I just received my first Solstice Scents order today! I got the 5 sampler pack so I’ll be reviewing five fragrances for you along with the help of my boyfriend. I’d also like to share my impression of Solstice Scents.

One of the first things that comes to mind is that the turn around time is fast. Really fast. I placed my order on the 11th, it shipped the next day, and I received it, from Florida, today. So the total time from ordering to receiving was only four days, which is absolutely incredible. I got everything very securely packaged with lots of bubble wrap and there was no leaking from any of the sample bottles. I even got a handwritten thank you note, and I thought that was a very nice touch. Each bottle has a clearly written label and the packaging on the samples is very sturdy (the lids of the samples are a bit hard to get off, the trick is to hold firmly and wiggle). Moving on to the fragrance reviews.

Hand of Darkness: Oceanic Accord, Rain Accord, Woods Blend, Black Pitch, Buddha Wood, Lime, Coriander, Tarragon, Amber

In the bottle I’m getting quite a lot of a sharp wood and a bit of the oceanic accord. When I apply it it is ALL wood initially and, frankly, doesn’t smell great on my skin. In about a minute, the lime starts to peek out at me but it is still primarily wood with a touch of pitch. As it begins to dry down it smells of softer wood and lime, but I’m also getting something almost soapy on me. I’m not sure which note is going soapy, but it is definitely there. The scent is incredibly soft on me, I have to about jam my nose into my wrist to smell it. It only lasted about 20 minutes before becoming very faint. Overall, it isn’t terrible, but I don’t care for that soapy edge so I won’t be purchasing a full size. It did smell nice on my boyfriend though! It didn’t last long on him but he said it reminded him of walking down a wooden boardwalk by the beach in Florida.

Maplewood Inn: Maple, Woods, Amber, Benzoin, A Roaring Fire & A Hot Cup Of Frothy Vanilla Chai

At first sniff all I can think is that this smells so yummy. I can smell the chai and maple mingling with a soft woody smell and it’s a very comforting sort of scent. On my skin the fire and wood smell is what hits my nose first, but about two minutes later the maple comes out full force with a touch of the vanilla chai and benzoin. This smells SO delicious. It smells like all of the best smells of fall. Like woodsmoke drifting on crisp fall air. All the notes in this fragrance work flawlessly together. It had a stronger scent but not overpowering at all, and it was long lasting as well. I can’t say enough good things about this scent. I will definitely be getting a full size (or 5). My boyfriend says it smells like “straight up pumpkin and banana bread.”

Library: Leather Bound Books, A Carved Rosewood Mantle, Dying Fireplace Embers, Wood Wainscoting, Cedar Shelving and Aged Paper

I just could not make this work for me. In the bottle it smells like straight up cleaning fluid, and on my skin it smells like cleaning fluid with a hint of leather. This just did not work well with my skin chemistry at all. It smells nicer on my boyfriend. He likes it and says it reminds him of “the morning after camping out in the woods after a light rain.” I personally wouldn’t purchase a full size, but it may work for someone else.

Rose Mallow Cream: Moroccan Rose absolute, Bulgarian Rose absolute, Marshmallow Fluff, Strawberry Nectar, White Chocolate, Vanilla, White Musk

This is not bad, but it’s almost sickly sweet. In the bottle it smells almost exclusively of rose, and on my skin it is all strawberry and white chocolate with a touch of rose. It’s not terrible, but it is very sweet. If you like sweet scents you will probably love this. It is not for me. My boyfriend describes this as “light and sweet.”

Kitchen: Pumpkin, Sugar Cookies, Peach Preserves, Spice Breads, Danishes, Caramel, Vanilla & Sweet Wood Smoke

In the bottle, this smells exactly like a fall themed Yankee candle. I get the spice bread, pumpkin, and caramel on my skin initially. As it starts to dry down, I get more vanilla peeking into everything else. I’m not getting a lot of wood smoke or peach preserves, but overall I do like this. It does smell exactly like a kitchen after baking delicious fall treats. While I love the scent itself, I think I would like it more as a candle or room spray than a perfume. My boyfriend somehow hates this because he hates caramel smells and he called it “caramel dipped in vanilla”. If you like sweet, foodie type scents you will most likely adore this.

Overall, I am very pleased with my experience with Solstice Scents. Not everything is for me, but the quality is definitely there in every scent. I highly recommend checking them out and giving something a try.