am asking about this as a comment.
I’d be glad to advertise on your website, please tell me whether it’s possible and what your rates are. Would like to start as soon as possible.
Have a nice day,
Zoltan (lorinczi_zoltan@yahoo.com)
I’d like to try these — I’ve never tried any Smell Bent. I’m not even sure where to get them around these parts (rural Canada).
I would love to be in the drawing. I’ve never even seen the Smell Bent line, but would love to try it. Thanks!
I still haven’t tried any of the Smell Bent fragrances, but I would like to. Thanks for the drawing!
I might be late for this– but basically, I seem to like what Tom likes, so if I could be entered in the draw, I would be most grateful. I have smelled a few of these– I hunted some down at urban outfitters, but could not really appreciate them on the spritz– I was tired, hungry and the music and noise level in those stores is just too much for my tired old self. A leisurely sample exploration would hit the spot–Thanks for the offer. I enjoy the humor in the packaging and naming– that’s for certain–Mary :)>-
Well, I’ve been lurking for a while, and this looks like a good time to jump in! please enter me in the draw.
Many thanks!
I would love to try these, especially Reindeer Games and Dr Driedel. I haven’t yet smelled anything in this line. Please enter me in the draw.
Ooh. I’d love to try a few, if not all, of these!
Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks!
I’d love to be in the drawing as well. Thank you as well as SB for the offer!
Oh my stars, the names alone make these must-trys! Thanks so much for a chance to win!
Yes, please, enter me in the draw!
Late but…I love the name, and the scent names and the prices…would love to try these!
Oh they sound divine! Please enter me in the draw :)
Yes, thanks so much, they sound fun! Throw me in the pit, please!
Thanks to the Posse and Smell Bent for the generous giveaway. Please enter me in the draw- I would love to find a Sexy Turtleneck!
Hi, I’d love to be entered in the draw.
Sexy Turtleneck sounds most appealing, but I’m super curious to give Elf-fulfilling Prophesy a sniff.
Oh yes, included me in the draw. I was just showing the Smell Bent website this week to my teenage boys, they got a kick out of the great names and fun line drawings.
Am I hearing that One is still available? I’m going over right now to check it out. Mals’ enthusiastic review really caught my attention.
Are they only available online? Sure, include me in the draw if you’re counting Canadians…
AnnieA-
He is moving into having his wares in stores but he is going to keep the limiteds primarily online, I believe.
Please enter me in the draw! Would love to try these.
My, your godchild is a sophisticated young lady! I’d love to try these fragrances; please enter me in the drawing.
Please enter me in the draw. Been itchin’ to try smellbents.
I’d love to be entered in the drawing! I recently place my first order with Smell Bent and received my items super fast and with free samples. While I haven’t loved everything, I have enjoyed trying all of them and One and Blimey Limey are definite favorites.
Please enter me. Those names are stellar kooky fun!
I love the names of these so much and would love to try them all – please do enter me in the draw!
I’d enjoy trying these. Please put my name in the draw!
Enter me in the draw too. This perfumer is one my ever-growing list of “things I need to sample”.
Enter me, plx. Love the sound of some of these.
Hi, add my name to the lottery! BTW, nothing from Smell Bent for Kwanzaa?
Yeah, baby, I’ll jump for them since I missed the outing. So, please enter me in the drawing.
Hugs to you, Tom!
Hi Tom!
I enjoyed your post and now I’m intrigued by this line. Liking the sounds of Bi-Polar Express and Sexy Turtleneck.
Please enter me in the draw! Thank you…
These scents sound like fun – I’m in for the draw, please!
please enter me in the draw.
These sound intriguing and I’d love a chance to try them. My budget for scent samples will be limited through the holidays, but these unique scents are certainly tempting – and affordable!
OOOOOO!!!!!….New site(to me),and new smells….I’m totally in for the draw…thank you!!!
I guess that I would love Dr. Dreidel, Reindeer Games and Bi-Polar Express (funny names, btw!).
The notes of Bi-Polar Express make me think of Back to Black: honey, chamomile and woods are there too. And I absolutely adore Back to Black!
I would like to be entered in the draw. Thank you!
I would like to be included in the draw. I am not sure why I have never tried any of the Smell Bent line, they always sound good!
I would love to try these. Please enter me in the drawing.
The website reminds me a bit of the Lush brand. I wonder if the fragrances are as odd as the Lush fragrances?
Ladida-
you can read my take on the Lush fragrances next week and judge.. :d
Please enter me in the draw. I haven’t had the opportunity to try their Holiday limited editions yet, but I did get two of the limited edition Halloween scents from last year, and really enjoy them. Their price point is terrific, and I love that this company doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Why am I suddenly hungry? Please throw me in the draw, too!
Oh, please enter me in the draw! I want to smell the dirty elves.
I also am in this for the draw. But I do want to comment that anyone who can provide us with fun interesting perfume at this price point is a HERO! It makes me suspect that secretly this is the price point everything should be offered at!!!!
Hi Tom, I enjoyed reading your witty descriptions! And now I’m dying to try these for myself, so, yes, please enter me in the draw.
Thanks.
These sound great, fun, and very creative. Would love to sample and the customer service experience described by Mals86 was terribly refreshing!
They do sound like a lot of fun, and I love cheap-and-cheerful perfumery that doesn’t take itself seriously.
Please enter me – these sound like a blast.
No need to enter me in the draw, Tom – I just ordered a bottle of One, which to me is a lot like Dzing! without the dry-manure note. My order was somehow delayed, and when I sent an email to Smell Bent asking about it, I received a reply from Brent that he’d like to send me a sample set as an apology for the delay.
That wasn’t necessary – but that is *excellent* customer service, people, and one more reason to give the indies like Smell Bent our business.
I’m looking forward to testing them, although I’m not sure any of them will be quite “me.” A few months ago, I also tried several others from the SB line: Prairie Nymph, Never Never Land, Lucy Fur, Commando, Bollywood or Bust, and Chile Vanilli as well as the aforementioned One. Not all of them worked for me, but even the ones that didn’t were, at the very least, interesting failures. It’s a line worth trying.
Hi Mals, I offer a hearty “hooray!!” to the great customer service you got. Wish more companies would do that. It might cost a bit to send someone an extra sample or upgrade shipping, etc., but its results are priceless in terms of customer good will and brand loyalty. I recently called a company with a question (no live person, had to leave a message) and got no answer. After waiting a week, I called again, and left the same query. No answer. So I voted with my feet and took my business elsewhere.
Excellent customer service, Mals! I will definitely consider Brent’s site for my younger gifting (I dunno why I am focused on SB as ‘young’ – now watch me fall in love and be hoist on my own petard, yet again… /:)
xo >-)
Hi Tom, welcome aboard on this lovely Tuesday. Loved your fun descriptions of these. I’ve not tried this line but would love to. Please enter me in the draw. Thanks and have a great day!
They sound so intriguing! Please enter me in the draw. Thank you!
Eh, would not be bad to win them – thank for entering me in the drawing ;-)