Secret Genius

All of these notes appeal to me, however I often find that scents I expect to "wow" me often leave something to be desired, or they're mixed with a very floral or powdery scent that puts me off. Not this one. but of course it has a catch because that's my luck. I LOVVE Secret Genius. I received a sampler box with the scented towelettes, and decided to swipe one on before bed. Secret Genius was the first one I tried because of the notes it listed, and I was in love at first sweep onto my wrist. I headed to Amazon and purchased a sampler of some of their best sellers in 1.5ml for under $25 hoping to find maybe a couple more that I loved, and to make sure I liked it, (spoiler, I didn't like any others) and with each coming to $3 each.... it's a waste for me. To my nose SG is not entirely linear, but comes close. It's delicious in a sweet, comforting way without feeling like you're standing in the middle of the Great British Bake off tent.... not that I would mind such a thing. The first spray for me is the least enticing part, though not bad. I can only describe it as a soft, nearly spicy scent that quickly turns creamy (sandalwood, bergamot I'd guess) but this transforms into a clean scent - not my favorite note when it comes to scents, but this is not a soapy laundry clean, it's more of the sandalwood coming into a sweeter scent, almost powdery to my nose. If it stayed here, this one would be a 2/10 for me, but very soon the sweetness of the caramel makes it's debut, adding warmth and it's deliciously sweet base without being a toothache (however I don't mind a caramel/chocolate/vanilla scented toothache in my scents.) I fell asleep smelling it and loved the warm white chocolate melting into gooey caramel scent. The vanilla was undetectable. For me it was a comfort scent, and I'd catch whiffs of it the first few hours through the night. Of course there's a huge downside. For me this was a skin scent and did not project at all. I don't care if everyone around me can smell what I'm wearing, but I would like to enjoy it myself at least, yet it was just no existent unless I stuck my nose right against my arm, and even then? very faint after the first hour. I might even forgive that, because again I loved the dry down so much, but after 3-4 hours it was completely gone. It may last longer on others, my skin tends to eat scents. Pinrose is pretty cheap though, and for me I'll use the 1.5ml til it's out and enjoy it at bedtime at least. Bottom line is this is a great scent but it'll ghost you before you can really get to know each other, and when they're selling FB for nearly $100 I know they're crazy, or maybe I am because I feel me and this scent are barely acquainted because it wants to take off as soon as I start enjoying it. I don't recommend you waste your money, even though I do like the scent. the scent itself is 8/10 projection and longevity 2/10 price 9/10, it's extremely overpriced at $44 for a fb that you'll need to constantly reapply and over spray. if your skin doesn't aggressively eat scents then I'd recommend trying their sample sizes before committing. I hope Pinrose can do some refining, and I love that they're an environmentally aware business, but surely they could make a scent that lasts at least longer than drugstore body sprays?!

All of these notes are right up my street, as I'm a gourmand lover who has fallen in love with cedar and woods. Also, I am white chocolate crazy! Secret Genius comes on very woody strong at first, then settles down into a yummy dessert. Every once in a while the cedar pops back in, and those woods notes are the ones that linger over time. It's not terribly long-lasting a scent, but this is offered in smaller easy to carry versions. In fact, I wish ALL perfumes were offered this way, especially the ones that are $450. It's nice to have a decant, but I really appreciate the "official" bottles/labeling. I only have a sample from Sephora right now, but I may purchase a rollerball at some point. EDIT: By the way, I'm over 40 and I love this. Why do people who don't love gourmands bother to review gourmands? If I didn't like sushi I wouldn't bag on sushi restaurants. Just sayin'.

I have been a diehard lover of this scent (and Gilded Fox) since Pinrose hit the market. This is a sweet vanilla with a twist. With just enough complexity to make it mature enough to stay out of the overly sugary vanilla realm. I have always framed this as one of the ultimate vanilla scents. That said - I’m seeing a lot of impressions here that just don’t make sense to me? If they changed the formula that might be something (I still have my original full size (even though it’s nearly empty) and a travel size from 2022) but the Secret Genius I know and wear? I swear I have never gotten more compliments on a perfume, singular. The only thing I’ve gotten as many compliments on is my mix of Tobacco Vanille, a BPAL collab oil that’s a soft rose, and the Kiehls original musk oil. People just love Secret Genius. It’s a good thing I do too.

I love Secret Genius. It reminds me college, as this was my signature scent when I was barely getting into perfumes. This isn't a complex fragrance, and I find that a lot of people either love it or hate it. To me, it smells like a beautiful, rich and deep vanilla caramel, with some slightly woody notes. However, I would not claim that the woody notes overpower the fragrance. This perfume smells almost identical to Amber Vanilla by 7 Virtues. I'm convinced Amber Vanilla is just a clean, grownup version of SG. Secret Genius is a perfect scent for a teenager or a young woman. It's fun, flirty, cute, and delicious! It's a beautiful, caramel vanilla fragrance. It's so addicting to smell. If you aren't a woody gourmand lover, this perfume might not be a favorite for you.

I had this when it first came out and stopped wearing it for whatever reason. I recently discovered it again and am in love with it – finished the bottle and will get another one. I remembered that Harry Fremont nosed this, as well as my beloved Tom Ford Noir De Noir and David Yurman's excellent first fragrance. It's a beautifully delicious gourmand that rewards patience in the heart and drydown. The opening is not my favorite but it doesn't last that long before you get to bliss. Is it groundbreaking? Maybe not, but it's been around for a few years now and I think we've all gotten used to very sweet vanilla and caramel perfumes. It works better with my chemistry than most and right now I can't get enough of it.

Beautiful!!! Oh I looove Secret Genius!!!! It's soooo delicious, sooo rich and creamy, such a lovely caramel, such gorgeous deep vanilla......mouth-wateringly beautiful perfume!!! It's not too sweet, it's just perfect!! And it lasts on me really well...10 hours....and I am told I smell delicious all the time (firstly, but not only, by my husband!) everywhere I go. And yes it does have a white chocolate touch too, and thankfully not too much of it, because I find white chocolate tooo sickly sweet usually, but in this it's just perfect! And I suppose it's the lovely sandalwood and cedar (the notes that are missing here) that grounds it and makes it be not too sweet. It's just beautiful!!!!

I really enjoy the scent, and I smell most of the notes listed. On my skin it's a predominantly sweet and creamy vanilla/caramel fragrance with a soft woody base. It sits quite close to the skin. which isn't necessarily a bad thing IMO. But sadly, this perfume doesn't last at all. I found the scented body lotion and layering with that made it last a little longer, but not much. This is pretty much a bed scent for me, and one that I only use if I'm quite tired and expect to fall asleep fairly quickly. Needless to say, there isn't a single trace of it left when I wake up in the morning. If it lasted longer it would be a keeper, but when this bottle is gone I won't be repurchasing.

I got a mini rollerball of this perfume in my Ipsy bag this month and love it!! I'm absolutely loving this perfume!!! I am a huge perfume collector/addict and I love gourmand scents so this one is perfect!! I love the Madagascar vanilla and caramel notes they blend perfectly with a light hint of sandalwood!! Longevity and sillage are both moderate and decently long lasting on me!!! Once my rollerball mini is out I'd buy a bottle!!

Warm and sweet, with a clear orange undertone to keep it from getting cloying. Clearly a gourmand. It's relatively simple as a scent but it smells *good* which is what counts. Mostly caramel and white chocolate on me. Not "signature scent" amazing but a good everyday scent just to leave a good impression (until you find "the one"). Surprised at the strong negative reactions, I guess this one just works well with my chemistry.

Top note is caramel; middle note is white chocolate; base notes are madagascar vanilla, sandalwood and cedar. I LOVE this...fresh, sweet and clean...I get no cedar and minimal sandalwood. My only complaint is the lack of longevity. Otherwise this would be my signature scent. If you like this, you should try: ~BS Private Show~ ~Lavanila Vanilla Coconut~ ~CSP Vanilla Coco~

This fragrance smells like cream soda in the best way, I think this is a good vanilla frag for people who usually care for vanilla-based perfumes, defo a good blind buy. The sillage and longevity on my skin is disappointing.

I adore this perfume, it smells so grown and put together and sexy. like caramelized jasmine and vanilla. definitely not a purely gourmand scent - this is very floral. if you want to smell rich and sweet, go for this.

I’m a huge fan of Secret Genius. Caramel and Vanilla are two of my favorite notes, and this creamy syrupy scent does not miss!! It’s fresh and sweet at the same time, and can be worn day or night!

Pure white chocolate. This will be great for layering and I'm thinking twilly. The new name is definitely improved. Sugar bandit- what a stupid name. I really like the name secret genius

Love it! Definitely that top caramel note blends beautifully with vanilla and a hint of just the right amount of sweet.

Update: the combo worked out great. Equal parts. I'm a secret genius! Lol. This perfume was made to be layered.

Really love...but it should be closer to $50-$60 for a 1.7 oz bottle.

Carnival day by anecdote smells exactly like this. Way cheaper too.

Try layering it with Chanel no 5 leau and watch the magic

I scored this in my local Marshall’s for only $6! It’s a 30ml bottle that came with 10 petals. The Secret Genius Kit. For $6, I’m so excited to get home and try this! Edit: it’s a fine gourmand fragrance, but I have several very similar to this so I’ll probably sell it or swap it. It smells great but I just feel like I have several slight variations of this scent in my collection. Oh well! Future me editing to add: this is an EXTREMELY BASIC vanilla. Absolutely no bells and whistles here. It is truly nothing special on its own. I think this would serve a better purpose as a layering fragrance. Okay, back to past me! To me, this smells almost exactly like Commodity Gold and I also think of Sugarful Spice from Michel Germain too. Future me again: Ughhh, no, this is no Commodity Gold. Maybe a very watered down version, but don't let my idiotic past self fool you! I have learned a lot about fragrance since this review.... Including the fact that Secret Genius smells nothing like Commodity Gold. I'm thinking they call this "secret" genius because it is very much generic, quiet and basic. The "Genius" may come from the layering potential...

Secret Genius is Pinrose Gilded Fox’s sexier, more demure sister. Both smell like a trip to a gourmet candy boutique, but Secret Genius is little toned down on the “I want to eat this” quality. It’s a very soft caramel and white chocolate fragrance, with sandalwood and cedar to give it a bit of earthiness in the dry down. If you ever wore Vanilla Fields back in the day, this is like a super elevated version of that. I also like that this is a vegan line, so it has a clean straight-to-the-fragrance punch without your nose having to sift through all of the additives and gunk. Before discovering Pinrose, I swore I hated gourmands. Now, I’ve found a brand that actually makes them in a way that I actually enjoy them. If you’re into cruelty-free, environmentally conscious product lines, I would highly recommend them.

Overall impression: love the scent, but it disappears on the skin. Not worth full price to me. This is a soft and sweet perfume, but it's not cloying. While the sweeter notes do stand out, they are lighter and not gourmand. You'd have to be fairly close to me to pick up on it. In fact, on my skin, I find it fades quickly and needs to be reapplied regularly. I mean, it fades FAST. I need my nose ON my wrist to smell it after an hour. I love the way it smells but I can't justify buying a bottle at full price given the short wear time. This fragrance is "clean" and typically clean perfumes don't use some of the chemicals that increase longevity. I assume that's why it fades to nothing in such short time.

White it's not setting my world on fire, it's really pleasant and easy to wear. I get just enough of the cedar to keep this fresh, I'm surprised to see other comments that this is syrupy or cloyingly sweet - the wood must be more pronounced on my skin than others here. While this is a bit on the generic side, I do not think it smells cheap. I would think it a perfect choice for a day in the office when you want something subtle but still relatively warm and inviting. In fact, I could see this being appropriate for a range of occasions.

This one is an amazing vanilla scent in my opinion. I absolutely love how warm and delicious this smells without being sickeningly sweet or juvenile. If you really like deep, warm, and yummy scents I think this one would be a favorite. That being said...This is so overpriced for what you get. The longevity is atrocious. After about 30 minutes you can't smell it anymore unless you sniff the exact spot you sprayed it on at point-blank range. If this was a). cheaper or b). longer lasting it would probably be my favorite fragrance.

I think the secret genius of this scent is that there is more to it than the first impression. It seems like a boring, teenagery vanilla at first, until the caramel pops out and you notice how much better it’s getting. The sandalwood is just enough to keep it from smelling like a candle and makes the dry down truly special. This is also fantastic for layering, especially with Gilded Fox—those two were made for each other. I will be layering this with other perfumes I have as well during the winter months for a cozy vibe.

I had forgotten I own this one.. super safe, even blind buy safe, straight up vanilla gourmand with definite woodsy notes in the background. Pretty sure this is perfect for layering purposes as well, in fact, I'm going to have to try this with Secret Obsession. I love Secret Obsession but it has a hint too much of that scratchy quality to it that I think will benefit wonderfully from a straight up vanilla/white chocolate element like Secret Genius. Nothing groundbreaking but nicely done.

Pleasant smell. Carmel, Vanilla, White Chocolate, Sandalwood. What’s not to like? Nice Fall/Winter smell. Not overpowering. That being said, it lasts about 5 minutes max on me. Disappointing because I enjoy the scent. But not worth the money when I could buy a cheaper Zara perfume and have it last longer...So I guess it’s up to the individual buyer whether to purchase or not. If the smell lasts a decent amount of time on you? Awesome! Lol but my luck did not fair well with this one.

White chocolate (ish?) and caramel. This caramel is a bit weird .. It’s stale, yet sharp and boozy and almost spicy-green. I think it’s the cedar coming through .. it reminds me of the caramel blend in Jessica Simpson Fancy. But, it settles after about 30 minutes into a creamier, truer caramel. Sweet, toasty, with a bit of a fluffy floral. The drydown is a little musky. Great longevity and pleasant projection. It’s not a favorite, but it’s an easy wear, especially in the fall.

Honestly, pretty basic. Very sweet and starts off that way but dies down to be less caramelly over time. Lasts pretty well though! I recently bought it for a good friend who said I smelled "delicious" anytime I wore it! It is also a resident favorite of my boyfriends! It is not a go-to of mine as smelling super sweet kinda makes my head hurt but if I am going over to my boyfriend's for the night then I will throw it on because he really loves it.

This smells young and fairly cheap. That said, I still like it! Starts with a big hit of synthetic vanilla--sweet, creamy, buttery. Dries down to a caramelly amber, and starts to smell slightly more adult (like a scent a 20-something with their first grown up job might wear), and then disappears after another hour or two. Nothing groundbreaking here, but if you like sweet gourmands like I do, this is a perfectly passable cheapie.

I like this for summer. I originally tried it in the winter and didn't care for it, but I just retested it for summer weather and I am definitely getting the gourmet notes now. Smells like sweet white chocolate! And florals and woods. Like it should. I think in the winter it kind of went soapy which was gross with a candy flavor scent but now it's a lot better.

Vanilla and caramel. Can it be sweeter? No. And yet, it's not as sweet as you may think. There has to be a flower note hidden somewhere. This is less sweet than "Troublle in Heaven" but sweeter than "Vanilla Insensee", so you get an idea. It's not fully caramel nor full vanilla, it's more like a in-between hybrid. I don't dislike it but...

A beautiful, cozy, caramel vanilla. Sweet but not sickly. I've owned this for two years and still love the scent. It lasts about 4 hours or so on the skin but the last 3 hours of that you can only smell it if you stick your nose directly where you sprayed. Very intimate sillage, even if you overspray. Overpriced for this reason.

I was told I smelled "spicy", though not particularly sweet when I tried it on. Light, close to the body, and fades fast. It smells high quality, but doesn't stick around for long. More for the Eau Duelle lover than the Tihota lover, the sweetness is much harder to discern than the spice. Lasts five minutes.

I got a couple of samples in my Sephora packages and LOVED this scent. Fresh, clean, vanilla and just pretty. Went to try it again at the store and the juice in the bottle was bad... super weak and really didn’t smell like the samples that I received. For that reason, I didn’t purchase.

I got this in a sample set from Ulta. I catch hints of chocolate, vanilla and caramel. While I like this scent, I don’t think it’s unique and it doesn’t last long (maybe an hour?). Low sillage and sits quite close to the skin. It’s also expensive for what you can get in a body spray.

This is great if you are a 13 year old girl. It's a pretty throwback 90s scent -- artificially vanilla + caramel with a twinge of something vegetal in there. Reminds me a little of the Bath and Body Works Rice Flower scent. The staying power is as ephemeral as youth. ;)

To me this is nothing special or groundbreaking. It is a basic vanilla with caramel and woody undertones. The woody undertones makes it not overly sweet and gives it warmth. The longevity is moderate. It’s a good scent but not something i reach for a lot.

Very nice. Aspects of this remind me a little of Prada candy but not completely. It’s sweet but not cloying, and smells the way it feels to be wrapped in a warm sweater. Feels more feminine and would be one for the fall and winter.

Secret genius uniquely blends warm white chocolate and a sharp black licorice note. This smells like something a young librarian would wear and lives up to its name. It’s subtly feminine, warm, modest, and sophisticated.

Very sweet caramel-vanilla. It's better after 20 minutes or so because the sandalwood starts to come through the sweet opening and that tames it a bit. I like it. Dries to sandalwood, jasmine.

I had a bottle of Hypnotic Poison about 5 years ago, and the dry-down smelled just like this perfume smells straight out of the sprayer. Secret Genius is soft and not overpowering, very cozy.

While I'm not personally nuts for this (it's ok, I'm enjoying it, but I wouldn't be serious about it), I think everything from the scent to the packaging would be appealing and make for a safe gift if you at least know someone enjoys yummy things. It's a pleasant, soft, vanillic fragrance that plays nice and behaves well - forming a scent bubble but never crossing boundaries. I only get a small amount of woodiness in here, I'd personally like a bit more, and I believe it would provide this with more depth if it contained a heavier dose of sandalwood. A dash of patchouli wouldn't hurt either. I did notice that this unfolded more in the sunshine today 💛 I actually like it a bit more than Juicy's Gold Couture, but Jessica Simpson's Fancy still holds 1st place for my favorite caramel. If you've tried those ones however, and feel that they were too dense, maybe Secret Genius is for you! This one's a more transparent option. It's really in need of better longevity though, and I'd only purchase this if it were heavily discounted. The fragrance is nice, the performance is awful.

Sampling a... sample. The notes listed here surprised me. First impression was fruity sweet vanilla. So fruity that it reminded me of My Way, but less citrus and more powdery. It's very sweet. I noticed my head hurting and feeling like I didn't want to smell it anymore while sniffing for notes. I wiped my arm with a unscented face towelette and I can still sense it as I'm typing this - so it's got some staying power. It's a pleasant scent but only for a minute or two and then it's too much - for me. I love sweet gourmand fragrances but I've noticed a trend that anything with a caramel note tends to give me a headache. It does smell similar to Wicked in the beginning and Twilight Woods after a while. Personally would not pay upwards of $50 for this. It's more of a BBW/VS fragrance mist.

Simple vanilla woods. Smells nice on my skin with no weird or off notes. Uncomplicated and so a bit boring but very safe. Not creamy but soft and sweet. Perfectly unisex. Retail price seems high for such a light scent that isn't very rich or smooth and so doesn't smell expensive. Because it's rather unrefined and has poor lasting power, it makes me think of a young person's body spray. I have a roller ball (just for referance, it's the original formula in the fully holographic packaging, not the one with metallic lines) that came as gift with purchase. UPDATE Decluttered to younger sister.

I think I am really picky about my sweet gourmands... and this and Gilded Fox don't float my boat. That's all. There is a nice light rubberiness that peeks through this after about 15 mins that varies the general sweetness. It simply isn't remarkable enough for me. I'll say this. I prefer Imaginary Authors' A Whiff of a Waffle Cone, which feels more complex (with this amazing burnt sugar note) and also lighter "sunny day" wearability to something like this, which feels a bit flat-footed and more like a Bath and Body Works vanilla lotion smell than a perfume.

Despite the gourmand notes, this seems to be me to be a light airy playful scent and not as sweet or creamy as expected. Predominantly caramel cedar but I think we're missing a note or two here - I'd bet on it. Anyway, this one lingers awhile and fades quickly. Inoffensive. It's a red headed stepchild for me. Not odd enough or original enough to grab my attention. (no offense to red headed stepchildren. I was adopted and auburn myself.) I wouldnt go out of my way but I might give it away. P.S.....thanks Nico1e1ee..my nose now knows too. hahaha

I want to lick this off of me when I wear this. Kinda gross, I know, but it smells so delicious. The notes are self-explanatory and it's not complicated in it's wearing. I'll definitely be buying again when my little roller ball is used up. 6/24/21 My little roller ball is used up, but I won't be replacing. It needed that cedar, or something to jump in and give this a little depth. The best way I can describe is that it's a thin perfume. It doesn't have much depth, this sillage and longevity on me are nonexistent.

To me this really has a sunscreen lotiony vibe, even more than Sun Saint by the same house. I generally dislike sunscreen-type scents, but this one is ok, though still a bit artificial and irritating to my nose. Secret Genius is one of the better offerings of Pinrose, but still fairly generic and I still don't love it. I would not purchase it, but if I owned a bottle, I might use it as a room spray, or occasionally layer it with something else, maybe a citrus.

I remember absolutely loving and wanting a bottle of this in high school and now that I'm an adult with a full bottle, I'm a little disappointed. On paper it smells like everything I've wanted but it's not exactly the strongest perfume. It's honestly a toss up, some days I wear this and it's a sweet, cozy bedtime scent, other times it smells like pencil shavings. I love vanilla and used to enjoy this but I'm not sure if this is the vanilla for me anymore.