Jasmine and Vanilla

Dare I say I'm becoming something of a Lushie? I've genuinely enjoyed almost everything I've tried from Lush and find their products to be of a consistently high standard, which surprised me given the sometimes questionable efficacy of "natural" products. Recently, a lady at work enthusiastically sprayed on a perfume at lunch and after she revealed it to be Lush Lust, I ran to a Lush store later that day and bought the 10ml spritzer of Lust, along with Vanillary. At an affordable $15.50 a piece and packaged in a sleek, travel-friendly cylinder, I was keen to unearth a world of scents previously unknown to me with the purchase of my first two Lush perfumes.

Lush Gorilla Perfume in Lust and Vanillary

Lust
This stuff is potent. There's no other way to describe it. One single spritz, held at a distance, lasts hours. People from the other side of the room could probably detect a whiff of Lust after it's first sprayed. This disperses and settles like an atomic bomb leaving a mushroom cloud. Mixed with heat or sweat on the skin, it's even more heady, to the point where it's slightly sickening. Having said that, it's one amazing burst of super charged jasmine. A definite wake up call to the senses. If you like jasmine, you need to at least experience Lust. There are apparently additional notes of rose, ylang ylang, sandalwood and vanilla, but they're all very much in the background. It's often described as "dirty" or "indolic", typical of authentic jasmine. There's a tartness and mustiness there that stops it from being completely sweet and creamy.

Vanillary
Lately, I've been flirting with the idea of adding a vanilla perfume to my collection, either diptyque Eau Duelle or Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille. Vanillary is a much more accessible way of dabbling in vanilla fragrances without needing to fork out over $100 for the two I've been lusting over. The notes as described by Lush include natural vanilla absolute, jasmine and tonka bean, with hints of sandalwood and burnt caramel. I'm not huge on the opening which is a bit "uriney" as one MakeupAlley user put it (mainly due to the jasmine), but after 10-15 minutes the vanilla body begins to shine through. It becomes more traditionally gourmand with a warmth and spiciness that keeps it interesting. This one, while not distinctly subtle, is nowhere near as long-lasting or strong as Lust. After 30 or so minutes, it's faded and subdued, staying relatively close to the skin.