FRAGRANCE REVIEW Love and Lusciousness from Gorilla Perfumes at Lush + Solid Draw

I have been a fan of Lush products since I had to order them blind and untried from Canada. When stores opened in the US, I was thrilled, and have always had some Lush product or other on hand at all times, if not several.  I was fortunate to obtain some of their original perfumes, Icon and Flower Market, and still hoard them. However, I missed out on the B Never 2 Busy 2 B Beautiful perfume line, and now I have the chance to experience some of the scents from that line, plus new creations, thanks to the Gorilla Perfumes division of Lush.

Gorilla Perfumes showcases the work of Mark and Simon Constantine, who have a mission to showcase fragrance over marketing. The scents, which are loaded with bold essences, are simply packaged and are offered in 10 and 30 ml sizes, depending on availability. As a bonus, most are vegan.

1000 Kisses Deep was created by Mark Constantine to honor the deep and lasting love he and his wife share. I was curious to see how that kind of love would be interpreted in scent. Ultimately, he has created a scent that follows the path of a great love – from the bright flirtatiousness of first love to the cozy stability of a life spent in tandem.  I enjoy a good citrus, and the opening here is especially orangey and juicy.  It is fantastically alluring in a summery way, but definitely potent enough to brighten up a winter day. I like a bit of a rubbery aroma and the mid-drydown has an elusively rubbery waft swirled in amongst the flowers and resins. The far drydown is warm and redolent of the myrrh, and easy to cuddle up with. Funky, flowery, and full of sunshine, yet with a simmering sensuality, wearing this will get you 1000 kisses and more.

Main notes: Mandarin, osmanthus, labdanum, myrrh, musk

Love is inspired by another facet of romance: flirting. The first spritz goes right up your nose like the bubbles of champagne, and its lemony citrus tang is just right for saying “hello”. The cinnamon and apple atop the florals is unexpectedly cozy and beckoning, as if to say “come sit a little closer to me”. Either sex could wear this well – I can imagine myself nuzzling the neck of a man wafting this fragrance. As the perfume settles, it becomes a subdued, clean, but not soapy, scent. Are you shy? Wear Love to your next do, and see what happens …

Main notes: Lemon, lemongrass, bergamot, apple, cinnamon, cassia, jasmine, rose, ylang ylang


To get you in the mood for flirting and romance, there is Cocktail, a French-perfumery inspired, intoxicating blend of florals on an oakmoss and sandalwood base.  A wonderfully flowery, sparkling opening is followed quickly by a truly gorgeous cloud of ylang ylang. The ylang ylang note is quite dominant and very sweet, but not in a sugary way. Cocktail slowly evolves into a complex, seductive floral blend that is quite seamless.  The drydown is quiet and sweet, and although I don’t overtly sense a lot of the wood and moss, they are there to soften the scent while still keeping its vibrancy.  Cocktail is a great party scent – everyone will wonder who smells so good, then follow your alluring scent trail like puppies.

Main notes: Ylang ylang, cananga, jasmine, rose, orange blossom, oakmoss, sandalwood

The Smell of Weather Turning has nothing to do with the trio of romance perfumes reviewed above. It was not in the package of perfumes Gorilla sent for review. However, when I saw that it was finally available in the US, I fairly begged for a sample. I have been waiting to smell this perfume for a couple of years.

I got the perfume as a solid, and rubbing it on is revelatory. It smells like weather. How did they do this? The mint notes are combined with the hay, wood, nettle and beeswax so artfully that I am transported to the crisp, slightly warm air of autumn after a rain. I see the leaves turning, feel their crunch underfoot, feel the emerging sun on my cheeks, see my puff of breath. What is really great about this scent is that, unlike some scents that are crafted to remind one of a particular time or place, it is also wearable. I love the way it smells. The mints offer no dreaded toothpaste note, the beeswax has no urinous honey thing going on, the earthy chamomile has no bitterness.  How satisfying to anticipate a fragrance, and have it live up to expectations.

Main notes: Oakwood, hay, beeswax, nettle, English peppermint, mint, Roman chamomile.

We have a wonderful draw prize for you – a 12g solid of The Smell of Weather Turning. Let us know if you have any experience with any of the Lush perfumes, be it the old Lush scents, BN2B2BB, or Gorilla. Draw ends December 15, 2011 EST

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilt perfume

–Tama Blough, Editor

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42 comments

  • Michelyn Camen says:

    breath of god, a classic beautifully reformulated by the brothers constantine from the original from BN2B2BB.
    imogen rose is another I like from last year. $ friendly and quirky , they pick up and take the concept you dont have to spend a million to smell chic and cheeky

  • Leslie Laurence says:

    Karma is my all-time favorite Gorilla fragrance and the one I get compliments on from my 4 year old nephew all the way to random co-workers. Breath of God is the close second, followed by Tuca Tuca. I love the violet in that one.

  • Olga says:

    I have smelled Tuca Tuca by Lush, and it was not my thing — violet and violet leaf never are my thing.

    I did smelled and loved, adored to pieces, 10000 Kisses Deep by BNTBTBB. I treasure my sample since I know that it’s not available any more. I call it a chypre in yellow.

  • Lisa says:

    I have never tried any Lush, BNTBTBB, or Gorilla products.

    Autumn is by far my favorite season, and this review has certainly got me wanting to try The Smell of Weather Turning!

  • Tama says:

    Michelyn, Breath of God is a masterpiece. Absolutely addictive.

    Leslie – I had a mini of Karma long long ago and somehow got rid of it. I am so glad they reissued it.

    Olga, see if this iteration of 1000 Kisses is the same, because it is on the website to purchase.

    Briar and Lisa, The Smell fo Weather Turning is really great – I hope you get to try it!

  • Brooke says:

    Tama,
    Great review. I am so looking forward to buying the Smell of Weather Turning. The combination of notes sound fascinating. I love that Lush offers a great sample set for under $20. It’s a great way to try several offerings in the line.

  • Tatiana says:

    I can’t get Lush where I live either. They used to have it in my home country, then they got rid of the store then. Then they had a shop where I live, but that promptly closed down, too. I make a beeline for the Lush shop whenever I go overseas now! I’ve tried a lot of their products but have never tried any of their actual perfumes, although I have heard good things about them. The Smell of Weather Turning sounds wonderful! All of their products have such lovely, lingering scents that they could be used as perfumes too, though. The smell of their Glogg shower gel and they have a wonderful red lip tint which I’ve forgotten the name of with a lovely cinnamon-apple scent!

  • Irina says:

    I never had the chance of trying any of them
    The Smell of Weather Turning sounds amazing
    thanks for the draw

  • Haunani says:

    These sound like great fun, Tama! I do have a sample of the old BN2B2BB 1000 Kisses Deep, and like it very very much. I will have to get some of the new version and compare!

  • Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says:

    I love Tucca Tucca and Lust of course! I love burning the Lust candle when I’m taking a long bath! I would love to smell this one, I haven’t yet and I am a total LUSHIE and Gorilla Perfumes nut! Keeping my fingers and toes crossed. Well maybe just my toes so I can hit send! 😉

  • Anna says:

    I use their Lust on a fairly daily basis. The scent is just so amazing! Also, Karma, when I feel a bit more bohemian-like 🙂
    Talking about older Lush scents, I still have half of a tin of the Comforter solid perfume. That smell of sweet blackcurrant always cheers me up on cold Autumn days.

  • Violet Fae says:

    Many years ago was a cosmetics to go customer and their ginger was a big favourite of mine, I was so excited when it was re-released through Lush :), their solids are sent from some where wonderful, I developed an allergy to spray perfumes last year ( Lush’s own and a popular mainstream perfume) I now have a decent sized stash of Love, Ginger and Vanillary, enough to keep me going until the Gorilla Road Show hits my town again 😀

  • Marie cascarino says:

    My all time fave is karma. Been using it for 10 years but did have a bottle of Assassin from BNTBTBB and Ginger from cosmetics To Go and more recently Lush loved it. also 1000 kisses deep, bscent solid which i love, breath of god solid and at the mo am loving Icon. Love all the ones ìve tried and i never throw the bottles

  • Louise Walters says:

    I have only been buying and using Lush products for about 10 months and can’t get enough of them. Then perfume I use most often is Orange Blossom (solid). I love the smell and it’s so handy to have it in a solid form as I can have it in my handbag without risk of spilling. In it’s solid form is has a bit of a sheen to it when you first put it on, I usually just put it on my wrists but if I feel I want a bit more of a hit I put it on my neck and sometimes the top of my chest. One day after just applying some to the top of my chest my husband looked at me and thought I was sweaty! He saw the sheen of the perfume and thought I was perspiring, he then proceeded to be a perfect “gentleman” and tried to wipe it for me! I explained it was only the perfume and we had a bit of a laugh about it, but now I think he watches out for me applying it so he can “help” me again!

  • Naomi Sugai says:

    I have tried several of the Lush fragrances but my favorite Lush fragrance is Imogen Rose. It smells like you’re standing in the middle of a beautiful rose garden. The smell of the roses is really deep but not in an overpowering way. It’s just lovely 🙂

  • GinnyM says:

    Ahhh, I discovered Be Never scents just before the company dissolved, but I stocked up on Breath of God…and then found out it was resuscitated — as is fitting for a fragrance so named! It is and probably always will be my favorite, but The Smell of Weather Turning is intriguing! (And the Silky Underwear powder is an absolute winner, too!)

  • Isa says:

    I have never tried any Lush, BNTBTBB or Gorilla perfume. But I have tried other Lush scented products and they are nice.

    The smell of weather turning is a beautiful name and I’d like to try it. Thanks!

  • Kate R says:

    I don’t like TSOWT but a lot of people seem to, hopefully someone who’s never tried it will win it and love it 🙂

    My favourite perfume (to wear) is vanillary but my all-time favourite is Dirty because it’s what my fiancé wears. I have one of the solids of it to remind me of him because we live in different countries at the moment. Just smelling it takes me back to when we met up in Belgium and he put it on just before we said goodbye.

  • zee says:

    i stumbled upon these perfumes this summer. the sales staff was overly helpful in a teen on commission kind of way and it sent me out of the store before i really had a chance to fully experience the line. but now… i will be going back for more. thanks for the draw!

  • rosarita says:

    This sounds wonderful! Living here in the WalMart wasteland of the US midwest, I’ve not had access to any Lush products to try. Thanks for the draw opportunity.

  • mim says:

    LUSH! !!!
    This takes me back– I ‘discovered’ Lush abroad in Britain right after high school, back before there were any American stores. The smell wafting out of the store drew me closer, then all those different soaps! I loved middle earth (not sure about the name, it changed a few times) and buddha bar and shampoos and treatments with beer! It was a fun time. I remember liking Karma a lot then and have a decant of the perfume. Would love to try the weather solid, it sounds awesome!

    Found the NY store randomly a couple years later, again by the smell. From a few blocks away. Was super into it for a while, bought discons when they were availible only on the forum, I think I got into swapping there too. Have not been buying lately, my stash got big and I’m still working through it. I missed the B never stuff too. Breath of God and Icon are both on my to-try list. Vanillary, and now Love and The Smell of Weather Turning are too.

  • RM says:

    I’ve never been lucky enough to smell any Lush scents (I went looking in a store in Australia but it didn’t appear that they sold them). I would love to try the smell of weather turning!

  • Masha says:

    I’ve never been able to try any of these and I’ve really wanted to. By coincidence, the Smell of Weather Turning has been my top priority. I’d love to try it!

  • Holly F. says:

    I love Lush! I really dig Karma. Funny story about it though- I didn’t care for it at first, and swapped my bottle away. Time passed, and I was working out another swap with a lovely lady who offered to include a partial bottle of Karma. I agreed, and it was the same bottle I swapped away! This time, though, it agreed with me. I would absolutely love to try The Smell of Weather Turning! Thanks for the draw.

  • smokeytoes says:

    I LOVE Lush products, especially their fizzy bath balls, they have such a great line of products. It’s fun to go into the store and try new things. I like that the scents come in 10 or 30 ml sizes, very convenient.
    Breath of God is wonderful, and The Smell of Weather Turning sounds amazing!

  • chrisskins says:

    I’ve used the soap and bath products —fab. Would be new to the fumes. Would love to smell like the weather as I am in the lighting protection business. 🙂

  • samberg says:

    Karma and I used to get along in college but my tastes have changed since those days. Now I appreciate Karma for what it is but almost never decide to wear it because it reminds me so strongly of that time in my life.

  • elizabeth says:

    I have little experience with the Lush perfumes, but am pretty obsessed with their creamy, dreamy Snowcake soap and also have a few others in seasonal rotation (Bohemian for summer, Honey I Washed the Kids in the fall). I would love to smell The Smell of Weather Turning–the description above is gorgeous!

  • tomatefarcie says:

    I don’t really know the Gorilla perfumes but I do like the Lush solids in the small tins, especially Prends un Vert!

  • Tama says:

    Wow, I’m so glad so many of you have enjoyed some Lush products, and for those of you who haven’t, good luck!

  • ololiuqui says:

    Thank you for this draw i never had the chance to try anything from their line.This is a good chance to do it.Lush conception is very interesting as usual I would definitly love to try their scents.

  • winston says:

    Lush makes amazing scents!

    I have Lust, Karma, Breath of God, and I think I’m going to buy Cocktail blind — it’s only sold in the UK. Really awesome line!

  • donna s kopenhaver says:

    reading all the comments by as well be another language to be regarding these scents.. I would love to try some of the different scents.

  • Cheesegan says:

    The only Lush fragrances that made an impression with me were Karma and Breath of God. They were good, but didn’t inspire me to buy. The Smell of Weather is one I will definitely try when it hits the stores here and if it smells anything at all like your description, it will be the first Lush perfume I buy.

  • Paul-Laurentiu says:

    Unfortunately, no. But I would like to. Heard good things about Lush, but also bad ones. That’s why I would not say no if I were to win.