Solstice Scents Private Eye (Angela St. John) + Sultry Night Giveaway

Solstice Scents Private Eye via the brand

Close your eyes and come with me as I take you undercover. It is a sultry night, drenched in humidity, and the air is thick with secrets. Picture yourself in a worn leather jacket, its texture telling tales of thoughtless and enchanting incidents. We are in a vintage automobile, parked under streetlights that cast mysterious shadows. The faint music from the radio plays through old speakers turned so low it’s inaudible, mingling with the smoke of a cigarette, ash cascading like forgotten dreams.

Now we are entering a dimly lit office, the air charged with anticipation. Neon lights slash through the broken blinds, filling the corners of our mind like bursts of inspiration. As a projector buzzes to life, its bulb warming, preparing to reveal the hidden accounts of secrets found out. The smell of celluloid and the delicate swirl of dust flecks pirouette through the air, creating a sensation that pulls you deeper into the unknown.

movie private eyes from the 60s

Private Eye Sandi AI

Solstice Scents Private Eye wraps around me, threaded in mystery and intrigue…a call to explore the dark that propels me into its raw, visceral elements. It doesn’t just greet you; it invites you into it, where every note is a portal into mystery. Imagine the warmth of resinous myrrh entwined with the rich depth of cacao and the boldness of black coffee, grounding that initial jolt in an intoxicating sweetness, each note a brushstroke on the canvas of my evening. It is a dance of earthiness and sweetness, kissed by the faintest suggestion of leather, like a secret discovered from a stealthy investigation. The thrilling interchange of pink and black peppers ignites in the opening, a spark that caught me off guard. The charm of chocolate and boldness of coffee rushed in, and I was encircled in a comforting haze, followed by the resinous embrace of myrrh, grounding me in this intoxicating moment. Luminous rosewood arises, gliding above the smooth blend of leather and smoke, each note weaving together an intricate, complex, dark narrative. The base comes into play, and the spicy tendrils of Buddha wood edge closer, with its promise of warmth and depth. Solstice Scents Private Eye evolves, revealing layers that entice and enchant, composing a profile that remains dark yet complex. As the minutes pass, a soft sweetness unfurls, and the gentle caress of tonka bean adds a touch of creamy caramel, creating a veil of intrigue.

Solstice Scents Private Eye lingers on the skin with a presence, evidence of its bold, spirited personality, inviting me to explore the depths of mysteries and daring me to become the protagonist in my own film noir. It’s a journey through an enigmatic world, where every spritz is a story and a tangled mystery waiting to be discovered.

Notes: Cocoa Absolute, Myrrh, Pink Pepper, Black Pepper, Tonka absolute, Buddha Wood, Tobacco, Coffee, Gaiacwood, Rosewood

Sandi Lundberg, Senior Contributor

Disclosure: Review based on the bottle I purchased, and check out the site for yourself, Solstice Scents.

solstice Scents Private Eye

Photo Solstice Scents via the brand

Thanks to the generosity of Solstice Scents, we have a 5ml perfume oil for one registered reader in the USA. You must be registered or your entry will not count. To be eligible, comment on what sparks your interest and that you live in the USA.  Who is your favorite Private Eye? Draw closes 6/24/2025

Happy Summer Solstice!

Michelyn and Sandi’s Note: The Summer Solstice began June 20, 2025 at 10:42 p.m. in the Northern Hemisphere and is the longest day of the year. We think that Solstice Scents is the perfect choice to feature today.

Read Michael Devine’s review Old Florida Backroads

Enjoy Sandi’s review of Headmistress

Read Angela’s Profile in American Perfumery

Solstice Scents won an honorable mention for Sweet Clover and Woodsmoke Best of 2022 by Michelyn, reviewed by former Sr. Editor Michael Devine

Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebonofficial@injoyinutah@solsticescents

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17 comments

  • Who doesn’t love a private eye? The mystery. The intrigue. The dark. The excitement. And what a perfect scent for the summer solstice! In maryland.

  • Angelika1 says:

    Happy Summer Solstice! As I was reading more and more of this review I realized that this fragrance has almost all the favorite elements that I enjoy in terms of perfumes. Cocoa, Tonka Absolute, Myrrh, Tobacco and Rosewood! What an amazing combination. I’am pretty sure that this mystery and intrigue is the perfect description for this perfume oil! A hidden gem from Solstice Scents. PR, USA

  • tforman13 says:

    Solstice Scents is so evocative, and this fragrance sparks my interest because it feels like such a unique departure from what I think is their wheelhouse (spicy, fall-time fragrances). Would love a sample! California, US.

  • I like how Private Eye uses some leather and smoke to balance out the coffee and chocolate. The smell of coffee isn’t very sweet, so reinforcing those bitter, inky notes is what I look for in a realistic coffee scent. I’m also intrigued by the dual pepper notes in the opening to give this some spark. (The last private eye story I really enjoyed was the first season of Altered Carbon.)

    I’m in the USA.

  • teatreesoil says:

    oh this is perfect timing! happy start of summer (i say, on the cusp of a heat dome on east coast US… yeesh)

    i’ve heard quite a bit of buzz about solstice scents from the indie frag community on reddit, i’ve only sampled a few (first flush, farmhouse in spring), but i definitely have a good opinion of their gourmand notes. the notes on private eye make me think of cooler days and fall approaching with the focus on chocolate, spices, and woods.

    Does Hercules Poirot count as a private eye? definitely my favorite fictional detective at least!

  • Love Solstice Scents and their incredible atmospherics. Private Eyes sounds like they have hit it out of the park once again.

  • The cocoa and coffee notes swirled together with a resinous myrrh sounds intriguing! I also liked the description of the two different types of pepper as sparks that ignite the composition. My favorite PI at the moment (although I guess she is really a “consulting” investigator” is Cordelia Cupp from the streaming series “The Residence”! I am in MA.

  • Maastura bluesock says:

    I love the descriptive story telling introduction. So thrilling and mysterious. I don’t have a fav private eye but I watch alot of detective games . I live Nancy Drew detective games and the duck detective games ( humorous). Of course I have to mention A (Allison)from pretty little lliars.i would like to enter the giveaway and I live in Florida USA

  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Lisbeth Salander is one of my favorite characters of all time. That said, when I read of the caress of tonka adding a touch of caramel creaminess and the depth of the cocoa, I could almost feel a warm summer night closing in around me, but the pepper. leather, and coffee add a touch of irresistible danger. I’m in Michigan and thank you for the opportunity to try this.

  • Sherin Thomas says:

    Lovely composition. I enjoy in terms of perfumes. Cocoa, Tonka Absolute, Myrrh, Tobacco and Rosewood! What an amazing combination. From PA, USA

  • Valarie Hayes says:

    I love reading these articles about fragrances. Makes me feel like I know what I’m talking about when someone mentions one I’ve read about.

  • Solstice Scents Private Eye sounds very noir with its use of woods, cocoa, black coffee and a leathery earthiness. The tonka seems to add some caramel sweetness. Sounds interesting! My favorite female private eye is Veronica Mars. MD, USA

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the great writeup Sandi! There’s something dark, brooding and heavy about the fragrance, which is amplified by the lack of top notes in the scent.

    Really interested to see how this plays out.

    Cheers from WI, USA

  • I think my favorite private eye is Dorothy from the og Wizard of Oz. She’s out here solving who is the Wizard, where is this emerald city exactly, how the heck do you get back home especially if that’s Kansas and what’s going on with all these witches? The QTNAs! I love Solstice Scents and these notes sound like what I’d love…. Myrrh especially. I am in California.

  • goldenswan says:

    This sounds like pure noir in a bottle with coffee, leather, smoke, and sweetness from tonka and cacao? I’m intrigued. Solstice Scents always paints such vivid scent-scapes. My favorite private eye has to be Philip Marlowe: cool, flawed, and unforgettable. Thanks for the draw. USA

  • goknitintheocean says:

    Hi there,

    This is a perfect entry into the world inhabited by the average Joe; a workaday scent impacting someone who wouldn’t have the faintest idea about The Solstice, but nonetheless is moved by the deep lunar and solar rhythms of the natural world. I feel like the average Josephine these days; yet always grateful for the reminders that the universe is bigger than we can imagine. And smells big, too! I live in NYC/USA. Thank you so much.

    Deborah

  • Kensolfactoryodyssey says:

    The mix of cocoa, coffee, and leather in Private Eye totally draws me in—it sounds like wearing a vintage noir film. I live in the USA, and my favorite private eye is Jessica Jones—tough, messy, and deeply human. I’m in the USA