Voodoo Lily

I didn't know what to expect given the polarising reviews but I am very pleasantly surprised. To me, this is a lovely daily wearable scent with an inviting unisex character. On my skin, it opens with a delicately woody floral landscape. From the beginning the potentially masculine-leaning nuances are detectable, but they balance beautifully with the sweetness of the geranium. The bright aromatics develop soon after, without being too screechy as they mesh with the frankincense. The floral sweetness, the tingling spiciness from the pepper and the juniper accords start to fade after around 15 minutes, leaving room for the softer, almost creamy lily and rose notes. The woodiness becomes the center piece and mingling with the incense it rounds its profile, creating the cozy mood of this fragrance. The flowers are noticeable, albeit subtly, but still contribute to the overall softness of the atmosphere. On the dry down it has a very safe, clean-leaning scent while still maintaining a unique edge to it. I can compare it using a niche-fragranced fancy fabric softener, in the best way possible. I can still detect the lily and a touch of the rose, but it settles into a primarily woody profile. It is still somehow bright and fresh, like the scent of a pile of recently shaved wood chips in a room that had incense burning a day prior and now is decorated with freshly harvested flowers. To me this has a calming effect without being overbearing. I love sniffing my skin before going to sleep after a day of wearing it. Comforting but confident, fresh but cozy, with both masculine and feminine tonalities. I did not detect any potentially repulsive notes, get a headache or perceive it as being sharp in any of the phases. Would love a full bottle after finishing my vial.

One of my favorite shops in Salem, MA, Nocturne had a bunch of Heretic fragrances on display and ready to test. Out of the six perfumes I sprayed, THIS was the absolute best by far. It was love at first smell for me. It opens with a very strong cedar note (which I love) that lingers for a few seconds before that black pepper starts to spice it up which eventually leads into the rose on the initial dry down. After a bit, that patchouli comes through and lingers for the rest of the wear but I can still smell the cedar any time I move my arm towards my face! My boyfriend loved it on me so much that he bought me the travel size right then and there! Here’s to hoping I get a full size for my birthday :)

One of my favorites from Heretic is Jasmine Smoke, which I first sampled from the Rhubarb Thief set. I was bothered by JS being a limited edition, but then I tried Voodoo Lily and found it similar enough that when JS goes away again and I run out, I won't have to worry too much. This isn't a neg, I'm into the smokey sweet bubblegum-like floral. On first impression, Voodoo Lily does seem to have a little more complexity to it, which tracks, as it has more notes. I do prefer Jasmine Smoke's drydown because its much more smokey/heavier than Voodoo Lily's. I will compare these side by side soon to get a better read, but I don't think they're twins. Sisters, definitely.

Oooh! I like this! The lily with the rose mixed with frankincense and myrrh is absolutely gorgeous! I like incense florals so this is absolutely perfect and divine! I just wish it stuck around for longer. The price really does not match the longevity. That's the only issue with Heretic that I have found. When it comes to their most gorgeous floral scents they just do not stick around long enough to justify dropping 130+ dollars for a full bottle. Very unfortunate. I will be looking for this on discount.

I created a fragrantica account just to review this perfume!!! I've been searching my whole life for a signature perfume, and I finally found it in VooDoo Lily!!! Absolutely love it. To me, it is a mix between a sweet floral and a earthy/piney/incense scent. Beautiful! Lasts the whole day on me. I can even smell it on my clothes for days after. This perfume gives me Mugler vibes if you're interested in that type of scent. A complex, earthy, witchy smell.