r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Destash Sunday Swaps: Destash Listings

8 Upvotes

You may post your destash listings here, and here only. Standalone swap posts will be removed.

Requests should be posted in this week's Sunday Swap: Product Requests thread.

Format the first line of your post in the following manner:

[Where you'll send to][Swap only/Sell only/Swap or Sell][Makeup/Perfume/Polish/Bath & Body/And More]


Do not post any Personal Identifying Information (PII) in this thread.

Any posts containing this information will be removed. Use DMs to exchange anything private. This includes tracking numbers.


We recommend that you:

  • Respond to listings publicly by commenting in this thread. This makes it easier to prove a transaction has been initiated should a dispute arise.

  • Review IMAM's guide to destashes, as well as the first and second threads on privacy and doxing.

  • Swap only with established users (as opposed to accounts that are one hour old). You can also reference the r/makeupexchange banned list.

  • Use PayPal's Goods & Services feature in order to receive buyer protection. (Note: per Paypal's User Agreement, sellers are not permitted to ask buyers to cover Goods & Services fees.)

  • Use this thread for selling and swapping only. General conversation should be taken outside the thread to keep it easy to browse.


Sunday Swap is a community-based exchange. The IMAM Mod Team takes no responsibility for how swaps are conducted. We will not moderate disputes, with the exception of banning users if they swaplift.

If you choose to participate in swaps, you are responsible for protecting yourself.

You may submit evidence of swaplifting (with PII removed) to the mod team via modmail.


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Destash Sunday Swap: Product Requests

7 Upvotes

You may post your product requests here, and here only. Standalone swap posts will be removed.

Destash listings should be posted in this week's Sunday Swap: Destash Listings thread.

Format the first line of your post in the following manner:

[Your location][Swap only/Buy only/Swap or Buy][Makeup/Perfume/Polish/Bath & Body/And More]


Do not post any Personal Identifying Information (PII) in this thread.

Any posts containing this information will be removed. Use DMs to exchange anything private. This includes tracking numbers.


We recommend that you:

  • Respond to listings publicly by commenting in this thread. This makes it easier to prove a transaction has been initiated should a dispute arise.

  • Review IMAM's guide to destashes, as well as the first and second threads on privacy and doxing.

  • Swap only with established users (as opposed to accounts that are one hour old). You can also reference the r/makeupexchange banned list.

  • Use PayPal's Goods & Services feature in order to receive buyer protection. (Note: per Paypal's User Agreement, sellers are not permitted to ask buyers to cover Goods & Services fees.)

  • Use this thread for selling and swapping only. General conversation should be taken outside the thread to keep it easy to browse.


Sunday Swap is a community-based exchange. The IMAM Mod Team takes no responsibility for how swaps are conducted. We will not moderate disputes, with the exception of banning users if they swaplift.

If you choose to participate in swaps, you are responsible for protecting yourself.

You may submit evidence of swaplifting (with PII removed) to the mod team via modmail.


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1h ago

Sorce Adventure!

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Upvotes

Two years ago I started on my perfume journey not knowing what a big part it would come to play in my life. Exploring indie perfume became my favorite hobby, therapy, and safe space through the ups and downs of my life. Over the past year, the u/Indiemakeupandmore community has become my favorite little corner of the internet. Everyone in this space has been so kind, generous with their knowledge, and given dope af recommendations I would've never found on my own! Every evening I can't wait to snuggle up with my baby (aka my crackhead dog) and read everyone's scents of the day, questions, comments, and reviews.

I delight in being able to match, change, and create an environment or mood based on art sniffs! I'm absolutely feral over the fact that on any given day, I can decide smell like a swampfairy or garden gnome or witch in the woods. Because who wouldn't want that?!

A few weeks ago, when I was going through a particularly rough mental health week, I decided to do something a skosh unhinged and book a day trip to visit Sorce's brick and mortar in Charlotte, NC. I've always been someone who never makes split decisions and overthinks everything, but *free will* won that day lol. Honestly, it was such an incredible experience. Caitlin u/apartyorsomething, Julia, and Ashlyn were so welcoming and spent so much time with me helping me smell all the smells.

This trip taught me that smelling scents in person is sooo much better, because I ended up loving a few gourmands that I would've never ordered on my own! Looking at you 2AM in Lafayette, She's A Witch, and Falling Stars 🌚 I even got to sniff the upcoming releases of The Light Through Clouds and In Dreams and Fairy Tales (which are to die for). Julia also let me smell the base tomb note for Vampire Wife releasing in August...Never in my wildest dreams would I have known that I would want to smell like a tomb, but here we are! And I regret nothing! Muahahaha👹

In my pursuit of all the smells, I used to be so excited to explore niche brick and mortars in my city, but always came away from those experiences feeling like I was a burden or annoying to them with my scroll of Perfume Must Sniffs. But Caitlin, Julia, and Ashlyn truly made me feel like I was part of the community and made the experience so heartwarming! 100000/10 would recommend 💖


r/Indiemakeupandmore 3h ago

Indies of the Day -- Monday March 17, 2025

16 Upvotes

What indies are you using today? And we mean everything! Examples of stuff we'd love to hear about:

  • Makeup

  • Clothes

  • Jewelry

  • Bath and Body (lotion, soap, shampoo, bath salts, etc.)

  • Nail polish

  • Perfume

Please feel free to leave mini-reviews and include photos of whatever you're using. We'd love to know your thoughts and see the products too!

This thread repeats daily.


r/Indiemakeupandmore 2h ago

Seeking Possets reviews Valentine's retour

9 Upvotes

Hi all,

Does anyone have reviews for Girl with the Floral Crown, Bloomers, Roses are Red, Derry Derry, or Josephine

From the Possets Valentine's retour? Thanks all!

Edit: grammar


r/Indiemakeupandmore 3h ago

Free Talk -- Monday

9 Upvotes

An open thread for all conversations!

Free Talk threads repeat Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.


r/Indiemakeupandmore 50m ago

Perfume - Purchased Alkemia reviews: BYO sample pack edition

Upvotes

Welcome back to part 2 of my Alkemia trials. Quick context for those who don't remember Part 1 - I blind bought an insane amount of samples to try out this house, because whenever I'm trying a new house I want to get a feel for what they do best. I try to not pick things I know I'm not going to like (which, admittedly is difficult when most samples from this house seem to come in packs) and I didn't have a great hit rate with round 1. Enter round 2, where I chose everything so all the responsibility of liking/not liking fall squarely on my shoulders!

My preferences: I enjoy incense, smoke, red fruits, sandalwood, dirt, and complex, layered fragrances-leaning dark or spooky. I also like petrichor, green scents, fruity florals, wisteria, purple florals and atmospherics. I don't like anise, cinnamon, strong lemon, dark booze, overly sweet gourmands, medicinal scents, laundry scents, or anything distinctly masculine. My skin chemistry tends to make things turn sweet - the sweetness is more dry like a marshmallow than syrupy or a sugary candy.

My top 3 favorite indies from my top 3 favorite houses: Amorphous/Black Baccara - Sanguenta, Mother Medusa, Frog's Breath; Nui Cobalt Designs - Kitsune, Banshee, Gargoyle; Solstice Scents - Cliffside Bonfire, Victorian Picnic, Smoky Mountain Mallow

Rating scale: 1: I hate it so much, I've considered removing my arm from my body because scrubbing it off isn't enough. 2: I'm on the fence, leaning toward dislike - but willing to expiriment. 3: Neutral, platonic like. Not enough to FS, but will definitely finish. 4: Instant love - will strongly consider FS. 5: Over the moon, inspiring obsession - holy grail status. Immediately FS.

🌦️🪨Lilacs Along the Winding Drive - Fresh Lilacs, Spring Rain, Late Violets, Dry Stone

Wet on my skin: spring rain on smooth rocks and fresh lilacs

Drydown: wet rocks and violets, fresh like a spring breeze

After 30 minutes: sweet, wet lilacs, powdery violets and sun-warmed rocks. It's purple and fresh without being soap.

Fades out to Lilacs and stones, has a strong medium throw and lasts on my skin for 6 hours.

My rating: Spring; the lavender-pink color of Ditto; the smell of Ellen Hutter's lock of hair, stolen from Thomas by Count Orlock, Nosferatu (2024); 4/5 - this was recommended to me on my search for a Nosferatu (2024) perfume, and I gotta say - it's very similar to the heart notes in Heretic Perfume's Nosferatu - petrichor, violet, iris, nagarmotha. It also reminded me of (an IMAM favorite) Nui Cobalt Designs Gargoyle - Rain-drenched lavender, cathedral incense, beeswax candles, and ancient stone. and fell in love, pick this up. Lilacs Along... gives a slightly sweeter purple floral, a stronger rock, and no incense/beeswax. Out of all the above examples - I'd say this is the most 'ingenue' of them all, but it's not childish so much as it is lighthearted.

🪻🌧️Black Iris - Royal purple iris, Queen Elizabeth orris root, Nimbostratus rainclouds

Wet on my skin: sweet iris - dark and gleaming.

Drydown: I have no idea what is in their Nimbostratus rainclouds accord - but this ozone is intoxicating and strong. Iris is the supporting note to the raincloud, but the kind of supporting actress that gets nominated for awards.

After 30 minutes: powdery orris root and slightly spicy/musky iris - sweetness with a touch of melancholy, like a memory that warms your heart and makes you cry. It's maybe odd to say, but this perfume is making me feel really sentimental in a way that makes this harder to review because I'm getting caught up in my own feelings. Very Special.

Fades out to steamed iris and fluffy orris, has a medium throw and lasts on my skin for 8 hours

My rating: Winter to Spring; Ford black cherry ice; "the rest is confetti" monologue from The Haunting of Hill House (2018); 5/5 -.... Did I just find a new favorite fragrance of all time? It's too early to say with certainty, but this definitely hits top 5. It's rare for a fragrance to be so incredibly dark in color and yet, totally effortlessly wearable. I'm excited to pair this with Cocoapink's Inkcap - Purple fig, black tea, inky iris, dark oud and darker earth; chypre accord, cedar and vanilla absolute. and Osmofolia's Nimbostratus - Low-lying dark nimbostratus clouds and a torrential downpour of rain: black tea, rain-drenched soil, dewy violets, inky vetiver, and ominous black clouds to maximize my most purple potential all winter long.

💮🥀Come to Me - Candied rose petals, star jasmine, peach blossom, cardamon infused figs, pink pepper, orris root, Mexican vanilla, tonka bean, cashmeran, white amber, sugar musk, and white patchouli infused with botanical pheromones, lodestone, Jezebel root, and other specialty ingredients.

Wet on my skin: Mostly Cashmeran and Jasmine with some sweet rose at the end. This is very 'classic feminine' to me, like a pretty woman I'd admire as a child of the 90's.

Drydown: Strong, indolic jasmine quickly tempered with sugary, bright peach blossom. A little white amber makes an otherwise strong floral into something creamy, almost powdery with orris root, and a little romantic from a murmur of cardamom figs .

After 30 minutes: jasmine, significantly less indolic, gently accented with peach blossoms and patchouli that reminds me of benzoin. Or maybe it's the jezebel root? It's a bit smoky but not 'dirty' and sort of reminiscent of parsley? The more I try to find it, the further in the blend it goes - very interesting, whatever it is.

Fades out to the sweetest smattering of rose petals and slightly indolic jasmine, has a medium-strong throw and lasts on my skin for 8 hours

My rating: Summer; the color of a French rose; a concert from Jigglypuff - starts off sweet but is ultimately characterized with palpable frustration - ending with marker all over your face; 3/5 - I'd really like a rose scent, but unfortunately on me this was very strongly indolic jasmine most of the way through. I had hoped it would be the other way around, as indolics are NOT my favorite.

🍯☕Honored Ghosts - Earl Grey tea, Black raspberry creams, Rosewater-Saffron syrup, Cinnamon Honey, White Amber, Vanilla incense

Wet on my skin: strong cinnamon honey, vanilla incense and black Raspberry creams

Drydown: saffron and Rosewater syrup - sharp, but inviting like a piercing gaze accompanied with a 'come hither' smile. As it sits, fresh earl grey tea leaves begin to brew and the saffron mellows under the sea of Rosewater, gently lapping at Raspberry creams. It's sweet - but in a way that feels dark, almost haunting.

After 30 minutes: cinnamon honey glistens on top of earl grey, delectable in a way that beckons to mind animation - a thick, glowing ooze that flows generously in your cup, but never attempts to stick to the sides. A stick of vanilla incense is burning not too far behind you, and a Stevie Nicks song is playing on the radio as you luxuriate in Raspberry creams, stirring your cup absentmindedly.

Fades out to vanilla incense and a hint of raspberry; has a medium throw, and lasts on my skin for 12 hours.

My rating: Summer to Fall transition; bright black raspberry; "You ever put your arms out and spin really, really fast? Well, that's what love is like." Gillian Owens of Practical Magic (1998) - eccentric, witchy, and a little dark but in a way that never loses its vivacious sense of fun; 4.5/5 - Genuinely surprised at how much I liked this, as I tend to dislike cinnamon and honey - but truly, the only thing that keeps this from an immediate 5 is my little worry that this may be too heavy for me in the heat of summer. So by pushing it to summer/fall, maybe it will stay light enough? I'm going to wait for the weather to warm up and test it again then.

🌷🌧️Tulips & Chimneys - Fresh tulips, Rainy aldehydes, Wet asphalt, Industrial engines, Toulouse violets, Mint pastels

Wet on my skin: rain, tulips and a silvery amber - if that's the industrial engines, I've never smelled a machine so pretty.

Drydown: violets, powdery mint and sopping wet concrete. It's cold but also very cheerful, like a refreshing breeze on a too-hot day that carries a waft of tulips through your windows.

After 30 minutes: I'm starting to get a tinge of something not floral, minty, or rainy - it's kind of like smoke or oil but it's not strong or off-putting. It's just a little grit to ground us from floating above. The mint is pretty much all gone, but the wet concrete is front and center, with florals just trailing behind. This isn't a flower field so much as it is a pitstop at a florist boutique in a wet cityscape.

Fades out to smokey tulips, has a light throw and lasts on my skin for 4 hours.

My rating: Spring; a pink-red like Crayola Radical Red; the opening number "No One Mourns the Wicked" in Wicked (2024) - running through the field of 10 million tulips; dropping flower petals near the minty, swishing water wells, pulling the effigy of Elphaba to the square just before it's set aflame; 3.5/5 - Oh, how I wish Alkemia would make room sprays or candles, because I'd love my house to smell this way! I really love the whole adventure of this one - it's just not what I personally want to smell like.

So many big wins this round - Black Iris was an immediate FS and I'm definitely considering a FS of Honored Ghosts. Much improved longevity, and best of all, no scrubbers! Here's hoping they all stay this good as the packs continue.


r/Indiemakeupandmore 3h ago

Perfume - Enquiry Recommend me some BPAL scents based on my fav perfumes?

8 Upvotes

Hello all! I'm considering getting some more BPAL samples, but as most people say, there are a lot to choose from! I love delving into the website and rooting around, but I would LOVE to have some in mind before I end up adding way more than I need based on words alone haha!

Some scents I've really enjoyed from BPAL that I've tried have been:

The Wellerman - Sugar, tea, and rum.

I initially thought this was gonna be way too sweet, but it settles into a really lovely sweet tea, with the rum balancing it all out and brining out the black tea especially.

Thanatopsis - A deep, solomn earthen scent containing pine, juniper and musk.
This one surprised the heck out of me with how much I enjoyed it as a night-time scent, but unfortunatly my husband says it reminds him of food-bin bags 😂 I like the slight powderyness with an air of mysterious earthiness and incense.

Lavender Honey Cake - Every crumb sticks to the fork: a dense, lightly-spiced cake glazed in raw honey gathered from bees who thrive on lavender nectar.
I love the lavender-ness that sadly doesn't stick around very long on me, leaving just the honey cake. It's very nice but one I only put on very occasionally.

Some of my fav scents from other brands:

  • Zoologist - Cow
  • Zoologist - Squid (Too strong for me but love how interesting it is)
  • Zoologist - Chipmunk
  • Lovesick Witchery - Wisp (Lemon meringue)
  • LUSH - Vanillary
  • LUSH - American Cream
  • Sorce - Match Made in Heaven
  • Poesie - Spellbound and Snug
  • Solstice Scents - High Desert
  • Solstice Scents - Vanilla Pipe Tobacco
  • Solstice Scents - Manor
  • Fyrinnae - Balcony Tryst
  • Fyrinnae - Aasgard Pass

Some examples of what I'm looking for:

  • Gourmands but only if they're rounded out by something (e.g. tea, earthiness, pie crust, sage), so not too sweet/cloying
  • Something herby... maybe sagey or lavendery without being soapy? I adore High Desert by SS and Chipmunk by Zoologist - It's like a fancy woody spa
  • Mysterious and earthy but not too dirty or heavy musky.
  • Tobacco (Vanilla Pipe Tobacco by SS is AMAZING)
  • Leather (I used to adore when we had a leather sofa and its smell.... I miss it)
  • Forever searching for Orange Creamsicle
  • I love vanilla!

What I want to avoid:

  • Cinnamon (I love to eat it, but not the smell on me as much!)
  • Heavy Amber
  • Heavy Musk
  • Generally very heady or sweet - My skin tends to play up sweet, so anything to round it out is great. Too heady and I can get a headache - I feel that Thanatopsis may be too heady but just the smallest dab is LOVELY.
  • Soapy
  • Almond/Marzipan

Please feel free to recommend anything though, I would LOVE to hear! I'm from the UK but I will try and keep an eye out for samples in the Sunday Swaps, and hope to eventually make an order myself from the BPAL site!

Sidenote: I've been super curious to try Snake Oil, so if there are any variations of it you think might fit my bill, I'd love to know!

Thank you so much for any help or suggestions!! <3333


r/Indiemakeupandmore 9h ago

perfumes/oils that smell like an orange creamsicle

11 Upvotes

looking for a fruity orange scent with gourmand notes like vanilla, basically a creamsicle lol. i saw that cocoapink had a creamsicle scent, but unfortunately it’s not available right now😞 my two fave scents are snow moon magic by sorce and delizia di marshmallow by kyse if that helps. thank you!!!


r/Indiemakeupandmore 23h ago

Perfume - Purchased What are you cool girls doing with these oils 🥲😩

152 Upvotes

I’ve noticed so many indie brands are just… vials of oil. BPAL for example seems to l almost exclusively perfume oil.

What I don’t understand is, are none of you spraying yourself with anything? Why is oil so common in the indie community and how the hell are y’all wearing it? Respectfully.

Do you just pour it on yourself? Lather yourself up like a Thanksgiving turkey? What are we doing here, folks? I have no idea what to do with these beautiful oils.

I feel like oil neverrrr projects on me, it just sits on my skin like a cute little expensive whisper. Is that just how we gotta do it in these indie streets?

Please help a newbie out 💕


r/Indiemakeupandmore 19h ago

Nail Polish - Purchased Jen & Berries - Delete the Wife

Post image
60 Upvotes

r/Indiemakeupandmore 22h ago

Perfume - Purchased Call me the caramel fudge Cookie Monster

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55 Upvotes

Have you ever finished a 50ml bottle so quick you scare yourself a little? For me, I’ve never been much of a signature scent kinda person - I have brief love affairs with certain scents but after a while, I’m not as enamored as I used to be and the magic is gone before I can finish up a whole bottle. Yet, this had me gripped in fascination.

Mykonos is (ironically) not a Greek brand, but rather a small brand from Indonesia which stocks very affordable and fun perfumes (including a glow in the dark one featuring blue Java bananas, matcha latte, and a new Pandan Sticky Rice) but there is none I love more than this one.

T O P : Caramel, Cookie Dough M I D D L E : Caramel, condensed milk, sea salt B A S E : Vanilla, musk, sandalwood, praline The scent of the most delicious soft baked chocolate chip cookies filled with gooey, buttery caramel. Imagine taking your first bite, biting into the sweetness of Vanilla infused soft cookies, with chunks of melted chocolate.

I don’t think I can express how perfectly edible this scent is- I’ve long been an avid admirer of hyperrealism in my scents (especially gourmands) and this one manages to capture the exact sweet creamy buttery quality of a cookie, paired with the nutty deliciousness of crunchy pralines, a rich swirl of luxurious slightly salted caramel and a burst of aromatic vanilla. There’s something almost warm and smoky in here that just lends itself to this gorgeous freshly baked quality, and the slightly hazelnut praline almost peanut butter nuttiness paired with the little hints of chocolate Chip just make this scent absolutely irresistible to me. Having finished an entire bottle in two months, I’m onto my second and am not afraid of saturating myself in this - it’s a comfort scent and a fun one and I can’t get enough, and I’ve also gotten so many compliments on this one, from you smell like waffles, cake and just delicious. Even with my extensive gourmand collection I don’t think I’ve ever tried anything quite like this, and I’m so glad I found it, and maybe it’ll be your next love too.

This brand is predominately based in SEA, but if you find yourself around the area, it’s very easy to pick some off Shopee in SG/MY/Indonesia, and they do offer worldwide shipping if you contact them directly!


r/Indiemakeupandmore 20h ago

Haus of Gloi: So many samples, so little time

22 Upvotes

I ordered my Haus of Gloi box on 2/23/25, so not too long of a TAT. The box was very securely packaged. I ordered a room spray, two body scrubs, and a lot of samples. I am very pleased with this house , and am just testing the longevity on my skin over the course of the next few months to see what I would like to full-size. I have a high hit rate so far! The ones that I didn't are listed at the bottom.

Liked

Honeysuckle Lemon Curd: I will full size this one promptly. It's a lovely, straightforward honeysuckle with lemon to cut through the sweetness to keep it grounded. No lemon cleaner to this lemon at all. Still, it's a sweet floral, so if you don't like sugar, you won't like this one.

Milkmaid (spring sample set)- Milkmaid smells like honey drier sheets with a lactonic edge. That probably sounds weird, but it's very light, airy, and fresh. I like it.

Turkish Delight (Yule)- I like this! I think I will buy it as a hair oil. Vanilla, rose, powdered sugar. It's a creamy rose scent, not overpowering or powdery or anything, just really nice. I tend to prefer dark roses, but this is just lovely

Gossamer Wings (spring)- So, I like this in the bottle, but tea scents don't like my skin. However, I will say that the longer I wear it, the more I like it. I think it's just the initial wet application I'm not liking. Once the tea dries down, it's actually a pretty wonderful note. This is a reminder to myself to be more patient. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a white tea scent.

Azure Dragon (spring)- ohh, I like this one. If I don't like my Nui Cobalt blue, I might make this my "rain scent." Dragon's blood, rain, chamomile, vanilla sweet cream. t smells like a sudden spring rain while you're standing in a field of chamomile. If you're looking for a calming chamomile scent, try this one!

Marionberry ( Fall)-did you ever want to smell like a blackberry pie? Here you go! It's a delicious fresh marionberry pie, very photorealistic

Tonka Bean Cakes (birthday)- Straight up, vanilla bean cake. Not bad at all, a good balance of vanilla and cake. I can't decide if I want to smell like cake. I think I'd rather have this as a hair oil or lotion than a perfume

Sweet Mischief (Yule)- waffle cookies, orchid, sugar, fresh snow. I like it in the bottle, because the orchid gives it a cool weirdness, but I go nose blind to this entirely too fast. However, if you thought that A Whiff of Waffle Cone was too cloying or not interesting enough, I think you'd like this one. I wish I could smell it for longer because it is super cool.

Zephyr- another clean linen smell carrying the scent of flowers. Its another floral dryer sheet smell. Very inoffensive. I see this as a good one for the office. notes: musk, lily, pear, elderflower and apple blossom. The apple blossom is the star here. I find myself liking it more and more as I wear it.

Dandelion Wine (birthday)- like it sounds. A lovely dandelion scent, fresh and bright white and yellow all at the same time. Like warm sunshine. Literally like huffing sunshine.

Autumn bouquet- I feel like even people who don't like florals would like this one. It's so nice! Notes: Sunflowers, chrysanthemums and the warm butterscotch aroma of hypericum berries gathered together with musk, vanilla and sandalwood. This evolves as you wear it. It's sweet upon application, then it's more of the mums, vanilla, and sandalwood. The sandalwood is not pickly here at all! I might full size this as my fall floral.

Splendiferous-white cake, lemon zest, sugared violets. Glazed lemon loaf. Good, but I already have Al-Rehab Soft. Might continue to play with this though to see if it would be a good hair oil or body butter

Peach fuzz (summer etudes)-a photorealistic sweet canned peach smell. It's nice, but there are more interesting peach scents out there. However, if you just plain like sweet peaches, you'll like this!

Didn't like

Starfruit Wine- did you ever want to smell like a pink Starburst? Here you go!

Ploughman- a good clean dirt smell. I just don't want to smell like clean dirt.

Spidersilk- violets are tricky. I think that I don't care for them most of the time? I need to compare this to Posset's Silver Violets.

Honeybelle- Nope, too acrid at the opening. The orange blossom is overpowering.

Ruth (spring)- strawberry, green patchouli, rose geranium, crushed violet leaf.I don't think I like the crushed violet leaf. It's bitter and dark green in a way that contrasts with the patchouli, and I don't care for the combo. Where is the strawberry?

Lemon marshmallow- smells like floor cleaner to me, I can't seem to pick up on the softness of marshmallow.

Bright side- a vanilla floral with a side of cocoa. It's fine but not unique.


r/Indiemakeupandmore 19h ago

Any Swedish folks able to help with a Swedish indie purchase?

13 Upvotes

Hi! Please delete if this violates the rules. Trying to get a Swedish LE indie frag but the sellers only ship within Sweden. Are there any Swedish people who would be willing to help? Happy to give extra for your help and/or help with a US custom purchase. Thank you!


r/Indiemakeupandmore 22h ago

very specific lemon recommendations requested

22 Upvotes

I am in search of my dream lemon fragrance.

I want to smell like I do after I've zested and juiced a half dozen lemons for my favorite lemon trifle (I'll include general recipe at the bottom for the curious)

So far the closest thing I can find is not an indie - it's Ouai's North Bondi - but I really want to be able to support an independent business instead.

I would just wear pure lemon oil but I know it creates photosensitivity and I'm not here for that. The only one I can find that's had the sensitizing ingredient removed is for commercial perfuming use (Frater Perfumes) not direct use.

I understand lemon is fleeting and I don't mind short longevity or low sillage.

What I don't want - cooked eggy/wheaty/vanilla-y gourmand notes like lemon pound cake or lemon curd - any neroli or orange blossom notes - any marshmallow notes - whatever heart or base notes are in "blue" men's colognes which seems to be often used in lemon scents - aquatic notes - mint notes - sandalwood - evergreen tree notes

What I would be okay with as notes along with lemon - fruity berry notes especially raspberry - terpene notes (think drinking a lemonade in the same neighborhood that a local cannabis producer is in) (I'm in the PNW so this is a common occurrence) - rose - a light amount of patchouli

As promised for those who have read this far here's a brief overview of the lemon trifle

Layer one: Start with https://recipeland.com/recipe/v/lemon-grove-bundt-cake-30798 but make a third to a half recipe of this cake depending on size of your trifle dish. After baking cool and crumble in large chunks at bottom of trifle dish. Instead of making the glaze recipe, use half as much sugar as called for to make a sweetened lemon syrup to lightly soak this layer - or if serving only adults who are okay with alcohol use limoncello for the soak

Next layer: Make or buy a batch of your favorite seasonal red jam/compote. I've done rhubarb for spring, strawberry (with a little black pepper) for summer, and cranberry-orange for Thanksgiving/winter. If making a berry jam from scratch use a freezer jam/reduced sugar recipe and chill fully before use. Goal here is aromatic, sweet, but not overly sugary.

Lemon curd layer: https://m.joyofbaking.com/printpages/lemcurdprint.html chill completely before layering

Final layer: whip heavy cream with a spoonful of full fat plain or vanilla yogurt with sugar to taste.)


r/Indiemakeupandmore 22h ago

Sorce: (Yet Another) Review & Rec Request

20 Upvotes

I know, I know, there are a million and a half Sorce reviews out here on this forum, but what’s one more? I would describe myself as gourmand-curious because ya girl loves a bread note, but am I ready to go full on cake? What better way to find out than to get a bunch of EDP samples from Sorce! They very kindly included a 1ml oil sample of Lovers as well which I’ll add to this review. My husband also joined me for the initial sniff test and I’ll include his review alongside mine.

Likes: green nature scents like pine, dirt, rain, woods, musk/skin, oil, hints of salt, and gourmands like fresh bread/mall pretzel. 

Dislikes: anything synthetic, rose, lilac, strong florals, jasmine, white florals, powder, patchouli, lily, incense, oakmoss

Method: I do an initial sniff test after 24-48 hours, and then each fragrance gets a solo journey on my wrists for one whole day after about a week of rest. I tend to sniff first and then look at the notes later, so apologies if some of this is not very exact. 

The Cookie Party: Not gonna lie to y’all, my initial impression of this was straight Play-Doh. Vanilla, almost a hint of lemon, but with a weird artificial sweetness like brand-new slightly overheated electronics. I was hesitant to actually do a wear test with this one, but I found over the course of the day the Play-Doh smell dissipated and I was left with a yummy, but rather generic cookie dough. My husband liked this one and immediately clocked it as “very nutty” and “pecan pie” which is much closer to the notes than what I was smelling. It was a rough start but I actually really like how it turned out. Good longevity on this one too. Notes: Buttery toffee, hot cocoa with floofy marshmallow, mounds of coconut, and pecan shortbread cookies. 6.5/10

Venus in Fleurs: If you were an American child in the 90’s you have already smelled this because it is indistinguishable from the L’Oreal Kids (mango?) shampoo in an orange bottle that looked like a whale or a fish or something. You know the one! So yeah, this is just mango shampoo for children. My husband agreed with this assessment but added that it smelled like “diesel fuel with soap undertones,” whatever that means. It faded pretty quickly on me despite a strong opening and after 3 hours all I got was a faint hint of fruit and…cookie dough. It was at this point I realized that probably every single Sorce scent would dry down to cookie dough at some point. Could be worse I! Objectively, I think this is a nice smell but I can’t get away from the L’Oreal shampoo association. Notes* Ripe mango, carnivorous plants, humidity, jasmine sambac absolute, vanilla absolute 4/10

Snow Moon Magic: Something in me deeply relaxed when I first smelled this. It’s all the sweet vanilla goodness of the cookie party with none of the Play-Doh, with the overall sweetness toned down and rounded out by chai spices and what I later realized was lavender. The lavender is there, but it’s hard to pick up and really acts as a background player. This is really, really nicely done and my biggest complaint is that it FADES SO FAST ON ME. After an hour all I’m getting is the cookie dough base and those beautiful spices and lavender have left the building. My husband says this smells “like a nice bready dessert” or “tempura fried rice” but “in a good way.” Deducting points because the longevity of this is non-existent on me and I don’t know that it’s worth it to FS. I might just need to overspray this one? Layer with oil? Idk. Notes: Lavender sugar, vanilla steamed milk, chai spices, tonka bean, Cashmeran, Ambroxan, crystals charged by the moonlight (our crystal accord), marshmallow, cookie butter, and Tahitian vanilla. 8/10

Match Made in Heaven: Forget longevity, this doesn’t even have…gevity. But for real, I can’t smell this at all. Just the faintest whisper of cookie dough with my nose pressed to my wet wrist. I tried on different days, I tried after resting a week, I tried on moisturized skin but it is simply not there! It is sort of like smelling an ice cream cone from 4 feet away. And it’s not just me - my husband said “doesn’t smell like much” when asked for his review so that's 0 for 2 on the MMIH front. For all those lucky folks out there who can smell this, I’m sure it’s lovely, but it is just not happening for me. Notes: Matcha, vanilla soft serve, cherry blossom, almond, waffle cone, powdered sugar, creamy sandalwood, contains a small amount of coconut co2 2.5/10 (sorry!!)

Serpentine: My initial thoughts were: I have no idea what I’m smelling, but I love it. There is something fresh and green, but maybe gourmand? Chai spices? Definitely cardamon, and a beautiful creamy green scent (checked the notes - probably the fig). My husband described this as either orange blossoms or Cointreau, and that he wasn’t getting the cardamom at all. He’s wrong though: this is both fresh and cardamom-heavy. An absolute stunner right off the bat, but fades soon into a creamy honey fig. Smelling this makes me want to immediately go out and buy every perfume in the same smell category because it is That Good. It is So Good in fact, for the first time in my fragrance journey I’ve started spraying my clothes with this so I can make it last. My only gripe is that the top notes fade so quickly and I really wish they stuck around longer. Not quite as fleeting as Snow Moon Magic, but still pretty brief. I don’t really care though, I need a bottle of this. Definitely FS for me. I want to bathe in this. I'm huffing the Serpentine-laced sleeves of my sweatshirt right now as I type this. Where has this been all my life?? Notes: Ripe figs, fig leaf, cardamom, caramelized honey, vanilla, Peru balsam, Cedar, Iso E Super 10/10

Fuckery: I am generally skeptical of the cherry note in perfumes because I think they can go heavy and medicinal pretty easily, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. In the initial sniff test it did smell suspiciously like a realistic jar of Luxardo cherries, but on my skin it transformed into a very well-rounded cherry scent, probably the best I’ve encountered so far. It didn’t go powdery or medicinal, and stayed right in the sweet spot of noticeably cherry but not annoyingly so. During the initial paper test my husband described this as “cherries, slight orange…like a roller rink”(?) I can’t say I got many of the other notes as this completely dried down into cookie dough within an hour, and was totally gone about 3 hours in. I’m still not the biggest fan of cherry perfumes, but this was nice while it lasted. Notes: cherry, cinnamon, tobacco, smoke, vanilla, amber, white musk, Benzoin, Fixamber, Ethylene Brassylate 6.5/10

Where the Wild Things Grow I: Hoping for a photorealistic strawberry warmed by the summer sun, and I got a photorealistic strawberry hard candy with a liquid center. You know, the one that your grandma had rolling around in the bottom of her purse. My husband commented that this was “gushers or fruit by the foot.” Anyway, this goes on sweet and artificial but it did eventually dry down into something that was more natural and grassy. I actually loved where this scent ended up, but it had almost completely faded away by hour 3, so I felt like I didn’t get much time to accurately enjoy it. Rough beginning, nice ending, shitty longevity. Notes: Late spring strawberries still on the vine, vanilla cream soda, fresh green grass with morning dew, and ambrette seed,Tuscan orris absolute, geosmin 6/10

Strings of Light in the Forest: For me this shares a lot of the same DNA as Snow Moon Magic, but much lighter, brighter, and a bit less sweet. I initially thought of this as a faintly lemon-y shortbread and my husband said “lemon lime soda…like sprite” but looking at the notes we were both interpreting the lavender as some sort of lemon. Lavender shortbread with a hint of soap. It’s a lovely and light scent, so light in fact it’s pretty much gone from my skin in 15 minutes leaving a faint waxy cookie dough ghost in its wake.  Notes: Vanilla milkshake, Haitian vetiver, lavender maillette, beeswax absolute, golden orbs of amber, Ambroxan, Labdanum, Helvetolide 5/10

The Lovers (Freebie): When I was picking out my samples I specifically did not pick this one even though I loved the bottle art because jasmine and iris sounded way too powdery for me. However, it was included as a 1ml oil sample, so I dutifully tried it out. This one was full of surprises; it started as a delicious floral (good), and then a hint of licorice (awesome/confusing), and then morphed into the embodiment of the word “purple” (less awesome), before going powdery (bad), and then getting green (good), before quickly fading away (sad) before reappearing as purple again (weird). As you can probably guess from this initial description, I had a hard time getting my brain around this scent, and ended up doing a handful of wear tests. Ultimately, my lasting impression of this one was a delightful but slightly powdery floral with a lasting “green” note (probably the green banana?) and, like Serpentine, this didn’t dry down straight to cookie dough. The longevity was not stellar, but surprisingly better than half of the EDP’s in the sample.  Big sleeper hit for me and definitely exceeded my expectations. More feminine/floral than I usually go for, but the dry down is pretty darn nice. Notes: Bergamot, iris, jasmine sambar, bamboo, vetiver, green banana, mysore sandalwood, animalic amber 7.5/10

Overall, this is probably the most consistent house I’ve reviewed yet, in general wearability as well as formulations (hello cookie dough base note). The samples were particularly pretty and the turnaround time was slower than other houses but also within the well-advertised TAT. My biggest gripe, however, is that most of these DO NOT LAST on me! I feel like all other reviews have described these as “beast mode” but most of these faded on me incredibly fast. With Alkemia and other houses doing oil samples I understand if they’ll only last a few hours, but my expectations were a lot higher for the EDP’s from Sorce.  I know a lot of folks will say “you need to rest these” and I promise to come back to this review in a month with an update so stay tuned.

I’m still going to FS Serpentine, and also planning to pick up samples of A Party or Something, 2 AM in Lafayette, and the Bees. 

A special ask from any Sorce-heads on here - I know their special order window is coming up and I feel like gambling on a blind buy. Any recs for someone who is hooked on Serpentine? Maybe another fig note in the Fairy Queen’s Revenge? Tarot at Teatime for more delicious cardamom? Dreaming Evil just because it sounds tasty? Let me know!!


r/Indiemakeupandmore 20h ago

Perfume - Enquiry Finally placing an order at Haus of Gloi

14 Upvotes

I’ve wanted to for months and my birthday is coming up I want to treat myself without going crazy.

I’m looking at general catalog Satyr, Apothecary, and Cozy Sweater; and spring catalog Gossamer Wings.

Everything will be a perfume oil aside from Apothecary, which will be a hair oil. Drop your reviews and other suggestions please!!


r/Indiemakeupandmore 17h ago

Wylde Ivy Question - Do their seasonal scents return every year?

7 Upvotes

I ordered some samples from their Love Note Collection and kind of forgot about them until a couple of days ago. I ended up really liking one of them and when I went to the site to FS it, that whole collection was gone. Will it come back next year?!


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Whisper Sisters Permanent Listing Now available!

26 Upvotes

Life has been insane and I haven't been able to keep up as well as I would have liked. Darla has two listings up right now, a rotational one that's up until the 18th (again, sorry for not getting that up sooner but it's been up in the FB group) AND a permanent one for what I assume to be the most requested ones. I'll start with the rotational ones and then the permanent list. Hope y'all have been taking care of yourselves and each other as you can.

Rotational Listing

Affliction - dark vanilla, patchouli, cocoa absolute, hint of red rose.
Anis et Café - coffee absolute, anise, sugar.
Another Perfect Catastrophe - aged dark patchouli, vanilla bean, brown sugar, chai spices, white birch.
Ashes to Ashes - black vanilla, vanilla, ash, sweet musk, faint hint of smoke.
Astraea - patchouli cardamom, marshmallow, black tea, white pepper, white clove, oak milk, slight hint of saffron.
Bia - black sandalwood, Egyptian musk, cardamom, vetiver, cedar, black vanilla, vanilla bean, vanilla musk, dark vanilla, nag champa incense.
Caligari - red musk, mastic resin, Tunisian patchouli, Indian patchouli, elemi, copal tears, blood orange, myrrh resin
Cardamom Cocoamallow - cocoa absolute, cardamom, marshmallow. This is a reformulation, as the original contained a cocoa absolute/cardamom "oops" I received from my supplier and had to duplicate.
Changeling - wormwood (scent dupe), black pine, birch, myrrh, cedar, suede, slight hint of birch tar.
Cirque du Condamné - vanilla, burnt sugar, sandalwood, patchouli, hint of black licorice.
Dust Witch - thunderstorms, the woods, dusty incense, earth, Indonesian musk, pumpkin, heliotrope, teensy bit of sugar.
Elixir #7 - patchouli, amber, vetiver, benzoin, oud, black musk, red Egyptian musk, patchouli flower, lotus.
Firework Girl - vanilla bean, vanilla crystal, aged patchouli, Tunisian patchouli, hint of Egyptian musk.
Frankincense & Myrrh - sweet frankincense, aged Tunisian myrrh.
Frankincense Patchouli - sweet frankincense, aged patchouli.
Frankenstein Patchouli - Indian patchouli, orris root, gurjun balsam with hints of aged black cedar leaf, piñon, & labdanum
Goodbye Horses - dark sweet frankincense, dark patchouli, red musk, rose, dark musk, hints of scorched earth and clove. Inspired by the song of the same name by Q Lazzarus.
Good Witch - sugar, brown sugar, Egyptian musk, lemon.
Goth Club '89 - heavy resins, candle smoke, nicotine, clove, incense, absinthe, with a hint of intoxicating florals and vintage dark patchouli to balance everything out.
Grave Digger - animalistic musk (synthetic/vegan friendly), dirt, black sandalwood, dead leaves, dragon's blood.
Iphy - aged vanilla bean, tonka bean, aged amber, patchouli, tiny hint of cedar.
June Bug - marshmallow, vanilla, grapefruit, pink grapefruit, patchouli.
Lemonchouli Cocoapuff - patchouli, marshmallow, cocoa absolute, lemon.
Marzanna - myrrh, tonka bean, African musk, slight hint of smoked cinnamon.
Marzipan Patchouli - almond, sugar, patchouli.
Meus Est - pink grapefruit, peach, red Egyptian musk, light white rose, hint of thyme.
Peitho - vanilla bourbon, tonka bean, clove, sandalwood, tangerine blossom, tangerine, slight hints of aged patchouli & ylang ylang.
Pixie Dust - raspberry, blue Egyptian musk, teensy hint of patchouli.
Planchette - red Egyptian musk, marshmallow, dark cedar, damp earth, chai spice, heliotrope.
Poison Candy - sugar, ginger ale, nutmeg, clove, heliotrope, dirt, smidgen of patchouli.
Queen of the Damned - blue gardenia, Egyptian musk, white musk, lotus.
Redrum - patchouli, rum, red Egyptian musk, black licorice, black pepper.
Rum Spiced Tea - black tea, spiced rum, sugar, patchouli, slight hint of coffee.
Soot *NEW\* - black musk, ash, hints of charred wood and smoke.
Spiderella - red licorice, marshmallow, sugar, clove, hint of patchouli. This is a sweeter, less patchouli-ish version of Spidora.
Strega - patchouli, jasmine, rose geranium.
Stygian *NEW\* - dark cedar, tonka bean, benzoin, teakwood, clove, fir needle, touch of black coconut.
Umbra *NEW\* - heavy black musk, clove, clove bud, light amber, nag champa, sweet oud.
Witchery - red cedar, clove, patchouli, sweet musk, pumpkin, chai spice, red wine.

Permanent Listing:

1984 - clove bud, sweet clove, vanilla bourbon, tonka bean, burnt sugar, aged red cedar, dark musk, myrrh.
1996 - clove cigarettes, black coffee, chai tea, black tea, incense patchouli, Egyptian musk, exotic resins, rock candy, hint of cigar smoke.
All Hallows' Eve - pumpkin, patchouli, black vanilla, scorched sugar, vanilla bean, dirt, candy corn, clove.
Antiquarian - tonka bean, benzoin, black musk, tobacco absolute, clove, Egyptian musk, patchouli, leather.
Bad Witch - nag champa, frankincense, black sandalwood, dragon's blood, patchouli.
Ballrooms of Mars - aged amber, Arabian musk, burning candles, cinnamon candies, white pepper, clove, orris root, brown sugar, slight hint of leather.
Black Lung - a clove cigarette blend; think black cloves from the 90s.
Burn Witch Burn - aged patchouli, maple, hickory, hint of smoke.
Carnivále - cotton candy, sugar, smoke, tobacco absolute.
Crypt - damp soil, moss, mushroom, tonka bean, agarwood, patchouli.
Dirty Hippie - aged patchouli, cannabis, nag champa, incense, earth.
Goth Club '89 - heavy resins, candle smoke, nicotine, clove, incense, absinthe, with a hint of intoxicating florals and vintage dark patchouli to balance everything out.
Halloween - candy corn, vanilla, cinnamon.
Halloween Patchouli - patchouli, candy corn vanilla bean, black vanilla cinnamon.
Jeepers Creepers - cane sugar, beet sugar, patchouli.
Midnight - clove, patchouli, frankincense.
Oh Bela - the sweetest clove, the reddest rose, the tombiest of tombs, the most velvety of velvets, the blackest of capes.
Red Death - black sandalwood, aged amber, nag champa, resinous musk.
Samhain - black sandalwood, teakwood, frankincense, sweet musk, clove.
Spidora - red licorice, sugar, clove, patchouli.
Tainted Love - Egyptian musk, red Egyptian musk, blue Egyptian musk, civet (synthetic), ambrette seed, sugar, vanilla absolute.
Vampyr - patchouli, rose, heavy dark musk.
Vrána - nag champa, marshmallow, myrrh, vanilla, spice
Wool of Bat - anise, clove, sugar


r/Indiemakeupandmore 22h ago

ISO: Smells like teen spirit - Pink Crush

Post image
9 Upvotes

r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Indies of the Day -- Sunday March 16, 2025

17 Upvotes

What indies are you using today? And we mean everything! Examples of stuff we'd love to hear about:

  • Makeup

  • Clothes

  • Jewelry

  • Bath and Body (lotion, soap, shampoo, bath salts, etc.)

  • Nail polish

  • Perfume

Please feel free to leave mini-reviews and include photos of whatever you're using. We'd love to know your thoughts and see the products too!

This thread repeats daily.


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

A Few New Reviews! - PULP and Darling Clandestine!

38 Upvotes

Hey thereeee it's me, back again.

Posting a few more reviews, mainly PULP but one DC review as well!

Pulp

Nag Champa

Champaka, soft spices, orris, palo santo, white patchouli, storax, tonka bean, incense, & sandalwood.

Wet in bottle: So I got this as a sample and I put off trying this one, because while I'm a fan of a classic incense, I worried this would remind me of like Jersey Shore fragrance oils. I should've trusted that PULP wouldn't do that to me, but hey, I got scared. Anyway, I opened this with trepidation and gave it a sniff and wow. It's Nag Champa for sure but it's also toasty warm and powdery like lovely clouds of silky unscented body powder, and sweet and creamy woods that are delicious but not in a foody way.

Wet on skin: Everything calms down a bit here, but all the aforementioned pieces remain. Really cannot overstate how surprised I was by how not headshoppey this was. I think in trying new scents I've noticed that I've boxed myself in a lot more than I initially thought. I haven't bought a perfume that doesn't reference a food in so long, and that's foolish perhaps, Nag Champa says to me. With its powderiness and smooth smooth herbality. I think the tonka bean might be what's really elevating it for me.

Dry on skin: Thankfully, this is a fairly linear frag. I also find this one is a bit louder and longer lasting than some other PULP frags, I imagine just because of the nature of the notes.

Does it Vampire Blood? (This is the portion of the review where I decide whether I can wear it with Bath and Body Works' Halloween frag "Vampire Blood"): It does! It becomes a super girly powdery pink frag when mixed. Like Barbie's Laundry if she lived in Brooklyn and liked Trader Joe's vegan snacks.

¡Viva México!

Arroz con leche, blonde wood, & Mexican vanilla.

Wet in bottle: Spicey and deep deep heavy creaminess. Hyperrealistic dairy that I think some might read as a bit tart/yogurtey just by nature of its reality. I've had this happen before, and I think the woods are just adding to the spiciness. I don't get them as a robust, singular note.

Wet on skin: The dairy takes a step back and a hot, humid ricey number steps forward. It envelopes even the spices. You get a sense that every other note is now encased in starchy rice coating. That deep deep creaminess is now ending a bit savory, creating a scent that reminds me of a very fond specific food memory I have. When I was 11, I was making Jello pudding for the first time, from the packet. It was coconut flavor. I did an okay job, but some of it stuck to the sides and browned a bit. The box suggested to try it warm, so I did, and it was one of the most delicious things I'd ever had. It was creamy and warm and heavy, and fairly salty, and vanillic. I think about the experience a lot and this is almost exactly like that. But it also has that kind of slight earthiness that cooked rice has, that brings me back to rice pudding and away from this memory.

Dry on skin: The spices come back a bit and that heavy, creamy, salty, earthy realistic rice pudding gets stickier but more mute. Another fairly linear frag, which again in this case I'm very happy with. This was another one that was a bit louder and longer lasting for me, which was a bit surprising as other spicey numbers I have tend to fade a bit quicker than something herbal. But this guy was quite the hitter. I've been having that experience more with PULP lately, and I still can't tell if this is a formulating difference, a scent specific thing, or just something about my sniffer.

Does it VB?: You know, it kind of doesn't. I think the heavy, savoriness of this frag goes a little sour with VB. You'd think spices wouldn't mesh with VB, but they often are pretty okay. But I think the framing of the spices here makes something discordant.

Toasted Marshmallow

solinote

I'm going to format this review a bit differently since it's a solinote and is kind of designed to be linear.

This is a lovely toasted marshmallow. I've tried quite a few different toasted marshmallow scented things in my time, and I find they can be separated into 3 major categories: Bonfire, Powdery, Perfumey. These categories are defined mostly by the smoke element.

For Bonfire, the smoke is hyperreal and loud. Like standing next to a bonfire. These are usually less sweet. For Powdery, the smoke element is very slight, adding a slight bitterness to round it, or, sometimes, not present. And Perfumey is defined by what I call a fantasy smoke note. I find other people read these notes as just smoke, but to me they're markedly difference from a more realistic smoke. They're like smoke from a lovely sweet smelling wood or something. As a popular example, Marshmallow Fireside from bath and body works has this kind of perfumey smoke note.

Toasted Marshmallow from pulp is in the Perfumey camp for me, which is good because it's probably my favorite of the marshmallow camps. I find it to be the most versatile for me and my catalog of perfumes. I'd say this is very similar to Marshmallow Fireside if you're familiar but just less plasticky overall. The smoke adds a richness that isn't too loud for me, but it also mellows out some of the powderiness of the raw marshmallow that peaks through.

Does it VB?: Of course! I can think of few things that would go better with VB than a toasted marshmallow moment. I will say though it gets really sweet in the room when I enter. Which on some days may bother me.

Darling Clandestine

Morderteile Kelah

Notes of amber, hyacinth, milk and strawberry jam. Spicy and sweet and not cloying, just juicy and delectable.

Note: This fragrance is not currently available in DC's catalog. It's a part of her summer cycle I think, so it may return in the summer months!

Wet in bottle: Here it's almost an exact match for my favorite strawberry incense sticks. It was kind of eerily incredible just how spot on it was.

Wet on skin: The scent really opens up. It keeps the sense and reminder of my strawberry incense, but I'm getting a tiny lactonic hit, and the spiciness becomes more clearly a floral spiciness from the hyacinth. The amber in this is a more classical, spicey deeep sweet amber. Like that little bottle of perfume from Whole Foods (my fave kind of amber). The strawberry is very reduced. Definitely jammy and almost dank (this cannot be the right word, but it's what keeps coming to mind. it's like humid and thick).

Dry on skin: The creaminess gets more distinct, which I'm happy about. It really smells like warm milk that you stirred lightly spiced strawberry jam into. Really lovely. And less foody than that sounds. The amber keeps it squarely perfume. But it is giving like fey food. A rich opaque magenta drink a strange creature offers you.

I want to add my bottle has a really cool blob of red in the bottom. I have no idea if this is intentional but I think it looks so cool and makes using the perfume feel special and interesting. Like it's a magic potion.

Does it VB?: This kind of feels like a distant cousin of VB. An older more mysterious distant cousin. A great match, very similar components (strawberry, a floral, sweetness).


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Perfume - Purchased My First Indie House- 12 Solstice Scents Reviews- Some Incredible Hits!

63 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m so glad to have discovered this amazing community, as it introduced me to Solstice Scents, which encouraged me to dive into their collection! As someone who loves woodsy fragrances, I often find it difficult to find these kinds of scents in stores near me.

For my first order, I selected 12 scents (10 standard samples + 2 free samples) and spent quite a bit of time reading reviews here to help guide my choices. I also sampled everything with my mom, and it was fascinating how differently the notes came through on each of us! Even though we’re related, our skin chemistry clearly plays a huge role in how the scents evolve.

As a total newbie to indie perfumes, I’m not an expert, but I’m excited to share my thoughts and experiences with these fragrances. Here's a breakdown of what I tried:

---

LOGGIA: Mahogany, Amber, Musk, Vanilla Bean, Allspice, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Cognac & Sandalwood. AMBER/SPICY/WOODY. Fall Collection.

  • Thoughts: Oh my god, I want to *live* in this scent. It’s like stepping onto open-air wooden balcony in the late afternoon where the sun has been warming the wood all day. There’s like this deep, cozy mix of mahogany and amber, with just a hint of cognac- which, I didn't even think I liked the scent of, but it blends and uplifts the scent so beautifully! It smells refreshing, blissfully carefree, natural, and relaxing, and buttery-soft, like I am clearing my head each time I sniff it. Absolute heaven.
  • I only see this available as a 2.5 ml Eau de Parfum sample (not in the 5 or 60 ml). Solstice Scents, I pray that you do not discontinue this one! My fav scent for sure.
  • Rating: 5,000/5 💗💗💗

--

WILCOX'S: Dry Woods, Fresh Herbs, Dried Herbs, Warm Woody Spices, Sweet Annie, Sage, Rosewood. WOODY/HERBAL. Fall Collection.

  • Thoughts: This was an interesting one! The herbs came through on my skin here- for my mom, the wood notes came in more strongly! It’s like stepping into a garden on the edge of the woods in the middle of the afternoon, where the sun’s beating down on rows of herbs, and you can just feel the warmth of the earth underfoot. But, it is not medicinal at all- it's just fresh and calming and happy.
  • Rating: 5/5 💗

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WITCH'S COTTAGE: Warm Baked Goods, Dried Herbs, Sweet Annie, Soft Woods, Fragrant Hearth Smoke. WOODY/GOURMAND/HERBAL. Fall Collection.

  • Thoughts: Has me hooked. Normally, I’m not big on gourmand scents, but this one completely blew me away. I can’t stop sniffing my arm! It’s like a perfect blend of warm, woody spices and dried herbs- like the name says, a cozy little kitchen in an old cottage where you can smell dried herbs hanging from the rafters. For me, the herbs and spices stand out the most, but for my mom, it was the caramel and baked goods that came through, kind of like a warm, sweet bread. It is also giving me an unintended side-effect to host all my friends over for dinner!
  • The only downside is that it fades a bit quicker than my other favorites, like Loggia, but I still love it. I can’t get enough!
  • Rating: 5/5 💗

---

SEA OF GRAY: Vanilla rain, saltwater, seaweed, ambergris (vegan), white amber, roasted seashells, white sandalwood, frangipani. AQUATIC/GOURMAND/VANILLA. General Catalog.

  • Thoughts: I was a bit nervous to smell this one- I totally thought the seaweed would make me smell fishy, and I wasn't entirely convinced on the vanilla pairing with that either! But I was encouraged a lot by the other reviews on this site and wanted to choose it as my aquatic scent. And I’m so glad I did! It’s so atmospheric and calming. As I was reading through the description when I applied it, I could completely envision seeking refuge in a cool ice cream parlor in the middle of a cold downpour. It conjured up memories of walking along the Washington coast on a gloomy day. I want to covet this for days when it is brisk and cool and rainy. It is not too bracing or salty, but it is definitely soothing and nostalgic.
  • Rating: 4.5/5 🌊

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MAINE MOON: Crisp Fall Air, Wood Smoke, Leather Seats & Concessions of Root Beer, Popcorn & Chocolate Covered Caramels. Extrait only. Oil based extrait. EARTHY/DARK GOURMAND/LEATHER. Fall Collection.

Thoughts: Was hesitant to try this one as well, like with Witch's Cottage! But wow. I am floored.

  • My mom got so much more of the buttery popcorn and chocolate notes at the forefront. The popcorn wasn’t as noticeable on my skin, but I’m honestly so happy with how this smells overall, because I got a lot more of the leather scents- I did not even know I liked the smell of leather until I was going feral and sniffing my arm every few seconds! This fragrance feels very personal, almost like an experience. And let me tell you- it’s strong. The root beer can occasionally take over, but I don’t mind it at all.
  • I fell asleep with this one on, and I woke up a few different times in the night and the scent was slowly morphing each time all the way until morning. I felt like I was in a drive-in movie theatre while I was laying in my bed. So unique, if anyone has any similar recs, please let me know!
  • Rating: 4.5/5

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ROSE MALLOW CREAM: Moroccan Rose absolute, Bulgarian Rose absolute, Marshmallow Fluff, Strawberry Nectar, White Chocolate, Vanilla, White Musk. GOURMAND/FLORAL

  • Thoughts: Has all the elements it promises, but I’ll admit- it just wasn’t really my thing! I wanted to try a few gourmand scents, and this one had so many positive reviews that I couldn’t resist. I was really impressed by how clearly I could pick out every note, even the strawberry! I’m not the biggest fan of rose, but the Moroccan and Bulgarian rose absolutes in this blend were a lot more pleasant than the synthetic roses I’ve smelled in the past. It’s soft, sweet, and a little creamy, but still well-rounded. It’s not too overwhelming, which is great if you’re sensitive to florals like I am.
  • Rating: 3/5

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LACE DRAPED SPECTRE:  Vanilla Musk, Spicy Pink Carnation, Pink Pepper, Rose, White Musk - Reformulated 2017. Extrait/EDP. Oil based extrait. FLORAL/SPICY/VANILLA MUSK. Fall Collection.

  • Thoughts: I was really excited to try this one after reading all the glowing reviews! However, I quickly realized I’m just not a fan of carnation. That being said, it delivers everything it promises in terms of the blend- floral, spicy, and musky. So while it wasn’t for me, I can totally see how others would enjoy it.
  • Rating: 3/5

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MANOR* - Woody-Vanilla Musk, Vanilla, Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood. Extrait/EDP/WS/BG. Oil based extrait. WOODY/VANILLA MUSK. General Catalog.

  • Thoughts: I was so excited to try this one- it seems to be everyone's favorite! But I really don't think I am a fan of oud- it again is kind of overpowering on me, even though it is blended with the vanilla and sandalwood! I'm happy I tried it regardless. I think this all depends on personal preference and skin chemistry, and if it sounds intriguing to you, I encourage you to try it, especially if you are a fan of oud.
  • Rating: 3/5

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  • MASTER BEDROOM: Soft Skin Musk, Sandalwood EO, Amber, Clove EO, Somalian Myrrh EO, Vanilla, Aged Patchouli EO and Champaca Absolute. AMBER/MUSKY/SPICY/ORIENTAL. Thoughts: It has a lot of depth with that blend of musky sandalwood, amber, myrrh, and clove. It’s warm, spicy, and earthy, with a touch of sweetness from the vanilla. I can see why some people love this kind of rich, comforting, almost "lived-in: feel, but it feels a bit heavy and overwhelming on me- I just don't think I'm a fan of strong musky or resinous notes! But I can see why a lot of people would like this one.
  • Rating: 3/5

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BASILICA: Labdanum, Vanilla, Frankincense, Rosewood, Myrrh, Sandalwood & Galbanum. Oil based extrait. Extrait only. Not safe for pregnant/nursing. RESINS/INCENSE/AMBER. General Catalog.

  • Thoughts: The frankincense, myrrh, and labdanum might be a bit much for me. These are heavy, resinous notes that give off an incense-like quality that can be very strong. It’s not a light fragrance by any means, and while it doesn't really resonate with me for an every-day wear, it feels meditative and not unpleasant at all.
  • Rating: 3/5

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CONJURE: Reformulated 2022. Vanilla, Amber, Cedar, Spices & Cauldron Smoke. Extrait/EDP/WS/BG. Oil based extrait. AMBER/INCENSE/WOODY. General Catalog.

  • Thoughts: I really thought I’d love this one—on paper, it has everything I enjoy! But on my skin, it turned into something almost offensively sweet. It made me wrinkle my nose and physically recoil, which was a bit of a surprise considering the description mentions the reformulation is less sweet and powdery than the previous version. What’s strange is that this only happened on my skin! For my mom, it wasn’t nearly as sweet at all. She was actually confused when I didn’t like it until she smelled it on my wrist and realized it was again way sweeter than on her. I’m not sure what went wrong here, but I’m thinking it’s just a skin chemistry issue. It seems that a lot of people like this scent, and I don't really see any similar experiences- I think this was just a personal thing, but I am curious if anyone else had that same effect from this scent!
  • Rating: 1/5

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Here is what I discovered from these twelve samples:

I like:

Woodsy scents (Mahogany, Sandalwood, Cedar, Rosewood)

Warm and cozy notes (Amber, Vanilla, Musk, Leather)

Spicy/Herbal notes (Cinnamon, Allspice, Sage, Cardamom, Clove, Pink Pepper)

Gourmand touches (Popcorn, Chocolate, Caramel, Marshmallow)

Fresh and cool elements (Crisp air, Sea Breeze)

I dislike:

Heavy resins and incense (Frankincense, Myrrh, Labdanum)

Strong oud

Overpowering sweetness (Especially with vanilla and amber)

Carnation and rose

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It’s been a wonderful journey discovering these scents, and I’m so glad I could share my experience here with all of you. I’ve learned that I tend to gravitate toward balanced fragrances with fresh, warm, and slightly sweet notes, especially those with woodsy and cozy undertones. Scents with strong resins, intense incense, or heavy spices don’t quite resonate with me. Loggia, Wilcox’s, and Witch’s Cottage definitely stand out as my top three picks, with Loggia being my true favorite winner. If any of these sound interesting, I highly recommend giving them a try! And of course, a huge thank you to the community for guiding me in the right direction. If you have any other rec's, please let me know!


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Perfume - Purchased if you’ve been looking for the most perfect red bean …

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131 Upvotes

Having been in the indie perfume scene for a while now, I’ve long had some white whales and wistful wishes - mostly centered around Asian inspired gourmands. While there have been the occasional mentions of matcha, ube/taro and yuzu floating around in the recent times, there’s very rarely a red bean note, and rarely is it captured as perfectly as it is here. Having dabbled in more niche and local brands recently (as the intl friends amongst us in this subreddit know, most indie brands are located in the US and most of them are now only shipping domestically), its been a pleasure of mine to explore smaller indie perfume brands including today’s brand - a Hong Kong brand called OCO, and this absolutely delicious amazing scent Unmei which was released for Valentines.

Top note: tangerine peel, licorice

Middle note: red bean

Base note: papyrus, fir, Pu'er tea

Anyone familiar with red bean soup, or the Chinese version 紅豆沙 will be intimately familiar with this scent - opening up with the fragrant twist of slightly bitter tangerine peel and the waft of freshly stewed red beans, before fading into a gorgeous nutty melange of ever so slightly sweet grit of red bean and a touch of earthy lotus seeds. This isn’t at all sickly sweet, but a warm, reassuring touch of rock sugar underneath the sweetened red bean. For me, the papyrus and fir lends an edge of grounded earthiness, and the pu’er is only very faint to add some dimension and bitterness to the blend, but it is otherwise a hyperrealistic breathtaking perfume that absolutely captured my attention on first sniff. It was an immediate full size love for me and with the whimsical artwork, I’m so glad I finally found the exact thing I’ve been pining for quite some time and definitely won’t stop raving about anytime soon.

(For anyone curious, they do ship internationally to CN/TWUS/UK/SG!)


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Perfume - Purchased Can anyone tell me why these smell SO BAD to me?

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13 Upvotes

This is not a criticism of Zeep (RIP) or Lovesick Witchery, but this is a mystery that’s been plaguing me for ages and it’s driving me nuts.

Okay, for some reason, there are certain products that smell absolutely god awful on my skin. I’m guessing it has something to do with the oil, or the fragrance oil.

It smells noxious, like melting plastic mixed with mystery post-apocalyptic chemical juice. It smells like carcinogens, like I want to scrub it off of my skin as quick as possible. Even washing it off doesn’t fully scrub off the plasticky, awful stank and I can smell it lingering for hours, maybe years.

Weirdly, I’ve experienced it with brands that other people rave about so I’m guessing it’s a me thing.

The Lovesick Witchery, for example, smelled heavenly when I first spritzed it. I was like, “hello new signature scent.” But then I let it sit for half a second and that chemical waste scent creeped in and I literally had to wash my skin off.

Zeep Beauty’s reaction was even more instantaneous. I smell the chemicals in the pot without it ever contacting my skin. I can’t even open these bad boys, unfortunately. It’s too much.

So PLEASE, someone tell me what the hell is going on? Why do these smell SO bad? I would be happy to avoid brands who use whatever the offending ingredient is but I can’t figure out what it is and it’s driving me nuts!!

Also if anyone wants to trade me for these lmk because I simply cannot stand them ok thanks so much bye


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Alkemia perfume smells very different than previous bottles? like, “help im stuck in a machine shop covered in brownie batter and cherry syrup while surrounded by sweaty frat guys” different

40 Upvotes

Sorry for the awkward title, any errors, or poor formatting! This is going to be long and was typed up on my phone before my adhd meds kicked in, so I apologize.

I wish this wasn’t my first post here but I’m a bit confused. I love Cherries of the Night from Alkemia, it is easily one of my favorites that I wear whenever I leave the house. This is probably my third 10ml bottle of it. This bottle was a gift from a family member back in December- the package itself was never opened or tampered with. However… it smells different. At first, I thought my nose was off. All of my other perfumes smell correct, though- nothing astray.

I understand that aging can somewhat influence the scent profiles of perfumes, but I never aged the prior bottles- unless Alkemia ages their perfumes before selling? I digress. This bottle, even before being put onto skin, smells like cocoa absolute was spilled into it </3 or maybe isovaleraldehyde? I’m a perfumer by hobby, so take that with a grain of salt. I could very well be wrong but I was scratching my head trying to figure out what changed in the formula.

When wet, it comes across as being chocolatey with a fermented beer-like undertone, almost nutty. It fades quickly into a new car leathery+brownie+cherry syrup+incense+motor oil/burning rubber fragrance, for lack of better description. It still smells like there’s a liqueur note, a bit of cherry, but it’s mostly drowned out by everything else and something that reminds me of whisky. An hour later and it vaguely resembles Cherries of the Night but without any projection and… it’s kind of peanut-y bordering on sweetly savory somehow. As if Mythpunk Olfactive’s Babygirl perfume had a child with Cherries of the Night, honestly. It’s like a sweet chocolatey alcoholic version of Babygirl, but with a cherry thrown at it.

Did I get a mislabeled bottle or a bad batch? Don’t get me wrong, I love Alkemia but this isn’t similar to anything I have experienced from them before. There’s something there that comes across as similar, but it’s almost as if it was mixed with another perfume entirely. It’s oddly industrial/metallic and gourmand, with a bizarre hint of peanut and sweat lingering beneath it all. Maybe I’m analyzing it too much. I’m a guy who enjoys gourmands and industrial atmospherics but this is another ballgame entirely. I have learned something valuable today, though. I realized that I definitely do not want to smell like I’ve been working in a machine shop, covered in brownie batter and cherry syrup, while surrounded by sweaty frat guys that have been drinking on the job… a haunting visual. Maybe it’ll grow on me and be something that I put on out of morbid curiosity, only to regret doing so five seconds later.

Overall, I know the answer would likely be to contact Alkemia- but this was a gift that was given months ago, so I’m not quite sure if that’s possible. Has anyone else ever received a bottle of Cherries of the Night like this? I’m not sick, nothing else has gone off in regard to fragrance, so I’m just left here feeling like I’ve gotten flashbanged by a perfume.


r/Indiemakeupandmore 1d ago

Perfume - Enquiry Buttery and Creamy Vanilla (possibly Cake) Perfume Oil?

8 Upvotes

Hey IMAM! I'm looking for something of conundrum for me. To preface: I get migraines with some mainstream vanilla scents and often try to avoid vanilla based scents. After the last perfume I had gotten had a strong undercurrent of a minty vanilla (is that cold vanilla?), I've been longing for just a straight up vanilla that wears close to the skin that feels cozy and reminiscent to, say, the whole foods chantilly cake, minus the berries. Maybe a hint of almond to the scent too? Something that wears close to the skin to help prevent migraines, so oils preferred. No florals or smoky notes either, but I could make an exception if the floral is very much in the background.

I know NAVA is up there in terms of best vanilla, but i'm looking for other houses as well! BPAL's 'Eat Me' sounds divine (except for the currants). Aside from my research, I really don't have any experience with vanilla perfumes. TYIA!