as part of my Circle membership subscription for 2020 with Sixteen92, the fourth and final package arrived exactly a month ago with my pre-release samples of the Spring 2021 collection. this one literally managed to remain "pre-release" by the narrowest of a whisker, appearing in my mailbox on the actual launch date of april 9. the shipping label was created a little later than i would have expected (march 16) so it wasn't unexpected that the package would have spent about three weeks in transit before reaching its destination.
just like with all the other Circle packages, the Spring 2021 collection comprised five 2ml sample vials which had been securely packed in a small ziploc bag and placed in a plain box, accompanied by a beautiful postcard listing all the scent notes. my Circle packages so far have all arrived in perfect condition without any leaks or spills, so that's a 100% success rate (four for four).
in line with my usual process, i let new scents properly rest for a couple of weeks before commencing actual review testing; surprisingly whether due to my finicky mood or the scents themselves, this review actually was one of the longest in the making for me (exclusively one scent per day) so i'm grateful that y'all still stayed around to read my long-overdue thoughts on them.
the theme for Spring 2021 was "The Book Of Stars" (which is also the Circle exclusive scent that i'll be reviewing separately) and each of the scents here was inspired by constellations and the night sky. actual scents aside, this was definitely my favourite theme and postcard - to me, there's few things more magical than a sky full of stars, away from the glare of the city lights and all other distractions.
all the scents had a low to moderate throw of about a foot, and lasted for about four hours of wear on my skin. there was one unexpected winner, one stunning atmospheric unlike any other i've tried before, and three that i could appreciate for their craft but didn't resonate enough with me personally for me to want to purchase more of.
first up, Aquila (Juniper, chilled white tea, mountain laurel, soft cotton, airy musks) is named for the eagle, with Altair as its brightest star. true to its fragrance family classification, this is a "clean, light and breezy atmospheric" that matches the soaring heights and majestic beauty of its namesake.
the first sniffs from the bottle yield a subtle, soothing white tea note under layers of clean freshness, not unlike a fancier version of what one would imagine from a scented candle titled something like "forest zen" or "misty mountains". the soft cotton note gives me associations with clean laundry, with faint whiffs of fresh greenery from time to time.
on my skin, the juniper emerges stronger to bring out the heart of nature in this scent. when i close my eyes, i could imagine myself completely alone on the peak of a misty mountain, with acres of virgin forest at my feet and the call of a lone eagle echoing against the rocks as it soars in ascending circles overhead.
7/10 i really can appreciate Aquila for its craftsmanship though it's not something i can see myself wearing as a perfume, in terms of a resonance with my personality and style. yet it's something that i would love as a home fragrance or room atmosphere - with a single spray, my ordinary dreary room (from one of many in a concrete jungle) can suddenly become a unique and calming sanctum of nature.
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my favourite scent of the collection was named for the queen, Cassiopeia (Fruit preserves, rose absolute, quince flower, blond tobacco, golden amber liqueurs). while the official description classified it as a "bright and slightly tart floral with light syrupy fruit nuances", Cassiopeia read way more mysterious and dark to me and nowhere near sweet and bright.
in the bottle, this is everything listed on the notes and more - rich dried apricots mixed with red fruits and berries, an intensely dark rose, intoxicating liquor and a tantalising smokiness tying everything together. on my skin, Cassiopeia really shines - the fruit influence remains strong but the rose really takes the spotlight with a strong, dark and regal character that completely blew me away. the boozy undertones only served to further accentuate its richness while the papery tobacco smoke provided a lovely counterfoil to the depth of the scent as a whole.
8.5/10 i loved how the rose was the unrivalled star of the show with its intense complexity, and it wasn't a difficult decision to pick up a 6ml bottle of this one.
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next was Lyra (Misty aldehydes, mandora blossom, spring hyacinth, forsythia, new leaves, melted snow) for the harp, the sole premium fragrance of the collection.
in the bottle, this marries the aroma of the fresh newness of spring's arrival together with the cool wetness of departing winter. the greenery is light and fresh, and overall it's a bright yet cool atmospheric with a similar 'cleanness' that could have passed for Aquila's second cousin once removed. the only downside with the aldehydes was that they turned much too soapy for my liking on application, overpowering the subtle nuances of the wetness and the gentle shyness of the spring flowers.
2.5/10 like with Aquila, this is a scent i can appreciate for its craftsmanship though it really didn't go with my skin (both in terms of chemistry and preferences). i can see myself using this in a diffuser as a room scent to finish my sample, but it's not something i would wear (or even purchase) again.
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the fourth scent was named for the unicorn, Monoceros (Sweet peach, sugar cane, coconut cream, almond paste, silken musks). i had some apprehension about testing this one because of my troubled history with coconut cream notes, but as things turned out, it was actually quite a lovely sweet surprise.
from the vial, my first whiffs of Monoceros really gave me asian dessert vibes, with a realistic sweet sugar cane, soft fresh peach, and a rich creamy coconut. the coconut was far more intense and dominant than i would personally have liked in a perfume, but truth be told, the balance overall actually worked quite well with the sugar cane and peach supporting it.
on my skin, the sugar cane faded quite quickly and it became mainly a coconut and almond jelly dessert with an underlying fresh peach sweetness. i will confess that Monoceros smelled really good as something i would have unhesitatingly eaten as dessert or a snack at any hour of the day - in fact, i think it smelled more mouth-watering and delicious than my favourite japanese peach jelly cups that i keep in the fridge as an occasional treat.
5/10 i really like huffing this cool and refreshing coconut peach jelly dessert, but it's not something that i would actually want to smell like. what can i say? i'm just pretty finicky when it comes to how realistic and gourmand-y i like my gourmands.
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and last but not least, one of my favourite animals apart from cats, Vulpecula (Pools of rainwater, soaked pebbles, tomato leaf, decaying tree bark, wild brambles, dusty fur).
in the bottle and on application, Vulpecula is one of the most intensely realistic atmospherics i've experienced. from the first sniff, this transports you to a forest clearing, with golden shafts of sunlight piercing the canopy overhead, and a neverending expanse of trees all around. the air is cool yet still, with no sound save for the rustle of dry brown leaves underfoot and the rhythmic drip-drip-drip of rainwater into small puddles that mirror the intricate framework of the branches above.
the rich smell of nature all around is overwhelming yet liberating. i have never ever experienced a perfume like this, that actually forces humility upon its wearer in contemplating the magnificence of nature and our place as humans in it. the realistic depiction of each element brought together so beautifully in Vulpecula really reminds me of the classic Disney song "Colours of the Wind" from Pocahontas:
You can own the Earth and still
All you'll own is Earth until
You can paint with all the colours of the wind
9.5/10 if there's one thing i've learned from this experience, it's that while i've smelled nature and smelled perfumes inspired by nature, these fade in comparison to Vulpecula, the first to have given me the brush to paint with the colours of the wind. i decided to purchase this in Sixteen92's hair serum format, since it's not a scent that i would instinctively wear for going out, but it's definitely one that i want to take my time to enjoy and relax with.
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this review is of scents that i had purchased at regular price with my own money. i wasn’t asked to review these scents as a condition of receipt and didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with Sixteen92 and as always, all opinions remain my own.
all information correct at time of publishing.
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