Fitnessence

For those people that get down on the House of Matriarch because of its marketing techniques all I can say is that is what's most spectacular about the house! However aside from the marketing many of the perfumes that Christi Meshelle produces are quite good, and I have several including Bittersweet Symphony (love). I did want to try Fitessence because I think that what we smell or the kind of mood we are in does help make a workout more effective. Conversely a good workout affects our mood. I like to wear something to the gym, and I like to wear something while I'm running,and very specifically for mood, and for years I've thought about the kind of scent that might be motivational. For example, incense is both sexy to me, and comforting a well as meditative--so definitely not that! And I don't necessarily want to wear some kind of nice perfume or elegant or sexy perfume. This like so many other House of Matriarch perfumes has that typical apothecary spicy herbal quality. While it is not refreshing, it does have a spicy quality that is uplifting. While wearing it during my workout I felt happy and fragrantly, nicely scented but not intrusively so on other people's workout space. Also I never got any kind of BO because there are no spices like Cumin or Patchouli. In short it really is a bracing good workout scent perfectly unisex, that disguises sweat and just smells good. I don't think it smells clean--just a pleasant herbal spicy somewhat antiseptic quality though warm with the pepper and nutmeg. What justifies the price? Nothing really. I think if you are a House of Matriarch fan you should give it a try during one of their sales and using points. Does it work? Did I notice a vast improvement in my workout performance? I can't really speak to that but I can say that I was in a good mood during my workout when I smelled wafts of the spices wafting up. I would much rather wear this than some Guerlain or TF when I've got my sneakers on.

There is definitely a pickle essence here but in a good way, if that could even make sense. It is uplifting and I could see spraying this before a workout. Its very peppery and herby. Very unique and fun to try.

Well..(remember to be nice) this one momentarily reminded me of Comme des Garcons Wonderful (okay, I have been nice) but, whereas Wonderwood did everthing right, Fitnessence did everything wrong. Fitnessence is mainly a woody scent (cedar and piney) with some fresh-spicy aromatic tones. It's not bad...until one gets hit with that sour green wave, which I find to unsettle my stomach. Performance is average in that it lasted 6-hours on my skin and projected moderately. Again, it is not a bad fragrance but it's basically a few pennies of essential oils mixed with a lot of aroma chemicals and then drowned in perfumers alcohol...all for a big price-tag. So why buy a bottle when one can purchase a just-as-good or better woody aromatic for far, far less? Stupidity, shallowness and vanity...I suppose. Of course, they could actually believe the Fitnessence storyline in that folks should wear this scent pre-workout because it will energize their mind, body and spirit...or some other nonsense. Folks, DO NOT apply fragrance prior to working-out! Your skin heats up and you will likely stink-out others exercising around you, which it nothing less than selfish, self-centered and socially unacceptable. Don't do it! My family owns a gym (investment partners) and you would be ask to shower and/or leave the facility for wearing a freshly applied fragrance. I miss the olden days where such dumbbells were physically beaten with dumbbells and then given the bums rush out the backdoor. Bad behavior corrected! Anyway, I find the entire fragrance line at House of Matriarch to offer nice, pleasant, decent fragrances...but nothing extraordinary. What irks me is they are largely selling perfumers alcohol and aroma chemicals and selling them under the guise of natural perfumes or high perfumery. High prices? Yes! High quality? Debatable! I don't have a problem paying $70-$80 for a 50ml bottle...but their prices are beyond ridiculous. Of course, this is just my opinion...you be judge and waste your money as you wish. Finally, this fragrance should be renamed to Fitnonsense. Don't waste your time or money on this one.

My name is Claire and I am the Executive Spokesmodel for House of Matriarch and I help our Perfumer behind the scenes with filtering and filling. I want to share my story in hopes that other people will be helped by this fragrance like I have been. I have been prescribed an anti-depressant for the last 4 years and I cold-turkey quit them a few weeks ago. Since that time I have been working closely with FITNESSENCE; filtering and filling it and such, as I do with all of our perfumes. I noticed that I was extremely happy, energetic and thinking more positive, but I wasn't entirely sure why. Then I realized that I hadn't taken any of my medicine and I was doing better than I could ever have imagined! Could it be the FITNESSENCE? In no way did I want to be stuck taking the same blue pill for the rest of my life, but I was not expecting a perfume to make the transition easier. If you look into the science of it, how it raises oxygen in your brain, it does begin to make sense. I am so thankful that I had this epic breakthrough and hope that others who have similar experiences can share them too like I did.

Well I don't work for this house nor spend my time groveling for freebie samples, so here's my review--dill pickle juice with a touch of cypress. If that gets you going, more power to ya.