Pleasure Portrait

smells like smoking in furs, vanilla coke and old antique persian rugs. unconventional americana fantasy, car lined with leopard print. strong smoky tea smell and an oddly sexy, masculine vanilla? i don’t know, i love it. it smells like a classic, old-fashioned perfume you’d find somewhere secondhand, but with a distinctly modern take on it. makes me want to wear amy winehouse eyeliner and befriend scary girls in a jazz club smoking area. end of autumn, beginning of winter, first signs of ice on the windows.

For me, it's the perfume equivalent of when you hug someone who smells really good but decidedly of essential oils. And you think, "mmm I want a perfume version of this". This is that for me. There is something sacred and ageless about this one. I feel like a sexy, mysterious, hot, witchy earth mama when I wear this. It immediately calls to my mind an apothecary shop but in a more elegant and refined framework. Gorgeous. Big love. I could wear this anywhere, anytime.

I would totally make pleasure portrait my signature scent if it lasted longer and was a bit more wearable in the summer. Still looking to get a full bottle regardless, my sample smells like an antique book on me in the BEST way possible and I'm hoping spraying it on my clothes will increase its longevity/sillage.

smells like a vintage fur coat--lush, luxe, furry, a little dusty and musky. a big, thrilling scent on me. it makes me feel a bit like frederic malle's portrait of a lady does: sophisticated, mysterious, a real grande dame kind of perfume.

I’m a big fan of this. The tobacco note is delicate like smoking on the porch at your grandma’s house. The vanilla and green tangerine notes are also really prominent to me. It’s kind of old-fashioned but in a timeless way.

a warm spicy sweet treat. reminds me of a grown up orange cardamom creamsicle. alluring and super soft, it’s making me miss cold weather. pair it with an oversized sweater and a movie that brings you to tears

A sexy spiced tea vanilla coke fantasy. If you like sweet fragrances but want something with a little more allure- try this. It's rich yet mellowed out by the cedar base giving it a layer of earthiness.

If anyone has a full bottle of this that they are willing to part with, please let me know!!!! I just found out it was discontinued and my bottle is almost empty and I can’t find it anywhere 🫨

the initial smell is very tangerine forward, then it melts into the warm base notes. I smell cardamom, tea, a little bit of vanilla and a trace of tobacco. I sprayed it on my wrists and on a piece of paper. It smells stronger on the piece of paper, so I think the next time I use it I'll spray some on my clothes, too. It's very elegant, I could see myself wearing this in the fall and winter. It's very indulgent, warm, sultry with the perfect bit of sweetness that makes it lean feminine. It's also ageless, I could see younger and older ladies pull this classic scent off. I still have to test the rest of the Universal Flowering scents so I wonder how much this one will stand out to me, but if you are looking to splurge on an indie perfume that is rich and decadent for colder seasons, this one smells sooo good and you won't be disappointed! (p.s the one thing I did not check for is sillage and longevity, read other reviews for that!)

a rare vanilla- one that doesn't assault your senses and kick every other note to the curb. instead, a stealthy spiciness weaves in tobacco & lapsang souchong (i've noticed UF loves the addition of unexpected notes and this one works so well), freshened with the opening tangerine, and it all manages to not cloy in the drydown, even as the sweet vanilla really comes out. pairs perfectly with frosty days & leather jackets.

I appreciate the layers to this! A spiced scent, but not sure if I'd call it spicy. More like a tea store. There is a certain sophistication to this scent, and younger folks (me) might struggle to wear it. I think I need to pick this up again in a few years. Pairs well with red wine.

long-lasting with a lot of evolution on the drydown, but "peppery vanilla" is a decent enough descriptor to wrap it all up in. as a big time vanilla hater who fears the cloying drydown of any sweet gourmand note, I was pleasantly surprised by its nuance and refinement.

The entrance smells of fanta or an orange creamsicle soda, there's something very fizzy about it. In the dry-down it becomes very powdery, almost dusty as well and makes me think of summer days at grandma's house

hank’s gourmet vanilla cream soda. antique doll head. grandma’s yellow sofa cushions ordained in cat hair. love letters in the attic. steam collecting on the inside of a teacup. ZZZZzzzzzZZzz...

Spicy musk, like rolling around on a bear skin situated near a roaring fireplace. I can't believe the notes don't have any animalistic or musk listed. Many comments list antique fur coat, I'm getting a very recently alive fur/taxidermy/hunter's lodge. A strong offering from Universal Flowering. I am half expecting my own skin to growl at me.

This is making me feel kinda crazy. Deeply earthy, my first impression when I put it on is always that it's a patchouli bomb, but that's nowhere in the notes, I'm completely making it up lol Kind of hated it at first but getting slightly addicted to it. Smells like a musty old home maybe? Or a vintage mink coat straight from the antique store? Something mysterious and old that you are both afraid of (maybe grossed out by?) and want to explore more. Alluring but not sweet, not sexy, something else. Reminds me of Shalimar in that way. I like the drydown a lot. Not a strong vanilla, not a strong pepper, everything leans into each other and blends so seamlessly I can't parse it, can't pick anything out (but I have an untrained nose)

Tried this one today and on the first spritz all I could smell was cow poo :D but as it dried down I can really smell the tobacco note and the tea. It reminds me of an old book shop where they have an incense burning near the counter but it wafts through the shop ingraining itself into the books. I am going to say this isn't for me as I think its a bit mature and leaning a lot on the masculine side which I don't normally mind but I just think these notes do not work for me, I can appreciate it though!

as someone who has never really enjoyed a vanilla fragrance, this is somehow the exception! lush and alluring without being overpowering, and it is able to surprise me throughout the day

The glowing heart just radiates through. Initially I said glowing ember but revising to light through an orb of amber. Sensual. Smells a bit dirty on me...maybe im smelling the tobacco? The cardamom comes through the strongest. Very beautiful. I like it more the more I sniff it. Images are racing through my head and I can’t pin any of them down. The drydown is gorgeous very vanilla very amber verrrrry warm so cushiony

interesting, so musky. Slightly musty. Smells antique, but not in a bad way. The cedar, tea, and tobacco really bring out a strong leathery quality. It makes me picture a leather couch, a fur rug, a damp library, an old portrait of someone no one knows.

I’m surprised I don’t see any reviews stating what seemed obvious to me upon first sniff... I get dr. Pepper! And it’s delightful. I’ll add to this review after some real test drives with it.

Vanilla curdled with mothballs. It’s insane and I love it.