Solstice Scents Review

I have heard raves upon raves upon raves about Solstice Scents on every indie forum ever, so I finally decided to pick up some samples, including the cult favorite: Blackburn's Parlor. I had very high expectations of this brand, and it is a good brand, but it doesn't quite live up to the hype the way I thought it would.

These are all well made super high quality perfumes (and beautiful packaging and customer service), but I was expecting some magical otherworldly experience. Instead, what I got was something ordinary in the best kind of way. I think everyone can find perfumes they love in this catalog even if every scent isn't its own Jan Van Eyck Arnolfini Wedding (zoom in on the mirror below the chandelier). 

Shipping and Packaging 

LIGHTNING FAST SHIPPING. My samples were shipped the next day, and in my hands three business days after ordering, the emails actually felt repetitive because everything happened so quickly. Also, I got an order confirmation (with my notes and what I ordered from the shop), a rewards points notification, an order processing confirmation, and a shipment notification. 

Adorable and secure packaging. The stray wad of tissue paper was a little odd because it didn't actually have anything in it, but not anything to be upset about. I have never in my entire life been given so many extra pieces of (beautifully printed, aesthetically pleasing) papers before though. 

The bottles are easy to open but don't leak, the labels are nice and handwritten (she even gives instructions not to touch them with oily hands, which I have already managed to do). This is some of the best shipping and packaging I have ever seen. 

Price

$2.80 per sample, they come in sample packs of 5 or 10 and then they have themed collection sample sets. However, you get a free sample (of your choice) with every order so its more like $2.30-$2.50 per perfume sample. 

Scent Reviews

Nightgown ★★☆☆☆

Company Description: Vanilla, White Chocolate, Tuberose and Tiare Flowers

In the Bottle: Fairly similar to how it is on the skin
On the skin: whiteboard marker, with some floral, and just a touch of sugar. For the people who want to huff Expo products without seeming like some sort of junkie.
Sillage: ✦✦✦✦✧

Blueberry Muffin Batter ★★☆☆☆

My expectations of this were that it was going to smell like out-of-the-box blueberry muffin batter, so I thought I would mention this as it is an important bias. 

Company Description: None given

In the Bottle: It smells like sweet bananas with some batter, but not what I had expected

On the skin: Good dehydrated blueberry, terrible batter, it is sweet but whole grainy like when my Home Economics teacher had us make bran muffins. 

Sillage: ✦✦✦✦✧

Can I make this one discontinued in exchange for Cocoa Mallow?

Cocoa Mallow ★★★★★

Company Description: **also this is discontinued because apparently everything I love needs to be taken from me** Chocolate and Marshmallow 

In the Bottle: When you open it up you are hit in the face with the smell of Swiss Miss Cocoa Mix, and then you start smelling the marshmallow once you adjust to the intense chocolate scent. 

On the skin: I  think because of how strong this is in the bottle, it diffuses a bit better on the skin than other cocoa scents I have tried. It is exactly like if you put marshmallows in hot cocoa, and I think because of its sillage and lack of other notes that take away from this perfection, it surpasses my other chocolate perfume samples. Also, once it has dried down some, the marshmallow becomes stronger, not cloying, just more prominent. 

Sillage: ✦✦✦✧✧

Lasting Time: safely 6-7 hours but it can last all day if you aren't working out or anything like that. 

Black Burn's Parlor ★★★☆☆

Company Description: Vanilla Waffle Bowl, Vanilla & Chocolate Ice Creams, Banana, Caramel, Whipped Cream

In the Bottle: It smells like banana laffy taffy, I do enjoy banana laffy taffy, it is the only fake banana I like, but not so sure if I want to smell like it. 

On the skin: The banana mellows out, and I get a bit of caramel and waffle cone (which do smell nice from the distance, they are the scent you get right at the edge of the perfume's sillage). I'm honestly not that into it though? It smells so good from a distance, and it isn't cloying at all, but one of my favorite things about perfume is being able to smell my wrist when I tuck my hair behind my ear or otherwise nervously play with my hair, and up close it is just the wrong combination of banana and caramel and waffle cone. 

Sillage: ✦✦✦✦✧

Lasting Time: 4-5 hours

Cardamom Rose Sugar ★★★☆☆

Company Description: Brown Sugar, Cardamom, Moroccan & Bulgarian Rose Absolutes

In the Bottle: So in the bottle it has a very lemony tinge to it, very spicy with a background of sweet

On the skin: It is like my mother's french toast but with a spicy and lemon note in the background. I have yet to find the roses in this. 
Edit: I know why it smells like my mother's french toast now. She always makes brown sugar syrup to go with it. 

Sillage: ✦✦✦✦✧ this is a pretty strong fragrance, if you get fragrance headaches I can't recommend it. 

Lasting Time: safely 7-8 hours, the scent is still there at that point, and usually lingers, but I don't think it has the same throw anymore (I say think because you eventually stop noticing any stimuli that you are constantly exposed to)

Pharaoh ★★★☆☆

Company Description: Egyptian Musk, Honey & Frankincense Essential Oil.  SOFT MUSK

In the Bottle: Sharp, deep, some green to it.

On the skin: I'm wondering if this has a base of resin or amber to it because it has a very rich deep sharp smell to it, with just a hint of green. Petrified tree sap seems like it would match this description. I think I get a touch of floral and talc in the background (but this is a blind smell test so I could be terribly wrong). 

Sillage: ✦✦✦✧✧ The strength of the scent is fine, but it is very present and distinct. It doesn't blend well into the background, people will get this scent in their nostrils and pause to wonder what it is. 

Lasting Time: Safely 7-8 hours, this lasted me all day though. After twelve hours, it is still there faintly.