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arheangel97 – :
There is SO MUCH HATE on this….I don’t agree. Yes, it is a linear vanilla/cedar perfume. And that is exactly why I love it. I actually bought this once and sold it because…its vanilla and going for a better buck than what I got it for at TJ Maxx…. Fast forward to me missing this. It has staying power and its beautiful and girly and lasts and lasts on my clothes days after spraying it…seems especially magical in the winter. So once again I found it on clearance at TJ’s and I snatched it up. Welcome back old friend. You don’t know what you got until its gone. And despite the negative reviews…this one is a favorite that I passed off as too simple, but should not have. Complex is NOT always superior. I LOVE this. You all can give me your Derek Lam cast offs now… I GET it now. Sometimes less is more.
seredenko68 – :
I got a 10-pack of this perfumer’s scents, and Something Wild was the first one I tried, based on the scent from the bottle. Unfortunately, this is kind of a strange scent on my skin…I was hoping for a unique, sweet musky fragrance, but I feel like this smells like a strange gourmand on me–almost like a bread pudding! It’s sweet, creamy, gooey, vaguely spicy….maybe some tobacco…unique but not really in the way I was hoping for. I hope I am not let down by some of the other scents in my set, because I will say, smelling from the bottles, they all actually smell like they have great potential–and a good variety of different notes (a few florals, at least one aquatic, a few sweet ones…). But time will tell. I will post more reviews as I sample through them.
Update: I have to come back and say, the longer I wore this the better I liked it. I actually used 3 sprays of this first use, and I think it was just too much. This lasted all day for me, and by the end of my day, I actually did like it better. I am going to sample this again and only spray 1x on skin, under clothing, and see how much I enjoy this one. Kudos for longevity on Something Wild!!!
LaDas – :
For purpose of this review, I am a male.
I blind bought this fragrance because several online reviewers I follow rated this as a decent men’s winter scent even though it’s marketed for women. They were right that it has a masculine quality about it… but barely.
I’m not a fan. It has a very strong cedar scent (almost smells like a strong, bitter red wine) that really overpowers the vanilla note. This lessens a bit with dry down but stil remains overpowering. Which is truly a shame. The vanilla reminds me of a light, marshmallow cream that would certainly provide the sweetness desired by a lot of men for their winter fragrances.
If the cedar could be replaced by leather… booze… maybe a light tobacco… men would flock to this. Sometimes I don’t know why I ever even try to stray away from CH Men.
Overall: 3/10
trunin777 – :
Bliss makes a body butter that smells very close to this in vanilla+bergamot scent. To me it smells like a deconstructed Shalimar, leaving only the vanilla, baby powder, tobacco and wood. Definitely test if you like Shalimar or Emeraude, and are additionally, a vanilla fan
барабас – :
This is great! Reminds me of prada candy with some oak wood added
sibir_9089 – :
Bought at Tj Maxx….by mistake….UGH !!! I actually wanted Blackout. Got the 2 confused…oh well!
Something Wild, at first spritz is….well…$%&@!.
Then, as it developes, it changes for the better. I get way more notes than the 2 listed for sure. Vanilla?? I agree with another reviewer…vanilla is in the back seat. I can feel this is a edgy scent to sniff. I guess it fits into that “different” category. This one is not mainstream to my nose & IMHO. I will give this a chance and see what happens on a new day. It has me perplexed to say the least…but I a leaning towards it being a “like”. Something in this is almost…dirty…on the top…but the good underneath shines back…if that makes any sense…???….Perplexed, for now.
JENKIS-55 – :
I am absolutely shocked reading the reviews here! Not sure if it is my nose, my skin/chemistry, or my official sample I received, but I do not seem to be smelling the same scent that everyone else is.
To me, the vanilla really takes a backseat in this one. Instead, it’s mostly cloying in a boozy tobacco den kind of way. I’m still trying to figure out whether I like cedar fragrances, but if this one is any indication, then I definitely do not. It comes off heavy, incensed, and dirty.
While I clearly do not mix well with this fragrance, I have decided “Something Wild” is a very suitable name for the fragrance. This invokes imagery of a very wild night out – sweet, powdery, skanky, smokey, heavy, dirty.
Richi – :
With a name like Something Wild, I was expecting something “red,” spicy, fruity, and maybe boudoir.
But what I’m getting is birch tar, combined with a creamy French Vanilla flavored taffy, still warm and being pulled and stretched.
It’s an odd combination: imagine layering Bvlgari Black with a sugary vanilla gourmand. I think Strange Dichotomy would be an apt name for this scent!
It doesn’t develop much, just gently fades, and the vanilla becomes more prominent than the tar.
There’s also a slight plasticky aspect to it that reminds me of Silly Putty, if you are familiar with that. When I was a kid, this beige putty came inside a plastic egg. You could press it against comic strips, and it would make a reverse image of the newsprint that you could stretch and transfer.
I don’t perceive any similarity to Brooks Brothers Black Fleece. Black Fleece is more peppery rose to me. I find Something Wild to be more along the lines of Vera Bradley’s Vanilla Sea Salt, and I think it will appeal more to those who like sweet vanilla than to those who are into woody or tarry scents.
AlexZarg – :
I’m working my way through the entire Derek Lam 10 Crosby line. Haven’t found any that really wowed me so far, but this one definitely did the opposite. Ew. Hamster cage meets vanilla extract, with a handful of chalk dust on my skin. Truly awful. If you’re not a cedar fan, stay far away from Something Wild. Even if you are a cedar fan, I recommend approaching this one with caution. There are surely better cedars out there, at any price point. Darned if it didn’t persist, too–about seven hours of wear under clothing and it plagued me all day.
Kasperskyi – :
IF You’re at T.J. MAXX, Ross or Marshalls right now looking this up– FORGET IT. Do not buy!
I blind bought this based on good reviews and for the fact that I want to save on my Dior Addict (vintage) and add a “basic vanilla” as my “go-to”. This aint it.
You get a basic set of chemicals and those “Oh, I’ve smelled that before” notes inside this mess!
Like a $5.00 knock-off of Pink Sugar or something. P.S. poor longevity too!
I cannot believe that last year these were on sale at Sephora for $70.00 a pop! (they are now $24.99 at all cheapie outlets). FOOEY !!
Meglk893elipseskism – :
Okay I really like this. Definitely reminiscent of original vintage Jil sander Sun. Heliotrope bronzey tonka warm sun kissed skin. Heavy. Oriental. Powdery makeup vanilla. I also get that creamy cinammon spiced vanilla pudding accord that organza indecence has.
ruskaz – :
This is a great scent for vanilla lovers. I love vanilla, I am a fan of this scent. It’s not a super sweet vanilla like in Manifesto and it’s not a cold vanilla like in Aura. It’s just a nice straightforward vanilla grounded by a very subtle woody note. One of the better ones from this line.
I didn’t overpay. I paid 29.99 for the mini set.
IgorEXE – :
Ideal sillage (for me) and amazing longevity. I will smell like this the next day, if I don’t shower at nighttime.
This is the only scent from the Derek Lam line that’s worth the money (imo), the only other one worth my time is “Looking Glass”.
The notes make this seem like a really simple frag. Though linear, I feel like it’s more than vanilla and wood.
Amazing scent for winter and fall. I get a “glamping” vibe from this scent.
If you have seen the movie, “Sausage Party”: 1) I am sorry. 2) Imagine a anthropomorphized, sexy, toasted marshmallow (;
I realize now that that imagery probably isn’t very appealing. IDK just go try it at sephora, okay?
dereza – :
I am impressed that many reviewers on this site have a lot to say about this fragrance line, because I am stumped. Almost every scent from it has been done before and is played out. Time and time again they get compared to Bath and Body Works scents, air fresheners, dryer sheets, candles, and cleaner. If you bought anything from the 10 Crosby collection, you overpaid.
This one, in particular, is like a spiced vanilla cocktail. Very sweet and sugary vanilla with light woods. Not marshmallow yet, but getting there.
karga – :
This, to me, is not wild. It is, however, incredibly cozy and comforting.
On initial spray it’s heavily woody but it opens into something more sweet. It’s like a charred marshmallow over a campfire. That unmistakable smoky scent of aged wood mixed with gooey melting marshmallow.
Thankfully the smoke and wood keep it from ever becoming too saccharine or cloying. The sillage stays in close to the body, which for me is a great thing. As someone who loves woody and spicy scents, you can sometimes run the risk of leaving a trail of smoke behind you if the sillage is too much.
Overall, a beautiful fragrance and easily my favorite from the Derek Lam line.
pasha_10 – :
This is quite powdery on me and it kinda reminds me of baby wipes. As far as vanilla-ceder combos go I much prefer Cologne of the Missions. It is stronger, less powder, more woods. This is pretty tame for something wild :p
Easermatiesia – :
The initial spray was boozy. A spiced alcohol and I felt like I was in a hipster night spot. This opening quickly faded into stale, sugary, kids cereal. The cinnamon spiced woods were the only redeeming factor in this one. Definitely unisex depending on chemistry. Also, for me this was sneeze-inducing, so proceed with caution if you are sensitive.
soprani – :
Wow this really is Something Wild. I had them make a sample for me at Sephora and I could smell it coming out of the sample bag and thought “whoa no way am I gonna like that one”. It smelt heavy, smokey maybe a bit like incense. I sprayed it on me because I knew I was gonna shower soon so if I didn’t like it it was ok. But I have to say this is very interesting and I think I like it. It smells like cigars, vanilla and bourbon. It has masculine tones but it’s smooth, creamy and dark all at once. It’s pretty “Wild”.
Meffi – :
This definitely reminds me of Fresh Cream by Philosophy which I also love. It is very sweet, but also has a hint of spice which is nice.
skinius – :
For women? Could’ve fooled me! I received a sample of this in a swap and I WILL be wearing all of it. It starts out sweet like frosting, then quickly develops into what smells like vanilla, light incense, and sugar cubes. I don’t care who you are, man or woman, you’ll enjoy this one if you like sweet scents!
As much as I like this though, I decided not to purchase it based solely on its price. I discovered Aquolina Black Sugar from the same swap, and purchased it instead, for only $13.
I tried Philosophy Fresh Cream, and I don’t find it all that similar. In my opinion, Fresh Cream is a hollow substitute for Something Wild. It’s empty. Sweet, but too light and airy. You literally smell sweet air rather than the thicker vanilla/cedar/incense. I also tried Tokyo Milk Dark’s Bulletproof, and well, they’re nowhere near similar to me. I guess they’re kind of in the same genre, but not much alike at all.
In my opinion, Aquolina Black Sugar is much closer to Something Wild. Don’t get me wrong, they have their differences… Black Sugar starts out dark and lightens up as it goes, and smells a bit like a burnt marshmallows with milky vanilla, whereas Something Wild starts out like vanilla frosting, then develops into a more of a smoky vanilla sugar cube. Black Sugar is darker and Something Wild has a bit more sparkling vanilla, and I detect a faint touch of jasmine which brightens things up even more. Even still, I find it VERY similar to Black Sugar, especially as Black Sugar starts to dry down and lose a bit of it’s darkness (once the raspberry fades). Something Wild is of course much higher quality. Still, it’s a cheap alternative worth checking out!
Deroxxxwji – :
This is all I’ve been wearing this winter, I can’t pass it by! It’s addictive, so comforting yet still sexy, and classy. It is so well done, I smell a bit of milkiness mixed with smokiness , has the vibe of Eau Duelle with a bit of Fresh Cream Philosophy…and the way it melts into your skin yet still manages to have incredible silage. The minimalistic bottle with the bright juice in the middle, so simple yet so unique. I’m a forever fan! This is no ordinary vanilla fragrance..it’s got sexy twist, it’s definitely a very well done fragrance. The lasting power on this one is phenomenal, and it induces the most comforting vibes, but still sexy according to the many compliments I receive… never mind that, it makes me FEEL sexy!
vovk130472 – :
In the late 1990’s, Glade introduced gel/oil air fresheners for the car, and my mom bought a vanilla scented one for the station wagon that I later inherited as my “first car.” In the hot Georgia summers, the ampoule melted, and the result was a gooey vanilla mess that lasted for the full year that I drove the car.
Spraying Derek Lam’s Something Wild on my arm yesterday, I was brought back to that moment in my teens. Not to too heavily critique, but for this scent, you could save the money and buy a Fantasies body spray and get the same result.
For a more complex vanilla, try Guerlain’s Spirituese Double Vanille. Heck, even Prada Candy, which costs less than Derek Lam, smells much better composed.
Sorry for the bad review, but Something Wild was a scrubber for sure.
skredgg – :
I got samples of the entire Derek Lam line & this was the only one I liked, much less want to purchase. I get what he seems to be going for – simple two-note linear fragrances supposed to evoke a specific mood or moment. Unfortunately they all fail miserably for me, too linear, too flat, too uncreative, and I can’t see any of the scenes that are supposed to inspire each scent. This one however smells wonderful and I think I’m going to buy a full bottle. I would think its overpriced if it didnt’t seem to have some serious sticking power, without being overpowering (which I like in this case.) Its is definitely linear, the same from start to whenever its going to finish. But its a great vanilla – it smells just like vanilla bean pods when I slice them open to bake desserts with an undertone of cedar, and a well done cedar that is still feminine is not easy to find! I saw a couple people mentioned Prada Candy and Un Bois de Vanille; I can see the comparison but it smells very dinstinctly different to me. Not nearly so sweet as Candy, much simpler than Bois de Vanille. Just as sweet as a real vanilla bean with an accurately described cedar “dark, smooth finish.” I love it.
lepeskin1972 – :
This fragrance reminds me of sitting by the fireplace on a cold fall or winter day mixed with the smell of crushing vanilla beans with a mortar and pestle. The vanilla is extremely authentic, not artificial at all. A beautiful warm and comforting winter scent, perfect for those cold days. My issue with this fragrance is that it doesn’t evolve. As mentioned by others, what you get initially is all you will get. It’s a very nice fragrance but I don’t feel that it is worth the price tag, seeing as it is so linear.
32felix – :
This has settled into a nice vanilla fragrance, albeit one dimensional. I’m typically not a gourmand person but I like how this one has dried down. Not overly sweet or spicy. I layered it with a honey-and-white-floral body splash and it worked quite well together. Still, I think it might like the $7 body splash I layered it with better than the actual perfume.
boss_11 – :
Reminds me a little of Sage Pearl, but it’s not as interesting. If I had no other vanilla fragrances, I would likely go nuts for this one. However, I am a vanilla veteran, so I don’t need this fragrance. It is along the lines of Prada Candy (which I LOVE),
lesazc77 – :
I can’t quite place what this scent reminds me of, but it’s beautiful. I could be picking up Prada Candy notes on my skin. Very creamy with a hint of sweetness. The more I wear it, the better it becomes. My favorite of the entire line and bottle worthy!
victoriya19 – :
This one is really woody. It gives you a campfire vibe. I also get a smooth creamy vanilla as well. Definitely something I can only see myself wearing in the fall but I do love it
TymnRattcam – :
There is something very Love’s Baby Soft 70s about this scent. I definitely think there is a musk note in here somewhere… It doesn’t ring of Pink Sugar to me although it is very sweet. It’s a cowl neck sweater comforting type of sweet. I think it will wear very well in the winter.
latoevacex – :
I created my username not knowing there was a fragrance of the same name so when I discovered it I had to give it a try.
I personally am not a fan of the bottle, however, at first sniff all I can envision is a light, fluffy cloud of MARSHMALLOWS.
This mixture of earthy vanilla notes and woody cedar create a cute and comforting, slightly powdery, almost toasted scent.
Yes. Cute.
xru844InsuffBooni – :
Best one of the bunch if you love Vanilla….reminds me a lot of Indult Tihota.
igorius07 – :
Sweet, almost cinnamon-y cedar. My fav of the Derek Lam scents so far.
skiff880 – :
Idk why these aren’t unisex. This starts off with the best vanilla note I’ve ever smelled in a fragrance. Straight up vanilla extract. On my skin it turns too sweet for me. It smells like you mixed vanilla extract into a glass of milk with 90% sugar.
tittto – :
Got a sample from Sephora. Too woody for me, downright masculine, not quite as bad as Nirvana Black, but close. Cedar is definitely the most masculine smelling wood, and it becomes problematic for me in large doses, and this is a very large does. Couvent des mimes, Une Bois de Vanille, and Spiriteuse Double Vanilla do the same thing, but better.
Alsu – :
Are you a lover of Vanilla? Are you a lover of gourmands?
Then You’ll Love this! Got this sample his whole line today at Sephora, he really did a great job w/ all 10 each unique & different in their own way. A vanilla lover I quickly took to this; this is an addictive linear vanilla, sweet sexy but also retaining some class. It’s has a warmth && coziness to it && I feel if u wore this out it would deff. attract & shower you with compliments. Price points a lil steep but I feel the quality is there. Very nice! 🙂
Update: The more I wear this, the more addictive it becomes, I really want a new scent but it’s about to be spring/summer here && I feel I’m only drawn to this now that its a lil colder atm..ugh I’m torn!
xlg777Bessinepome – :
If you like sweet, this is VERY sweet!! Not in a candy sweet way, it is like a tropical gourmand, not being into gourmand, I wouldn’t be interested in it, but this is very Hawaii sweet style…nice quality…I might add those types of scents are all over, like maison de la vanille, so not out of this world for me…
bublik_251 – :
If I were in the market for a new signature fragrance, this might be it. Don’t let the lack of notes make you think this is a simple vanilla scent. I had it on for several hours yesterday, and while it’s fairly linear, it’s also incredibly addictive and delicious. Gourmand lovers should be all over this one, or maybe I should say it’s not so great so there will be more for me! This is not one where you have to get past a top note, or wait for it to develop, it was true love at first sniff. A soft cuddly blanket of fragrance to wrap yourself in any time of year. Definitely fb worthy, and not overpriced, in my opinion.