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| Part Deux--read on to find out more about Puanani, Penelope, and more! |
Djuna--in the vial, this reminds me of a softer version of Valdosta, rather like a fresh-faced little sister to the Southern belle. The sandalwood note is very subtle and not at all overpowering, the bergamot lends some brightness, and the florals are clean and somewhat muted. I wanted to challenge a friend who stated that she hates florals so I included this in a "care package" I sent her.
Mostly Magnolia--my friend Ki noted with some dismay (because she really likes most of her Wiggle) that this scent was too "green" for her. This is definitely a "fresh floral" scent; in the vial this came off with a slight "soapy" edge that was not unpleasant to my nose. I did like this scent but loved so many of my other Wiggle samples that I forwarded this also to my friend for her own little "Wiggle party."
Penelope--like Carmilla, this scent calls to my mind a rich, ripe cordial liqueur in the vial, although this time it's more like my orange-peel-and-spices-in-brandy compositions. On the skin, the woodsy chypre, bitter/astringent saffron come through, balancing the sweetness and the floral notes are not cloying at all (my guess would be the balance of geranium with the heavier "oriental" rose). I'm having a hard time deciding which I like better, Carmilla or Penelope...I may have to get both ;)
Selene--Another "I dare you to hate it" scent I shipped off to a friend, Selene opened up in the vial with sweet citrus, soft jasmine, and a hit of resinous Myrrh and exotic musk. It's definitely a grown-up scent and I wonder what she'll think of it.
Orange Blossom Honey--This was a sweet and simple scent that made me feel like it was early Spring again and I was standing right under my orange tree, which was covered in blooms at the time and smelled just incredible! I liked it enough to think I'd want a full size of it even though I hadn't worn it, it was such a lovely example of a Neroli scent with just enough sweetness from the honey/honeysuckle and richness from the cedar and patchouli to keep it from being "too green." I thought my friend would love this so I sent it to her as well.
Puanani--I'd say this might be another fav out of the lot, along with Speakeasy Vanilla. I fell in love with this right in the vial and was completely lost in it as I wore it through a day at work that dragged forever and was made bearable by the occasional whiff I'd catch of Puanani. The description implores you to "get your mind out of the gutter" and note there's an extra vowel in the name that should counteract your memory of a slang term. I'm not sure what that refers to but there is an innuendo that is one of the kaona, or layers of meaning, of the Hawaiian phrase pua nani so the "dirty mind" is not far off ;) Puanani the scent has a light white musk as it's base that's not at all off-putting (as a cheap musk will be for me) and is complemented well by the notes of spicy-sweet fresh ginger, `awapuhi or ginger blossom, and jasmine--perfectly at home in a tropical composition, since Pikake or Hawaiian jasmine is a frequent adornment for hula dancers. I'm sooooo getting a full size of this!!
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| Photo courtesy of Wiggle Perfume & Sundries on Etsy |
Jasmine Verbena--Fabulous fresh scent that contradicts the usual view of "jasmine" scents as being too ripe or cloying. Like Mostly Magnolia, this one would make a great soap/scrub or body butter scent; it's bright and green with just enough floral from the Jasmine to be nicely feminine.
Coconut Lotus--A nice balance of sweet and floral; you definitely get the coconut on the first whiff out of the vial, with the Lotus coming in a beat later to keep the creaminess from being overwhelming. Simple, uncomplicated but not shallow, I think this would appeal to fans of both the "foodie" and "floral" scent categories. If I didn't LOVE Anjali so much, I'd have to get a full size of this.
Nicosia--Another scent that's light on the Sandalwood (for those who "hate" Sandalwood--I'm looking at you, Ki!!) and has some intriguing notes in it, such as Olive blossom, to balance the spicy-woody Sandalwood. This was sweet and spicy in the vial without coming off as peppery and reminded me somehow of baklava without smelling like pastry. This scent and the two that preceded it went along to my friend's home to round out the Wiggle sampler I pieced together for her.
Well there you have it: the sum total of my current experience with Wiggle ;) I do hope you give Nani's stuff a sniff--her samples are generous and reasonably priced, she's an absolute sweetheart with great CS, her TAT and shipping times are fairly quick, and her scents are lovely!
MKA,
Lizzy
Disclaimer: All content is my own opinion only and should in no way be construed as a paid endorsement or representation of any companies/blogs named. I receive no compensation whatsoever from any makeup or other companies or blogs named/linked to in my posts for my looks or reviews. All of the products used in this post I paid for with my own money (my hubby wouldn't have it any other way, lol!), except for Puanani which was a free sample with purchase. I just like to have fun with all the pretty pretty scents...
