Smell Bent 1993 and 1999

First, for those of you who asked, part two of the story of the a-hole boss and my assist to Karma..

So, the a-hole boss had (finally) been sent packing by the overlords at work. Several months later, I was as well in department cutbacks. Now, months later, I was at a block party event that was all about public safety: police and fire giving out tips on disaster preparedness, rides for the kiddies, food trucks, etc. I ran into someone I knew from him testing the waters for a run for the School Board and he mentioned that we had a “mutual acquaintance.” Turns out that he was pretty high up in a local firm and that he had interviewed a-hole for a position. He told me that a-hole had told a laundry list of accomplishments at his last position. I smiled vaguely and wondered aloud “and yet he isn’t still there..??..) He asked me what I thought of him personally. I smiled blankly and didn’t say anything. He countered with “your silence speaks volumes” and then in response to my continues silence added “I thought he was a blow-hard.” I just smiled and wished him a good time at the event, adding that the grilled cheese truck was yummy.

Now onto the scents:

1993 is the newest of Smell Bent’s “Frankensmellies” brought out in time for hallowe’en and celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of the movie “Hocus Pocus” (which if you have never seen run off right now and put it in your Netflix queue.) The notes (from the Smell Bent website) are: a cauldron of black pepper, sparkling root beer, rich chocolate, flaked coconut, blood cedar and red patchoul I. For the most part I get the chocolate first, rich and slightly bitter. Then the sparkly root beer comes in and I don’t think I have been as happy with that smell since I was in my parents Ninety-Eight slurping up iced A&W. I don’t get much in the way of coconut and the patch and black pepper pretty much stay in the background, but it is a scent that is very wearable, far more than the tongue-in-cheek presentation would lead you to believe, but that is a Smell Bent thing. Lasting power is excellent- the dry down is a yummy woody incense thing with just a hint of that root part of the soda. I can see a full bottle in my future and Smell Bent is nuts if they don’t at least make this a seasonal favorite.

I don’t know exactly what 1999 is inspired by; the notes are mentioned as “fizzy Fresca” and orange blossom. Now I don’t think I have had a Fresca since, oh, 1999, but it’s bright opening with slightly bitter orange (and bergamot?) definitely remind me of having one poolside, back when I dare to appear poolside. It even manages to synthesize that lightly metallic taste that Fresca has in scent, but not enough to scare the horses. It dries down after the initial shaken-can opening to a very lovely orange blossom with an almost rosy base. Lasting power is fairly good, especially for a citrus scent, which tends to wither and die in an hour or so.

Now I am biased because I think Brent is pretty much a genius, especially since he is doing something that nobody else is: providing really good and often brilliant scents at price points that beat out the those things you are going to find at TJ Maxx, never mind Macy’s. He does sample packs with six generous 4ML samples (I believe) for $40, that you can mix and match or try his bestsellers. He often offers free shipping as well; whats not to love?

1993 and 1999 are $8 for the 4ML travel spray, $60 for the 1.7oz spray. I received my samples from the perfumer

Image: Interwebs