Coconut, Smoked Vanilla & Fig

[zankoku_zen]

No additional scent description.

[artisjok]

I’m not a huge fan of coconut scents, yet I wanted to see what the smoked vanilla & fog combo brought to the table.

This is definitely a coconut-centric scent, and I probably should have waited til I had some food in my belly before testing, as I’m feeling a little queasy from it. Gradually, the vanilla slinks in to give the coconut more body, though no smoked note for me. I do think I smell a faint fig peeking in the background. 
Eventually, the vanilla seems to bully the coconut from the spotlight, though not from the stage. Fig never really gets the courage to stand next to these two divas. I can tell it’s still showing a little face around the curtain. 
 

The scent turns into something more appealing to me the longer I wear it. Never enough for it to be a favorite.
Coconut lovers should definitely leap for it, especially for that lush summer tropical vibe. Someone else may get more fig, too. 
 

Also, impressive wear length for my skin. 

Edited May 28, 2020 by artisjok

[torikitty]

I hate to say this, but my first thought is "Bath&Body Works". This smells similar to some of their summer coconut scents. Tropical and sweet, slightly creamy and clean; very approachable. I think the fig lends the "cream" and "clean" note. I love coconut scents, but this doesn't seem particularly nuanced. As time wears on, the coconut calms down a bit, but it's not interesting enough for me to keep.

[puellacaerulea]

In the decant, it's mainly coconut and a muted, dry vanilla, with a slight hint of fig. Weirdly enough, what it most reminds me of is expensive, high-end coconut-scented soap (and I mean that in a good way!). It doesn't morph too much as it wears -- it gets a little warmer as the fig comes out a bit more, but the coconut and vanilla are still the dominant notes. Like a lot of this round of trios, it's surprisingly subtle and sticks close to the skin. it's a tropical and warm scent, but this is far from full-on suntan lotion. If you like coconut but want something fairly low-key, this might be one to try.

[Lucchesa]

I enjoy coconut scents, and Coconut, Smoked Vanilla & Fig is very pleasant.  I get mostly coconut and a vanilla with no appreciable smokiness, and a little fig underlying it all. A nice balance of the notes, but it doesn't knock my socks off.  No throw (which is normal for me) but this is still appreciable if I sniff my wrist the next morning.  

[AprilB]

I had high hopes for this, but also a fair amount of trepidation. Coconut and fig are two of my favorite scent notes, but I don't enjoy scents that come across as too foodie. Waltzing Matilda was very fig newton on me, and I feared this would stray into the realm of baked goods, too. Too my delight, this vanilla actually takes it away from the realm of food. The smoked note makes it into something sultry, instead! With that addition, the bright fig nearly reads as floral. It's a beautifully sexy summer scent. However, the smoke note fades incredibly rapidly as the perfume dries, rather than lingering, leaving me with something I enjoy--and which is still not too gourmand for me--but don't love.

[ajansuz]

This is so lovely! I wish the vanilla was more smoked, especially on my skin, but it has a lovely creaminess that makes the dry coconut a little more juicy. On my skin, the fig is the MVP. It elevates this to something adult and sultry rather than just a summer suntan oil scent. The throw for me is moderate, and it lasts several hours. My husband, who usually doesn't enjoy coconut at all, asked me what I was wearing and said it was really pretty. Definitely a keeper for me.

[Penance]

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I hate the smell of actual coconut and typically avoid coconut-scented things, but now and then a scent with coconut will call my name.  This one did.  I'm digging the Lab's smoked vanilla note they've been using lately.  It's pretty great.  And I do like fig.  I've been reading the reviews, though, and I'm not sure that this is going to really be for me.

 

First sniff:

 

So much coconut!  It's a very creamy coconut, very smooth, almost buttery.  The smoked vanilla just adds a bit of sweetness, no appreciable smokiness.  The fig is there, but that's just it.  It's...there.  It doesn't really have much of a presence.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Coconut, coconut and more coconut.  It's a coconut meat scent on me.  Very fresh, sort of creamy.  A little bit sunscreen-y in a good way.  I don't get any vanilla or fig, really.  Just coconut. 

 

Dry down:

 

The vanilla makes a comeback in the form of a sweetness in the background that melds with the creaminess of the coconut.  The fig just adds a faint fruitiness that's hard to pin down.  The whole thing reads kind of palleta-meets-lotion.  It's not perfumey or gourmand (though it is foody, in the sense that all three notes are foods), but it kind of has vibes of both creamy coconut ice pop and a trendy-but-mass-friendly body lotion/shampoo/body wash.

 

The final verdict:

 

I can totally see the Bath and Body Works comparisons, though this is better than any BBW scent could ever dream of being.  This is one of those "safe" scents that strays too close to mainstream perfume to really be something I really enjoy.  I feel like this could be at home at any bath and body store. 

It's nice, but not special.  Maybe aging will bring out more depth.  I'm not sure if it's worth it to find out, though.  It's a nice scent, just not one I necessarily need in an already over-full collection.

[zankoku_zen]

Coconut and fig, with a whiff of vanilla. This is a coconutty, figgy blend. Very tropical. Good throw and wear length.

[starbrow]

This one could have easily gone suntan lotion or *whispers* Bath and Body Works, summer-style. Fortunately, fig elevates this from pure tropical explosion to a Mediterranean beach, lounging in a floppy hat and designer bathing suit. There definitely is some element of sweet coconut lotion, but the delicate drabbles of fig brings something lovely and mature, fancy gourmand. The fig is juicy and ripe to me, but not dominating. It's quite balanced, in a way that many BPAL figs are not, because it can be a pretty bossy note. In this trio, it dances well with the other two.

 

If I could wish for anything, it'd be more of the smoked vanilla. It's such a gorgeous note in the Cedarwood duet, and it could totally afford to POP more in this trio. If anything, I wish it'd been paired with something other than coconut, because I can *tell* there's a smoky sweetness beneath that coconut but it is just so obvious a tropical note. 

 

I think coconut fans will find this a wafty, elevated blend that is perfect for summer. I am still debating whether to keep my bottle or not, but it is undeniably beautiful.

[gwynethr]

I keep forgetting that the fig means fig leaf, not fig meat, and I really hate the scent of fig leaves--my arms itch just thinking about it, because I have such an intense bad reaction every time I have to cut back my fig tree, which is often. I end up miserable and scratching for days. Fig meat, on the other hand, is a fave like in Treat #2. So the sharp green fig leaf in this is really unpleasant, just as a note and mentally. Fortunately, it goes away fairly quickly on this, so I'll probably keep it because the coconut and vanilla are warm enough to balance out that unpleasant green note. It doesn't last long, though, which I wish the smoked vanilla and coconut parts would. 

[sunshinedaisybliss]

Reading previous reviews, I'm surprised about how this is on me... because I'm not getting all coconut all the time - instead, I get a beautiful deep fig with the smoked vanilla playing seductively over the top and the soft creaminess of the coconut in the background. The overall feel is smokey and rich, with softly sweet undertones. Nothing sharp, nothing plastic, nothing suntan lotion going on here at all - this smoked vanilla is the shit, really. 

 

For me, this is everything I had hoped it would be - and more. Simple yet multi-layered, just lovely. 

[frizzlechicken]

I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this one yet! Simply put it is the perfect summer scent and I always reach for it when the weather is very hot. No one note dominates on my skin; I get an excellent blend of the coconut, vanilla, and the fig. It is truly evocative of a tropical beach and cooling breezes.