Sunday

Arielle Shoshana Sunday was released this week and because I was one of the Kickstarter backers, I received my 10mL travel spray in the mail yesterday. For background, I love matcha lattes and horchata (I'm Mexican), so I had definite ideas about what this would smell like. I'll be honest and say I was a little disappointed when I first sprayed it. (I hesitate to say that because I want Arielle to succeed and don't want to dissuade anyone from trying this. That said, everyone's experience is different, no matter how many reviews there are, so I definitely recommend getting a sample of this unique fragrance.) The first 30 seconds are full blown rice crackers and rice, which was a little disconcerting. but certainly different. The first several minutes smell like freshly cooked rice right out of the rice cooker and the undercurrent of green tea emerges. I don't perceive any sweetness or spice notes, just rice and tea and maybe a skin musk. The blend conjures milkiness, but I don't smell milk itself. The lack of sweetness and cinnamon is where my expectations weren't met. I can see why they weren't included (or if they're actually there, not amplified enough for me to detect), because perfume doesn't have to be (probably shouldn't be!) an exact replica of the inspirational scent. The perfume remains linear and is definitely a 'close to the skin' type of scent. I sprayed 4 small spritzes from the travel spray on my arms and needed to reapply in a few hours. I don't have someone to ask whether they could smell it on me, so it's possible that my nose just got accustomed to it. The style of perfume is definitely relaxed, not loud, and not gendered (if you prefer ultra "feminine" or "masculine" scents, you'll probably disagree because this is in the middle). I do agree with the inspiration that it's a perfume you spray on a Sunday when you're living in the moment and enjoying the weather outside your window, whether it be rainy or sunny. In comparison to the other green tea scents I have it's softer and less perfumy than Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au The Vert, and closer in style to By Kilian Imperial Tea but definitely doesn't smell like either of those. Overall, I'm happy that Arielle continues to create unique fragrances with high quality ingredients and none of the nonsense marketing that you find with many other brands. While I do wish this was slightly sweeter, I still enjoy it and look forward to hearing other people's opinions. EDIT 2/28/21: This has grown on me a lot. My initial expectation was that this would smell like a super sweet, cinnamon heavy, straight up horchata drink (most of the ones I drank in my youth were so sweet, they made my teeth hurt!). I think what was intended was a more modern, refined matcha and rice scent. There's still a level of sweetness to keep it out of bitter face territory, but it's more of a grown-up scent profile focused on a creamy matcha and it is truly addictive! I still don't really smell cinnamon per se, but that's ok. I think I smell the mate because there's a hay/dried grass kind of undercurrent. My original review mentioned comparisons to green tea because that's the closest I had to compare with. Now, Je Ne Sais Quoi from Teo Cabanel is available and it's also a beautiful matcha and rice fragrance. They *are* similar but do have differences and I love them both. Happy to see many more people trying and enjoying Sunday!

I really enjoy Arielle Shoshana's Sunday as a scent overall. Do I think of it as a "matcha" scent though? Not really, but I do see it suggested as a matcha option sometimes. To me it smells like horchata with matcha powder since the cinnamon and milk come through a lot. I do get more of the matcha on the dry down but the sandalwood and amber are definitely louder. The coconut throws me off a little bit; depending on the day, I can really smell it but other times, it mixes with the milk as almost an oat milk scent? I tend to reach for it more during the fall and winter as the spiciness makes me a bit nauseous during the summer. I love the packaging of this bottle and I think that's why I like it so much though! I've been trying a lot of matcha scents and though this is a top scent, maybe not too matcha-y? Best matcha gourmand - D'annam Matcha Soft Serve, Arielle Shoshana's Sunday, Mochiglow Matcha Cloud, Kayali Freedom Musk Matcha, Fantome Kuidaore Green tea with lemon, but not matcha - Le Labo The Matcha 26, Narcotica Happy Dust, Teo Cabanel Je Ne Sais Quoi, Momji Angel's Tea, Fugazzi Matchabuya Grassy matchas - Obvious Un Ete, D. Grayi Matcha Cat Floral or soapy matchas - Liis Rose Struck, Sorce Match Made in Heaven, ROAN Current Culture Save your money, no don't do it - Obvious Milk & Matcha, Theodoros Kalotinis Matcha Ice Cream, Solinotes The Matcha, Smell Frankly Lie To Me, Tabbeau Place Matcha Rush Also no since they're dupes - Dossier Citrus Matcha, Zara Matcha Mochi, Briix Fragrances Matchatopia, Le Monde Gourmand The Matcha, Parfums by Cherie Stardust, Dua Tangy Matcha Latte

This fragrance gives a grassy, Timothy Hay type scent when it first hits the air. It warms up immediately upon touching the skin and this beautiful realistic rice pudding smell blooms. It quickly settles into what I would say is kind of a grassy lactonic skin scent that's kept from being too sickly thanks to the cinnamon and sandalwood in this. I was first put on to Arielle Shoshana fragrances through tiktok at the beginning of 2022 (at the very beginning of the Great Cap Fiasco that was holding the restock of this perfume hostage until Black Friday of this year,) Sunday immediately caught my attention. I was a full time barista and despite coming home and smelling like hot coffee and milk all day, I wanted to find a perfume I could wear at work without it clashing with the smells of the coffee shop. Since I was not able to blind purchase a full size off the website right away, I bought the three day weekend discovery set and flew through my sample of Sunday. I've bought the discovery set twice now and have fallen in love with Friday and Saturday as well. Sunday is truly an all purpose fragrance, I can see myself wearing at any time of year, day or night (depending on where the night goes.) It is not offensive to people who may be in close quarters with you, people who lean in to have a conversation with you will catch a sniff but you will not fill a room which I prefer. I wore this to bed the night I received my full size in the mail and still smelled it on my neck when I woke up in the morning. Run, don't walk, to try this fragrance.

Wonderfully addictive gourmand fragrance. Smells exactly like matcha horchata. Super creamy/lactonic without being cloyingly sweet or overly powdery. The rice and matcha notes make it feel unique as a fragrance, while still familiar and delicious like baked goods. The spices deepen everything without taking over. Because of the matcha there also this fresh green coming through, which is interesting. It is very well-balanced. It might be a bit out of the comfort zone for some people, because it is certainly Different. I wouldn't recommend a blind-buy unless you are absolutory certain about the notes, and I would definitely avoid it if you're not a fan of matcha. But if you do like matcha and are looking for something unique, this might be a winner. I have been looking for a unique signature fragrance, and this blends well with my skin, and dries down super nice, milky and clean. Bought a full bottle after smelling my skin nonstop all day. I imagine it will be super versatile. It is great for fall or winter because its a gourmand with some light spice to it, but also for spring because of that green accord. If you paired this with something with coconut to bring out that note more (and maybe throw in a fruity note that pairs well with cream, like mango or strawberry), it would be great for summer too. I see most people voted this as a day-time fragrance, and I do think it would be good for day-time, but it gives such cozy vibes to me, so I was thinking night-time.

🍚🍵🌰Sunday is a very comforting nut & matcha scent. I get initial impressions of pure photorealistic pine nuts: nutty, buttery, savory, and slightly earthy. There is a distinct matcha smell that blends very smoothly into the starchy rice/nuts scent since they share a similar profile. It does not smell sweet, bitter, or synthetic at all, so I find it to be a scent I can fully take in. (I love this in a perfume!) The matcha in this perfume leans more into a mate rather than purely green. I can see how this perfume may not be for everyone; the food-like rice scent could make it difficult to wear. I see how it can smell a bit weird to some noses & skins (in an oatmilk or playdoughy way), but I did not get any of the sour notes that some people did. On my skin, Sunday is a beautiful, comforting, and creamy matcha horchata. I also found this perfume develops over time into a savory and somehow clean, nostalgic scent. It carries the comfort of freshly steamed rice and matcha and reminds me of childhood memories of playing in a grass field. (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)

I’ve been on such a journey with this fragrance! At first sniff, I couldn’t stand it and it made me nauseous. It was like the scent version of covering yourself in a fleece blanket while you’re already overheated. But on a rainy day, when I want something cozy? I keep reaching for my sample of this, and each time it becomes more familiar and comforting. It smells like barely-sweetened matcha bubble tea made with coconut and rice milk, and a light sprinkle of cinnamon/cardamom on top. But specifically, it’s like you have your nose right up in the drink - it’s strong. I like this best spritzed lightly on the back of my neck, so I smell like a cozy bubble tea shop when people give me a hug. If you’re not wanting to be the personification of that vibe, you probs won’t like this. But it’s worth sampling (and giving it multiple chances) for sure! I wish Arielle Shoshana made travel sizes, but I’m seriously considering getting a full bottle.

Reminds me of a bakery and boba shop when I lived in SF. The smell of the freshly made boba, the rice powdery smell coming from the kitchen. The smell of the plants they had for sale (bamboo and money trees) and the feeling of the warm sun coming through the window making the fresh Asian pastries smell even more sweet and inviting. It immediately transported me to that time and made me super emotional [Especially since the place is no longer around]. No other fragrance has done that. Similar thing happened to a song once. Immediately started balling the first time I heard it. Love these moments and will order a full bottle when I’m done with my sample. Thank you Arielle for creating these moments that make being alive feel beautiful and fulfilling. I wish I could make a tik tok to share this experience but I’m in my 40s and feel like I would make a fool of myself 😂

To my very amateur nose, this is such a weird and wonderful fragrance. I feel like every time I get a whiff of this on me I’m picking up a different note? One moment it’s a grassy, green smelling sandalwood, the next it’s a sweet and lactonic vanilla milkshake, then a powdery green tea mochi, then a rice note so dry that it reminds me of straw. I find this, somehow, to swing between sweet and savoury while I wear it- it’s definitely a gourmand scent but I have trouble nailing it down from there. It’s certainly not a safe blind buy as the milk note is strong and I think that can be off putting for some folk. On me it’s an absolute beast performer- 3 sprays and it’ll last 12+ hours on my skin with good projection, and on my clothes it’ll stick until I throw them in the wash. Anyway! This is a delicious and unique scent and at least worth a try.

I don't think this necessarily smells exactly like matcha, but... One of my relatives married into a large Vietnamese family and I spent a lot of time around them growing up. They'd always make coloured steamed rice cake desserts, pink white and green, with coconut and mung bean. I'm not sure what they're called. This perfume smells like you're sitting down for afternoon tea, with a matcha latte (or you're wearing MM Matcha Meditation) and have just made a batch of these rice cakes, ready to eat. I like this much more than Matcha Meditation, and I also like it more than Roasted Green Tea, which has a slightly nauseating nuttiness to it that I'm not a fan of. I'm desperate for a full bottle of this! I'm in Australia, I have no clue how to get a bottle over here

Totally blind bought it and was scared at first when I first smelled, but wow I have been wearing it for the past month and I can't get enough. It's not really a compliment getter as its quite a unique smell, but for when Im at my desk working it makes me sooooo happy. If I were to describe this scent it is a very strong rice milk with matcha and a bit of vanilla and cardamom. The main note is the rice milk and honestly it has changed my life. Its not extremely matcha scented, its like how a matcha latte smells more like milk than matcha. I dont think its a safe blind buy, but if you like matcha and the smell of a boba shop def get it. I pair mine with a super sweet vanilla perfume and it turns this perfume into a sweeet ricey milky matcha latte scent <33

The fragrance that taught me to return to my samples and try a few days/weeks later before I make a final judgement. When I popped the cap on my first tiny decant of this I thought “what in the world is THIS?! Eww” and promptly tossed it aside. I’m not sure what made me go back to it but it is an absolute “desert island” top 5 for me. Probably top 2. This is my bedtime scent. My curl up with a book or current embroidery project and enjoy all the different facets I get from this. It’s the only perfume I have bought multiple full bottles of. I will panic if this is discontinued and have to purchase an absolute slew of it. There is nothing like this in the hundreds of scents I have sampled. It’s so weird but it is absolutely comforting, soothing, relaxing.

Sunday is the 4th Arielle Shoshana fragrance I have purchased, and when I first sniffed it, it was not my favorite (and honestly, I'll never like any scent more than Saturday). I thought I'd probably never purchase it, because the rice note was just too prominent. Fast forward a couple of years, and I was sniffing it again and impulsively took a bottle home with me. There is something incredibly comforting about Sunday. It's relaxed, it's carefree and it's soft and sweet. I enjoy the creamy coconut and fresh green matcha sweetness. I enjoy the hints of warm vanilla and spices. I even enjoy the lactonic rice note. This is a fragrance to wear when maybe you just need a hug. Maybe you just need to relax and breathe. Give it a sniff!

Interesting and unique fragrance. I get that rice pudding sense at first as others have noted but also get a distinct dirty green earthy matcha smell as well. Dried and drying down it's mostly a very milky (coconut milk) green and or matcha tea. Only slightly sweet to my nose. What I love is that it varies... sometimes dry and green and other times I'm sipping warm matcha with frothy coconut milk. I barely smell cinnamon or cardamom but on third wearing I'm finally able to pick that up. Lasts this way for hours. I love the shifting smells and longevity. So gourmand and pleasant... and per the name Sunday, this does make me long for a long weekend morning sipping something milky and comforting and green.

rice, milk flood. immediate and enveloping, upon initial spray on skin. I could not stop smelling my wrist, and exclaiming (in delight!~~). light green feel, about an hour later. a few hours after application, it is just as warm. Amber, cardamom. begins to smell of rest, like watching a movie and forgetting where you put your phone because it doesn't matter what your phone has to tell you. The feeling of knowing that what matters most in a moment is the warmth of the textiles and people around you. Milky, like flipping to the cool side of the pillow. I don't love the packaging; I have an atomizer sample, and will be looking for a decant.

Gourmands can be a bit tricky for me, as I usually don't like the more dessert-y ones. This strikes the right balance of being delicious but not very sweet. It opens with creamy and lightly sweet rice milk (it reminds me of horchata). After a few minutes, the matcha comes forward with a bright grassiness. I get the spices and an underlying bitterness of tea (probably the maté) and creaminess of coconut and sandalwood. This fragrance is pretty unique and definitely not for everyone. But I find it really interesting, and I get something new every time I smell it, which keeps me coming back for more.

The rice note at the top is photorealistic fresh, steamy rice. And then the boba tea accord follows. This could have just been a novelty fragrance based on the top notes alone, but there’s a lot of complexity and depth in the whole composition that make it into something really special. The floral spiciness from cardamom and the sandalwood in the base make it feel fresh and contemporary while an overall lightness (from the green tea notes) and restraint in the sweetness make it stand out from other gourmands. This is unlike anything I’ve smelled before while still being totally wearable.

This is the most authentic matcha note I've ever smelled. Please note, if you DON'T enjoy matcha you will not like this fragrance! (ALSO please note matcha isn't just a "tea note" -- matcha has a bitterness and a particular umami that isn't just "green tea") I feel like some people might be sampling this not knowing/expecting actual matcha~ It's incredibly evocative of a matcha latte with coconut milk. The dry down has a lovely spiced rice pudding element along with the remaining matcha notes. If you're a sweet matcha lover please sample this one! Beautifully composed.

The first few minutes of the powerful opening, I thought I was going to dislike Sunday. However, after the alcohol burn-off, the most delicious scented rice dessert was left on my skin: sweetened coconut milk, vanilla and spices. A perfect accompaniment to some of the last warm days of summer. Carefree and easy, Arielle Shoshana’s Sunday is yummy and lovely. Too bad the bottle is so awkward looking—though I have not held it in my hand, maybe it’s not so bizarre? My second Sunday test drive and I’m glad Shoshana got the juice part right.

Whoa. This is a delectable rice milk matcha latte. If that’s what you’re looking for, this is it. Only a tad sweet. The matcha was the note I was least excited four so the fact that it’s the most prominent one is disappointing to me personally, but the fragrance is magnificent nonetheless. I wish they would come out with something almost just like this but instead of a matcha latte it would be an ever so slightly floral horchata. Edit: wearing my sample today. The matcha becomes quieter on the dry down. Maybe I really like this?

i love this! very nutty and creamy, the rice is 100% there and realistic (to my nose). pretty similar to roasted green tea by j-scent (but no mint). @minihna a couple reviews down said this smells like if an iced matcha latte and a horchata had a baby and i definitely get that, but there's also something nut butter-y about this? like an almond butter. really nice though and not too heavy or sweet but i can still smell it on myself without having to stick my nose in my wrist.