Blood Oranges

Paper sprayed last week with Jo Malone Orange Bitters (JMOB). Blind buy of Shay & Blue Blood Oranges (SBBO). Sample of Atelier California Clementine (ACC). Each opened with blast of oranges, with JMOB a little more soft, while other two smell like fresh squeezed citrus. JMOB opening not as fresh/orangey blast as others, but did not change much over time, and the fact that the paper still has a trace scent is pretty good. But it ends up kind of powdery ...good but more feminine to me. ACC citrus blast opening was gone in minutes, then I became scent blind. But on further inspection, has settled into a nice appealing, not sharp/tart, scent. This is what I would imagine an orange, well clementine, scent should be. No nonsense clementine only. SBBO orange blast also did not last long, but settles into a more leather scent, with orange on top. Definitely masculine. Has strongest end note/projection of the three so I think will last longer. Unfamiliar noses might think strong citrus scents are "cleanser-like"...but SBBO will not be mistaken for that at all. If you want soft/feminine orange = JMOB...also pricey If you want straight orange (well, clementine) = ACC...also pricey If you want masculine orange = SBBO...best value Scent wise, I think I like ACC best, but for scent/price/value, I like SBBO.

Just absolutely straight-ahead orange juice and zest. I don't get any musk or amber or leather whatsoever, although maybe they are just there working hard in the background to extendi those short-lived citrus smells. My impression is simply of delicious, refreshing, uncomplicated and beautifully succulent natural orange. I was looking for something in the same ballpark as Hermes Concentre d'Orange Verte, but the Shay & Blue is almost as different from that as something so orangey could be. It's much wetter, less complex and less powdery than the Hermes; also much more acid to the Hermes' sweetness. I love them both, but not living in a hot climate (see below) find the Hermes more useful; on really really hot and humid days I might want to wear S&B more as it's a little fresher. It doesn't project much after 4hrs or last much beyond 6 so I too would recommend the smaller bottle for refreshing in the day, unless you plan to decant and get through it pretty quickly (the price per ml on the larger bottle is loads lower.) A terrific scent for spring and summer but I'm not sure how motivated I would feel to use it - or indeed how it would perform - on a cool or cold day.

If you love the photorealistic orange note but find it dissipates too quickly, I recommend getting the body wash and body lotion and layering. It’s basically pure blood orange note and SO so juicy. I actually tried this first as the body wash because I was wary of the leather note. Leather and suede notes tend to make me nauseous for some reason, and make a fragrance lean more masculine than I like. I really didn’t get the leather note at all in the body wash version, and pure citrus is always a good body wash type scent. The personal fragrance does have more complexity and depth than the body wash, but that’s not saying much. I definitely do get the leather note, and it’s mild and subtle enough that it doesn’t make me nauseous. It gives the fragrance a warmer tone, but is nowhere near as impressive as the opening blood orange note. If you like this but are disappointed in performance for the price point, definitely check out the body wash and lotion. I can’t promise you that they’ll have better longevity, but they’ll certainly save you money.

I have a love hate relationship with Blood Oranges. Love in that I absolutely adore it and hate in that it has the longevity of goldfish-memory on my skin. I literally get no sillage from this whatsoever and it fades into a skin scent on me (and one you basically have to work to even smell on the skin) within five minutes. I think to get other people to notice this I would need to spray it on them and not me! I initially thought I had maybe got a bad bottle but I am on my second bottle now so it is definitely a poor performer longevity-wise. As against all that, the scent itself is stunning. I get the burst of citrus but with a very sexy and insistent undertone of burning rubber or tarmac. It reminds me of holidays in France in the height of summer and I love it.

This is a hidden gem for me. I bought a 10 mL bottle along with some others from S&B just to try it and it ended up being my favourite. It doesn't have huge sillage but it's noticeable. Longevity was good for me, including the orange note. The orange is realistic but is kept from being too sweet by the suede in the background. I find this to be a clean, unisex smell which works well for the office but would be OK for a summer evening or weekend. Edit: I like to layer this with Escentric Molecule 1 (iso-E super) - I'm not normally into layering but it accentuates the clean feel and helps with longevity as iso-E super is also a fixing agent.

Very beautiful. As the previous commenter has said, it really does smell like freshly squeezed blood oranges, so delicious and juicy on the opening. Surprisingly masculine on the dry down, quite a contrast with the fruity beginning, a definite combination of the leather and woody notes, I didn't detect a trace of blood orange left. A very lovely fragrance overall, definitely unisex, verging more on the masculine side. Don't be fooled by the fruity opening if you are looking for something more feminine.

Very realistic sweet orange smell. Shay & Blue's perfumes are usually very linear and this one is no different. The way it smells the second you spray is what it's going to smell like when its time to wash it off. A huge dose of juicy oranges and a mist of amber in the background. Longevity varies. Hot days - 6+ hrs and cooler days - no more than 3 on my skin Overall, lovely inoffensive orange scent. Signature worthy. Dare I say CM without the sharpness

My god, this is good. The most realistic orange I’ve ever smelled. The orange with the leather is unique, delicious and a bit sexy. Perfect for summer. It’s not super projecting or long lasting but it’s a citrus so that’s typical. It performs better than most orangey citruses I’ve smelled. It’s incredible and unisex to me. I’m a 39F but would definitely enjoy this on a man in warm weather. If you like orange or leather, get your nose on this!

I am a fan of cherry-leather-amber scents, so seeing a new fruit option I was excited. And this was beyond a win with a blind buy! This has a reminiscent leather-amber base note similar to Cherry Punk or Lost Cherry, but the opening Blood Orange is so juicy and bright! Wasn't sure how they would blend together, but the bright opening lasts quite a while for an opening note, and mixes so well with the cozy base.

This one is super underrated. I fell in love with Orange Sanguine but the longevity wasn’t there. This is very similar but with a light smooth leather twist. It’s a touch darker. This last super long on me. Both my fiancé and I can use this! Very much down the middle unisex fragrance. The price point is mind blowing for this one.

A deep, unisex, dryish orange fragrance. I love the musk and leather with the orange. If you want a long lasting orange fragrance then this is the best I have ever come across for longevity. A very cosy fragrance thats perfect for wearing in cool and cold conditions. Moderate sillage and definitely on my want list.

Orange and leather sounded horrible to me--but this was the Shay & Blue that I invested in a big bottle rather than a 30ml for. It's just so sweet, golden and yet animalic, and a little bitter. Lasts and lasts, feels both elegant and playful.

Mmmm...dark orange...this is a slightly naughty citrus...deep blood orange with a bit of black leather coming through...but this isn't too strong or uninviting...feels rather light and close to the skin...I like this...

This is a lovely perfume that smells like sweet, fresh oranges. It has a happy, morning breakfast scent, which will fill you full of optimism for the day ahead. I smell like oranges now, yummy.

I love Blood Oranges by Shay & Blue. It is fresh, ripe, oranges...with a woody undertone. So well done and hits all the marks. Try a sample for sure. Full bottle worthy and highly recommended.

This is a very realistic orange scent with subtle woods and leather underneath to give it some depth. I reach for this in the spring and summer when I want something fresh and energizing.

Amazing, linear and photorealistic scent of blood oranges. Juice, zest, everything. And it lasts! It is the perfect citrus scent for me; a bit warmer and juicier.

I got a 10ml to try. Now I have a 100ml on the way - it’s so delicious that I need a full bottle so I can spray it every few hours to get that orange hit.

So fresh, like a breeze from a citrus grove. Bought the 100ml and livin the dream 🍊

Tangy, familiar, short. Shay & Blue Blood Oranges EDP gives a fresh, crisp scent that smells just like it says on the tin, Blood Oranges. It's light, 100% unisex, and made for summer days. It's my first orange fragrance and smells exactly like the thing... however, after a bit of trialling, it hasn't left me with the best impression. This fruity frag opens with a fresh burst of orange with a very light leather, suede-like hint to it that gives a sweet, desserty smell. I always find suede notes add a chocolatey vibe to fragrances. I've found that the scent stays fairly similar from start to finish without much complexity and is actually quite nice for it. The start is definitely more orange heavy, and fresh, but the dry down slowly gets more and more leathery until it fades. This is 100% made for a warm Summer day, with picnics in the park, walks, or good ol' BBQs. However, while Blood Oranges smells great, I've found the projection to be dissapointingly weak right from the start. It also fades within just a couple of hours, even after double sprays, which means I have to reapply it for it do anything for me. I only have a small 10ml bottle which has been fine for a tester and sprays well, but I am a fan of the bigger Shay & Blue bottles. For the price, this short-lasting scent is affordable but feels underwhelming for what you can get nowadays, especially compared to something like S&B Black Tulip which is more unique and performs brilliantly. Even though it has a pleasant, well-balanced orange scent, you have to directly sniff your skin whenever you want to smell it and for that reason the score gets pummeled down for me. I wouldn't mind wearing it but it wouldn't be a go to choice. OK: 6/10