United Scents of America is a new fragrance line inspired by each of the 50 states. Each fragrance is meant to evoke the spirit of a particular place, so you can be reminded of all the locales that hold a special place in your heart. So far, United Scents of America has developed fragrances for 7 states, with plans to eventually release a special scent for all 50. Neat idea, huh?
I first learned about United Scents of America when I saw some of the fragrances available for sale on HauteLook. I was intrigued, but too cautious to purchase one without smelling it first. I emailed the company inquiring about a sample pack and they sent me small vials of all 7 of the currently available scents.
Talk about an exciting package to receive! I was so excited that I wanted to smell all of the fragrances at once, but perfume forces you to be patient. Each fragrance is like a mini olfactory journey, so it's wonderful to take the time and savor the experience evoked by each of these unique scents.
The United Scents of America fragrances each cost $58 for 1.7 oz. They offer good sillage, so you don't need to use very much to get a nice aura of scent. However, I find the longevity somewhat lacking. The scents fade after about 2 hours. The website and sample cards do not specify the concentration of these fragrances, but my guess is that they are along the lines of an Eau de Toilette rather than a stronger Eau de Parfum.
Here's my impressions of the seven United Scents of America fragrances:
Hawaii: Hawaii is described as having top notes of pink plumeria and night-blooming jasmine, heart notes of golden pineapple and papaya, and a bottom note of sweet coconut palm. I must say, I absolutely adore this one. The lovely blend of plumeria, jasmine, and pineapple makes me feel like I am sitting at a delicious tropical brunch surrounded by lush, blooming flowers. It has a relaxed femininity that makes it a perfect summer vacation fragrance. This is one of United Scents of America's newer scents, so it's not even posted on their website yet. Sorry I don't have a link for you, but keep an eye out!
California: California is described as having a top note of fresh cut coconut, heart note of eucalyptus, and bottom note of vanilla bean. I was super excited to try this one since CA is my home state, but this scent didn't quite work for me. That said, it's pretty unique. At first whiff, the coconut top note smells like sweet sunscreen -- very Banana Boat! Then, it gets even sweeter with a dose of creamy vanilla. While I like the smell of sunscreen and am open to wearing a fragrance inspired by it, I found this scent to be too literal and sickly.
Florida: Florida is described as having top notes of fresh ozone, florida orange and grapefruit, ocean breeze and key lime, heart notes of jasmine, violet, rose and melon, and bottom notes of sandalwood, rosewood, white musk, peaches and orange flower oil. I really enjoyed this fragrance. It opens with a lovely blast of citrus, followed by melon and hints of aquatic breeze. After awhile, I smell peach, soft rose, and orange flowers for a feminine composition. This fragrance reminded me of Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia without the dose of mint. As was the case with Texas, I prefer Florida to its bigger name counterpart -- the mint in Acqua di Gioia makes it smell a little bit like a mojito, while Florida steers clear of cocktail territory to remain refreshing.
Massachusetts: Massachusetts is described as having top notes of bergamot, sage and lemon zest, heart notes of cranberry and jasmine, and bottom notes of white musk, tobacco leaf and northern red oak. Like Hawaii, Massachusetts is a new fragrance that is not yet listed on the brand's website. I wasn't too excited by this scent. I primarily smelled citrus, cranberry and sage, which combined to remind me of a candle or potpourri. Nevertheless, while it didn't mesh with my chemistry, I could imagine this smelling great on someone else's skin. It did seem like this scent had longer staying power than the others.
New York: New York is described as having top notes of apple, violet, ozone, melon, lime zest, cyclamen and rosewood, heart notes of jasmine, basil and lily, and bottom notes of peach and kiwi. If you are a fan of the DKNY Be Delicious line of apple-inspired perfumes, you will love this scent. New York is a sweet and tangy apple scent that is grounded by the delicate powderiness of violet and the richness of jasmine. It's easy to wear and I believe that it offers an extremely wide appeal.
New Jersey: New Jersey is described as having a top note of fresh buttered popcorn, heart notes of cotton candy, caramel & coconut, and bottom notes of vanilla extract, peach, patchouli. This certainly wins the award for the most whimsical and fun-loving fragrance! To me, it opens with a blast of cotton candy, followed by a swoop of buttery popcorn. The combination reminded me of pink popcorn from a fair -- remember that? As you might imagine, New Jersey is quite a sugary fragrance. It's probably not a good option if you're aiming for sophistication, but I think that you can pull it off as long as you have a sense of humor. The cotton candy top and the patchouli in the base reminds me a little bit of Flowerbomb, except fed full with popcorn and funnel cake at a carnival.
I really enjoyed sampling all seven of these fragrances from United Scents of America. They already offer such wonderful variety; I can't wait to see what other scents they will come up with.
If I were to spring for a full bottle, I think that Florida and Hawaii would be my top choices. And boy, would that be a tough decision, because I have no idea how I would choose between the two. They are both beautiful, evocative scents that spark my imagination. I know I will be trying to make my sample vials last as long as possible...
If I were to spring for a full bottle, I think that Florida and Hawaii would be my top choices. And boy, would that be a tough decision, because I have no idea how I would choose between the two. They are both beautiful, evocative scents that spark my imagination. I know I will be trying to make my sample vials last as long as possible...
What do you think of United Scents of America? Is your home state in the above list? Which fragrance would you most like to try?
Disclaimer: I received a sample of this product from the company for consideration. My review is based on an honest assessment of the product and was not preapproved by PR or brand representatives.