Matchbox Romance

I was so incredibly excited to receive my discovery set from Binaurale, which contains their six current fragrances. For each fragrance, I have done a blind smell test, only after thoroughly taking in the scent and determining a true and thoughtful opinion, I will review the notes. After this test, I have worn each scent for a full day, one by one, all on their own. No layering. Today was Halloween, I went as a vampire, and after applying this scent, I thought to myself, "Matchbox Romance was made for a vampire." It is spicy and sharp, like a scent straight out of a gothic library. It is warm with subtle sweetness, the cinnamon and fennel cut straight to the point, making it almost herbaceous, but the floral notes then begin to peek through, opening your eyes to this being more complex than you initially thought. My boyfriend said this scent reminds him of Christmas, and although I could see that, I really think this scent was made for fall, for dark scarfs, red maple leaves drifting downwards, and your black platform boots crunching atop them as you step over the sidewalk. This scent was made for the macabre and mysterious, the vicious and vampiric, for things that go bump in the night but also drink their coffee black. If I wear this scent it will have to be in the last four months of the year, any other time I do not think it would make sense, but that just makes it more special. This scent gets a 8/10. Happy Halloween 🎃

listen up, lesbians! matchbox romance is divine... the deep spices and rose combine to make the most delicious, cozy, witchy potion. it is so smooth that it feels like the gentle steam of a cup of spiced tea caressing your face!!!! it also kind of reminds me of a holiday spiced wine- the rose is ever just a bit jammy. as someone who has worn myself out with rose, i didn’t expect to be so enchanted. it helps create the perfect balance of sweet, keeping the spices from going into dry, powdery, dusty land. i keep coming back to the word hydrated. this fragrance is soooo very hydrated. not watery but perfectly smooth and evenly coated, which i think is why the spiced drink associations keep getting me. this is MY perfect fall perfume (admittedly it feels very lesbian). FEMMES calling all femmes you will probably love this. witchy and fall-loving femmes, especially. if not, sorry🙏🏻🙏🏻but i do!!!

Just have a good product and marketing works guys. I came upon this brand at a vintage clothes popup where they were giving out samples of the whole Binaurale line. Obviously I took one of each, because I have a fragrantica, and they said I could. I have worn this one twice and I absolutely love it. There are plenty of sweet warm spicy scents out there but this might be my new fav. I always feel like tobacco notes in scents like this are like a punch in the jaw, but this tobacco is a kiss on the cheek. Mwah.

Stunningly delicious and warm. Smells almost identical to the dry down of Margiela's By the Fireplace to my nose, for a direct comparison. Heavy on the cardamom and lasts all day. Binaurale is definitely one of my new favorite niche perfume houses.

Not quite your typical warm spicy. There's some sort of fruity sensibility about this, something a like spiced, stewed fruit winter cider, even though there are no fruit notes at all. Plums? Cooked down apples? It's coming from the rose, a surprisingly fresh yet heavy note gently tugging the spices into something a little brighter (but not too bright), and the tobacco that's giving sticky and sweet, packed into a pipe. The cinnamon leaf is strongest at the outset, but the cardamom blooms in a minute or two. The fennel is a much more subtle note and not really noticeable until you mentally pick the fragrance apart. The vetiver and vanilla add a bit of creaminess. I think this is very well made, but it's not really my cup of tea. It's a little too sticky date pudding for me, but I enjoyed wearing and experiencing this for a day. Personally, 7.5/10, but definitely check this brand out.