Arashiyama

This was a ride to me because I first tested it on my skin expecting something green, fresh and airy and instead, I was hit by a very intense violet - something I did expect because I had read some people's comments saying their skin chemistry pushed the violet in an almost viole(n)t manner - but I was still a bit disgruntled because I had hoped it wouldn't happen to me. So I didn't touch my sample for a few weeks and then today, I finally tested it on paper - and voilà, there was the fresh- and greenness I had heard about. Instead of rain, it rather evokes the image of slightly chilly, slightly warm fog to me - you could also say a visible dampness in the air. It is also comparable to cold and humid air if you are in the shade near a body of water in summer. The violet was nicely balanced and contributed to this damp feeling, which effortlessly outlasted the greenness of the opening. So I gave this another try on my skin. Still the same loud, creamy violet in the foreground, to no surprise - it also had a slightly lactonic quality - but after one or two hours I was surprised at its development into a realistic damp bamboo wood scent. The projection is alright, but it honestly does not matter to me personally because even after more than two months of trying it I keep on dipping my nose on it whenever I spray it lol I think it's safe to say that for me, it is FB worthy.

One of the first ever niche scents i bought, but never did a review of it bc i started doing reviews only recently. This was my signature last summer. Its the first warm day since winter and i immediatly reached for it again. I really missed it. One of my favourites scents from d'annam, it opens up really green, also a bit metallic. But i get these floral notes too and its pretty powdery. Its not like a realistic bamboo ibut i really enjoy this. it really captures the dampness very well, its the kind of dampness you have when its one of those warm sticky, rainy summer days. Imagine walking though a dense bamboo forest on a hot summer day, where a patch of grass is freshly cut. it starts to rain, droplets fall on the warm stone path youre walking on. Cut grass leafs stick to your shoes as you walk through the forest. That is exactly how it smell to me. I just wished the longevity was a bit better, i get max 2-3 hours of projection after that it sits really close to the skin. Im wearing it today, it has been on my skin for almost 5 hours and its almost gone. Personally i dont really mind bringing a decant and reapply through out the day but for this price range i feels that shouldnt be the case. Overal this scent is great, i really love it. Really negative thing the only thing is longevity. 8,5/10 for me

Smells like sweet rice flour spilled on an antique wooden chest, somewhat marzipan like with a tad bit of spice. It's a very dry scent, like slightly sweet smelling textured paper, definitely not raining. Do not wear this scent in a drought, however, it will be too dry. I can picture that it would smell decadent in the rain. You will be a dry sanctuary providing comfort and reliability to those around you. As for the character, this scent belongs to a very clean, sophisticated girlie. She is majoring in law and minoring in forensics and is currently on coop at Drexel University. She will suffer from the Drexel Drought when all the semester based schools start up and her quarter based school has not begun yet even though it is 2/3rds of the way through September. Her apartment is full of antique furniture, and harbors many a rice paper lamp. She drinks white wine on saturday nights ONLY. And never alone. And she only has one glass.

I got the d’annam Japan discovery set and this one made me cry. I don’t know what it was specifically but it’s like I smelled it before. I think when I was a child and I’d walk around with my mom in the neighborhood on rainy days and going to the laundromat and being so happy (by no means detergent smelling!). It smells airy, aquatic in the freshest way possible, grassy in an extremely well done way with no rough edges, powdery in also the most well done way, and a touch floral to balance it all out, but not floral forward. You know how sometimes when you take your clothes out of the dryer and you put your nose to the clothes and it smells faint and a touch powdery? This scent has the softest touch of that. Just such a beautiful harmony. I think this one is very underrated. Will be getting a full bottle for the spring.

beautiful take on the ever-enchanting depths of arashiyama, japan's famous bamboo forest; its deep, green, and warm petrichor is such a magnetic combo. on my skin, there is a distinct spice. almost like how the smell of rain hits your nose. combined with a clean and deep scent of chlorophyll and light florals, im being transported into a hidden hut within the depths of a magical bamboo forest. i actually didnt like this scent the first time i tried it. but i tested it again, i fell in love with how grounding and mythical this smelled. need.