West

I deleted my original review from May of this year to do a new one now (August 2023) so I’ve been trying to collect as many travel size sprays from this brand and skylar both, mostly because there full size are so unbelievably expensive! I fell in love with this when I ordered several tester gift packs in the late winter/early Spring and I got my full size today and I don’t know how but the bottle is over half way empty, I could cry, but that’s not why I’m reviewing that was just to vent to my fellow fragrance lovers out there who truly get what I’m talking about! Anywho, this is such a great example of a citrus based scent. It starts out to me with almost like a blood orange/heavy orange scent and for me it stays that way. It’s for me very much a fruity citrus rather than a citrusy citrus-if that makes sense lol i wish it wasn’t so expensive because I would wear this a lot and I mean I would douse myself in it lol I always put perfume on my naked body first, then over my clothes body, a few sprays in my scarf or sweater coat or whatever I’m wearing that day, and doing the e at prays on my clothing I find really helps me stay smelling like the perfume I’m wearing that day. This would be a safe blind buy for a citrus lover, a fresh fragrance lover as well! So yummmy!

I absolutely loved this perfume before the reformulation c. 2022. After the reformulation, I still adore it after it dries down, but I find the initial application unpleasant. These notes are for the current formulation. On application, it is floral, citrus, and very bitter, like grapefruit pith. The scents are competing and I actively dislike it. However, after it dries down it is magical-- it keeps the citrus but takes on an extra woody, herby, earthy, soapy vibe that smells like nothing else. It's the only perfume I own where I smell it and think OMGYUM. I get endless compliments on this perfume, and it's the one I wear most often. 4 sprays, lasts all day and I can still smell it on clothing for multiple days after. Sillage and projection about 4 feet-- enough for people to notice when they're near you, but not enough that the whole meeting is inundated with it. It's fresh and great for an office setting. Best for spring/summer/daytime, though I do wear it year round. I pick a different perfume for going out or date night.

This fragrance really does give off the 1970s, West Coast vibes Ellis Brooklyn describes it as being designed to evoke. Tinted yellow sunglasses and open buttoned up shirts with gold chains resting in chest hair; a sunset drive along the California coast in the summertime with a breeze coming off the ocean. To me, this fragrance has notes of a bitter negroni cocktail on ice with a thick orange peel, dusty wood shavings, sour pink lemonade, and clean, warm laundry. It's mouthwatering, hot, and comfy all at the same time. I wish it had better sillage, because this will be a go-to summer scent for me. It's exactly the right laid back, subtly sexy, refined masculine vibe I'm looking for in the warmer months.

This is pleasant enough but it's not my style because it is a bit masculine leaning. It starts off very orange type citrus then the oakmoss and waterlily come in. It's pretty fresh. Then it dries down to mostly moss and amber. Edit This one surprisingly grew on me and now I'm addicted. It's the most masculine leaning fragrance I've ever liked but its not exactly very masculine. More like right on the line between feminine dipping slightly into unisex/masculine. Mostly because it has a sweet and citrus quality that is typically feminine but then theres some herbaceous-ness that I would typically associate with men's cologne. But it works! And the combo is so interesting and refreshing.

It’s not often I decide a perfume is FBW after 1-2 trials, but with West it finally happened! This perfume is so fresh, invigorating and uplifting. Even though most would classify it as a summer scent, I found it wears well in winter too (I’m in Australia though so not too cold). It’s a very linear scent, which stays true to its citrus/basil opening throughout. Longevity is pretty good, especially when sprayed on clothes. I still get sweet wafts of clementine 7+ hours later when I move. This scent just makes me feel so happy. Definitely give it a try if the notes are to your liking.

I wore this to an outdoor acoustic gig and I loved it all night. I kept wanting to grab my hair to smell it. Whoever designs these fragrances for Ellis Brooklyn must have a similar form of synaesthesia to me, because I think the color and name represent the scent perfectly. It's like a desert sunset, sort of earthy and mellow and clear. The juicy opening was very brief for me but the middle notes stuck around beautifully for hours. It was a vibe. I can't wait to wear this fragrance more, it seems to romanticize my life in a hippie sort of way and I love that.

At first I was lukewarm about this one, but the more I wear it the more I enjoy it. The citrus at the beginning is a sun-warmed spicy citrus, not a chemical cleaner citrus or a super refreshing sparkling citrus. The spicy ginger mid note is more prominent than the florals which I enjoy. Amber is one of my comfort base notes and the addition of the oakmoss and vetiver give it that little bit of bitter-stink that makes me keep going back for another sniff. I agree this could smell like a dryer sheet as it is a very clean, warm scent.

This was a blind buy but I did check the notes beforehand, and I feel like I won the lottery with this one. It reminds me of an actual honeysuckle flower bush, sweet and delicate spring/summer fragrance. It has a great fresh citrus vibe, all the notes play well together. Love at first sniff & full bottle worthy to me, I really am happy when I wear this. Work safe, travel size is a good bet for blind buy. Lasts around 5 hours, pleasant all the way through. Purchased from: Ulta

Oh. My. Word. I love this. I upon first spray of my travel size thought. Ew. Way too strong. I got a biting orange grapefruit. Then I let it dry down. And oh. My. Gosh. This is beautiful. Bold fresh citrus but not in the annoying lemony biting citrus way. A true sweet soapy sexy citrus. The ginger the oak moss the Lilly all work so well. This is full bottle worthy. Year round wear. I wore in cold weather and it performed beautifully. 6-8+ hours.

West is a photorealistic citrus juice and rind bitter scent. It really reminds me of how my hands smell after I’ve just squeezed grapefruit and lemons with an electric juicer, the juice, oils and empty rinds still on the counter perfuming the air. Well balanced bitterness is not a scent profile I’ve seen much in my perfume explorations, and I think it’s highly underrated. Very happy to have this one in my collection.

I was a bit indifferent to this when first on, but I only tried it in the first place because I have been looking for YEARS for a replacement for Aramis New West, like decades. I figured the name might be slightly aligned so what the heck. A few hours later, hooked, purchasing full size and if my olfactory memory serves me this dry down is as close as you’ll get to New West. Ja-fricken-dore

I could be crazy, but I find this to be perfectly unisex?? I tried to get my boyfriend to wear it, but he's not into citrus. I love this tho. I like citrus, but I don't love citrus. I find citrusy scents to all kind of smell the same. But West is so interesting. Its bitter and slightly spicy but in a sexy way. This is truly addictive and inspired me to try more unisex scents.

West by Ellis Brooklyn takes me back to my childhood when my mom would send me off on my way with my daily chewable vitamin c tablet. I remember savoring that juicy tablet while I walked barefoot across the yard. Dewy grass growing out of moist black earth. Sunrays warming up the day. This perfume smells like those days tasted. Very nostalgic for me. It's a love.

This smells like something my grandma wore in the early 2000s! I love it. I think I mostly love it for nostalgia purposes, it does have good notes though. To me the note that stands out the most is the pear blossom. I really do enjoy this scent, it is classy and clean.

This scent is such a mood booster for me. Admittedly, the initial spray is a bit basil heavy but after that is just a really beautiful bright scent. I love it. And it lasts forever on my clothes.

Brings back nostalgic memories of being a kid and sitting in a warm British launderette back in the 1970s, when people could smoke in them.

this is my 4th purchase, all different ones, I just love everything she makes! The woman has a fantastic nose!!

smells like a delicious fresh juice orange

I was given a bunch of Ellis Brooklyn scents to try and when reading the description I was so excited to try this fragrance. All the notes were right up my alley, I usually love scents that have these same notes and are in the citrus/green spicy family. When I first sprayed this I honestly was a bit shocked at how unisex this fragrance was. It almost leaned a bit male for me but that was a quick thought before I smelled it again and definitely saw how it was a feminine leaning fragrance to most, though I would still classify this on the edge of female leaning and close to the line of being unisex. I was a bit disappointed in this fragrance, which really made me sad because it was the one I was looking forward to the most. Citrus fragrances are my favorite but honestly I didn't get much citrus as I was expecting, it felt like it was more in the background, which is surprising given how the citrus notes that are in this tend to be a bit stronger than other citruses. I definitely got the basil and the oakmoss when I first sprayed it. It wasn't until about 2 hours later when the scent was fading A LOT that I got faint hints of the citrus - I would say it was most likely the lemon, that's what it smelled like to me. That brings me to my next issue, and that is out of all the Ellis Brooklyn scents I have tried, this one lasted the shortest, which was crazy because I did multiple sprays as this was going to be my scent for the day. I really didn't think the silage was that great, and it probably really only lasted about 2 hours before it became so faint that when I reapplied some spray deodorant before heading to the gym I could smell that 1000% better than the perfume when I lifted my arm to put my bag in the locker at the gym. It's not like I sprayed the deodorant with the intention of using it as a perfume, I just sprayed a normal amount. I sprayed West on my wrists, my inner elbow, and my neck - when I put stuff in my locker I should have had ample chance to smell the perfume as my inner elbow/wrist were pretty close to my face and not be over powered by a few deodorant sprays I had put on 20 minutes before (I put it on at my house before heading to the gym so I didn't spray it there in the locker room). I don't get the cleaner vibes other people got, as to me the citrus didn't come forward much at first, and it didn't smell synthetic. To me, this wasn't very citrusy at all on me, for being classified as a citrus fragrance. Overall I was pretty disappointed. MYTH had a stronger citrus smell to me than this and that isn't even supposed to be a citrus heavy fragrance. Overall I don't think this perfume is something I would actually really reach for and I definitely wouldn't purchase a whole bottle myself. It is a nice fragrance, just not what I was expecting or hoping for at all.

Oh my goodness I'm in love! This is amazing! I came into this knowing that I loved Orange & Ginger combined and I found the other notes - especially the basil and vetiver - intriguing as vetiver is one of my favourite notes. No vanilla, no musk ... yeah, I was all in. I put it on and it smelled better than I imagined. To me this doesn't smell "sweet"; it smells like a warm spice that is in more of an upper register (if that makes sense) than the lower registers of usual warm spices that have much more of a base (bass???) presence and less of a top (treble???) presence. It matches my body's chemistry wonderfully. It's soothing and definitely "me" in that it's a bit out of nowhere (I would consider this a more unique scent than a traditional one, especially for something with citrus in it). I just can't stop sniffing it. Anyway, I loved it so much that I bought a full bottle immediately, if that means anything to anyone here. I wish I could describe it better, but it's just itself: an orange ginger that's a bit on the bitter side as a result of the peppery basil note but balanced well with the base notes which, to me smell lovely. No powder or musk at all, not sickeningly sweet on my arm. Zero scent sensitivity. No headaches or sinus issues, just something nice and safe and something that smells amazing! Currently on Sephora, they have an Ellis Brooklyn Library with 8 samples of their fragrances. If anyone is interested in trying without making a blind-buy, try it there. And if you hate the West one, please PM me because I'll take it off your hands and swap with something you would like a lot better - I have lots of samples and minis!! And one more thing ... I couldn't see this working on a man. Not saying it doesn't belong near one, or that it can't be pulled off, but it smells decidedly feminine to me.

The basil-citrus combo in this reminds me alot of Aqua Allegoria Mandarin Bassilic, but West is way less fruity/fresh and more powdery due to the healthy dose of Vetiver, which I actually kind of like. And citrus isn't the dominant note here, it's in the opening but leaves pretty quickly. The fragrance does feel a little chemical and synthetic, much like others in this line, but I'm finding I'm wearing the sample I have quite often and have almost run out. Worth spending time with this if you're looking for something fresh but don't typically go for the fruity citruses. The moss, vetiver and whatever else is in the base here keep this interesting. This is my favorite from the library collection - they're all very approachable, wearable scents, but not particularly interesting or unique and don't perform well. I think this one is the exception of the bunch not to mention it's super affordable.

Sharp, spicy blood orange. Not something I usually gravitate towards, but West is refreshing and comforting. I’m coming around on citruses. The basil is really noticeable here as it is giving the sharpness to the blood orange. I’ve not noticed any of the middle notes or base notes yet, but it’s only been about 20 minutes since I applied this to my skin and clothes. I’ll update if it develops more. I don’t think I’m dying to have this in my collection, but if I had an unlimited budget I would pick up a bottle for those few moments when I would crave this scent. It really is lovely. I especially think a man would like this although the bottle is a bit feminine (not a critique). Bottom line: I consider this a win. Edit: The dry down of WEST is incredible. I want this lol.

This is like a bright splash of happy Sunny Delite, The juicy citrus punches you in the face...yum..and then... The drydown is... unusual ..not sure I would have mixed this with the herbal notes of basil and the moss.. And then vetiver? A brave choice. This smells SO much better on my clothes than my skin, indicating that it could be my chemistry. Still, I do like it a lot. It's so hot today and the juicy orange is delightful...the sharp greenness is also lovely on my clothes so maybe I will keep it to my tops and maybe, my hair. This doesn't smell like anything else I own and I have hundreds of perfumes. A true summer perfume that doesn't smell like a beach, thank goodness.

I have been wearing my sample for a couple of days, and I really like it...the top notes are fresh and juicy, like an Atelier Cologne lime scent, it smells summery and almost beachy..although I usually don't like citrus scents , the fresh departure morphs real fast into a warmer more aromatic scent..happy to detect the amber, I love amber.....I don't really detect the basil, or The vetiver..which is fine..I would gladly buy a purse spray, not sure yet I would get a bit bottle...there is a delicate vibe to this perfume, must be the water lily, I don't see it as really unisex..the bottle is pink and the scent is like a fresh and delicate grapefruit..

Upon first spray, this scent is incredibly fresh, almost to the point of being sharp. It's an instant mood lifter- light, bright, and aquatic with a citrus note in the background. An overwhelmingly clean perfume, but its watery note softens that "household cleaner" edge. While the citrus is prominent in the opening, it faded away as it settled into my skin. There's definitely ginger in here, but it's very subtle and blends well into the other notes. While it's a little too sharp for my taste, it's still a nice fragrance for a professional setting as it's inoffensive and clean.

This is a very bright orange scent. non-offensive and likable. In the opening it really smells like a bottle of fizzy Fanta. In the dry down I start to get a bit of basil. This smells quite a bit like Tangerine Boy by Phlur but leans more unisex rather than feminine. Its more herbal and less sweet. I prefer West to tangerine boy because I love the basil note. West, Apres, and Sun Fruit were the standouts in my Ellis Brooklyn discovery set. The lasting power is unfortunate. I wish it projected and was longer lasting. It lasts an hour max and sits very close to the skin.

It’s surprisingly green. Neroli is (apparently) not present in this fragrance but that’s the note that I detected first. Then I got the orange. So far this is a light perfume, “pretty” with a weak projection. Basically a cologne. After the bright and happy citrus it turns slightly sweet and dry with the amber and oak moss. But it’s still a skin scent. A nice fragrance but if you are looking for a citrus scent with projection and longevity, I would go for Atelier Cologne “Mandarine Glaciale” or Ramon Monegal “Entre Naranjos”.

This is the 2nd scent I've tried from the Ellis Brooklyn discovery set I got. I was really hopeful for this scent as I'm looking for a citrus that I really love. Unfortunately, I don't really pick up on the citrus notes like I had hoped. I get more of a vegetable or herb garden with a few citrus trees and flowers in the area. It is a light and airy fragrance, perfect for hotter weather. I see Ellis Brooklyn at discounters often and would grab this scent if I see it. Wouldn't be a full price purchase though.

I just recently purchased this fragrance at a discount store for $13! although I see this fragrance as worth it (in terms of the price I paid), I do not think it is worth it to buy this fragrance retail. Also, I felt as though the notes were kind of off; to me, it just smells like orange blossom, musk, light incense (not overpowering), and a hint of palo santo. I will say, though, that this fragrance is a perfect unisex fragrance in my opinion, but steer clear if you do not like orange blossom.

This is very light on me and smells exactly like a sweet tart. It also smells like the scent they blast in your face on the Soarin' ride at Disney- so yes, big California vibes & mostly citrus. I'm not getting dryer sheet at all...I could maybe see dishwashing soap. I think it's very pleasant and I like citrus scents, but as with all of these it's nothing special- wouldn't buy a full bottle but will probably wear from time to time when I want something sunny.

This smells like a grapefruit smashed against sandstone in the hot desert air. I quite like it, but it’s pretty linear. As far as citrus goes, I am pretty impressed with how long this one lasts. It’s a very rind-y kind of citrus— which isn’t bad in my book. The oak moss and amber give it a solid base to stand on, but the dry down doesn’t morph much. The only thing I’m not a fan of is that more than 2 sprays really starts to smell like alcohol to me.

I personally love West- it’s a citrus that actually lasts on my skin. It opens with a bright, slightly bitter (rindy) citrus, with a bit of an herbal background with the basil- think a summery mixed drink. It dries down green with the moss, and mildly aquatic floral, I guess from the waterlily. After a few hours, it smells as if you’ve watched your hands with a citrusy hand soap- but it stays like that for a long time, well past the 6+hr mark.

I sort of get the citrus. I didn't get any spice. No real floral. Perhaps everything is combining to create the ultimate in a wearable dryer sheet. It's completely unoffensive. I remember buying and not liking Clean Laundry (it went funky on my skin so away it went), however, if I didn't know what I'd put on this morning, I would think West is a great version of what CL should be.

Herbal basil, delicious blood orange and clementine. Not harmonious, but it works. Artisan, niche and interesting. Not exactly challenging but eyebrow raising. I like this one a lot. Big gripe is that the scent turns mossy within an hour of application. An annoying vetiver/oak moss undertone permeates and undermines the aforementioned scent profile.

This reminds me of Love & Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor with some ginger and basil in place of the tuberose. I really liked it, but I wish it lasted longer on my skin; I only noticed it for about four hours before it vanished. It lasts about eight hours on clothes, though. This is practically tailor-made for the dog days of summer.

It's a hit or miss with this citrus fragrance, but personally I like it. I just feel it's priced a little higher than I would normally shell out for this type of scent. It's a refreshing and green perfume, perfect for a beach party. But again, for the price I wouldn't really use it on an ordinary summer day.

Dryer sheet. Clean laundry. I do smell many of the notes, it's citrusy and green, but they all accumulate and read "dryer sheet" for me. Which is pretty nice, I've discovered that I really need something like this in my collection. But I'm going to try to find a cheaper alternative.

This is a very, very light grapefruit scent on me. Pretty and summery but not as distinctive as other scents from Ellis Brooklyn. Because of the cost, I would not bother with this one unless you are specifically after a citrussy vegan and/or phthalate-free fragrance.

This is very heavy on grapefruit and orange. I don’t get much of the basil. Pretty good sillage and longevity compared to the other Ellis fragrances I’ve tried. However you could just get Zara’s Vetiver Pamplemousse which smells the exact same to me, for way cheaper.

West begins with a punch of citrus and spicy sharpness, which I assume comes from the basil note. It's bright and fresh. As another reviewer mentioned, the dry-down smells like dryer sheets, but I'm not complaining!

orange juice concentrate at first and then come florals. garden neroli that is a little bitter. basil herbal smell is also prominent and makes this more savory. juiciness becomes more watered down over time.

This scent is perfect for those who love a mezcal margarita! It is smoky, and citrusy, and the ginger note gives a warmth that makes it versatile in all seasons!

Zippy orange and herbaceous basil. It’s uplifting and refreshing. An easy reach for me on a hot summer day. Also perfectly unisex in my opinion!

Piquant and peppery orange—bright, warm, spirited, and brassy. This smells like good luck, like late-afternoon sunglow and twangy guitar.

Normally don’t like citrus or green/ peppery scents, but this one is pretty nice! Leans a bit unisex, isn’t overpowering.

A citrus scent lover's dream. Bright. Great for summer. On my skin, this scent does not lean masculine at all.

Yummy scent, fairly masculine for a perfume. Unfortunately something in this gave me a horrible headache.

Fresh citrus. A little bitter and dry earthiness to it.

Smells like a juicer Clinique Happy

Usually Ellis Brooklyn perfumes work on my skin. But this one I can't figure out. How can it be citrus and not the least bit fresh? I didn't even know it was possible. It's like a wooden bowl that held oranges every day for a hundred years. But not fresh oranges. It's like the citrus was a very very elderly citrus, still alive but sort of frail. Fortunately, Great-great-aunt Citrus only stays for a moment and then the basil lingers, and finally I get perfectly nice base note that smells strangely indoors like somebody else's closet. In the name of fairness, I live in Puget Sound where we have in-your-face fresh 24/7, so I know fresh. Maybe this will work someplace where the air doesn't get obsessively washed with rain... every... day... On paper, it smells terrific, and I will spray it on fabric. But not on MY skin.