Tantrum

Sometimes the synesthesia a scent can trigger is so clear, SO vibrant and loud, that I have nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the multi-sensory experience of what a smell has to offer. Tantrum by Boy Smells is *the most* green smelling thing I have ever laid my nose on. This is pure, unadulterated greenery- Tantrum opens verdant, violent, and slightly ozonic. Nothing is too overpowering, but the journey from wet to dry tells a complete story. Like you've walked into a greenhouse and your lover, green with envy, tosses a pitcher of yerba mate in your face. Soaking wet, you dry yourself in fistfuls of cedar and mint and then toss the roughage back into their lap. I love the artistry here. The green pepper/bergamot combo is one of the most delightful openings I've smelled in a perfume. This is staunchly unisex, freshly bitter, and still beautifully approachable. My skin tends to amp cedars so the post-drydown leans in that direction; reminding me of a brighter Tam Dao EDT by Diptyque. However, the french house takes cedar in a forested direction, while Tantrum remains in the confines of a greenhouse turned mess hall. It's cheeky, playful and mature at the same time. It's not an everyday scent, but I can see many people wearing this. There's a level of chicness to Tantrum on par with Le Labo Santal 33 and some of the fresher CDG offerings. Try it, greens are good for you! ;)

An aggressively green jolt to the senses - to me, in a good way, but this scent won't be for everyone. Like many of Boy Smells' other fragrances, the perfumer (Clement Gavarry) seems to have sought out to create a truly interesting composition, rather than something with mass appeal. (It's very much like Violet Ends in that way, even if it only has one or two notes in common.) The green pepper announces itself early on, right in the opening burst. It's an unusual note for a fragrance, and without knowing precisely what it was at first, I placed it as the aroma of fresh-cut flower stems, minus the scent of the flowers themselves. If the green notes are the main character, then the woody notes play supporting roles, but they are not unnoticeable by any means; they provide a grounding calm to their more energetic costar, giving this fragrance more depth in the dry-down. As for the mint, you have to go looking for it, but for me that's a plus, as even a bit too much mint can completely overwhelm other accords. I think for some, the bergamot and the spicy aspects of Tantrum shift a bit acidic; personally I don't mind some "tartness" in my fragrances. But it does have teeth, so if that sharp vegetal bite isn't your thing, Tantrum may not be for you. If I had to pick one word to describe Tantrum, it would be "vivacious."

I really love this bright and zingy fragrance. I wouldn't have been able to place the green pepper without knowing it was there, but it definitely comes across -- this scent is green and vegetal, bright and herby with no sweetness and not very much woodiness at all. At least on me, it stays lush and herbaceous during its entire lifespan, which is a good 6 hours or so. I like to layer this with a clean fig to add a touch of warmth, or wear it on its own to a sweaty bar patio. It's an excellent choice for when you want to cut through sweat and smoke and booze instead of leaning in and wearing something darker. I think anyone of any gender could pull this off as long as they have a little panache. Just a quick edit to say that almost a year later, I still get compliments on this from multiple people nearly every time I wear it out and about. Sexy but bright, and a little mysterious. Still a love!

Newcomer please don't jump on me :) Almost unpleasantly sharp when it first goes on (like lemon wood polish) but mellows into a really lovely bright, clean, green, herbal scent. The vetiver lasts the longest. I got the sampler and this was for sure my favorite. It's a little weird and unusual (not exactly something you'd wear out to be sexy) but fun and interesting. A very androgynous natural scent and I think a happy one. Smells like a sunny morning in a greenhouse or botanical garden. Something you could wear in the winter when you need a dose of sunshine.

hipster dior sauvage/prada carbon. the pepper is turned up all the way up to 11. it's like a green sauvage. kinda smells like pencil shavings. i dig it.