Counterplay

🌞 COUNTERPLAY has been on my mind a lot lately. With the summer approaching I have been on the hunt for the fresh tropical scent (preferably with no pineapple note), and after kissing a bunch of frogs I think I finally found one. COUNTERPLAY is the best perfume I tried in this genre, and yet if it ever even gets mentioned in the MG ratings - it is only in passing. This scent is just so satisfying, engaging and unique to me that it might just as well be my first MG perfume, contrary to the ones that are more hyped. And I like many form their line up;) I am aiming to only have one perfume in this category, and with Counterplay I found both the joy AND the longevity, which in my mind justifies the price tag...somewhat lol It just ticks all the boxes ;)

I purchased this some months back for some odd reason this and a couple of other fragrances weren’t listed on here but all I can say is if you like tropical scents you will indeed love this fragrance. I was so impressed with this one it was absolutely a love at first sniff unlike opera mate. I think this a perfect fragrance for someone who is new to the niche world. it’s very easy to understand. so far all of mind games fragrances have been great blind buys minus opera mate it had to grow on me. What’s odd to me is this fragrance has a coconut nuance to it and of course vanilla vibes and just fruity in a feminine way it’s perfect just unique an absolute vacation in a bottle.

So happy this is finally on fragrantica. Smelled this in the mall, and legit contemplated dropping $400 on a full bottle of this right then and there. I didn't get a chance to test the sillage, longevity, etc...But I do know the opening was GORGEOUS. Very prominent guava/melon, and just incredibly refreshing scent overall. The longevity could affect my current rating if it doesn't last, but right now this is a 10/10 in my book. Can't wait to get my hands on this

Sticky and strong sandalwood melon bomb. Opening is very juicy and fruity and dries down more to its summer florals and woods after that. Definitely very feminine leaning, but a man could pull this off at a pool party or the beach. I wore my sample in Tulum, where I instantly fell in love with it and decided on a full bottle. This is Mind Games’ most potent summer fragrance, so I’d sample before buying.

10 hours later and this scent still pulls off my skin with only 5 sprays. ( one behind each ear, neck and both wrist ) The melon stays consistent and is great for a daytime spring rotation use. Some say it leans feminine but I think it’s perfectly unisex. Again, the melon and banana is constant through and has great overall performance. One of the better choices from mind games for sure

MindGames sent me a couple of samples for free and CounterPlay was one of my favorites. It’s a sweet melon fragrance with a soft musky finish to it. Smells like the best and most exquisite lotion you’ve ever put on your skin. So calming but also uplifting. I wish this lasted longer cause it’s a banger. Probably the best freshie from MindGames imo.

Banana, Guava Milkshake in the best way possible. I'm sorry; but I'm a sucker for anything summer gourmand. Shit just works in the best way. It's not a Banana flavored Laffy Taffy, it's more prominent and blended within the tropical goodness of the Guava in here. Again, 10/10.

This is absolutely unisex, fresh guava and juicy melon, like shoving your face in freshly cut fruit, I got a sample months ago and immediately bought it. Longevity 8/10 Sillage 9/10 Projection 9/10

Oh a year later it was finally added? Wow. This is one of my favorites from Mind Games, heavy on the melon which isn’t common for fragrances and this one smells like true melon and actually lasts.

Favorite tropical fragrance, creamy, fruity, floral, and perfectly unisex. As a melon lover I loved it the first time I smelt it.

A masterpiece of fruity-floral notes. The melon cocktail takes me to a tropical paradise.

This is one of the greatest warm weather scents I've ever smelled period.

The opening of "Counterplay | Mind Games" is absolutely stunning! It’s a beautiful burst of fresh, juicy Guava and Melon. I really don’t get any other notes. The initial spray envelopes you in the Guava gorgeousness of it all, only for it to fade into a melon skin scent after a couple of minutes. I so wish the Guava note stayed for the full wear. I would have instantly purchased this! It’s such a shame. It’s the absolute best bit about this fragrance, and yet it doesn’t make any appearance after the opening. This is still a lovely melon scent, but I already own "Granita | Aziri" which has the same melon note and I’m sorry to say I prefer it to Counterplay. Granita is also cheaper. My other issue with Counterplay is I find it very weak. It becomes a skin scent very quickly. At the price Mind games charges, it just isn’t worth the cost. Had the Guava stayed for the whole wear, my opinion would be different but I’ll have to pass on this one. It just isn’t different enough from Granita to justify a full bottle. For the record, this lasted 2 hours before disappearing completely. If you’ve tested this and love it, you should definitely get a sample of "Granita | Aziri" before spending your money on Counterplay.

Melon, melon, melon! This is one of the most obvious and accurate melon notes I’ve smelled in a fragrance, specifically muskmelon (cantaloupe). It doesn’t really need explanation that muskmelon is so-called because it has a musky undertone in its taste and aroma; Counterplay leans into this just a little bit and does so very successfully. It further succeeds in its sweetness feeling like perfectly ripe, natural sugar. For people that tend towards sweet, tropical fruities, this should be a winner. I think I will try layering this something woodier for a little more depth, although Counterplay does get a little warmer and more complex as it evolves. As far as MG’s sweet/fruity fragrances go, I put Counterplay way above Leonora but not near J’Adoube.

I have been exploring a couple of fragrances from this house and I had a decant of this one sitting around for far too long without trying it. Cue up a sunny day today and I thought I’d give it a go. This is a lovely summer fruity scent that I felt on me didn’t last long but I actually think rather I go nose blind to it quickly. I wore it to work and after spraying before I went I forgot to top it up. To my nose the scent had disappeared but 8 hours later I got a compliment from someone saying I smelt lovely hence me suspecting that it’s a me thing. Topping it up in the evening I could smell this for the rest of the night. A very pretty and not too in your face fruity masterpiece

Hmm. This is honestly a very interesting fragrance because it opens very feminine and definitely fruity and floral. Opening notes you can smell the guava and melon, but as it drys down, you smell more of manly scents in there, while still keeping that fruity scent. But if you don’t like tropical scents, or scents that lean more feminine then I would suggest it for you. The problem with this fragrance is that it doesn’t last very long, being a $250+ fragrance I expect it to last longer and it definitely lacks in that area. It turns into a skin scent very quick. Also it kind of smells like a guava fruit body wash from the dollar store. It’s a great layering fragrance though.

I was pleasantly surprised by this scent when someone handed it to me at the mall. Based on the notes I would have never thought to try it. Ylang ylang and banana are nonexistent in here (mostly smell it in the dry down and it makes the woody notes smell creamy). It is dominated by juicy melon for the first hour. It doesnt seem to project far nor last as long as other mind game perfumes. It dries down to a woody musky scent half day in. It's super wearable sophisticated melon and fun for the summer. But I enjoy layering this scent with a citrus like Sundazed from Byredo.

Ripe, juicy, tropical, fun! A delightful melon drink with the tartness of guava. Counterplay gives vacation. And I am so glad it have more of a natural fruit smell than a cloying artificial note. The banana isn't super present either (my least favorite of the three). But what a delightful vibe this fragrance has! In the dry down, the fruit levels out with the other notes and it becomes more well rounded. This also makes it more wearable. Sadly it does fade significantly after a few hours.

I loved the fresh watery and melon notes on the strip, but on my skin it almost immediately went powdery and cloyingly sweet. It’s stifling in the heat of Texas summer. Definitely does not play well with high temps and humidity. Maybe I’ll try it again in fall. Do all of you who think this is a good summer fragrance live in Anchorage, or?

Not normally a fruity person other than citrus and coconuts. But I really like this! Didn’t give me a headache either which is totally a plus for how sweet it is. I also went nose blind to it soon after but when I changed into my pj’s I smelt a whiff on my clothes. My sample is almost gone lol