This is going to be my welcome back to blogging (YET AGAIN). The last bit of my final semester was rough and overall just needed to take a bit to get me all sorted. I have so many eyeshadow reviews that I need to get out buuuut I made a small purchase from Darling Clandestine (DC) at the beginning of June, after reading some many rave reviews at /r/indiemakeupandmore on Reddit.

I really had not ventured into the indie scents arena yet and while I wanted to order everything, I picked items based upon several blog reviews and comments from my fellow redditors. My reviews will be based on cold sniff from the jar and will list DC’s scent story below the photo. I have to say I was worried about the Phoenix summer destroying them before they arrived. I ordered three Bitsy Vials and two solids; while the smells mingled in the packaging and opening it smelled AMAZING everything seems to have held up beautifully. Sorry if the post is clunky this is my first perfume review (pretty sure there is going to be more) so let’s get to it

Gram-Negative

It is lightly spicy with a very clean dirt smell that reminds me of that laying one the grass in early spring where the dirt is the top note. I really like it. I ordered this as a Bitsy

“Gram-Negative is deep, damp, earthy essential moss; sticky green leaf resin; a whisper of black tea; and a rare, rich, mellow, buttery orchid essential oil that is just divine.” -DC

Next up is Blue Valentine

For the life of me I can not place the flower that I am smelling but it is complex but light in the bottle, i get a sense maybe of cotton but I am really excited to try it on and see how it dries down.



“My Saint Valentine’s Day scent, inspired, of course, by the irreproducible Tom Waits. A moody bouquet of hyacinth and violet and poppies and figs, washed down with shots of real whiskey and bitters and delicate musks and mint. Very potent, very heady. ” -DC

Last of the bitsy’s is Mishigami

I really need to work on this smelling thing of mine HAHA…all I smell is green, and warm sun like spring time in a bottle with a hint of dryer sheets (which I happen to like the smell of)



“Mishigami is inspired by the beautiful Lake Michigan, from Illinois to Wisconsin to Indiana to, well, Michigan, and all its moods, from frantic to placid, and all its colors, from steely black to algae green to misty grey to Caribbean blue, and all its shorelines, from fine beach sands to rocky cliffs to dappled pebbles to soft dark mud. It’s more than just an “aquatic” scent; it’s got haunting sandy depth that I’m really, really pleased with. ” -DC

On to the solids Inked was one I had to have several posts in Reddit just made it sound fabulous.

Smells like amazingly expensive leather, it is very sensual and warm, you would want to snuggle up to whom ever is wearing this for sure!



“Carefully blended and infused by me in small batches in vintage glass wine bottles, this fragrance throbs with a sting of sea salt and leather and splashes of communion wine. It evokes . . . well, it evokes raw skin. Yet it’s perfectly embraceable. And perfectly appropriate for gents and bold ladies. A multitude of different scent elements and weeks of methodical alchemy make Inked no ordinary scented oil mix — it’s a truly inimitable fragrance.” -DC

Last solid Kendraberry This one was brought back in a limited quantity so I felt incredibly lucky to have been ordering it when I did!

It is sweet (not super sugar sweet but light dusting of sugar) and floral. Of all of these on the cold sniff it is not my favorite but I typically love floral scents so I am hoping on me it works!



“Created for a dear friend, this fragrance is a bright, effervescent candied floral, tempered with fresh fruits and green tea and amber and ozone. Intense and feminine, perfect for those who enjoy a more “traditional” perfume but don’t like the headiness that comes with a commercial eau” -DC

Overall I am thrilled with what came in the mail and will be stalking DC’s store front for her to reopen in July! I thought I had ordered Carny Wedding but alas I did not and that is at the top of my list to get along with oh about a million others! Thanks for reading and hope y’all are staying cool this summer!!

XOXO

MH