Atelier Cologne – Lemon Island – Lemon Island seemed like such a fun-filled destination. It wasn’t. And it’s unlikely I’ll be booking a return trip. I’m usually a fan of Atelier Cologne’s pared-back offerings. However, Lemon Island is particularly pared-back. It only offers three notes, lemon, jasmine, and vanilla. I mainly pick up a light salty lemon and dominant jasmine. As a result, there’s little development or interest. Consequently, it feels a little flat and lifeless. Not that there’s anything wildly wrong with it, but if you were looking for a juicy lemon scent, you wouldn’t find it here. Lemon Island receives a less than thrilling 2.5/5 on the Expedia rating scale.
Carner Barcelona – Rock Star – A perfume named rock star should be interesting – smoke, patchouli, tobacco, leather? Nope. Nothing of the sort. Carner Barcelona threw us all a curveball, as the rock star in question is a starfish on a rock. Below is a picture from their ad campaign.
Rock Star is part of the brand’s Mediterranean collection, and as such, the notes are beachy. Seaweed, sea salt, fresh things like lily of the valley, and bergamot are pronounced. File Rock Star somewhere between Salina from Laboratorio Olfattivo Salina, Wood Sage, and Sea Salt by Jo Malone and MfK Aqua Universalis. It’s pleasant enough, but I’d probably go with the Jo Malone or MFK as a companion for the beach.
The dry down is light, airy, and largely forgettable, with notes of cedar and musk. In addition to the above notes, ambergris is listed. But, I’m not sure how much ambergris is in this composition. I’m sure they wouldn’t lie, so, it must be there. However, it smells suspiciously like ambroxan to me.
Mihan Aromatics – Kirra Curl – Kirra Curl, from the Australian brand Mihan Aromatics, is the most interesting of the trio. The scent pays homage to 70’s surf culture and Kirra Beach on Queensland’s Gold Coast. I’ve been to the beach. It’s very laidback. Kirra Curl, the perfume, is decent. Below are the notes:
Top: Sea Salt, Lemon Rind.
Middle: Leather, Surf Wax.
Base: Vanilla, Australian Buddhawood, Australian Sandalwood.
Coconut is not listed, but it is undoubtedly here, and the leather accord is strong in the mid. It forms a curious union with the creaminess of the coconut, woods, and vanilla. Sadly, it wears a little like my surfing ability – that is to say, a tad unbalanced, with perhaps, a little too much leather. Still, kudos to the brand for doing something unconventional.
Summary
To sum up, I probably wouldn’t choose any of these three perfumes as my beach sidekick. Nonetheless, the Mihan Aromatics is the most interesting and brings something new to the table. However, staples such as Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue for Women and Davidoff Cool Water are available at a fraction of the price of a niche scent. After all these years, they’re both still fantastic options. As for me personally, I’d go with my trusty Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt. How about you?
Note. Bottle images courtesy of Google. I purchased my own samples.
I find beachy scent difficult to wear, they normally will have the suntan lotion vibe that I don’t like. Tks for sharing your impressions on these scents and your beautiful pictures!
Thanks for reading and your kind comment, Tetê. Yes, I agree. The coconut note can especially go down that route.