Coastal Dreaming

Notes: crushed sea salt, wave washed vanilla, warm driftwood Beachy, Vanilla, salty, marine/aquatic, woody, powdery, softly sweet, refreshing, clean, luminous, elevated, sophisticated, feminine, sensual, chic, charming, whimsical, dreamy, delightful, captivating, sun-soaked, alluring, addictive, inviting, cozy, comforting, transportive, nostalgic, unique Salty, smooth, and nautical by nature with a deep sea sparkle, and the luminosity of a pearl. Notes of salted waves, smooth and comforting vanilla, and sun-soaked driftwood ebb and flow like the ocean tide for a scent that’s undeniably clean, luminous, and warm. This is absolutely gorgeous! The perfect beachy marine scent which is just the thing for those who don’t enjoy coconut (I’m a coconut lover, but still adore this!)! It smells like the actual beach with a swirl of smooth vanilla! It doesn’t have any kind of sun tan lotion scent to it either (although I love those kinds of beachy scents too!). Definitely one of the BEST BBW fragrances! I actually find it rather unique and elevated! I only recently got this, and I can’t believe it took me this long! I’ve already received several compliments on it, and a couple of my friends even ended up buying it because they loved mine so much! I do actually find this quite similar to my beloved Beach Nights! Coastal Dreaming is a bit more marine and salty with a softer vanilla, while Beach Nights also has a lovely salty marine vibe, it has additional notes of marshmallow and chocolate. I also find this very reminiscent of Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Salt and JHAG Vanilla Vibes (both which I own and love!). To me this feels feminine, and quite suitable for women of any age (this is one of the B&BW fragrance that doesn’t have a juvenile feel, but nothing mature, just perfect for anyone!). This feels best suited for spring and summer wear because of the beachy, coastal vibe. I think it works well for almost all occasions except for maybe the fanciest ones. It’s definitely perfect as a beach getaway scent, and is suitable for work/school. I get good performance with Coastal Dreaming EDP. The longevity is moderate to strong as it lasts 6-7+ hours on my skin. The projection is around moderate as it radiates out at least an arm’s length from me. Some of my other favorite BBW scents include Beach Nights, Boardwalk Marshmallow Clouds, Cotton Candy Clouds, Whipped Honey & Vanilla, Fireside Flurries, Love Unleashed, Pistachio Glaze, Forever Sunshine, Cashmere Glow, Blush Cardigan, Cozy Vanilla Bourbon, Fresh Vanilla Blossoms, Vanilla Romance, Wrapped in Vanilla, Wicked Vanilla Woods, Everlasting Magic, Aspen Caramel Woods, Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte, Frosted Snowdrop, Frosted Wonderland, Vanilla Bean Noel, Twisted Peppermint, Almond Blossom, Magnolia Charm, Coco Paradise, Meet Me in Miami, Oahu Coconut Sunset, Honolulu Sun, At the Beach For reference, some of my other favorite fragrances include Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow, Vanilla 28, Vanilla Candy Rock Candy, Yum Pistachio Gelato, Kilian LDBS, Princess, Sunkissed Goddess, GdT Celeste, Bianco Latte, PdM Oriana, Tom Ford Soleil Blanc, Nest Sunkissed Hibiscus, Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid, Burberry Goddess, The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods, YSL Black Opium Le Parfum, Guerlain Mon Guerlain, JHAG Powder Love, Summer Fridays Sunlit Vanilla, LoveShackFancy Secret Crush, Vanilla Twirl, Coach Dreams Starlight, Ellis Brooklyn Marshmallows, Queen’s Caramel, Vanilla Salt, Forever Pistachio, Phlur Honey Moon, Heavy Cream, Vanilla Nectar, Beach Skin, SDJ Summer é Amor, 62, 39, Limonada Gelada, VS Vanilla Lace *as a side note I definitely plan on getting another bottle of the EDP (it’s the EDP that I’m reviewing here), and then the FFM, lotion, and body wash because I just so adore this one!

I only buy B&BW body creams & on rare occasion the EDP. I prefer perfumes I wear to be applied in the morning and last al day, which is mainly accomplished with higher end brands. This is one of few that I used my free item on the travel size EDP, and I'm actually considering buying the full size as I have fallen for it! Body lotion feels nice, silkiage is pretty good as well. I've never liked B&BW mists or lotions as they have a much different profile to me than the EDP and the body cream, so I can't speak on those. This makes me think of wearing a blue and off white sundress and going on a dolphin tour in the middle of the day. Or an evening dinner date on the boardwalk. Still definitely something you can wear during the winter as it's so warm and cozy, but not that overbearing scent that is winter only (think like burberry her elixir). I actually really dislike vanilla scents and have nothing vanilla based. I like aquatic salty ozonic scents. But when I smelled this I knew it was MY vanilla.

This review is based on the FFM, not the EDP. Apparently the EDP has more of a vanilla scent? Coastal Dreaming is a true beach scent that gives off a different vibe than the usual "summer beach vacation with your toes in the sand" feel; it immediately brings to mind standing on a rocky beach on a more mild day, surrounded by the clean woodsy smell of driftwood. The woody note is definitely the first thing I pick up, followed by a less potent salty tone. As it dries, the driftwood scents fade into the background and just leaves this salty, fresh smell that reminds me of cool ocean water. Nowhere in this could I detect any hint of vanilla, but honestly I think it works better without it. If you want to make the scent more summer-y I'd recommend pairing it with At The Beach.

I got word this scent is being discontinued after this summer so I wanted to smell it in person before the semi-annual sale so I could stock up on it if it's good. I tried the fine fragrance mist and the body cream on my arm. I was AMAZED how delicious the body cream smelled so rich and yummy like vanilla ice cream. The mist to me does not smell much like the body cream at all and is very weak. They almost don't even smell like the same fragrance. I got it anyway for the $5.95 body care sale which is totally worth it imo. It's about 5 hours later and I still smell the body cream on my arm but not the spray. I did not try the EDP but I definitely recommend this scent as a delicious vanilla base that would be excellent to layer with other scents.

This review is for the FFM. Coastal Dreaming is a sweet, slightly aquatic fragrance. It is a powdery yet creamy vanilla with a breath of something that smells like a walk next to the ocean. It almost has this nostalgic vibe to it. In a gourmand context, this reads to me as a salt water taffy. The dry down becomes a lot more woodsy while still holding onto that sweetness that defines this scent. This will be a fun fragrance to layer with!