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sleemm – :
I’d just blown my paycheck ordering a half dozen bottles of niche perfume online, but I still had a hankering for instant gratification on the cheap. So I headed to Ross, not expecting much; maybe a bottle of Pink Sugar or a Lolita Lempicka flanker to hold me over till the good stuff arrived. Imagine my delight when I found the Derek Lam 10 Crosby sample set for $20! Now imagine my disappointment as I realized how average most of them were.
Afloat really takes the cake, though. Totally generic Febreze, dryer sheet, spray deodorant, fresh laundry scented candle-type smell. Yes, you will smell fresh ‘n’ clean, but not $160 worth of fresh ‘n’ clean. . . If I’d blind bought a full bottle at retail it would’ve gone straight back to the store.
Some positive observations to keep this review balanced: Afloat (the entire collection, actually) has enormous sillage and longevity, which on my skin is no small feat. Pedestrian as the fragrances may be, they do not smell “cheap.” I know this line gets a lot of comparisons to Bath & Body Works sprays, but even the haters have to admit these are an elevated version. No headache-inducing plasticky fumes here. Lastly, I like the clean, modern packaging. It’s not my personal taste, but it works for the brand.
I guess since I now own a vial of every scent, I can have some fun mixing & matching, layering with other frags, etc. But, in my opinion, a perfume in this price bracket should not require experimentation to be interesting. Do not blind buy!!
Loangoysdbuo – :
There are definitely fruity notes not listed lol
Meteor228 – :
I wore Yves Saint Laurent Paris in the 90s and this smells exactly like vintage Paris. Been looking for a vintage bottle of Paris but for now this will do.
kupviagru – :
This fragrance is an accurate representation of the Derek Lam design aesthetic. There is nothing busy or overdone from Derek Lam; every choice is intentional. When something is simple, you can’t hide any mistakes.
Afloat is the correct name for this beauty. The mimosa is clean and realistic, with a delicate sweetness. This is mimosa as it smells when it’s growing, with none of the overly sweet or indolic notes. The orris is a soft powder which becomes more prominent over time. The dry down has an evolution of yellow florals.
As is common with the Derek Lam fragrances this has excellent longevity which is really a testament to the quality of materials used. For such a delicate scent it has excellent projection.
Is it earth-shatteringly different? No. Is it exceptionally well done? Yes.
Underskin – :
User kbot (below) wrote what I would have. This has been done before.
HatFeartyRacy – :
I like this stuff! I am enjoying the whole line – nice size samples, almost roller ball size. I may not find my signature scent among them but I am surprised so many people are giving all of the Derek Lam collection such a hard time…
ml65 – :
Generic sweet floral. Pleasant but it reminds me of cheap fragrances I wore as a kid in the 90s.
guriouttoky – :
Agree with others comment that this is as shampoo/dryer/sheet/generic “clean” floral as it gets. Also reminds me of Body Shop Moringa. Smells like many other things that are less expensive.
Voron-Ka – :
This smells at once familiar and comforting and yet unusually elegant and different. I’m getting a Champs Elysees vibe from this (obviously the mimosa), as though Afloat is an airy memory of CE or a stripped down version where the mimosa shines with the background of orris supporting it. The longer this is on my skin, the more appealing it is becoming to me.
maximus100010 – :
I agree with ami.alger. Boring.
masei – :
Synthetic, plastic-y sweetness that smells of cloyingly false florals.
So, yes, they really are going through the whole Bath & Bodyworks line up and daring to charge 95$ a bottle for it. Buy the 14$ version and re-spray every few hours. You’ll still save money.
This whole line should be embarrassed of itself.
yurok650 – :
I tried this yesterday and I must say, “I love it!” It reminds me of Bond No 9 Hudson yards for some reason. A lot cheaper though than Bond. It is a great floral and I may have to get this one for spring!!! It’s the best of the set! Lasts all day, too!!
Rinachothbona1979 – :
I find it interesting, and better quality than B& Body works…it has good longevity, smells elegant, maybe is it overpriced? In a way, but I like it, it is smells pretty, without being out of this world either!! I usually don’t like mimosa, but mixed in with the orris I find it attractive!!! Now unsure if I will buy it…
cloverfeld – :
Soap, shampoo, synthetic citrus-floral. Might be a good fabric softener fragrance, but nobody spends $95 on fabric softener. Very disappointing…quantity over quality with this collection, I’m afraid.