Smell Bent Never Never Land is a fragrance featured in the Leisure Cruise Collection, a collection that takes our sniffers around the world. Never Never Land is inspired by the vast Australian Outback. It’s a resiny, balsamic woodsy unisex fragrance heavy on amber.
Never Never Land is a dry, incense-like scent with rich resins. I like it. I get lots of amber from Never Never Land. It isn’t that “creamy” amber often sniffed in women’s fragrances. It’s “crumbly” like an actual block of amber resin. It’s dry. There is a rosey like green floral in the mix. I assume this is “desert rose”. This floral is only accompanying the dry amber and woods, which sort of reminds me of dried tobacco. This isn’t a “rose” scent but the rose adds a needed (and underplayed) watery greenness. The guaiacwood adds a smokiness and I guess this is where I’m getting the “tobacco” from. This guaiacwood is adding a simmering smokiness, the smoke left from a still simmering campfire in the early morning. This smokiness mingles with the sweet amber. With time this fragrance gets woodsier. It’s dry, smoky, warm guiaiacwood. I find that I can’t stop sniffing myself at this stage. This EDT wears and wear. The dry-down at about 7 hours in wear, smells dry and woodsy. The amber still mingles but it isn’t as prominent. And I do get dry, grassy, but “dark” vetiver and dry woods. This scent is dry and warm. I can see the “arid outback” in this. It seriously reminds me of tumble weeds.
Because of the amber, I find that I can’t stop sniffing myself. Because of the smoky woods, I find that I can’t stop sniffing myself. I like Never Never Land. It’s a bit “headshop” because of the oils used, but I like it. “Headshop” is a bit niche now: lots of patchouli, woods, and incense fragrances out there. A little bit of this spray goes a long way. This scent wears and wears. It’s there until you wash it off. It does wear closely to the skin. My chemistry does very well with amber so this seems very “natural” on me. I see this is a beautiful fall and winter fragrance in most people’s minds. But, for me, I want to wear amber fragrances all year.
Notes listed include amber, desert rose, guiaiac wood, vetiver, and the arid outback.
If you like amber, then I recommend you try Never Never Land. If you like balsamic and/or resinous scents, try this. If you like fragrances such as Serge Lutens Vetiver Or*ental EDP, Frederic Malle Vetiver Extraordinaire EDP, Tom Ford Private Blend Amber Absolute EDP and Oud Wood EDP, L’Occitane Eau d’Iparie EDT, and/or Prada EDP. I notice that this list contains lots of expensive fragrances. I think Never Never Land smells much more expensive than its price tag.
I have reviewed the EDT. The 55 mL EDT retails for $45. A perfume oil is available. It retails for $20. I wonder if it can even last any longer than the EDT?! Never Never Land is available at Smell Bent.
Want more reviews? Try…
Lovely Android (review of the entire Leisure Cruise Collection)
Perfume-Smell’n Things (review of the entire Leisure Cruise Collection)
Muse In Wooden Shoes (I didn’t experience the Play-Dough note)
Married To The Mirror (review of the entire Leisure Cruise Collection)
I have this in the perfume oil and haven’t sampled it yet. It’s sounds great! I wonder how the oil vs. EdT will differ.
Perhaps when I’m done with the violets, I’ll get around to sampling it.
I often wonder if the EDTs and the oils are similar. I’ll read a review, and think “that’s not what I smelled” and then read they are sampling the oil.
When you get around to it, will you let me know what you think? I’m very curious to see if they wear alike.
Hmm..interesting. I’d love to try this. I used to think I hated sandalwood but I it’s growing on me. I’m trying to get more exposure to them to see if I really do like them.
That’s the best way to do it!
I sampled the oil of this one and it isn’t for me. It’s too strong for me. Maybe it would be lighter in an EDT?
I don’t know. I haven’t tried the oil. One would think that the EDT would be lighter, but you just never know!
This one did not work on me. It isn’t bad, but not something I would see myself wearing. It is too heavy for my tastes.
Many Smell Bent scents are “loud”. I could see any of them being too much.