Wednesday Waftings: Sampler Set Review – Juliette Has a Gun Discovery Set

I have one for the musky/synthetic/amber lovers today! Hip and edgy perfume house, Juliette Has a Gun (JHAG), was launched in 2006 by Romano Ricci. If that name sounds familiar, perhaps it is because he is the great-grandson of famous fashion designer, Nina. Fashion house Nina Ricci has several of its own perfumes so there’s no doubt that perfumery, style, and creativity run strong in this family. Famous perfumer Francis Kurkdijan of Baccarat Rouge 540 fame has also collaborated with Mr. Ricci on a few of JHAG’s fragrances.

The idea behind JHAG’s branding is that a modern Juliette (of Shakespearian fame) wields her fragrance (or ‘gun’) as a weapon of seduction and power against men. She is liberated, strong, and when armed with her fragrance, she’s ready to face anything. JHAG, the house, is not afraid of synthetic notes and they are used prominently in their fragrances. Ambroxan (aka Cetalox) and Iso E Super are especial favorite base notes used in multiple JHAG scents.

Completely random side note: I can’t see the name ‘Juliette Has a Gun’ without getting Janie’s Got a Gun stuck in my head for the remainder of the day! 🤣🎸🤘

Find it here:

Discovery Set (at JHAG’s Amazon store)

Discovery Set (at Anthropologie)

Not a Perfume

• Note: Cetalox (Ambroxan)

So what, exactly, is ‘Cetalox?’ Cetalox (aka Ambroxan) is a synthetic note extracted from clary sage essential oil to mimic ambergris, a highly treasured and extremely expensive naturally occurring substance. Where does this luxurious natural perfume ingredient come from? Short answer: whale poo! The substance is formed in the small intestine of only about 1% of male sperm whales and takes 10-20 years years to form. It is extremely rare, expensive, and would be unethical to retrieve from a whale – hence the need for a synthetic alternative. If you’re nerdy like me and find this kind of stuff fascinating, you can read more about ambergris here.

This is, by far, JHAG’s most popular fragrance and is easily also their most polarizing one! I have read countless reviews of people who are madly in love with it and an equal number of reviews of people who are either completely repulsed by it or can’t even smell it at all. This one really seems to depend on how it comes across with an individual’s personal chemistry. Luckily, it’s very pleasant for me and I quite enjoy it. The single note construction of this fragrance also makes it a lot of fun to experiment and layer other scents with. In fact, in the Discovery Set, this fragrance comes in a larger size vial so you can freely experiment with mixing it with the other scents.

So what exactly does it smell like?? To me, it smells like very clean linen that’s been washed with an expensive French detergent. Clean and aquatic are the best adjectives I can think of to describe it. I have also seen it described it as smelling ‘fresh out of the shower’ or simply like clean skin. It’s minimal and allergen-free and has the potential to be a great choice for those who are typically sensitive to perfumes. It is a lighter scent with medium projection. It can be worn pretty much anytime, anywhere but I think of it primarily as an inoffensive daytime scent that would be appropriate to wear to the office. The longevity is average and it is definitely unisex. This is VERY similar to Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue Intense. So similar, in fact, that if you have one I think it would be highly redundant to buy the other. I definitely recommend getting a sample or decant (link below) of this and trying it out before purchasing a bottle, in case you’re one of the folks who ends up not loving it.

Find it here:

Not a Perfume decants – 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Not a Perfume 1.5ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at ZGO Perfumery)

Not a Perfume 7ml travel-spray (at Anthropologie)

Not a Perfume 50ml (at Anthropologie)

Musc Invisible

• Top Note: jasmine absolute
• Middle Note: cotton flower
• Base Note: white musk

Those who have been reading my perfume reviews know by now that I’m not a fan of musk, haha! So I put off trying this one as long as I possibly could. And sure enough, she’s not my type. The opening is quite sharp and almost singed my nostril hair! 😂 My overall impression of it is VERY woodsy, herby, musky, and downright masculine. I did not detect the jasmine or anything floral but it does smell cotton-y, for sure. As it dries down, I got more of a linen feel, probably from the cotton flower note. Did I mention it’s woodsy? Wow, it’s REALLY woodsy!

I think someone who likes clean, linen scents (and doesn’t mind musk) would love this. Also a good choice for folks who like dry, woodsy scents. It’s considered unisex but for me, it did lean quite masculine. I would consider it to have (what is referred to in the perfume world as) ‘beast mode’ projection. I feel like I’m sitting next to a dude wearing too much cologne. Except it’s me. I’m the dude lol So, safe to say, you’ll want to go easy on the sprays when applying this one. Even after scrubbing this off, it’s all I can smell so this will definitely be a long-laster. Musk is pretty easy to wear any time of the day and through most seasons, though I might be leery of it on a really hot day if you’re going to be sweating a lot. If you’re a woodsy musk lover, you should definitely give this one a whirl.

Find it here:

Musc Invisible decants – 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Musc Invisible 7ml travel-spray, 100ml (at JHAG’s Amazon store)

Musc Invisible 1.5ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at ZGO Perfumery)

Lipstick Fever

• Top Notes: raspberry, violet absolute
• Middle Notes: patchouli essence, iris absolute
• Base Note: vanilla absolute

Oh, how I wanted to love this one! I was hoping this would be similar to one of my very favorites, Lipstick On by Maison Margiela’s Replica line. Lipstick On seems to be discontinued and only available in decants right now. Lipstick Fever actually starts out as a pretty decent dupe. In the opening I can really smell the raspberries. But unfortunately, I can equally REALLY smell the musk. JHAG just really loves their musks and it seems to be loaded into almost every fragrance of theirs. Great for musk lovers, not so great for yours truly.

For me, this scent is best early on. I get the lovely powdery violet/iris combined with the raspberries and vanilla which to me is a combo made in heaven. But the longer I wear it, the more I just get overwhelmed by the musk. About an hour into it, it’s all I can smell and it’s SO strong. The projection is average but that musk note lasts seemingly forever. The floral/berry part of this fragrance is very feminine and makes it a perfect romantic date scent. If you’re not sensitive to musk like I am, this is 100% a winner.

Find it here:

Lipstick Fever decants – 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Lipstick Fever 7ml travel-spray (at Anthropologie)

Lipstick Fever 50ml (at Anthropologie)

Lipstick Fever 7ml travel-spray, 50ml, 100ml (at JHAG’s Amazon store)

Lipstick Fever 1.5ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at ZGO Perfumery)

Vanilla Vibes

• Top Note: fleur de sel (sea salt)
• Middle Notes: orchid absolute, natural vanilla absolute
• Base Notes: brown musk, tonka bean, benzoin absolute, sandalwood absolute

Being a lover of vanillas, I blind-bought a travel-sized sprayer of this fragrance about a year ago. Although it doesn’t strike me as particularly vanilla-ish, it is really nice. The initial spray smells like beachy white and yellow flowers drenched in salt water and it stays pretty linear. It lists orchid as a note but it’s a beachier floral than that to my nose. Though brown musk is listed as a note, this is one of the few in the collection that is not musky at all. ‘Salty floral’ is the best way I can think of to describe this. It smells like getting off an airplane in Hawaii and having a lei immediately placed around your neck. It just screams “Let the vacation begin!”

The projection is very light with this one and the longevity is on the weaker side. I can especially see wearing this fragrance to the beach in the summertime but it’s the perfect little pick-me-up scent you can wear anytime you want to feel like you’re on a mini tropical vacation. Some say it has a ‘suntan lotion’ vibe and I can agree with that. Though this was completely different than the vanilla-heavy scent I was expecting, I still quite like it!

Find it here:

Vanilla Vibes decants – 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Vanilla Vibes 7ml travel-spray (at Anthropologie)

Vanilla Vibes 50ml (at Anthropologie)

Vanilla Vibes 1.5ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at ZGO Perfumery)

Lady Vengeance

• Top Notes: bergamot, lavender
• Middle Notes: patchouli, rose
• Base Note: Ambroxan

I love the name of this perfume! From it, one expects a refined and regal fragrance, worthy of a commanding goddess or queen. The initial spray is a little oddball, it actually smells a bit like vinegar! But that quickly dissipates and I get rose, rose, rose. I can also sense the lavender. That combo gives it a very English garden feel, which could definitely be interpreted as a suitable scent for a Lady. The amber from the Ambroxan makes it slightly reminiscent of Rose Amber by The 7 Virtues to me. The bergamot and patch are not strong players here, in my opinion. There’s a small touch of musk but it just sits very lightly in the background.

This fragrance definitely leans heavily feminine and feels like a good choice for a more formal daytime activity, such as a wedding or business lunch. The projection and longevity are average. All around, a nice floral and I think this would be an excellent choice for rose lovers, especially.

Find it here:

Lady Vengeance decants – 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Lady Vengeance 7.5ml travel-spray, 100ml (at JHAG’s Amazon store)

Lady Vengeance 1.5ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at ZGO Perfumery)

Sunny Side Up

• Top Notes: amyris (reminiscent of benzoin; possesses a vanilla note with a woody, cedar-like character), sandalwood, vanilla absolute, jasmine lactone (reminiscent of natural jasmine with peach and coconut undertones)
• Middle Notes: iris butter, sandalwood, jasmine sambac (darker, greener and more animalic than the oft-used jasmine grandiflorum)
• Base Notes: ambrette (sweet musky floral), salicylate (sweet, fruity odor, can be reminiscent of root beer or wintergreen mint), Iso E Super (a synthetic aromatic chemical that smells dry, woody and cedarlike, with aspects of ambergris, vetiver and patchouli)

This starts out very sharp and astringent and needs a hot minute to sort itself out, lol But then it gets quite mellow. This is a nice, light sandalwood with coconut, jasmine, and vanilla as the main supporting notes. This is slightly reminiscent of Vanillade by Maison Tahité to me but perhaps a bit heavier on the sandalwood. Though I wouldn’t call this a heavy scent, by any means. In fact, probably my only quibble with this fragrance is it’s a bit too light.

This is probably a touch feminine but I think really anyone could wear it. Not huge projection, sits quite close to the skin. Longevity is not great, it definitely fades quicker than JHAG’s other scents. This is going to be a really good choice for people who like lighter scents and/or think most perfumes are too heavy. Great for daytime wear and it’s so light, it would definitely be office appropriate. Would make a fabulous summer scent. She’s a strong like for me!

Find it here:

Sunny Side Up decants – 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Sunny Side Up 7.5ml travel-spray, 50ml, 100ml (at JHAG’s Amazon store)

Sunny Side Up 1.5ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at ZGO Perfumery)

Moscow Mule

• Top Notes: bergamot, ginger, lime
• Middle Notes: apple essence, jasmine
• Base Notes: Ambrettolide (powerful, musky, sweet, soapy fragrance with a heavy fruity undertone), Ambroxan, Norlimbanol (extremely powerful woody and animalic amber)

Initial scent is STRONG musk and alcohol, along with a salty lime. I do get a vague impression of the ginger and sort of a crisp green apple for a brief period of time early on but it is SO overpowered by the musk. This is almost 100% just a musk bomb with a hint of lime. Sadly, for me, after the first few minutes, it doesn’t even remotely resemble a minty/citrusy Moscow Mule whatsoever.

All that musk tilts this very heavily to the masculine side of things. I can definitely see a guy wearing this out to a club for the night and I bet it would smell amazing on him. Longevity on this fragrance is fair and the projection seemed on the lighter side. Not my jam but for the right person, I think this could be a very interesting scent. I love the idea behind this fragrance, it’s just too much musk for this girl.

Find it here:

Moscow Mule decants – 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Moscow Mule 7ml travel-spray (at Anthropologie)

Moscow Mule 50ml (at Anthropologie)

Moscow Mule 1.5ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at ZGO Perfumery)

MMMM…

• Top Notes: neroli, raspberry, geranium
• Middle Notes: jasmine, tuberose, orange blossom
• Base Notes: sandalwood absolute, patchouli

Well, you have to love the name, haha! And they’re not wrong, it does smell delicious. I get the raspberry and the bubblegummy tuberose right away. And the neroli/jasmine accord is unmistakable and enjoyable. I also sense some powdery vanilla, caramel, almond, and cherry. This is sweet, almost in gourmand territory. Overall, a really nice fruity-floral that is more sophisticated and interesting than the run of the mill, dime-a-dozen ones that seemingly every celebrity releases.

This has a pretty strong feminine lean. Decent projection, I get pleasant fruity wafts throughout the day. I have seen many compare this with Dior’s Hypnotic Poison so if that is a scent you know and love, this could be a good choice for you. I have also seen people say they get a slight root beer impression and I can see that. Sometimes a powdery bubblegum impression can be really similar to root beer. Overall, it’s such a happy and fun-loving scent, it just makes me smile.

Find it here:

MMMM… decants – 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

MMMM… 7ml travel-spray (at Anthropologie)

MMMM… 50ml (at Anthropologie)

MMMM… 1.5ml decants, 100ml full bottle (at ZGO Perfumery)

There are several other fragrances available from this house. I’m definitely curious about some of them, especially the recently-released Pear, Inc. I’ve seen a few reviews that state it’s more musky than pear, though, so it will be interesting to see how it wears on my skin. Have you tried anything from JHAG? If you’re a musk lover, especially, I think you should definitely check this house out! 🦌

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