In The Garden

wow. i was so deeply enamored by this scent. it took me back to being in my college dining hall, making myself gunpowder jasmine tea for lunch every day. i was freshly eighteen and didn't know anyone yet, so I'd eat alone between afternoon classes. i never felt alone, rather recharged and optimistic for the day ahead. something about jasmine tea has always been so viseral for me, as someone with adhd it can be pretty easy for me to be distracted and ungrounded in a moment, i live in my head a lot, but inhale the steam and aroma from my mug was my favorite midday ritual. I don't really consume jasmine tea because its typically green tea based and I dont drink caffeine anymore. but the second i put the perfume on its like i never stopped smelling it a single day. a memory so fresh in my mind i would've thought the mug was beneath me with my eyes closed in the store. wow. i've never smelled jasmine in real life, but i'm a jasmine devotee, as almost all my signature perfumes contain jasmine, but my mom said it was insanely realistic, and honestly, i could tell. vaguely smoky, very green, like being right next to a blooming bush. i felt like i almost saw the mist, felt the humidity, saw all the verdant shades in the garden. this is THE most photorealistic perfume i've ever smelled. i've never been taken somewhere so vividly as i have with this perfume. the only reason it didnt come home with me the very same day i tried it (a cardinal law i never break, but it would've been so worth it if not for this one thing) is because it burned my skin for some reason. i tried it on my inner elbow and it felt like what putting lip plumper on your lips feels like. my skin got hot, odd, and even a little tingly. any other perfume would've probably sparked a bit of anxiety in me, but 1) it was not such a strong sensation, though gently distracting, 2) i was so enamored and relaxed by the jasmine in this. i might try it on again some other time and see if i get the same reaction because wow. i thought it was too green at first to wear as perfume, but the sentimentality i feel around it where the scent is just engraved into my mind. 100/10, especially for that gorgeous dry down.

Normally I an unmoved by jasmine perfumes but I absolutely adored In the Garden, which was a surprise favorite for me from the Discovery set. The white florals are dominant from beginning to end, sweetened by the pear and a honeysuckle note from the Rangoon creeper. Another note I usually avoid but actually love here is coconut, since it’s often so synthetic and too sunscreen-y for me. In the Garden’s coconut is more like coconut milk, a soft and creamy note that marries and enhances everything else. Those big florals are balanced really nicely with freshly cut green stems, which keep it all from being too sweet or feeling too old. In the Garden successfully evokes its own name, making me feel like I’m sitting in a humid garden in the evening, admiring the fruits of my labor after spending my day trimming night blooming jasmine. It’s lovely. This may be full bottle worthy for me; the only downsides so far are underwhelming projection and sillage but at this price point, I may be inclined to ignore those and just overspray. 8/24 - I bought full bottles of both In the Garden and Pho Breakfast, but this is hands down my favorite. It’s sweet and creamy but also fresh and clean feeling; it is all I want to wear when it’s hot out. I find In the Garden hard to overspray because longevity isn’t amazing as I found with the sample, but you can get it to linger if you spray your hair or clothes.

In The Garden is my third sampling from d’Annam’s Chapter 1 Discovery Set, and it fittingly smells like a fresh garden of citruses and florals. Jasmine, neroli, and petitgrain, plenty green and very delicately blended, making it easy to wear, without much sharpness, just a bright, smooth bouquet. It’s one of the better execution of this concept that I’ve tried, and in a very straightforward unisex manner, a very comforting scent that’s nonetheless still vibrant for going out at any time of year. Like the rest of the line, In The Garden is EDP concentration and priced at $120 for 50ml, reasonable in the current market, in my opinion, for niche perfumery, and as with the other two fragrances from the house that I’ve tried so far, I’m quite impressed by the creativity, quality, and performance. The full d’Annam collection is sold through the house website but boutiques like Arielle Shoshana and Luckyscent carry some of the line’s fragrances, also. 8 out of 10

I did not expect to love this as much as I do! On the blotter I felt pretty indifferent about it, but I'm absolutely adoring it on skin. I'm a fragrance newbie and am still very much learning how to distinguish different notes; I'm experiencing a pleasant, dewy floral scent that reminds me most of honeysuckle - I'm guessing that's the combination of the white florals? This scent is mature in the most beautiful way and I'm impressed with the sillage so far. I thoroughly enjoyed The Garden surrounding me in my car on the way to work on this warm spring day.

This is a beautifully buttery and creamy white floral medley with a touch of sweet pear and a coconutty sandalwood base. This opens with that sweet pear, it’s dewy and soft, with a touch of fresh neroli. The heart of this is a milky and creamy medley of lush tuberose and sweet jasmine, amplified by the rangoon creeper which smells like those two florals on steroids lol. The base maintains the creamy and milky feel with a soft sandalwood wrapped in coconut and enveloped by warm amber. A beautiful take on a white floral scent profile.