Gin & Rosewater

Very fond of this, even though it is rubbish for lasting power, absolute rubbish. There is such a wide range of opinion here, I think,it goes to show either that body chemistry is NOT a myth as some say, or that some of you must have had some fantastically mistreated bottles. Or both, I suppose. I must have remarkably neutral chemistry, because everything always smells on me pretty much the way it does in the bottle, minus the initial alcohol blast. I never have issues with things souring or turning to Eau de B.O. Lucky me! So on me this does smell like flowers like alcohol...gin & rose water, exactly as it says. I was in a boutique that carries the Tokyo Milk Curiosite & Bon Bon lines, and I was entranced by this. Florals are not usually my thing, by the way, because I get monster headaches from most of them. Suddenly the salesgirl is RIGHT NEXT TO ME leaning in conspiratorially and says in an awed tone that 'Blake Lively LOVES this one'. OMFG, Blake Lively, you say??!? Like for serious, the real Blake Lively?? OMFG, do you have like, more in the back?!? I'm totally going to buy every bottle you can shove in my basket because BLAKE LIVELY would hang out with me if we ran into each other and then my life could end. Um, not. I almost DIDN'T buy it because of the salesgirls then going into a tizzy about how amazing Blake is. I could not care less, although I'm sure Lively is nice enough. But it did smell cool, so home with me it came, along with the matching lotion. There's not much to say other that it does smell like a cocktail with roses in it, but I do mean that in the best way. It reminds me of a very grand, very old lady whose physical glory is behind her but she still swaths herself in furs and pearls and a head wrap and a silk bias-cut gown to go out anywhere and is DROWNING in gin and tonic but is not drunk, no. Just drinking her gin and tonic like she did when she was a beautiful young flapper and life was gay and tasteful. So it's not 'old lady' like ' old lady organizing doily collection while tending to the cats and watching Dr Oz'. No, I mean hip old lady who might swear on occasion and has a gold cigarette case and holds her own with the leading man. It's a very light happy scent, does not change much as it progresses, and gets me compliments...if I go out within half an hour of applying. I'm telling you, the longevity is $@%#. I don't get an hour and a half, and my skin doesn't eat scent. I guess that May be why it seems pretty linear...no chance to develop. In my experience almost all of the Tokyomilk line is this way, which is SUCH a shame because though they are not pricey ( under forty dollars) they become pricey when you go through more in less time. However, they are almost all so interesting and haunting that it's worth it. I layer with the lotion and a little almond oil and take the bottle in my purse ( it's smallish & the cap fits well) to refresh myself. If you find it in a boutique, try it for sure. I would definitely buy this again.

I tried this a few days ago in a boutique, along with Honey and the Moon. I like this one much better than Honey, though neither one was bad! Gin and Rosewater was very floral at first, with a strong rose scent and a tinge of citrus fresh greenness that mellowed and became woody on my skin. I have to say, while it wasn't strong, it stuck around on my skin for 4-5 hours. I can't say that there was much "gin" in it, but it did have a sort of mellow, kind-of alcoholic scent to it. Imagine the platonic ideal of what hand sanitizer smells like, I thought it was pretty good but it didn't add a lot to the overall smell. Basically, I think it's a perfectly fine scent for the price range, and it's way nicer than mass-market perfume, but I also wouldn't spend more than $40 on it. The light and airy scent makes it seem like a good choice for a young woman just starting out in perfume, and the price backs up that impression.

I think this smells absolutely lovely. I didn't love the first whiff out of the bottle, and even when I first applied it I wondered if I were going to regret it - it started off as a sharp floral to my nose. That typical "perfume" smell - like that of an older woman who has worn her signature scent for so long that she can no longer smell it and pours it on like water - that I hate so much. Even then, there was something intriguing lurking behind that sharpness. Within a few minutes it softened and warmed up. It smells warm, without spice, and clean, without the sharpness. I can smell what people are describing as the "fizz". There is definitely something that reminds me of a light cocktail, some not-so-sweet fruity spritzer. It sits close to the skin the the lingering smell of your favorite soap.

A gorgeous scent; like Beach Girl, I'm smiling. Starts out strongly floral--probably roses--but, quite unexpectedly, suddenly citrus notes appear with the roses. Unusual. Had it on now for 1.5 hours, and it's still strong--I smell roses more on one wrist and lemons on the other, go figure. I also smell coconut, but I smelled all the bottles from the sampler--btw, the best way to try this (or any) line--so it may be that the sweet nutty smell comes from another bottle. Anyway, this is a real winner. Can't wait to try the other scents in the sampler. Edit: I'm wearing this again--two weeks later--and now the initial dab is strong citrus, like grapefruit. Can't wait to see how the drydown morphs. Absolutely no coconut this time. Still luscious!

I bought this as part of a sampler set on a whim because it was so inexpensive. Of the Tokyo Milks in the box, this was my number one by far. I adore this happy, upbeat, uncomplicated fragrance, perfect for a spring or summer day when you're out and about and want a little mood elevator. I don't get rose or rose water, just a gorgeous, sweet-tart fruit candy and -- for a brief instant when it's first applied -- a hit of gin. The gin almost instantly vanishes as, alas, does everything else, albeit more slowly. As others have noted, this isn't a perfume with staying power. I get about an hour from a hefty application which is sad -- but then all lovely things are fleeting. I'm going to buy a full bottle when my small sampler bottle is empty.