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.

Tantrum (great name) is a tartly fresh, vegetal, green scent that features vetiver prominently. It is more concerned with being interesting than likeable, a sentiment I can get behind. My immediate reaction was that of dislike, but after some contemplation, it's really good stuff. Tantrum opens with green pepper. It is prominent and realistic, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Such an unusual note, but well-placed here, it kick-starts the green vegetal quality. Galbanum adds some aromatic haziness, balanced by some herbal mint. Bergamot adds dark zest, emerging when the green pepper subsides a little. As it develops, a nice tea note emerges, adding its distinctive freshness, but vetiver is king - Tantrum becomes a vetiver scent in its second half. It is beautifully rendered - high quality, dewy and grassy with woody nuances. It rivals Guerlain Vétiver here - high praise indeed! Soft cedar notes complement it as it dries down, forming a simple and beautiful end phase. Tantrum is masculine-leaning, with moderate sillage and longevity, best worn in spring. While I wouldn't wear this myself, I would really enjoy this on a man. Green goodness. 4/5.

hahaha she's UNIQUE. definitely giving herb garden, almost lemony too? like cooking in the kitchen on a warm spring-summer cusp day after having just come in from frolicking around outside. i enjoy the freshness and stand-out power that this scent has, but definitely not for everyone. leans super unisex, and it's giving freshly cut grass too... someone mentioned that sour "bile" note which i also noticed, but i haven't tried anything else from the boysmells discovery set so tbd. it's not super overwhelming, but i do get tired of that after a while. overall a solid 3/5 stars i'd say. EDIT- after smelling the others from the Boy Smells collection, I think I would definitely gravitate more towards violet ends or marble fruit over this one (fruity scent lovers rise up!!)

Walking through my grandmother's garden in spring or early summer; the tomato plants growing tall in the sun, clusters of tomatoes sagging under their own weight; the soft, velvety vines running between them, your hand brushing against cool green leaves; the crunch of fruit flesh breaking, the sound of a knife hitting wood, tomato juice dribbling across the countertop; laying in a warm spot on the grass, the light of the sun still visible through your eyelids. You do eventually get some softer floral notes, but this scent is all about that initial burst of intense vegetal green. Too unusual to wear in anything but the most casual, artsy settings, but there's no denying how unique it is. I'd strongly recommend trying a sample before buying.

green pepper and bergamot may as well be the only notes in this perfume, and i say this in a very positive way. green pepper is quite uncommon to see being used this forwardly, it's as in-your-face as it can be, it had me smelling like a farmer's market. the bergamot adds a more open-ended freshness i enjoyed a lot. the mate and sandalwood become more prominent in the dry-down, giving the fresh summery fragrance a bitter, toasted heart, but throughout the day you will mostly smell like green shakshuka and oversteeped green tea. i see this working as a signature fragrance for a very weird pastry chef or hippie middle-aged woman.

Oh wow okay my bad, my initial comment was that it smells like a bright fresh cologne and guess what I didn't notice in its description at first that it is a cologne de parfum. So yes very cologne-y for me! Light and bright but there's that bitter vegetal quality there that it leans on ever so slightly. It feels like a cologne and not a photorealistic creation to evoke vegetables. Wearable and nice. Not my jam but not disappointed :) Maybe I was hoping I would've been transported to a much greener place than a glance of it.

First blast of clean crisp green aromatics, wet and fresh. Not grass though, something leafy. Oh my goodness... green pepper! How interesting. Definitely the most prominent note once it's revealed. Cut green pepper with a sweet twist of mint right at the back of the throat. The green pepper is still very forward in the drydown, maybe a touch woody now, still mint sweet. Interesting composition but, yeah.....pizzeria. Unisex and best for warm weather.

This is very green. It’s not bad - it’s pretty enjoyable. It smells very heavy like vetiver, green bell peppers, and sandalwood - in that order. I wouldn’t say this a particularly wearable scent, but I do like it and think it’s very unique. It leans more masculine. I don’t think I could pull this off as a woman and I am a lover of unisex scents.

Super earthy scent with a prominent vetiver note that mimics the cannabis here. It’s green and aromatic with soft peppery notes. Modern and interesting, but not brilliant. Can be a nice every day scent fir some design who works in a coffee shop (I’m a designer myself, so no offense here)) Follow me on IG: scent.guide

This is a fresh masculine-leaning unisex scent that feels cozy and a little edgy from the spice. A truly well rounded Earthy scent with a slight cannabis twist. This smells how my boyfriend naturally smells, but in an intentional way instead of an "literally could not give less of a f*ck" kind of way.

Smells a lot like Hermes Jardin sur La Nil, just not quite as tart/sour, and with a distinct but fleeting green pepper opening. Not quite Hermes level quality, but a nice fragrance in its own right

Bright, spicy bergamot on skin, pickled jalapeño on clothes. Not in a bad way

Maybe I'm just being reductive, but this smells like Byredo's Pulp without the boozy, fermented fruit notes. It is much more crisp and vegetal, but has a similar zing to it. I think it might be the bergamot and bell pepper notes that resemble the hoppy tang to Pulp. While I am a huge Pulp fan/apologist, I can see how it may not mesh well with some individuals' skin chemistry. Tantrum, IMO, is the more subdued and tomboyish twin sister of Pulp who'd rather hang out in the garden instead of lounging poolside for hours with a big ole glass of sangria.

Tantrum is fresh, sharp, and vegetal. The green pepper and bergamot remained prominent throughout my wear but that may have stood out to me since I found it to be a crisp and unique combination. Unisex but masculine leaning and fitting for summertime. Makes me think of a day spent tending to the vegetable garden. It’s a fun and unique scent - doubt I would purchase a full size but I’ll enjoy using up the sample.

Far too short opening of the brisk green stem I love! Fresh celery / green pepper. Musty thickness grows, adding body with humid ozone. Does not project strongly. Have to go med-close to get wet wood/cedar, tannin-heavy mate, and sharp shampoo. Fell out of love after green note diminished too quickly. Dries down into dry vetiver shampoo that’s uptight. Started good, but not in love with the majority.

smells amazingly green and sharp in the opening, just like tending to a green pepper plant on a hot day, but unfortunately dries down to a much more powdery, sickly, elderly scent on me. not sure why! it saddens me because i love the initial scent, but after around 10 minutes i feel an anxious need to scrub it off of my skin. lasts forever and projects very well though!