It’s the holidays. Eggnog lattes, crowded grocery stores, Christmas music wherever you go…and Smell Bent’s holiday perfume collection! Here’s my quick reviews of all 5 in the Smell Bent 2012 Holiday Happening Collection:

Lady Dreidel with notes of hiba, sandalwood, vanilla, chocolate gelt, orris and soft musk.

Lady Dreidel is a soft, powdery woodsy fragrance with earthy chocolate. The sandalwood is buttery and the hiba adds a cedar-y vibe. With time Lady Dreidel begins to remind me of a chocolate croissant. It’s buttered bread and dark chocolate. And then it dries down to a powdery musk.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Chocolate croissant and powdery perfume. Not for me but worth trying if you like chocolate-y perfumes or want to smell like buttery croissants.

Winter of Love with notes of vintage red patchouli, incense, tonka, blood cedar, vetiver and sandalwood.

I have to admit that I like the idea of this. A hippie winter fragrance…Winter of Love is an earthy patchouli and a sharp cedar incense. It is a winter hippie fragrance. It’s a “summer of love” with more evergreens.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Winter hippies. Those that like “headshop” style patchouli perfumes, should give this one a try.

Dead of Winter with notes of anise liquor, vanilla, heliotrope, cedar and “zombie musk”.

Like all zombies, Dead of Winter is back from the dead. I reviewed this one last year. It’s Good & Plenty candies with a dose of heliotrope. It’s a spicy marshmallow type gourmand. Here’s my full review.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A gourmand with with anise and fluffy heliotrope. It was my favorite last year and it’s still my favorite. But, I like this sort of thing.

Bolshe Vixen with hazelnuts, vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg and creamy woods.

Bolshe Vixen is a straight up gourmand. It smells like spiced nuts. It’s my least favorite from the collection since I can’t stand the smell of those roasted, spiced candied nuts. There’s a vendor in Pike Place Market. I prefer the smell of the fish market over the candied nuts place.  I have no desire to smell like roasted, spiced nuts so this is my least favorite from the collection. However, I’m sure there is someone out there looking for a perfume like this.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Literal roasted, spiced, candied nuts. Good if you want to be mistaken for a snack at your next holiday cocktail party.

Ice Station Zebra includes notes of howling artic winds, cracking ice, frozen earth, and crisp evergreen buried under a drift of snowy musk.

Yep, it’s named after the film featuring Rock Hudson. Ice Station Zebra is a cold, minty evergreen/fir fragrance with aldehydes and menthol. The fragrance smells cold. It feels cold. The fragrance eventually dries down to a cool, white musk. This is one of my favorites from the collection. I’m sure most will smell it and think “winter”. For me, I smell this and think I need a bottle in the summer. I don’t need any extra coolness in the winter! I’d rather save that for summer.

People that may like Ice Station Zebra may like Heeley Esprit du Tigre, LUSH Dirty or CdG Play Green.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Korean Pine Salt Toothpaste. I use Korean Pine Salt toothpaste. Ice Station Zebra smells the way Korean Pine Salt toothpaste feels and tastes. And I like that. The more I wear this one, the more I have to say it’s the “best” out of the Collection.

So, what do you think? Any of these limited edition holiday perfumes sound like something you’d like to find in your stocking?

This collection will be available until the end of February 2013. I’ve reviewed the EDTs which retail for $49 for 1.7 oz. An oil is also available with prices ranging from $15-$23. And sample sets are available at Smell Bent.

Want more reviews? Try…

Hottie McNaughty

Perfume Posse

Ça Fleure Bon – Review of Lady Dreidel

Brightest Star of All – Review of Ice Station Zebra

 *Disclaimer – Samples provided by Smell Bent. I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. My opinions are my own. Illustrations from Smell Bent.