Borealis

I find this fragrance quite lovely, though certainly not immediately accessible or approachable. It is definitely challenging, but I do not think it's wet dog, piss/poop (lol what?), and body odor, etc. as other reviewers have noted; I do agree that "ocean gales and forest air" is a bit of a whiff of a descriptor, however. For me, it's a fragrance that I can't really get enough of. Medicinal, mentholated, spicy, woodsy and green. The pine, peppermint, camphor, musk, black tea, ash and incense are very strong in the beginning. Its powdery quality is a rare hit for me, as I typically don't gravitate toward powdery fragrances. It settles quickly and pleasantly, leaving behind it's opening medicinal sting for something a ~bit~ softer and more approachable. I almost never get the sea water note, but the greenery it evokes smells distinctly coastal. And I can see the valerian being off-putting to others -- that stuff smells weird and tastes even weirder. It's warm and deep; bright only insofar as pine evokes notes of citrus; funky and camphorous. It's a bitter, cold, and windy winter's night in Maine. If it must be "ocean gales and forest air" it is hauntingly, rather than refreshingly, so. It pleasantly reminds me of Fernet Branca & Amaro Alta Verde -- and so I completely understand the visceral aversion others might have of this fragrance. If you appreciate complex and bitter aperitifs, I highly suggest giving this one a sniff. I'm seriously tempted to make this my go-to winter fragrance, day or night, but I plan to explore the rest of the Pineward lineup first—if this one is a "rare miss," then the others should be incredible. And hey if a vapor rub note pisses you off instead of reminding you of being cared for on a sick day then you can wear something else.

Smells wonderful with it's top notes, and I think would be liked by most individuals up until the middle notes kick in. There's a few controversial scents in the middle notes that really makes things smell strange, the Valerian root ends up smelling like used socks and feet to be frank. For most people this is a massive issue and should be a reason to not buy, but for weirdos like me this is exactly what I love. The other most noteworthy scent is camphor, which in the context of dirty socks just brings back the scents of dirty laundry mixed with mothballs. Camphor in other contexts can be rather wonderful, but this is not one of those contexts for most people. The other notes bring back a swampy pacific northwest feel which I adore having grown up there. If you like the description I have put forth on the negatives, this perfume is wonderful, and was quite popular with my boyfriend, but if any of those descriptions sounds awful to you, avoid this one as much as possible.

smells like a mossy patch of forest floor that was recently pissed on by a deer. while i can see why some people might find that offputting, personally i'm obsessed. i love dirty, forest-y, animalic scents, and when i smelled it on a test strip at my local perfumery i could not take my nose off of it for the next few days. i was smelling it until the fragrance had completely evaporated off the strip. it's primal, raw, unapologetic, and absolutely irresistible. was thinking about it for months until i finally caved and ordered a bottle. if you like challenging, dirty scents, you can't go wrong with a sample of this one.

This is my least favorite of all the Pineward samples I purchased - I’m a huge coastal veil fan but there’s something off putting about Borealis

This is the first true artistic and challenging fragrance I’ve ever smelt. There is nothing like this out in the market. Borealis is like hiking in the Northern Yukon of Canada next to the coast - rugged flatlands of tundra forest and cold waves crashing onto the shore with biting ocean gales of wind that turns your skin red. It’s super exotic - and how unbelievably unique and quality this is will transport you to a place you’ve never been. I believe the hate for this is definitely dragged because the people who hate it don’t apply the story to the scent. It’s unwearable unless you’re going to the arctic circle to hike or live in the depths of the taiga.