Bond No. 9

Chelsea Flowers by Bond No. 9

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Bond No. 9 is an American niche brand that has released a ton of very successful fragrances for men and women over the years. One of the early ones, is Chelsea Flowers. I rediscovered a sample vial of this perfume, that I got back in who knows when. So, it was time to test it again and give this a proper review on the site. How does it smell? How long does it last? Is is worth a try?

What does Chelsea Flowers Smell Like?

Notes include: musk, peony, hyacinth, rose, tulip, sandalwood, magnolia

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Chelsea Flowers Eau De Parfums Spray, 3.4 Ounce

chelsea flowers review

My Full Review

Before getting into my review, let’s see how Bond No. 9 describes it: The Scent of the Ingenue: dewy, freshly-picked blossoms, gathered in a paper wrapper, worn to perfection at New York’s newest art gallery-club-restaurant scene. An exuberant but slightly insolent all-day floral bouquet.

True to its name, Chelsea Flowers, is all about those floral notes. Early on, this one is dewy and has greenish qualities. Later, it is more like flower petals in a shampoo-like composition.

Opening up, I get a pretty big dose of magnolia. That along with a tulip note. It is pretty aquatic smelling, not completely watery, but more than a sprinkling of dew.

I’m concluding that this early dew/green aroma is coming from the hyacinth and tulip. It never takes a pole position, but sits underneath the top two throughout this opening act. Pretty distinct.

The next phase sees the rose and peony notes emerge. On my skin, the rose really isn’t all that heavy. I get a lot more peony, than I ever do from rose, which might be the fourth or fifth strongest of the floral notes.

Chelsea Flowers becomes much more appealing to me, once the hyacinth has calmed down. It becomes a fresher and muskier floral, that’s actually very pretty with its soapy vibe.

The final dry down is an amalgamation of the floral notes, on my skin. None of them feel all that separate from one another. Maybe still some magnolia and tulip I can pick out…sometimes.

But, the rest of the notes really bring home the dry freshness and shampoo aroma. Musk, vetiver, and moss. A greater dose of the moss and musk. The watery side of the perfume is basically gone.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this will leave a scent trail for the first couple hours especially. It’s not a massive cloud of scent, but Chelsea Flowers, is above average and projects itself very well. 

At it’s peak, it’ll project itself to around seven feet or so. That’s about where I could pick it up from, after spraying the fragrance on a shirt.

The longevity is good, not elite. Somewhere in the 8.5-9 hours of wear range, on my skin. Is that amazing? No, but really no reason to complain for most purposes.

Seasonally, it would best be served in the spring and summer. Though, it can be used during the more temperate days of autumn, as well. Keep to wearing it above a certain temperature, since this doesn’t fit in for winter.

Chelsea Flowers isn’t a sexy scent, nor is it a nighttime party animal. However, within the daytime, it is very versatile.

It can be worn by girls or older women, without issue. It’s fine for office wear, casual, or pretty much wherever else one might need it. Not the most formal scent, but it’s clean aroma wouldn’t be out of place.

 

 

Overall Impressions of Chelsea Flowers

Do I like this fragrance? It’s pretty good, but nothing all that unique or special. It’s not among my favorite from the Bond No. 9 line, though, you could do worse.

The opening act isn’t all that great, the hyacinth is somewhat bothersome here. I like the dewy and aquatic aspects of this scent. But, this really comes alive when the rose, peony, and musk have their turn taking the reins. 

The latter stages are like a dry floral shampoo. Fresh and very presentable, just nothing super memorable or groundbreaking. It’s not bad, just know what you’re getting here.

The performance is solid, on the whole. It lasts a good amount of time and really doesn’t need to be super powerful.

I don’t really want to recommend this to everybody, since it might not have the most exciting scent out there. But, if this sounds like your type of perfume, Chelsea Flowers is a good example, and worth trying. Buying? Maybe not.

I Love New York for Her by Bond No. 9

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In this last batch of samples, I received a bunch of samples of Bond No. 9 fragrances, from their line of I Love New York scents that came out 5+ years back. While I’ve only done a couple of reviews from this brand on the site thus far, I do intend to try to get through the entire collection at some point.

Today’s entry is I Love New York for Her, which is a gourmand perfume for ladies and is generally well regarded as a scent. As always, continue reading below for my full thoughts and impressions of this perfume.

What does I Love NY for Her Smell Like?

I love new york for her

Notes include: blueberry, patchouli, vanilla, peony, musk, rose, sandalwood

Click here to try: Bond No 9 I Love New York Eau De Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Ounce

My Full Review

The initial blast of I Love New York for her is a blend of blueberry and patchouli. It is sweet and fruity but the patchouli note comes on too strong at first for my tastes.

This is a gourmand fragrance that is supposed to invoke images of sweet pastries and I think that it succeeds on this front.

After the first few minutes, it does begin to take on more of a blueberry muffin kind of smell with a layer of vanilla and peony which gives it a floral spirit.

While I’m not too big of a patchouli fan, I actually like it somewhat here, especially once it calms down a bit. It gives I Love NY for Her a more mature character and doesn’t let it fall too far into the ‘teeny’ sweet gourmand category of scents.

That being said, it isn’t too stuffy and is actually quite a playful perfume, with its bakery motif. I like the dry down where you get the full kind of baked goods experience, with the berry notes toned down in their strength.

There’s some light floral notes, but I mostly got sandalwood, musk, and the patchouli. Along with, the remaining general sweet/frutiness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, this stuff is fairly strong. I sprayed a few times on a sweater and could smell it from 9-10 feet away for hours on end. So, at the peak it does pack power and that sillage will be pretty serious.

That being said, I don’t think it’s overpowering, but it is a performer. On the skin, it definitely calms down from what it was, at the start. It’ll be on the upper end of what you could consider moderate, for a long time.

I would dare say that one should be able to get 8+ hours out of this perfume, every wear…that’s been my experience with it. It probably ventures into the 10 hour range when all of the conditions are right.

I Love New York for Her is a fun and casual scent in my opinion. It isn’t really sexy, but it is oddly appealing, I mean, blueberry muffin is naturally attractive, right? This will also function best during the cooler months of the year and I imagine it’d get kind of weird in the heat of the summer.

So, better to stick to autumn through the early part of spring.

Overall Impressions of I Love New York for Her

Overall, is I Love New York for Her worth a purchase? Depends. It is a unique scent and also performs very well. It strikes me more of a niche kind of scent…if you like blueberry, patchouli, and pastries…then this might be a go to scent or you.

However, it also is quite pricey, since it is Bond No. 9 but a full bottle might be worth the investment. Update: I’m pretty sure it’s discontinued now.

That being said, it does have plenty of appeal and will give you a ton of bang for your buck, even at Bond’s elevated price range.

The rose and other floral notes, aren’t going to play a huge role in the scent. I wouldn’t get too excited about them, if that’s something you’d be looking for. Sweet, sharp, warm gourmand. I like it.

Park Avenue South by Bond No. 9

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Today, we have another Bond No. 9 fragrance sample to review. This one is another for the ladies and is entitled, Park Avenue South. In this post, I am going to cover how it smells, performs, when it should be worn, and if I think it’s worth a buy.

What does Park Avenue South Smell Like?

Notes include: apple, peach, musk, amber, jasmine

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Park Avenue South Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce

My Full Review

The opening of Park Avenue South is that of crisp apples. I had eaten a Golden Delicious apple earlier in the day, so the sensation was rather instantaneous. That initial apple dominant aroma seems to only last for a minute, however, since it is then quickly joined by the peach note.

Again, I want to state that this fragrance is crisp and not really ‘juicy’ as many other fruity perfumes tend to be. Actually, Park Avenue South is quite dry, warm, and with a slight spice to it.

The musky amber keeps the fruits tempered somewhat and allows the scent to have that dry quality.

That’s kind of it because this perfume is almost ridiculously simple. It’s so linear, by five minutes in, you kind of know what you’ve got.

While I do think that it smells pretty good, it also reminds me of an air freshener spray. Park Avenue South just has that same aroma to it, just with less of a chemical/synthetic undercurrent to it. 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s okay. It does it’s job without overwhelming but it is more towards the softer side of things. I always knew that it was there, but Park Ave. South never felt overwhelming, in the slightest.

 

I will say, that the longevity seems to hit the 7-9 hour range, which is a plus. It doesn’t develop much at all, but the perfume also won’t just quit in the middle of the day. So, if you like that initial scent, you might very well enjoy that you get to spend a long time with it. 

I’d call this casual. You could wear it to work or school, but it never struck me as romantic or sexy. Just a decent spray for the warmer days of the year. 

But yeah, stick to the daytime in spring and summer with Park Avenue South.

Overall Impressions of Park Avenue South

Overall, would I recommend Park Avenue South? Not really. It’s decent. I’m not particularly enthralled by it and I feel like you could probably replicate a similar scent for a much cheaper price. It is a fresh and pleasant smell but nothing to write home about.

This is one of the least interesting fragrances that Bond has come out with. To me, at least. I think they have perfumes that smell worse, but they tried to do something novel with them. Park Avenue South is kind of meh, at a high price level. 

Central Park South by Bond No. 9

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Continuing along with my Bond No. 9 fragrance reviews, I am going to do another women’s perfume scent, from a sample vial that I received. This one is Central Park South. As usual, I am going to cover what’s in it, how it smells, how it performs, and if I think it’s worth a buy or not.

What does Central Park South Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, grapefruit blossom, black currant, wood notes, lily of the valley

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Central Park South Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.3 Fl Oz

My Full Review

So, Central Park South has been compared to Bond No. 9’s, I Love NY for Earth Day. Which, funny enough, I found a sample of mixed in with others that I have yet to do a review on. However, while these two fragrances share some ingredients, they really don’t smell the same.

From the start, Central Park South is loud. It’s actually kind of crazy, how much this perfume projects. I first sprayed it on an old shirt and then went to the kitchen in my apartment. I could smell it, a solid 15 feet away, with only a few sprays. It is a floral bouquet of jasmine and the two floral blossom notes.

It is a very clean and dominant jasmine scent. The other notes in the composition seem to give it a ‘green’ effect and it can feel like an uplifting walk through a garden. Maybe it’s just my nose, but it really struck me as a linear scent, there wasn’t much change during wear.

It’s a big burst of jasmine with black currant and grapefruit blossom, jockeying for position. Then, some lily kicks in underneath the main attraction, and the blossom notes fade somewhat.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, as I said, it’s a beast. Literal monster that projects even more than a men’s fragrance like 1 Million. One spray is probably enough, since two was way more than I wanted to smell.

Longevity is also no problem, I don’t have the exact time, since I washed it off. Though, it didn’t want to quit at all during the day. Coming back to Central Park South, I can say that it easily hits over 10 hours of wear without issue. Absolute beast of a scent.

When to wear? Spring or early summer. A casual fragrance. Be careful wearing it within an office, since it is so damn heavy. It’s a fine fragrance, if you’re going to be outdoors or in an environment, where you can be louder with your perfume.

Overall Impressions of Central Park South

Overall, would I recommend Central Park South? If you like floral notes, I mean, you really really like jasmine and lily of the valley. Just don’t wear it around me, as it gave me a headache.

It’s not super sweet but it is just so overwhelming, that it strikes me as being too much. I already don’t like heavy floral fragrances and this one is that to the extreme. Probably a pretty niche perfume.

You certainly get value for the higher end Bond No. 9 prices. It’s a jasmine lovers fragrance, not amazing, but can be a good choice for the right person.

Perfumista Avenue by Bond No. 9

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I’m still working my way through writing up reviews for all of the Bond No. 9 samples that I have laying around. Today’s entry is Perfumista Avenue, which was released by the company to celebrate it’s 10th anniversary. In this post, I will explore: it’s ingredients, how it smells, how it performs, and whether or not I think it’s worth a buy.

What does Perfumista Avenue Smell Like?

Notes include: red plum, rose, saffron, patchouli, musk, nutmeg, peony, jasmine, amber, davana

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Perfumista Avenue EDP Spray for Women, 1.7 Ounce

My Full Review

Geeeeeezzz, is this stuff loud. From the opening spray your nose is bombarded with rose, spice, and a very tart red plum note. The rose note smells more pinkish, than contained in many other scents.

I am admittedly, not a huge fan of rose and patchouli, but I would think that this stuff might even offend many rose lovers. At times, I start to think that it’s pleasant and interesting and then it starts to smell like really sour rose water mixed with booze.

It reminds me of one of those drinks at specialty bars that serve their own concoctions, sometimes brilliantly, and other times off putting.

Perfumista Avenue does settle down, somewhat. You eventually get a full bouquet of flowers while retaining it’s sharp and bright aroma. Underneath it all, there is an herbal scent but it kind of gives off this weird metallic smell.

What you will mainly get is the rose, plum, patchouli, and nutmeg. Everything else plays a supporting role. The saffron can be strong at times, but during the latter stages, I really don’t pick up any on my skin. Tart, rose, with a warm spiciness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Perfumista Avenue is a monster. Good lord, what a bomb of a fragrance this is. Whether you like it or not, you can’t say Bond No. 9 didn’t deliver a bang for you buck.

It also lasts seemingly forever. I’m not sure when it quits, as I scrubbed it off 8 or so hours after application, and it was still performing. Coming back to it another time, I’m convinced of this Bond scents as being an all day wear. It’s too powerful to fade out quickly.

This feels like a springtime scent to my nose. I cannot imagine this in the summer heat, and potentially, how overwhelmingly messy it could become. Moderate temperatures without much humidity would serve as the best option.

This is certainly a niche fragrance. I wouldn’t wear it in an office or school type of environment. More out for the day or night during spring. So, a casual fragrance to wear in a place with a breeze, and only so with a light application.

Overall Impression of Bond No. 9 Perfumista Avenue

Overall, can I recommend Perfumista Avenue? Not for the general public. This is a perfume that will have a very limited appeal. I’m not personally enthralled with it and it grates on my nerves.

However, I know there are some serious rose and patchouli fans who will dig this scent. Everyone around them might not, but hey, at least the bright pink bottle it comes in is pretty.