While I do write somewhat in advance (and got these samples from StC even more in advance), this will publish the day after the Labor Day weekend here in the USA, which marks the “official” end of summer. So what better than testing out some beachy scents? Well, maybe being at a beach resort in a lounge chair being fed tropical drinks by someone named Juan who will rub Bain du Soleil on my back while murmuring appreciatively in a continental manner. But, since I don’t drink, don’t tan, and can’t afford Club Med I will content myself with smelling these.
And the Hawaiian Tropic you guys forced me to buy.
Louis Vuitton On the Beach was the first in line of the four. I have to write that I have never tried any of their scents and frankly didn’t know they had any. I only know the company from my wallet (which I have had forever) and the luggage which I sort of covet. Despite the fact that it is hopelessly naff. I think I might have been scarred at an early age by an episode of Knots Landing where Donna Mills pulled up and grabbed a Keepall Bandouliere from behind the drivers seat of her 450SL on the way to steal a husband, business, or just a mascara wand. This one is all bright citrus- they say Yuzu and who am I to argue. I say there’s lemon in there too. I really like it. Unfortunately I don’t like it $350 (for 3.4oz) worth, even if I can, for $700, buy it it’s own logoed travel case. Maybe if I was Abby Ewing. She of course would maneuver getting it to free.
Maison Martin Margiela Replica Beach Walk is something that I almost kinda sorta wrote about earlier, having blind bought a dupe in a quest for coconut scents. I find myself in the position of having to apologize to MMM for stating in any way that said dupe is really a dupe. It isn’t (and they aren’t doing themselves a favor by stating it is.) This is far more subtle and far more sophisticated. The coconut part of the program is muted by the lemon/pepper/bergamot opening and white flower middle. But all of these these things down to the skin musk whisper like a linen shift in the breeze at the beach. It’s $170 for 3.4oz, and yeah, it’s worth it. (although the Dossier is certainly worth it as well.)
CB I Hate Perfume At the Beach 1966 I wrote about on PST almost 20 years ago. The combination in this one of the smell of Coppertone and salty skin made me write “I was really transported by this one: I was once again a 12 year old at the beach at Niantic, wet bathing suit at all.” I will say that if you want the full effect that you should go for the absolute ($65 for a 5ml roll-on) rather than the water perfume, which is the concentration I got in the sample. I found the water perfume in this case at least to be a little too, well, watery. And if you haven’t tried the rest of his stuff, do. Right now. He’s a genius.
Speaking of genius, there’s Zoologist Squid. Zoologist is a Toronto-based house founded by Victor Wong in 2013. We have written about various scents of the house here at the Posse over the years and they have all been pretty great. This one’s notes (from their website):
Top Notes: Pink Pepper, Solar Salicylate, Incense
Heart Notes: Black Ink Accord, Salty Accord, Opoponax
Base Notes: Ambergris*, Benzoin, Musk*
Now it doesn’t really smell like the sea. Which is, depending on how much you like the ocean, no bad thing. They dial down the salty fecundity of the actual sea smell to a two, keep the salty ambergris and add in the incense and pepper to make it more wearable and (dare I say it) even pretty. There’s no doubt that it’s still a little out of left field, but let’s just say that they didn’t give in to the urge to manure the field just ’cause they could. For which I thank them.
Have you tried any of these? Have any beachy ones of your own you’d like to point out? Recovering after a long weekend of beer and brats? (kind of miss those) Let us know in the comments.
My samples were from Surrender to Chance
Images: My iPhone, Pexels, Wikimedia Commons.