[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] When I was first starting to learn more about the intricacies of fragrance (before I started writing about beauty, I never gave note complexity a thought) it was always clear that I wanted the perfume to smell of the thing it was supposed to – so don’t go calling, e.g. Geranium Symphony that unless we are very, very clearly getting geraniums. I didn’t particularly want to be searching for notes of snowdrop, salt or smoke on the grounds that one of the most pleasurable things in life shouldn’t be an effort. I still like a fragrance to be uncomplicated – I can appreciate more the layering of the notes and how the parts make the whole but ideally, if it’s called, e.g. Lime and Coconut, it better smell of those things. And, that’s exactly what we have with Shay & Blue’s citrus offerings of Sicilian Limes, Blood Oranges and Watermelons. All smelling precisely as they sound like they should.
I’m a fan of citrus perfumes any way – one of my all time favourites is Jo Loves Pomelo – just for the sharp spark of joy they bring. They’re effortless in summer and a mood boost in winter and if that’s your olfactory persuasion, these will be of interest to you.
I am such a fan of Escentric Molecules Blood Orange fragrance and this has the same, immediate juiciness with a tartness from the peel. In fact, it’s uncannily similar. I’m writing while the sunshine streams through my window and Blood Oranges feels like exactly the right thing to be wearing so I can pretend that it’s hot, too. There is a kind of woody dry down, but I’m all about the first spritz and that explosion of freshly squeezed orange.
Sicilian Limes is not as zesty as Blood Oranges but the opener is very much zingy lime. There’s more backdrop to this one because at the same time as the grand opener of lime, there is also a woodiness or maybe mossiness wrapped around it. It feels like there is a focus on the whole lime tree rather than just the fruit but that’s what stops you smelling like you’ve had a Mojito too many and have this lovely, Caribbean drift instead.
Watermelons! Think aquatic, fruity and woody. It turns out that I’ve reviewed this fragrance before (in 2014!) and it also turns out that my thoughts haven’t changed. There is a note of honeysuckle that comes through but really, this watermelon fragrance, while very fresh and entertaining on the nose initially, is really a modern vetiver. So, you get all the fun in the first moment and then just wafts and memories of watermelon mingling with honeysuckle thereafter. In my mind, it’s for floaty summer dresses and sand between your toes. I’d recommend starting out with the 10ml versions that you see here – they’re £25 each HERE.
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