Whispers of Seduction

When I first sprayed this I was surprised because I was not getting any of the Apple or clementine. I really wasn’t even getting the middle notes. I couldn’t stop smelling the tester strip. To me I get a sweet oud and patchouli. For someone not really a big fan of either notes I am surprised I love it so much. But there is just something seduction about it like the name says. It’s oud dusted with marshmallow dust and you want to go back for more. The patchouli isn’t dirty or loud and obnoxious. It’s there in the background and the sugary oud is the star of the show. It almost reminds me of a more sophisticated Gucci Rush. It’s not a big projector like some oud patchouli fragrances are and I am glad it’s not. It’s a bit mysterious and will draw someone in. The bottle is also stunning with a beautiful atomizer that sprays like a dream.

I initially bought the sampler collection. I wanted to make sure I enjoy any of the fragrances. They're only a few that I'd like, but in The Whispers of Garden Collection the Seduction took me away. I simply adored Whispers of Seduction and I had to have it. I am an Oud lover so this really impressed me.

If you’re thinking of blind buying - which I’m ALL for - DON’T! If you’re purchasing bc you love Oud fragrances. DON’T! I smell ZERO Oud & maybe a smidge of patchouli. In fact, the scent of this fragrance does not match the black bottle. If I bought these cupcakes based off of the notes, I would have been wrong with all 6 bottles but one - Hufflepuff. Luckily, I purchased all at a very great price. I’ve also learned that most these fragrances from HOS has poor performance. For this price, at least give us 6 hours! After two hours it’s a skin scent. Literally have to put my nose to my skin. Same with Mickey Mouse & Avatar - even though I’m very much moisturized with both fragrance free body oil and body cream- I get maybe two hours each and a good four hours with Hufflepuff. I definitely need to bring my decants with me. Also, four of my seven bottles, the gold paint around the nozzle all flaked off. All that said - I unintentionally sprayed some on my wrist whilst on the phone. To my surprise, I ended up enjoying it. Gourmand, soft, powdery, feminine, before bedtime. If you like Hufflepuff, I think you’d enjoy this one- with a patchouli dry down. So yes, I like the fragrance itself but for the price, the performance is very poor. If you take Benevolence and Hufflepuff you’d get a softer, skin like fragrance.

This one is a prime example of how scents react differently on people’s skin! And sadly, unlike suggested by the previous review, I do like Hufflepuff but this one is a pass for me. I don’t hate it, but I’d never seek it out. No apples, clementine, orange blossom, freesia or vanilla orchid for me. Basically, the majority of the top and middle notes are missing. There is a very strong blast of marshmallow at the start, but after dry down, I’m left with something cloyingly sweet. I’ve got a newer nose, so I’m not sure which note is responsible. Oud? Patchouli? Pretty sure it’s not iris. Too soon to say how it endures longevity-wise, but I’ll update if performance turns out to be weak or beast. Otherwise, assume it’s average. This is available to sample in the Whispers in the Garden Noir Collection. Find it on EBay, Mercari or the HoS site. Even though it’s not offensive, I don’t recommend blind buying.

I was thinking this might be the first "oud" fragrance I could jive with but I just can't. It's too strong and gives me a headache. This is the ultimate candy sweet beast mode scent. It is similar to "Oriana" by Parfums de Marly and "Sundazed" by Byredo. If you like those scents this is probably a safe blind buy. It is just too intense candy sweetness for me and I do like a candy sweet scent. Fragrance Notes from HOS website - Top Notes: Sweet Clementine, Candied Apple, Marshmallow - Heart Notes: Egyptian Orange Blossom, Vanilla Orchid, Fluffy Freesia Petals - Base Notes: Caramelized Oud, Sensual Orris, Patchouli Leaf