Cacti

This is one of my favorites. This is one of those perfumes that is greater than the sum of its parts. I find it quite difficult to pick out the individual notes here, but the overall effect really succeeds in feeling like cacti. It somehow manages to both smell like a fresh cut nopal, and like you are sitting near a fountain in a desert garden on a sunny day. It's not citrusy and it's only vaguely floral, and I think what I smell most is possibly the shiso and mate? It's quite watery though, and very fresh and pleasant, with just enough spice to make it memorable and interesting. It certainly doesn't smell like any other fragrance I've ever tried. My husband usually doesn't care at all about my fragrances, but whenever I put this one on, he says "oooooh the one I like," even if he is a few rooms away. As far as sillage, it's not overwhelming, and you would have a hard time overspraying this one, but a few spritzes will do just fine. It lasts all day for me and I can smell it on my jacket the next day. If I spray it in my hair and put it up, when I take my hair down it's like a fresh burst of fragrance all over again. I tend to buy decants unless I really love a fragrance, and usually I try to avoid paying this much for a fragrance, but the beautifully simple bottle and the absolute uniqueness of this scent made me splurge. At this price point, I am a bit precious with this scent, so I don't wear it every day, but if I were made of money I probably would. This for me is the standout of the Pour Tous collection. If you're something of a desert rat like me, I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on a sample of this.

I first smelled Cacti in the Arielle Shoshana store during somewhat of a smelling spree. I immediately loved it! It was beautiful! I only sprayed in on the tester strip and walked away. But when I realized I kept smelling and loving it, I ran back into the store and sprayed it on my skin. That is when I fell even more in love with it. I am a jasmine/amber lover and I could get a sweetened, amber and jasmine note when it dried down. The watery freshness mixed with the warm floral made me immediately think, summer by a lake. But the icing on the cake was the fact that this lasted on my skin up until the next day. It didn’t come off until I double cleansed my skin. I decided then that this had to be my summer fragrance. Previously, before deciding on Cacti, I had love Eau Moheli by Diptyque for a few months. I thought it was going to be my summer fragrance. But, Cacti took me away from Eau Moheli this summer. Maybe next summer, we will meet again. That being said, this is clearly a 10/10 for me! :D

I love this. I immediately get the scent of the water someone would offer you at a fancy spa somewhere near Joshua Tree - cucumber and shiso leaf are there, giving it a spicier edge vs. the way I more often see cucumber (with accompanying melon/sweet juicy notes). A perfect after-shower fresh scent for me. As someone who is fairly sensitive to ambroxan/white musks, and finds many contemporary "clean" scents lean industrial to my nose, I really appreciate that the dry down here stays fresh-vegetal-watery-clean and not synthetic-clean. Because this fragrance does not lean into those synthetic woody ambers for projection and longevity, it does mean the longevity is limited, and by 2-3 hours this is mostly gone - but personally I'm so happy to find something I can completely enjoy that I don't mind having to re-apply.

This fragrance most reminds me of the scent of a prickly pear. It has a definite succulent presence, but is also sweet and fruity. I've lived in the desert and always noted that many desert plants are very aquatic. Aloe, one of the listed notes, is a good example. These plants grow in very dry places so they have to store their own water. They are thick and juicy. The prickly pear is the fruit of a cactus and it has a mix of that aquatic aroma and an almost tropical sweetness. Another interesting thing to note about this is that it is, to my nose, a feminine aquatic. Usually I find aquatic scents to be more masculine-leaning, but not here. This is a sweet and delicate aquatic. I do find it to be a rather unique fragrance and can't think of another perfume to compare.

The opening is peppery and sharp, with a powdery vanilla accord. Once it settles, it's an ethereal, delicate green. I love all green scents, but this is distinguished from the crushed tomato-leaf note that dominates the category. It is gentler, more chic and refined. And complex! I can smell all of the listed notes, especially aloe, shiso, and cucumber. I find this to be a close-to-the-skin scent, but I almost prefer it that way. Shiso is nostalgic to me, and this fragrance feels like a personal secret garden. Cacti reminds me of standing in a shaded, well-watered garden of lush, verdant flora. I have worn this every night to bed, hoping my dreams will take me back to the rainy, petal-studded riverbanks of the Kamo River in Kyoto, surrounded by green, green, green...

I had a sample of this years ago, and it immediately became my favorite fragrance. I couldn't afford a full bottle at the time, then it was discontinued. I tried to find something that similar, but no dice. Thankfully, this was re-released, so I bought a full-sized bottle for myself this Valentine's Day. Top notes smell of wet, hot sand, tea, a vague, clean scent of aloe, a little bit of jasmine, and the more pungent shiso. As it wears, it starts to smell more of jasmine and warm amber. The sillage on this isn't extreme. In terms of longevity, at least on me, it wears for ages. Today, I sprayed it on my wrists around 7 am, and I can still smell it at 11 pm. This scent isn't for everyone, but it is certainly for me. I'm so delighted to own a bottle of this.

I love this fragrance. It's a very delicate accord, but at the same time very complex and relatively indescribable. The tea aspect is very gourmand/round without being sickening, and coupled with floral notes (a light jasmine, a fine heliotrope) particularly lively and comforting. It's aquatic and green, yes, but a far, far cry from the type of accords usually associated with those terms. It makes me feel like I'm nibbling on a pretty flaky pastry in a landscape somewhere between a huge white sand desert and a tropical greenhouse. Very interesting and delicate, and one of my favorite discoveries of the year.

This opens with an aquatic, peppery aromatic combination (something watery-shiso-mate-bergamot?) deceivingly reminiscent of popular men's summer freshies, except the drydown is surprisingly mellow, tranquil, docile. The heart of Cacti is subtle black tea, aloe, and cucumber, sweetened and softened by precious and fluffy heliotrope. There are energetic and sporty aquatic-green-freshies, and then there are leisurely ones like this. Pretty, chill perfume for summer daze. I like it so much that I'm beginning to rationalize purchasing a FB, even though it sits so close to and so quietly against my skin.

Far and away my favorite of the sample set thus far. Aquatic freshie with little to no citrus that lasts longer than three hours is my white whale: Call me Ahab because this might be Moby Dick. Gorgeous profile, heliotrope and sishu play beautifully with each other at the forefront of soothing cucumber, and the lasting power is superb. I neither want nor expect beastmode out of an aquatic; this projects softly in an intimate bubble for around four hours. Inoffensive yet unique, best suited for S/S. Can’t wait to bring this out next year.

Cacti is a vibrant and fresh fragrance that harmoniously blends the crispness of shiso leaf with the warm, earthy notes of black tea. The initial impression is a delightful mix of herbaceous and smoky elements, creating an invigorating experience. As it settles, the scent reveals a spicy and comforting depth, reminiscent of a serene moment spent enjoying sushi and tea. This fragrance embodies the spirit of a free-spirited individual, celebrating creativity and individuality.

I really like this perfume. The standout notes for me are aloe vera and heliotrope. It's a refreshing, sweet and powdery fragrance that reminds me a bit of an iced tea drink mix. Nestea? It's a really quiet scent that lasts a surprisingly long time for how subdued it is. It has practically no projection. It is also definitely unisex, not too sweet. I can barely pick out any Jasmine and is green and watery enough that the powder wouldn't be weird on a man.

This is what I think of when I think of a luxurious spa scent. Fresh, green, a little bit fruity, and a little bit floral, but so well blended that nothing shouts out at you. It sits fairly close to the skin, but lasts beautifully. Gorgeous on a really hot day, it smells and feels so fresh in the heat.

The absolute pinnacle of green spa scents. So bright and dewy and refreshing. Purely unisex. The exclusive price point is a real tragedy because there are no dupes, and is too niche to appear on discounter sites. I highly treasure my 15ml decant.

Cacti accurately captures the feeling of cracking open a fresh aloe vera plant. Succulent and splashy green, with a funny little shiso twist. Perfect for summer. Gives an aura of cooling serenity.

UGH. On my skin it’s a beautiful watery cucumber tea scent. So light and fresh, perfect for summer. I’d definitely buy a full bottle of this, but the price point it too high :(

So green and fresh and humid—like a greenhouse or a spa. An easy and beautiful daily scent. This was the full size I bought after working my way through the RdF discovery set.

This is one of the better tea fragrances I’ve tried. Jasmine tea. Herbal-minty from the shiso and aloe. A touch of cucumber. The heliotrope is subtle. Thank goodness!

more floral than i expected but in a refreshing way! the jasmine and watery aloe scent are soo lovely together. lasts like 30 minutes on my skin sadly.

SO FREAKING GOOD.. GREEN BUT COMPLEX! WOOD! something so soft, deep and fresh at the same time. lasts a long time on my skin! love sniffing it

the smell of plants and soil 6 hours after a late afternoon hot summer rain