H2Eau Golden Citrus

This smells citrusy, musky, and comforting like a hug. Something in it reminds me of fresh laundry swaying in the golden sun of an afternoon. Brings back a lot of pleasant memories for me. Absolutely lovely.

I'm having a weird experience with this fragrance. The top notes are gorgeous- light, fresh, crisp and green with a hint of citrus (I actually expected it to be very citrus-heavy given the name). The dry down is warm and musky, still with a bit of green. But the middle notes... smell horrendous on me. The first time I tried it, there was a period where the fragrance smelled like decaying flowers on me until it settled into the base notes. I don't know if anyone could smell it since it sat really close to my skin, but I would have been mortified if anyone else could smell what I smelled. I've tried it two more times since then and depending on when I sniff, I may or may not get some of variation of that ickiness as it dries down. I've never had this happen with any frag before and it's honestly a bit alarming.

This is kind of your standard issue citrus, neroli, musk fragrance. I didn't notice any staining or residue as others have reported. The brand says they used South American Mandarin, but they make no mention of the providence of the neroli (which is expensive) and this doesn't smell like natural neroli. It's fine, I'd never buy it because frankly there's way better stuff out there. I think if you want a top tier Mandarin you should look towards LV Afternoon Swim,19-69 Capri, Guerlain Mandarin Basilic, Atelier Orange Sanguine, or Acqua Di Parma Mandarino. -------------------------------------------------------- Scent 52/100 Performance 45/100

A citrusy, aromatic burst of bergamot and mandarin, with watery bitters. It's not overly sweet. Then, neroli/orange blossom enters and feels very realistic. The wetness of citrus flowers, cool and fresh. It feels citrusy, but not in the jarring lemon or orange oil way, rather soft and with depth. A touch of musk that has a touch of skankiness further softens and extends it. It has a bit longer life than most citrusy perfumes and is very pretty. I am not generally a fan of citrus themed perfumes as they are strident and brash and acidic, but, with the neroli, it is really beautiful. I like it.

This is my favourite from this line. A citrus and water bomb in a good way. White florals like neroli always mix so well with citrus. I used up my sample for mornings to refresh me. Like the others from this line, projection is minimal and it lasts for a very short time.