Hampton Sun Privet Bloom (2007): Too Little and Too Much {Fragrance Review}
Hampton Sun is a sun care luxury brand dedicated to "smart serious sunbathing." They launched Privet Bloom edt and edp in 2007 which are inspired like the rest of the brand's products by the "beautiful beaches of the Hamptons." The only problem for me is that this (I received the edp version) really should be advertised as a home fragrance rather than a personal one. I know some people wear home fragrances knowingly. Privet Bloom cannot really pretend to be a full perfume - I will say why - and should be taken a few pegs down in terms of expectations (and pricing.) Notes: lily of the valley, white hyacinth, sea spray, dune grass, blue plum, privet blossom.
Privet Bloom opens on a very floral and grassy, musky-green impression going in the direction of boxwood and then becomes stronger-smelling with nuances of gasoline and burnt rubber. It then calms down and brings out a shampoo note which feels like a giant soap bubble ready to burst in your face. Ambery and musky nuances then warm up this jus which smells better from a distance...
It is more a blend to me than a perfume composition per se. Obviously in this case, it is too much to ask it to have a sense of architectural balance. The transitions are abrupt and there is really no pleasure to be had in smelling it up close.
You will have to ask yourself whether you want to be able to scrutinize your perfume like a miniature painting and admire its details or just look at it from a wide-angle perspective like looking at a community wall-painting at Trader Joe's. To be fair, it is not completely repulsive, but the quality leaves quite a bit to be desired. If you love the scent of shampoo in your hair mixed with olfactory remnants from a sea swim and memories of frolicking among the shells and sand dunes, it might do the trick for you. But my advice for you is to spray it in your bathroom and NOT walk through it, just use it as a home fragrance. The scent is just too harsh and triggers the start of a headache every time I smell it on my skin.
To my nose, it smells most like a big duffel bag used as a beach bag was left by a blooming privet hedge, next to a bag of ripe plums. It is choke full of toiletries and makeup and the scents of powders and lispticks are raging inside the bag under the sun.
It becomes a bit more enjoyable only when it turns its volume down enough to let some more subtle honeyed floral nuances waft from those sun-warmed dunes on the edge of the beach. Privet Bloom then becomes more evocative of a place rather than just the makeup bag of a beauty fiend or professional synchronized swimmer on vacation in the Hamptons. I have to say though that I cannot escape the feeling that I bought this perfume in a tourist shop as I was desperately looking for a nostalgic souvenir to bring back home in 5 minutes alongside a tee-shirt and a baseball cap with "Life's a Breeze, The Hamptons" emblazoned across it. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a room spray.
People who are most likely to appreciate Privet Bloom edp are people who have a taste for the smell of cosmetics, soapy scents, marine scents, simple clean green leafy perfumes. Most of all they do not mind nose-clearing-strength perfumes.
Price: $65
Previous Posts in Perfume Shorts:
Acqua di Parma Magnolia Nobile (2009): Slow Magnolia
Marc Jacobs Apple, Biscotti, Pomegranate in the Pâtisserie Splash Collection (2010)
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Comments
I live in the Hamptons, and this is a popular product here, I have given it to quite a few stylish ladies here and elsewhere as gifts and they have loved it and contacted me on where to find it months later as they wanted to repurchase. I am a little shocked at the aggressive slam of this review, seems overkill to me. I have never smelled anything remotely resembling gaoline in the scent and I dont know of any perfume or home spray that smells like gasoline? Remark seems put on. Anyway I think its a wonderful light scent , quite nice on ladies whom dont want to overpower the room upon their entrance. Enjoy the Summer
Posted by: Dante Palermo | May 27, 2010
Gasoline? Rubber? No, not for me. This is one of the few scents my husband stopped, said "Wow..what's that nice perfume?". Does it smell like the Hamptons? As a former Suffolk County resident, I can tell you: not particularly. But it does smell fresh and green and grassy, just what I love on warm summer days.
Posted by: Melissa | May 29, 2010
The gasoline, rubber are secondary nuances, not main ones. They usually denote the presence of an indolic accord.
I think it's a great perfume for people who have a tendency to find that perfume do not last on their skins and evaporates after a few minutes. It is strong enough in my view to probably not be perceived as doing a vanishing act.
Posted by: Marie-Helene Wagner | May 31, 2010
I just tried this fragrance and found it to be a lovely classy summer scent. My usual summer fragances are Eau Du Sud, Chanel Eau Premiere, Tiempe Passate, or Eau Dynamisante. I don't like overpowering summer scents. This one I had to buy though because it just smells so summery and green. It's very classy too and the drydown was lovely. My husband likes it too and he never comments on my perfume. I did not detect the gasoline notes but perhaps that's my own chemistry. Overall lovely light summer fragrance.
Posted by: Isabelle | June 3, 2010
I am tempted to take out this gasoline reference since everyone seems to be a bit upset by it although it's just a secondary nuance. For me, it's fine that a perfume has a gasoline nuance; in fact it's rather normal in some bigger floral bouquets.
I can only stick to my perception of the perfume and be honest about it. I personally could not say that it is an elegant and refined perfume, so I have to be truthful about it. But I am glad that not only you but your husband are enjoying your new acquisition. It's great! Maybe it smells better in the New York air!
Posted by: Marie-Helene Wagner | June 4, 2010
I also disagree with the gasoline rubber reference. I absolutely love Privet Bloom! I own the eau de toilette... perosnally I prefer to purchase eau de toilettes over parfums when trying a fragrance for the first time. I get headaches from perfume but this one is pleasant, and actually lasts. The eau de toilette is also cheaper, which is a plus!
I am from Long Island, and I get compliments on this fragrance all the time. I recommend Privet Bloom to everyone, it is absolutely the best summer scent!
Posted by: Violeta Deckler | June 29, 2010
I should try the eau de toilette then to have a more complete opinion.
Posted by: Marie-Helene Wagner | June 30, 2010