Sundrunk

We are leaving the cold, stormy fjords of Every Storm a Serenade, and today we are shifting dramatically into the dazzling, sun-drenched heat of summer with Imaginary Authors’ Sundrunk. This fragrance is inspired by a fictional novel detailing a lost summer spent on the beaches of the Mediterranean, immediately signaling a transition to a bright, citrusy, and solar floral experience. This scent promises to capture the feeling of sun-warmed skin, a neon orange glow, and sweet, iced cocktails. The central question for this review is whether this combination can deliver a truly refreshing, euphoric summer scent that avoids common pitfalls like being too sticky or too synthetic, or if it simply fades under the midday sun. Let's chase the summer light and find out. Opening: The opening is citrusy, floral, and green. The primary notes I perceive are orange, rhubarb, neroli, and honeysuckle, with the orange and rhubarb being the most prominent. The fragrance starts with a heavy blast of photo-realistic orange, described as orange zest by the house, that is bright, invigorating, and properly zesty as its name suggests. There's a slight bitterness behind it, exactly like what orange zest would smell like. Coming in behind the orange is the rhubarb, imparting a sharp tartness accompanied by a bit of greenery. Next up are the neroli and honeysuckle. As both are white floral notes, they provide a similar soft, floral accord, but I can distinguish the two: the neroli carries a gentle, airy, and clean tone, while the honeysuckle is distinctly lush, sweet, and dense. Both together help to create the radiant, sun-drenched solar accord required for the narrative. I also pick up on the "orange soda" accord that others have mentioned, and the strong orange note even reminds me a bit of Louis Vuitton's Afternoon Swim. Dry Down: The dry down remains citrusy, floral, and green. The primary notes I detect are still orange, rhubarb, neroli, and honeysuckle, and the strongest notes are still the orange and rhubarb. The dry down is strikingly similar to the opening, making it quite linear. It is worth mentioning that the neroli and honeysuckle are a bit more noticeable in this stage, bolstering that namesake solar accord. However, it remains an orange-dominant fragrance throughout its development. Performance: The initial projection within the first hour was surprisingly strong for such a fresh scent and reached out at least six feet. Likewise, the sillage was surprisingly powerful with a sparkling scent trail that was impossible to miss. After about 3–4 hours, the projection was still about 5–6 feet, while the scent trail was a bit lighter but still easily noticeable. At around the 7-hour mark, the projection had died down to within arm's length, and the scent trail was only faintly noticeable. The fragrance became a skin scent shortly afterwards. When to Wear: Sundrunk, as its name suggests, is a spring/summer fragrance crafted specifically for daytime wear. It's bright, playful, and easy-going, making it a perfect choice for anything casual. However, for those same reasons, I would not wear it for any special/formal occasions or to the office. Blind Buy: If you like hyper-realistic orange notes, this is a safe blind buy for you. Few fragrances come close to this level of orange-y realism, so if that's what you're after, look no further. Also, if you're a fan of Afternoon Swim, this might be worth looking into. Final Verdict: Sundrunk is a fantastic, uplifting fragrance that thoroughly impressed me a lot more than I thought it would. The brilliant blend of bright, zesty orange, sharp rhubarb, and the luminous, warm solar glow of neroli and honeysuckle makes for an exquisitely pleasant, perfectly unisex wearing experience. Being that I usually go for dark and heavy fragrances, it’s not often that I come across a fresh scent that leaves an impression like Sundrunk did. While the performance is good—with excellent initial projection before settling down around the 7-hour mark—the overall scent profile, perfectly evocative of a Mediterranean summer, is what ultimately won me over. I will definitely be adding Sundrunk to my personal collection for use in the warmer months. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 7/10 Sillage: 8/10 Versatility: Low Mass Appeal: High Gender: Unisex Value: Fair

I chose Sundrunk today because the end of February is quite literally the most depressing time of the year for me personally. Up in the PNW of the USA, it's been predominately overcast since October, and I suppose I was drawn to the name and packaging here...as surface as that may be. I'm so glad, because I freaking love this. And I'm so impressed, this really lives up to it's title. I'm realizing that I really love hibiscus as a note, and as a beverage to drink. It has a really uniquely sweet, floral profile and evades description, but if you know it, you know. Well, I disagree with the note votes here because I actually smell quite a lot of it and would rank it as one of the leading components. To me, it's the heart of this fragrance. But neroli is here too! The tartness of the rhubarb along with the florals does something to my brain, leading me to perceive the "orange" as "grapefruit", because it's a little more bitter than orange typically is. At any rate, this keeps very far away from being a cloying orange (which I actually hate), and it's a rind-y, tart and REAL citrus fragrance. I tried Falling Into the Sea as well, which is lovely, but I prefer this. This has so much body and character, and it lasts a very long time, even on skin. The neroli is just...exquisite. I've always considered neroli a masculine floral (who cares, wear what you like). And so with it drying down the way it does, I think it's extremely unisex if not veering toward male territory. So if you are a guy who doesn't necessarily want to smell flowery, I still would give this a shot. This really gives me true impressions of the beach. Not cleaned up, generic screensaver background looking beaches either...but legitimately rugged, realistic and stunning Hawaiian beaches, possibly on the backsides of islands away from tourists. It's a little planty, and again, the orange is quite a peel/rind smell. Freaking fantastic. 🌺🏝

Summer in a bottle and my go-to when it’s stupid hot outside. IA Sundrunk opens with a cloud of juicy, realistic orange. The comparisons to orange pop (or soda, depending on where you’re from) or orange slushees are accurate - it’s exactly what you’d imagine if someone told you “this fragrance opens up with a lot of orange.” It’s also a very happy, casual, and carefree opening - a definite mood lifter. Depending on the number of sprays, whether or not you hit clothing, and outside temps, these characteristics last anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes. After that, the mid and dry down move very close to the skin. For me, this is perfectly acceptable because Sundrunk is for you and your outlook. Think of it this way - the people around you will experience Sundrunk through the happy mood it can put you in, rather than through sharing the scent with everyone around you. Will Sundrunk get you a compliment? Probably, though most likely because of the chill attitude required to wear it. And for that, I think it’s perfectly fine that this fragrance is not a beastly performer. I recommend going heavy on the trigger (as in 8-12 sprays) and the Sundrunk experience should last you the better part of 5 hours. Reapply as you wish. Perfect for: 1. Summer mornings. 2. Casual outdoor get-togethers. And here is usually where my reviews stop. However, I have to say that the hate this fragrance gets (see below) is a bit on the extreme side and I don’t quite understand where it’s coming from. Sundrunk is a fun, happy, orange-forward summertime toss-on fragrance. IA fragrances are well-priced and, from my experience (having sniffed most of their catalog), they aren’t trying to pose as an over-the-top luxury brand. So, to the haters below: relax. It sounds like you could use a vacation. Or, perhaps, a shift of perspective. Life’s too short.

Im not sure why Sundrunk has such a low rating. Fragrance is entirely subjective and I am a big fan of orange and white florals, so take my review with a pinch of salt. Immediately after spraying you get hit with a nose piercing, carbonated orange scent. It smells like carbonated orange juice to my nose. I don't get many florals until about an hour in, where I detect a bit of neroli and a watery, sweet floral. Im not sure if its the honeysuckle or the rosewater accord, but it smells phenomenal. It stays pretty linear though, which I actually like in a scent profile like this. I get about 6 hours of performance, which in my opinion is great for a citrus dominant fragrance. Projection is okay from what I've gathered so far, nothing special in that department. I dont think it should massively project, this is one of those scents you toss on appease your mind. Overall, I'd give this a solid 8.5/10. I wish I didn't go noseblind so easily to sharp citrus, otherwise it would be a 9 for me. If youre looking to get into the brand, this is a great place to start!

This smells like my father. He passed in 2020, so this brings on a priceless nostalgia for me. I will be purchasing a FB. I will elaborate a bit. It's like a man who freshly showered with Irish spring, but then cracked a beer and went outside to work on his car... Clean but slightly sweaty? Not BO sweaty just someone who's been out in the sun. I smell it and I can see summertime green all around me. Lush leaves on trees and cool grass on my feet. And just seeing my dad working in the garage and I'm running up to him and hugging him. This is that smell. There is something almost like a barley hoppy bitter beer type note that I get? It could be how the rhubarb mixes with the florals. I looked up the fragrance notes of Irish spring and saw that there are orange and rose notes oddly enough, so I guess that connection makes sense.

I think Sundrunk will be my number one scent for the summer of 2019, and a staple for many summers to come. I'd been looking forward to testing it ever since it came out, because I find the note list, the name and the surrounding marketing irrestible, just perfectly up my alley. I was imagining a scent capturing an idealized throwback to the very best aspects of long gone summer vacations - and that's exactly what I got. It's a delicious combination of primarily orange, rhubarb, orange blossom, and a little rose or rose water; a little sharp and synthetic in a nice, comfortable way that makes it easy to imagine that orange pop on the beach when you're woozy from a day in the sun, as the marketing suggests. I used up my entire sample in a couple of days, which is rare for me. I'm ordering a full bottle as soon as I can.

"Effervescent", "fizzy", "sparkling". All of these are perfect words to describe the beauty of Sundrunk. It does indeed smell like orange soda, but in the most romantic way possible. Explosive orange; crisp rhubarb; a glowing rose that reveals itself only after repeated wearings; creamy white florals. This is a remarkable composition which I instantly fell in love with. Josh Meyer has captured sand, surf, sky, and sunlight in a bottle, imbued it with the haze of summer, poured orange soda over it till it's sticky, and mingled it with desire. The performance isn't very good (as others have noted, around 4-5 hours), but to me it hardly matters. Every time I wear Sundrunk, I instantly feel uplifted. One of my all time favorite summer fragrances, by far. 9/10

The initial impression is harsh and chemical. Iwas preparing to scrub it off, when the intense initial blast what smelled uncannily like bug spray when the abrasive edges faded down giving way to a a refreshing and unabashedly artificial citrus -- think tang or sunnyD. The white florals give the scent a slightly animalistic note that gives the blend the impression of fresh sweat. It is an uncanny, albeit idealized scent of eating a sherbet pop in the bright sun. It's upbeat, happy and unabashedly fizzy. I'm a big fan of honest citrus scents (I've been looking for a replacement for orange sanguine) and while this isn't a perfect substitution, I kinda love it.

Imaginary Authors are very well at creating novelty fragrances that conjure memories or stir the imagination. For me, Sundrunk reminds me of walks on the boardwalk with the beach and amusement park in the background. I don't really try and focus on the scent/note profile I just enjoy it for what it is. I get a kick out of smelling it and it really brings back fun youthful memories. However, I really don't wear it much. It's great for conjuring up fun memories but its not something I want to wear out in public. It is not offensive but it's not practical. Novelty = yes, practical = no. I've only ever worn it on warm/hot summer days.

I might just be in a great mood visiting my dear friend who lives on a tropical beach, but I brought my summeriest IA samples to test, and we love this: the tangerine is so bright and bubbly, but not sticky soda-sweet, sweet with hints of honeysuckle, and a hint of warm silky sunscreen, too, somehow––the hibiscus?? No idea, but it's magic; makes me happy just to be spraying it, reminds me of the SunnyD we used to drink at my grandparent's house in the summer––I'll be eager to try this again next week when I'm back in near-zero temps to see if it feels very different

Pretty phenomenal smelling. A big, fizzy, medicinal, citrus burst. Like a soda. Really loved this one but was very dissatisfied with the performance which I felt was fleeting and ephemeral. Didn't last longer than a few minutes on my skin. Kind of unfortunate. Ended up trying 'Karma' by Lush as another reviewer compared the two, and I think they share a similar 'fizzy' citrus quality but are ultimately a little different. Sundrunk feels like the juicy and fizzy parts of Karma were amped up by a thousand. Karma is slightly woodsy.

Sundrunk is totally a summery and shimmering fragrance that is nostalgic and strong . Fizz in this feel like a soda bottle vibe that is really pleasant. Neroli and honeysuckle pops out nearing the heart that is not headache-causing sweet but this is more of soapy, green vibes that make it so pleasant and loving. Dry down here in is salty, and, bittersweet reminding the ocean water feel. Special fragrance for me. Perfect for summer and much evocative. To me, it is like 8.5/10.

This is so nice! I’ve really been into citrus scents this summer and this is a fun one. The orange and neroli are evident, but the neroli isn’t bitter, like it can sometimes be, all of the sweet florals sweeten it up. However, it’s not overly sweet either. It’s not super fresh, it’s also not candy-like, it’s somewhere in the in between. Longevity and projection are okay, not terrible, not great. I really like this and will probably purchase one of their 14 ml.

Pure orange soda. Imagine drinking a fancy Italian orange soda that’s extra fizzy on a blistering hot day. It’s a wonderfully fizzy orange fragrance that’s not at all like anything in the recommended list. No other fragrance, as far as I can tell, even comes close to being this sparkling and carbonated. I used to work at a restaurant where I would have to change out the carbon dioxide cartridges and this even smells like carbon dioxide, I’m quite a fan.

I personally do not get the fizziness or tartness others describe. This isn't bright and punchy orange to me. To my nose, it's mellow orange blended perfectly with soft florals. Instead of a happy summer day, a breezy walk in the summer at sunset comes to mind. This is easily in my top two favorite Imaginary Authors fragrances. I also love that it lasts a really long time on me.

Imaginary Authors makes some crazy good citrus fragrances, I pick up the most on the rhubarb and orange with a little neroli in the back it's sooo good and is the perfect scent for summer. Imagine you're sitting in your room and you open a bright fresh navel orange and put some rhubarb jam next to it. One of the best Imaginary authors fragrances yet! Projection 2/10 Scent 9/10

I have a travel spray. I bought it looking for a replacement for my 7 Virtues Orange Blossom (Discontinued). Though it's not quite a match, I'm very impressed by the longevity of the citrus notes considering how fleeting and volatile they are in other citrus scents I've tried. The orange is just as present as the neroli, and makes for a bright and uplifting bubbly scent.

I enjoy it immensely. On the one hand, yes, everything stated is true: it's a linear, bubbly, fizzy orange scent. That being said, it's that unabashedly. I have pre existing associations (orange crush and sneaking off with girls at church camp) that really hammer it in. It's strong. It's brash. It's unashamed. And it's incredible if that's what you're looking for.

I find this to be a beautiful and true orange blossom. Smells just like standing by an orange tree in bloom. It's sweet yet fresh, and I love this for summer. I usually have a problem with orange blossom turning into cat pee smell on my skin, which is shame because it's one of my favorite notes. That doesn't happen with this, so naturally I got a full size.

I love summer scents and this is one of my favorites. I get strong neroli (I loooove 4711) with honeysuckle and orange blossoms and maybe a bit of pool water. It’s a little cheeky but elegant enough I can wear it to work in the summer. I’m not a huge Imaginary Authors fan but I’m buying the full size of this one.