Victoria’s Secret Coconut Craze

Coconut Craze is another one of those Beauty Rush 2-in-1 moisturizer and body mist combos from Victoria’s Secret. Its application and concept is in the same ballpark area as Plumdrop and Appletini.

Coconut Craze

In Bottle: That coconut note that I complain tends to smell sour. I smell it in this and aside from a very noisy vanilla note, that’s just about all I can get.

Applied: Goes on very light and sheer. The scent is strongly coconut and sweet vanilla with the coconut possessing that slightly sour quality to it that meshes rather poorly with how sweet this fragrance is trying to be. The fragrance ages on the skin but never really loses its coconut note which clings rather impressively. This is a sweet, girly, very simple body mist. The fragrance smells very similar to Bath and Body Works’ Coconut Vanilla fragrance. Not all that surprising, considering both of these operate on the same coconut and vanilla formula. Overall, not bad, but the sour coconut note drags the fragrance down a few notches. Longevity on me was surprisingly good.

Extra: So another coconut based note strikes out in the books. I wish I knew how they made coconut in some fragrances smell convincing while coconut in others just smells sour and synthetic.

Design: Coconut Craze is bottled in the same way as Plumdrop and Appletini. The only difference seems to be the name on the label and the juice inside being a pleasant white color. Almost looks like milk.

Fragrance Family: Gourmand

Notes: Coconut, vanilla.

I really do love Victoria’s Secret’s double body mists. Getting two things done at once and smelling nice? Aces in my book. As for Coconut Craze, it is decent for what it is. If you don’t have the, “Argh! Sour coconut” curse that I do, this is an affordable, nice-smelling coconut and vanilla fragrance and moisturizer.

Reviewed in This Post: Coconut Craze, 2010, Body Mist.


Voyage d’Hermes

Voyage d’Hermès has come to be known in the fragrance world as, “did you see that bottle?” Or at least, that’s what I call it. It’s the perfume with the fantastic bottle. The juice inside is pretty good too.

Voyage d'Hermes

In Bottle: Bright green citrus. Lime most of all, with a distinct sourness to it. This smells like lime rinds, okay? And I love it.

Applied: That initial citrus, green and dry with a hint of sourness edges into a steadily rising spicy mid-stage where ginger greets you and takes you to meet its friend cardamom. The two of them hold you there, complementing each other with the fading lime rind as the fragrance’s rind opening gives way to a sheer floral headed by those spices you met earlier. The fragrance then dissolves into a white musk dashed with a bit of woodsiness that grows stronger and stronger as the spices start to fade away starting with ginger then cardamom. The final stage is marked with a pretty white musk and fading traces of woodsy notes. It should be noted that Voyage d’Hermès is not a heavy scent. It is extremely sheer so if you’re looking for power and projection, this is not your stuff.

Extra: Voyage d’Hermès was composed by the much esteemed Jean-Claude Ellena whose rapsheet also includes Kelly Caleche and Terre d’Hermès.

Design: I’ve got to spend a little time talking about this bottle. I love it. The design, the quirky swivel. The fact that it’s minimalist but elegant and modern. The inner glass bottle contains the juice itself, but it also has an outer metal casing that swivels. What sets this outer metal casing apart from other perfumes of glass and metal is the fact that the casing acts both as a cap and a stand. It’s a little functionality for your fragrance that beats the gold plated stuff that simply serves to be flashy. Did I mention an added bonus feature of this bottle? It’s refillable. Immediate points given for that, Hermes. It looks good. It functions well. You can refill it. It’s just fantastic.

Fragrance Family: Fresh Spicy

Notes: Lime, juniper, green tea, pepper, ginger, cardamom, cedar, sandalwood, amber, white musk.

Hermes has always done some beautiful work with their fragrances and I particularly must give props to Jean-Claude Ellena. The man has made some fabulous perfumes in his time and Voyage d’Hermès is one of them. Neither too abstract or too derivative, Voyage d’Hermès is in that beautiful little middle ground where balance is key.

Reviewed in This Post: Voyage d’Hermès, 2010, Eau de Toilette.