Gentle Hands

[Seajewel]

Amber-laced mango cream.

[MolyH]

I am a very picky eater when it comes to mangoes. The reason I hardly ever buy it unless I'm in a mango-producing country is that I will only eat the best of mangoes. Gentle Hands smell like mangoes, undoubtedly, but it smells like a cheap, low-quality mango. The kind that's very fibrous, filled with hard strands and not much meat. The kind that's become a touch overripe without ever actually sweetening up and ripening. Or maybe this is just a mango that's been cut open and left on the counter for too long and oxidized. The kind of mango that's got a thick, rubbery, green peel. In other words, this smells exactly like the kind of mangoes that can be bought in Walmarts.

 

The amber warms the scent up, and gives the impression of a mango sticky rice dessert that the restaurant cheaped out on and bought the clearance mangoes for.

[Lion]

In the bottle -  sweet and fruity, very mango. Also creamy, but that mango is front and center. No resinous amber in bottle

 

Wet -  Once on the skin, the amber comes out full blast. Powdery and resinous There's still a mango note, but it's definitely overshadowed by the amber, at least when I put my nose to my wrist. The cloud of scent around me is still a nice fruity, creamy mango. I'm interested to see how the two play together once this dries.

 

Dry -  Okay yes this is exactly what I wanted: A nice, creamy, fruity, sweet mango with a touch of resinous amber. Much better than Rice Milk and Mango - not plasticky at all. Will go excellently with Erotic Drops of Flowers.

[forspecial_plate]

I love this!  I tried it with Rice Milk & Mango on the other wrist to compare, and I do think they are similar.  The amber is light but definitely there, and I think it's giving GH more lasting power than the trio.  On me the amber gradually takes over and the mango note fades to the background.  This is a very simple and pleasant scent, especially good for early spring. 

 

Edit: darn.  Something in this isn't agreeing with me.  I noticed it before but it wasn't enough to turn me off.  It's something high pitched and screechy like white musk.  Apple Butter Rum had it too but it's a lot stronger in that.  In Gentle Hands it's just barely there but I'm afraid this isn't going to work for me.  It's just on the edge of headache territory.  I really thought I loved this.  I think I'll try it a couple more times over the next few months and see if some aging will help.  I wish I knew what note does this, but these 2 scents seem to have nothing in common.  I had thought it was rum but maybe not. 

OH......maybe it's cream??  That would make me sad, I really thought I liked the Lab's cream note.  Maybe there's more than one cream accord, and one of them disagrees with me.  : ( 

Edited April 17, 2023 by forspecial_plate

[deadlyves]

Warm, sweet, light mango rounded out and balanced with amber. While the mango is more forward in the bottle, both scents are pretty evenly blended into one on the skin. This is a bright yellowy orange, like warm sun on a 75 degree day.

 

I don't get much throw. Also decided to test it next to Rice Milk and Mango which is brighter and cooler I think. Gentle Hands has almost a slight toastiness in comparison because of the amber.

 

I have to say, I really like this! Its so so satisfying in its simplicity.

[Tamarinda]

In the decant: Bright, happy mango!

 

Wet: Still a nice, bright mango with some amber peeking out.

 

Dry: The mango is more subdued and I'm getting more of the amber cream. This is a soft scent, just one click shy of a skin scent. I was worried since I hate crappy mangos, and one of the reviews said that it smelled like bargain bin walmart mangos. Thankfully that doesn't happen with Gentle Hands (here's looking at you, Mango Lychee Champagne). I'm going to sit on this decant for a few weeks and revisit to see if the notes get stronger.

 

I think my skin does things with amber because, while mango is the common denominator with Rice Milk & Mango, they're... stylistically different. Like the difference between a circle skirt and a pencil skirt. If that makes sense.

[irmavep]

This smells fantastic wet. All mango and a little amber, yum. But when it dries it goes kind of waxy and into mango candle territory. 

[Little Bird]

I love the Lab's mango scents (and also love a good, ripe mango from Wal-Mart as much as one eaten in a tropical locale, sooo, I just love any kind of mango) and think this one is so pretty in its simplicity.  A ripe, sweet, sticky mango with a creamy, dessert quality to it, on a base of warm, toasty, slightly vanillic amber.  The overall effect smells like a tasty dessert on my skin, like ripe mango, cream, and warm, toasted pastry shell.  It doesn't have a ton of throw on me, but it lasts about 6 hours before I need to reapply.  I'm really glad that I got a bottle of this one.