Review: Commodity Fragrances Book Bold

Perfumes are definitely something that I do just for me. It doesn't really matter to other people what I smell like, as long as I don't smell - and just as an aside, if you don't think that we can smell you without deodorant on, in the height of Summer, you're wrong, we absolutely can, and I'm not sure that I appreciate it. Anyway, like I was saying, when it comes to perfumes, I wear them for me, and me alone. It sparks a certain type of joy, and scent memory is a very real thing, which means that there are fragrance notes that remind me of places, events and people, and I'm all for that sort of nostalgia (nosetalgia?)!

 

I was first introduced to Commodity back when Sephora initially landed here in Australia, and I remember really loving their fragrances - I remember think it was so niche and gorgeous. It then disappeared somewhat from the scent scene here, but it has now resurfaced after going quiet, and it has since been revamped and rejuvenated in 2019, with a new owner at the helm. What began with it's humble roots as a Kickstarter campaign has now grown to be an internationally recognised brand with three classifications of scent strength, going from Personal being the least potent, to Expressive and ending with Bold, rather than relying on older terms, like EDT (eau de toilette) or EDP (eau de parfum). 

I was offered the chance to revisit the brand recently, and as you can imagine, I took it with both hands and ran! The scent I chose was Book+, also known as Book Bold, and I picked it based on the scent notes. It's meant to open with a burst of violet, followed by a quiet hum of eucalyptus and sandalwood, developing into something warmer and woodier. It then heads towards smokier notes, with hints of cedarwood, earthy vetiver and smoky musk, finishing on an almost Summery, sweet, forest scent. 

Skin chemistry is a tricky beast - you have to remember that what smells great on me may not necessarily smell the same on you. So, this means that while on me, and to me, this hits me like a bold, warm collision of floral notes and grassy wood, with a trace of smoky musk, which actually does make me think of an old-fashioned book, and in turn, a library, which is secretly one of my favourite happy places, it's not absolutely going to smell the same on you.

 

This means that you can either blind purchase it, or try before you buy. I actually picked this scent without initially sniffing it, and I feel like I lucked out, because aside from loving the name, I found the fragrance notes to be to my preference. It's played out precisely how I wanted it to, but it's rare that I've fallen this hard for a perfume that I didn't even get the chance to try. I will say that the one thing that I was a little disappointed by was the staying power of this - it's not as strong as I was hoping for it to be, but overall, it's a beautiful perfume that I can see myself wearing regularly. Grab your own bottle over here. What are your favourite fragrance notes?

*This product was provided for editorial consideration