Luckyscent Best of 2023

A different kind of review

Today we’re trying something new.

If you know me in real life, you know that aside from books, movies, music, and Jacob Elordi, I have another obsession. And that’s perfume.

Photo by Ulysse Pointcheval on Unsplash

Recently, I purchased Luckyscent’s Best of 2023 sample set, which contains samples of 15 of the most popular niche perfumes from this year. I figured that I would test them all and compile my thoughts here. I already talk about things that I see and hear, why not add another sense to the mix? I also thought that this could be a good opportunity to work on my descriptive writing.

For some background on my perfume taste, I normally prefer more feminine scents, especially gourmands, but I’m open to trying anything. Creamy scents can often get really cloying for me, and I haven’t found many green scents that I’m a huge fan of.

For the reviews, I’ll be trying each fragrance at least twice to get a feel for them. I’ll try to maintain a relatively similar format for each review (addressing at least the scent itself, its notes as well as its performance) but I might deviate from it sometimes. Some perfumes I might have more to say about, some less, I won’t really know until I’ve written them all.

All of that being said, let’s get into it.

Bianco Latte - Giardini di Toscana

To be honest, this scent is the whole reason I bought this set. It basically went Tik-Tok viral this year, and I’d heard so many good things that I needed to smell it. Plus from the notes, it seemed like it would be a match made in heaven.

And I can confirm, it smells GOOD. Some say that it’s comparable to Dulce from By Rosie Jane, and I can see where they’re coming from, but in my opinion that only holds true for Bianco Latte’s opening. After a few minutes, a billowing caramel note reveals itself and that’s when the fragrance really comes to life. Dulce lacks that caramel, and its vanilla leans closer to smelling like vanilla extract (though it's still very nice). That being said, this perfume is on the simpler side, and while that makes it great for layering, it does sometimes leave me wanting a little bit more.

Now, where Bianco Latte really shoots above the competition is in its performance. I keep all of my samples on my desk, and I’m constantly getting wisps of this fragrance’s mouthwatering scent even when it’s a few feet from me. It lasts for hours with no issues and I can always easily smell it on myself. Truly a beast.

Bake - Akro

Luxurious lemon laced through warm and rich vanilla cake. Inspired by the scent of lemon cupcakes, Bake executes that vision incredibly well. Tart, candied lemon peel makes for a refreshing first impression, warmed by a hint of rum. Brown sugar and vanilla combine to form the whipped and lightly-caramelized foundation that emerges in the dry-down.

I appreciate that the lemon lingers throughout the wear, never completely fading away. I find that with Nobile 1942’s La Danza delle Libellule (Bake’s apple-centric cousin) the apple note is gone within minutes, leaving only the slightest hint of it in the rest of the wear. While Bake’s lemon does fade, it’s always detectable—at least to my nose. I can already tell that this is going to be one of my favorites.

Van Extasyx - Lorenzo Pazzaglia

It’s sometimes said that one can never have too much of a good thing.

This is a fragrance that seems to agree with that sentiment. Seven incredible vanillas join together and miraculously transform into a luscious chocolate milkshake.

I just want to say that upon first applying this I immediately thought of the chocolate flavor of those whipped yogurts that Yoplait sells (photo below). I know it’s vanilla, and I can smell the vanilla, but another part of my brain just registers it as totally chocolate. It’s also very unique, at least to my nose, and I look forward to having it in my collection one day.

The opening of Van Extasyx is startlingly similar to the scent of this yogurt. This is a photo from my own fridge.

Given that this is an extrait de parfum, I’m not surprised by its excellent performance, both in projection and longevity. This scent is the definition of a delectable, mouth-watering gourmand, and I’m obsessed with its almost-alchemical transformation of vanilla into something so much more. I can’t get enough of it.

Ingenious Ginger - Goldfield & Banks

Ginger ale meets creamsicle over a bed of delicate flowers in this refreshing fragrance. This isn’t the kind of perfume that gets sprayed, it’s the kind that gets spritzed on in preparation for a day lounging at the beach. The ginger and citrus notes are bright and lovely, and the creamy florals contribute to the somewhat sunscreen-y feel that this has while balancing those first, sharper notes.

On my first wear-test, the performance does leave something to be desired. After only two hours, most of the scent has faded, leaving only a slight ambery aroma and a hint of citrusy-florals. Additional wears haven’t shown any improvement. A shame, because I truly enjoyed the unique take on a solar fragrance that this perfume offered. Beautiful, but fleeting.

Tonka Cola - Mancera

Sharp lemon. Warm spices. Fizzy cola.

This isn’t the cola you get at the soda-pop shoppe. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of black cherry give this fragrance a more sophisticated edge. Labdanum adds a leather-y note to the mix, evoking the image of a jazz club or speakeasy even without any alcoholic notes. Rounding out the fragrance are notes of tonka bean and vanilla, lending a powdery quality to the dry-down.

Honestly, on me, the cola fades almost entirely after the first few minutes, leaving behind a nice spicy-leather scent. It’s reminiscent of Volutes by Diptyque, though their notes differ almost entirely (probably the spices). Overall the performance isn’t the greatest, but I don’t entirely mind for this scent. It sort of gives off the vibe of being here “for a good time, not a long time.”

It’s unique but wearable, a fun concept executed with some real thought. The first of (oddly) multiple drink-centric perfumes we’ll be looking at today, Tonka Cola sets the bar high.

Oriana - Parfums de Marly

Killian Love Don’t be Shy’s hotter, younger sister.

Oriana boasts that iconic sweet-tart orange blossom smell that Killian has, but with an added sweet fruitiness from raspberry (and maybe blackcurrant, but tbh I have absolutely no idea what that’s supposed to smell like). It also possesses that uniquely powdery feel that comes from the marshmallow note (I’m pretty sure). Youthful and feminine, I can totally imagine this being someone’s signature scent.

Performance-wise, this scent does fine. It lasted around four hours on me, but by the end it was fading fast and I doubt that anyone not in close proximity to me would have been able to smell it. Given the high price-point of this perfume though, I expected more from it. I own fragrances that are half the cost and last twice as long as this does. It smells nice, but when you’re creating a product at a luxury price-point, the product should be a luxury experience.

Cherry Amaretto - Strangers Parfumerie

Boozy, syrupy cherries. Smells like something I’d drink more than wear—unsurprising given its namesake. Looking at the notes for this one won’t do you much good. I can’t really detect any of them specifically, and I think they’re more there to shape the feel of the cherry. Once the alcoholic notes fade it’s sweet and powdery, and I will admit I’m more open to it on my second try than I was my first time smelling it. Still, not really the fragrance for me.

The performance isn’t bad, but it could still be better. After around an hour all I’m getting is almond. I don’t particularly mind, but I can imagine that someone who chooses to wear this wants to smell like cherry amaretto, and would probably be pretty disappointed by the simple dry-down. Overall, an interesting concept with a somewhat-successful execution.

Unknown Pleasures - Kerosene

I really wanted to like this one. There’s something so sickly-sweet about this that it literally turns my stomach when I smell it. I get the lemon and the tea, but then there’s just this gross creaminess under it that I really dislike.

After a few minutes, that opening dies down and becomes slightly more tolerable, being joined by tonka bean and some warm sweetness from caramel and honey (I’m thinking it’s one of these mixing weird with the tea note that’s responsible for that awful, cloying opening). Luckyscent claims that this fragrance has a waffle-cone note, but unfortunately I couldn’t detect it myself (I’ll have to try Imaginary Authors’ A Whiff of Waffle Cone next).

On a reluctant 2nd test, I’ll admit that I can understand how this would appeal to some, but it is very much not for me. I also had my sister give her opinion on it, and she claimed that it smelled tropical (she got coconut from it) and she didn’t experience that same grossness that I do. Just goes to show that everyone’s experience with a scent can be different.

Despite my experience with this fragrance, I’m not going to give up on Kerosene. I’m enamored by the house’s aesthetic and I’m hopeful that I’ll like one of their other perfumes. For now though, I’ll be happy to donate this sample to a friend who enjoys it more than I do.

Gossip Night - Gritti

Peach that spent the night exchanging secrets with caramel and vanilla, whispering with litchi, flirting with mango blossom and heliotrope.

I was concerned that I wouldn’t be a fan of this one because I don’t love peach, but I actually really enjoy it. It’s expertly blended with the other notes, and overall a very nice tropical fruity-floral.

I’ve seen some calling this a gourmand, but I really wouldn’t put it in that category myself. I’ve also seen some claiming that it smells solely like smoky wood, and I can smell a hint of why someone might think that, but it’s not what I get personally. My guess is it’s just the peach reacting a little weird with their skin chemistry. A similar thing happens for me with Vanilla Woods by The 7 Virtues. Sometimes certain scents just don’t work for us.

Performance is great, and I’m glad that I’ve finally found a fruity profile that I enjoy. Secrets have never smelt so good.

Oolong Tea - ONE DAY

This is more than a perfume. It’s the olfactory equivalent of making a cup of tea on a cold day. It starts with the tea leaves, bitter and earthy, which after a few minutes are sweetened by honey and a touch of jasmine. I don’t know what else to say—it literally smells like brewing a cup of tea. The realism is incredible.

The fragrance also manages to expertly toe the line between that realism and wearability. It wouldn’t be my signature scent, but I can totally envision the type of person who would wear it. Oolong Tea exudes a sense of calm confidence that the right person would totally rock.

I had the idea to layer this with Diptyque’s Eau Duelle, and I really enjoyed the result. They combine to form a sort of dirty, earthy vanilla, Oolong Tea adding depth to Eau Duelle’s spiciness.

Performance is good enough—at this point I’ve done so many of these that I’ve run out of unique things to say.

One whiff of this scent will make you understand why it was a finalist for the Art and Olfaction Award. More than perfume, it’s art.

Delizia di Marshmallow - Kyse Perfumes

The name says it all. The internet promised me that this would be THE marshmallow perfume. And, thankfully, this fragrance has delivered on that promise. It’s just marshmallow. What more could you want?

It’s powdery and has that same slightly-burnt sugar scent as the OG Billie Eilish perfume. If I’m gonna be critical (which we all know is my favorite thing to do), I’d say that that sugar note slightly overwhelms the marshmallowy-ness of the scent, though I don’t think it's a huge deal. It still very much smells like marshmallow.

Its performance is great, I can smell it on me and it lasts a decently long time. Overall it’s very enjoyable (probably a good crowd-pleaser) and I can imagine it would be great for layering. It’s just marshmallow. What more could you want?

Une Pistache - Obvious Parfums

For a fragrance centered around pistachio, it’s not the thing you think of upon first whiff. This scent is mainly a creamy, powdery floral, though in the dry-down a nuttiness emerges that could arguably be pistachio (though it could just as easily be something else). If anything, it’s the heliotrope and sandalwood that truly reside at the heart of Une Pistache. I was slightly concerned when I saw carrot listed as one of the notes, but luckily it only adds a powdery, earthy tone to the scent profile.

While it starts off slightly too green and creamy for my taste, it becomes quite lovely in the dry-down, sweet and very delicate, cozy and comfortable. It reminds me of something but I can’t totally remember what that thing is (for some reason, my mind keeps returning to something from D.S. & Durga, I have no clue why).

This is a fragrance that will wear like a worn, comfy T-shirt. It’s soft and familiar, while still being unique and interesting. In the pistachio-perfume craze, this scent stands out.

Molecule 01 + Black Tea - Escentric Molecules

Black tea. Iso E Super.

A simple blend, and the result is similarly simple. In the opening, the tea is almost acidic in a way that just crosses the border into unpleasant territory. After that it dies down into a faint woody tea scent that doesn’t do much for me personally. A friend who smelled it on me described it as “hotel body wash,” and I have to admit it’s a pretty accurate image.

Too simple to have any saving graces, this fragrance failed to innovate on Escentric Molecules’ signature molecular base.

Drunk Saffron - BTSO

Intriguing. Unfortunately, it opens smelling like burning plastic on me. Soon, that plastic is joined by a burnt-sugar scent, giving the feel of an overheating cotton-candy machine. Strangely, I still don’t entirely hate it.

As it dries down, that plastic note recedes, and the burnt sugar emerges in full force, resulting in a fragrance that actually smells delicious. There’s something so dark and elegant about it, an airy sweetness with a touch of bitterness at the end to ground it. It’s sort of inexplicably good, in that I keep wanting to smell it but I’m really not sure why. Like I said already, it’s intriguing.

I think this is a fragrance that’s going to smell different to every person that tries it. Even just scrolling through the reviews on Fragrantica will show you how divisive this scent is. One user, for example, describes it as smelling like beetroot, while another claims it has a play-dough scent. People either love it or can’t stand it.

To that end, I decided to have my friends weigh in. One got the impression of an “ice-cream shop,” while another said it smelled like “candy, but not overbearing.” A third described it as “pastry-like.”

The more I wear it, the more I enjoy it. As I’ve gotten used to it, I’ve smelled less burning plastic and even some fruity nuances from the plum note. If you sample this and don’t find yourself liking it, don’t count it out just yet. It has a way of growing on you.

Targhee Forest - Rogue Perfumery

We are deep in the forest. Evergreen trees surround us, standing tall. This is a place untouched by civilization, where bird calls replace car horns and the only voices are those of the wind whispering through the branches of the trees. At last, we reach the end of our journey.

Targhee Forest is another one of those fragrances where the notes can only provide a general idea of what it’s trying to smell like. There’s a lot of pine, as well as some citrus and a hint of something floral. Beyond that, the other notes come together perfectly to evoke the image of a forest, cool and refreshing. In the dry-down, it actually becomes a skin scent, a prominent musk note emerging.

The performance on this fragrance is incredible, especially considering that it's an eau de toilette. Obviously its projection fades a bit once it dries down to its skin scent phase, but it still lasts the entire day on me.

I’m glad that I’ve finally found a green scent that I enjoy. I think it’s partially due to the fact that this is minty-green rather than grass-green, if that makes sense. I wore this on a rainy day layered with Nest Indigo and it matched the vibe perfectly. A forest in a bottle.

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That’s all folks! I got all of my info on the notes and stuff from Luckyscent and Fragrantica, so if anything is wrong, blame them. This has truly been a labor of love, and I hope that you can get something out of it! If any of these perfumes sounded interesting to you, make sure to get a sample for yourself from luckyscent.com or their brick-and mortar-store, Scent Bar, in NYC (I’m hopefully going to be able to make a visit there myself soon). This probably won't be the last you’ll see of perfume from me, but I should be back to regularly programming next month, probably with an essay on The Stand by Steven King which I’m almost done with (and by that I mean I have 400 pages to go).

Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these yourself, or which ones you want to try the most! Or comment any of your questions about my review/the fragrances, and I’ll do my best to answer them. And if you want to see more content like this, let me know down below!

Finally, if you’re a fragrance brand that has somehow stumbled across this review, like what you see, and want to get in touch, feel free to connect with me in the comments or through DM (I’m pretty sure that’s a thing now). I love writing about the things I’m passionate about, and perfume has captivated my heart.

Until next time!