Vetiver in Bloom

An interesting shapeshifter! There are two sides to this perfume - a clean, feminine floral musk on the one hand, a classic masculine aromatic vetiver on the other. The tension between these two sides is not totally original — niche houses have been releasing these kinds of masculine meets feminine fragrances for years and you can trace the genre through 80s powerhouses back to the scents of the women’s lib movement. However, there is a clean yet intimate vibe to this one that is new to me. This is no jasmine-leather cliché. As a lover of lilac and classic cheapie musks like Bonne Bell Skin Musk and Avon Odyssey, I love the approach here of buttoning up the cloudy floral musk in somewhat serious Vetiver. The result is tailored, unisex, buttoned up yet still relaxed and hospitable. Sometimes I get a bit mote vetiver punch and sometimes this reads as a pure floral musky cloud! I’m happy either way.

My husband treated me to a Valentine's Day date night visit to Scent Bar in Hollywood. I dutifully walked in with a list of must-tries (that place is far too overwhelming for me if I don't plan ahead). I knew I wanted to walk out with something in either the osmanthus, green almond, anise, or lilac family. Vetiver in Bloom was not on my radar, but when Lilac Dream by Marissa Zappas was too anemic for my liking, I was told I had to try it. I sprayed some on a card. Walked around. Sniffed a lot of things. Kept returning to that card. Tried some on my skin. Walked around some more. Kept returning to my wrist. The rest, as they say, is history. Vetiver in Bloom is gorgeous. I mean, really, really pretty. But also unique. Also interesting. The box it came in had some presence to it, a nice heft. I spent a bit more than I wanted to on this, but it's a welcome addition to my shelf.

I think this is beautiful. I can’t get enough of it. It’s light but has depth and like the name I feel like it blooms on the skin and just encompasses everything unique, yet fresh, yet lightly floral and idk if this is odd....but it’s comforting, like familiar? I’ve never smelled anything like it though which makes it different and stands out to me. I’ve realized that the notes I smell on my skin the most are lilac and jasmine and sometimes in the heat the jasmine pulls stronger. I honestly don’t know if I can detect the Vetiver but I must in some form with the dry down because it brings me a sense of calmness that Vetiver scented things tend to do for me lol. I think this is a masterpiece honestly. I can’t wait to get a full bottle.

This might be my favorite perfume of all time. I've never smelled anything that is simultaneously so unique and easy-to-wear. The two are mutually exclusive a lot of the time. Normally, I avoid patchouli, juniper, and vetiver as prominent notes, but the way they play with the lilac, magnolia, and jasmine is so harmonious that each note just rounds out the next. The lilac is most prominent to me, but it isn't a powdery lilac. It's got an almost herbal quality. It smells expensive, classy, and interesting, but still very pretty and comforting. It would be sexy enough for a date and appropriate enough for an office. Truly a masterpiece. It lasts on skin for 12hr and clothing for days.

Have you ever stumbled upon a lilac bush in full summer bloom and sunk your nose into its beautiful purple flowers? That first deep breath of pure delight! This fragrance somehow captures that exact smell and feeling. I find myself missing vetiver in bloom sometimes when I'm not wearing it. This is such a sweet, cozy fragrance. One of my very favorite florals.

Absolutely gorgeous lilac scent. Soft and cozy. Doesn’t project a lot but I don’t care.

Need to get a bottle of this as soon as possible.

Vanilla. Clean musk, slight floral, but mostly vanilla. A touch of sweetness, very light floral hints. But overwhelmingly, I just get clean vanilla-y. This is not what I was expecting from this perfume at all. I was expecting slightly woody, earthy white florals. I have been looking for a perfume that recreates the earthy floral experience I got when I sampled the now discontinued Confessions of a Garden Gnome. But alas, this smelled like a lovely vanilla and clean laundry candle. It smells nice, and I can see myself wearing my 10mL size (which is more than I can say for the other Scents of Wood perfumes I've gotten in my subscription as most have been overwhelmingly masculine). For me, not super special and not full bottle worthy, but I will happily wear my 10mL size and maybe use it as a room spray.

This smells like a pleasant and somewhat unique floral fragrance to me. I mainly get lilac, magnolia, musk, patchouli, and vetiver, probably in that order. But because the magnolia and lilac are so delicate and fresh, I definitely can sense the patchouli coming through, which balances this overall scent profile with more warmth and groundedness. I would say it's fresh and floral but also a little warm, powdery, and comforting.

Smells like dryer sheets so I liked the candle a lot But it’s not for me because it reminds me of dryer sheets lmao

good fragrance, safe for work or social, likable, slightly feminine but can be worn by man

Beautiful scent. Lilac with depth and personality. 10/10

this is an interesting one! i blind bought a bottle of this from someone who was re-selling theirs and I'm not displeased, but not totally in love either. It oddly reminds me of a toned down, maybe more of a 'universally-tolerable' version of Guidance by Amouage ('more universal' just meaning it lacks the strength & depth that guidance has and also doesn't have that slightly-animalic-touch that Amouage has). It has some creaminess but then goes more powdery-lilac. It has 'clean' elements to it, but I disagree with the comments that refer to it as a dryer sheet-smell or soapy. It's nothing like any of the other Scents of Wood Fragrances that I've tried before, it's unique but not challenging, and I'm glad I own it but would say to sample first! I could see a lot of people being surprised on how it wears given the notes.

This is so strange... On paper it smelled predominantly like lilac, and I was hoping that would translate on my skin. Instead, I get this play-doh smell! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had much worse, but do I really want to smell like play-doh? Shame, I wanted to like this one.

A powdery and soft lilac, mostly.

Chemical vetiver exaggerated floral base

What in great grandma is this!? Now is not the time to defend your sugar daddy. Shame on him if he bought you this fragrance. Too much bloom for the nostrils. If you don't mind smelling like the bottom of a makeup bag then knock yourself out. This is like a vetiver in drag. Here the vetiver is imitating and exaggerating feminity with assistance from some of the most cantankerous florals in perfumery. If you're a man, wearing vetiver in bloom is like buying a funny t-shirt and then finding out you had to wear it every day for an entire year or like your dad catching you smoking and making you finish the pack hahahaha! Ain't no way in the world I would wear this. Wait a minute, is this for men!?

Another review said ‘dryer sheets’, but that applies only for super lilac-y floral dryers sheets then, as far as this wears on me. I get a cool lilac that I really like, with woody notes behind and a pleasant soft sillage. As it dries down, it gets a bit woodier and ends up smelling like sandalwood incense, with just a hint of lilac and what smells like vanilla. It’s lovely. Nothing hugely earth shattering, but it’s so pretty. Win.

Smells like a much nicer and more elegant Burberry Touch for men to me which is kinda funny, off the blotter at least.

I did not buy this, but it reminds me of Carnal Flower from Frederic Malle. Really great stuff.