MiN New York Scent Stories Review
MiN New York has been the best kept secret in the perfume and beauty industry since it’s inception in 1999! Until now, this trendy New York boutique was a hidden gem frequented only by those with the up-most sense of style and desire for luxury niche beauty products, rare fragrances, and refined bespoke services. But with the launch of their own fragrance collection, MiN New York is about to solidify themselves in the global niche fragrance market and in my opinion, this brand has the potential to be the next big thing!
Having curated some of the best and, at times, most rare fragrances for clients for years with their specialized personal concierge service, MiN New York has had unparalleled access to some of the top perfumers in the world! This has provided them with invaluable information on just what it takes to create a masterpiece perfume. So it is only fitting that at some point this company would venture into scent creation themselves.
MiN New York has a simple philosophy: “The world doesn’t need more products. It needs BETTER products.” and I can tell that they were thinking of this exact mission when they developed their first fragrance collection!
Creatively called “Scent Stories”, this first volume of carefully constructed scents are said to be inspired by the favorite memories, scenes, and places of the two MiN New York curators Chad Murawczyk and Mindy Yang.
Appropriately named, Scent Stories, these fragrances are more than perfume, they are a scentual experience transporting you to far off places, time traveling with you back to your past, and catapulting you into mental nirvana!
This is what perfume should be, this is how perfume should be thought of. Going beyond what smells pleasing, but eliciting emotions and thoughts and inspiring your daily life to always be something more! After all, scent is one of the strongest links to memory and this concept is not used near enough in mainstream fragrance creation.
Although the Scent Stories collection may have been born by the specific imagination of it’s creators, these scents leave just enough room for the each and every wearer to put their own spin on their affect.
11 fragrances in total, I decided to organize them into what I thought would be an interesting grouping based on the four seasons. I did this because one remarkable thing I realized while spending time with this collection is that there appeared to be a scent for every season, taking you from the Summer sun to the snow covered Winter all within one collection. I imagined how this collection could be a one-stop-shop for every person’s fragrance wardrobe.
Scent Stories Vol. 1
Summer
Long Board:
Long Board is your typical summer beachy scent, but in my opinion it has never been done to this standard before now.
Smelling like salty surf, soft sand, and warm skin, these beachy scents are usually laden with the smell of fake sun-tan lotion and tropical cocktails. But MiN’s Long Board is surf, sand, and skin done with utter sophistication!
Glowing notes of delicate Orange Blossom, sweet Vanilla, smooth Cream, and warm Amber, it literally smells like sun in a bottle! But combined with organic notes of fresh Salt-Water and dry Vetiver, this fragrance remains grounded in the surf and sand. Once dried down and this mix becomes a sweet combination of bodily heat and sweat, mixed with suntan lotion that’s been melted on the skin.
Never an immature beach-bunny, more of a sophisticated sun-goddess!
Dune Road:
Once again, MiN New York impresses with their grown up take on another surf & sand scent. This time, however, you get the perfect ambiance of a day at the beach, complete with a dip in the sea, digging your toes in the sand, and taking a barefoot stroll on the warm board walk.
The refreshing Salt-Water air and marine Algae combined with dry Grass and dusty Vetiver combined with the unique scent of Driftwood gives this Summer fragrance a classic feel, perfect for both men and women.
This is by far the most accurate representation of a beach scent that I have ever experienced! But not the tropical vacation kind of beach, more like a day spent on Long Island.
And on a side-note, the dusty green grassy Vetiver dry-down, makes this scent my most favorite Vetiver representation of all time!
Momento:
“Timeless favorites. All good things. The scent of lost treasures, like a box of old photographs or love letters… A visit to a familiar place from your childhood. This is the scent of love and happiness.”
This is the description of MiN’s Momento fragrance and it truly is a walk down memory lane. Like an old familiar friend this scent represents all that comforts.
With bright Bergamot, clean Aldehydes, and sparkling Lemon and Verbena, at first this scent reminds me of a fresh, soapy bubble bath when you’re a kid. Rubber Ducky and all!
But add to that sunny Carnation, soft Rose, and smooth Jasmine and it smells like the lazy days of Summer’s past.
And in the end, glowing Oppoponax and rich Gaiac Wood wraps around you like a warm hug!
Momento is a classic and timeless scent that will not only remind you of your favorite things but will become one of your favorite things!
Fall
Dahab:
I could have easily included Dahab in my Summer category due to the spicy heat reminiscent of hot Arabian nights! But I felt like the glowing spices and smokey nuances reminded me more of the fiery shades of the turning leaves of Fall.
Smokey and sweet, almost mesquite. Sticky sweet Oud mixed with Smokey Incense and dry Woods. I would have preferred to smell even more spiciness to balance out the sweet Oud, but this scent definitely transports you to a far off land.
The Botanist:
If you have a green thumb or just appreciate the outdoors, then you’ll feel at-one with The Botanist. An earthy, dirty, and grounding scent for all the tree-huggers and nature lovers abound.
The concept is genius, combining ripe juicy Apples, bright Bergamot and tart Grapefruit as the top notes; they quickly come and go (perhaps a little too quick for my liking) to reveal the more deep green woodiness of Vetiver and Cypress.
Also present are the distant trails of Rose, Peonies, and Lily-of-the-Valley, but instead of it portraying a distinct floral note, these blossoms lend a more over-all smoothness to the scent.
Due to the quickly disappearing fruit and far-away flowers, this scent gives off a strong forest, rather than garden, vibe.
Although there is a rich presence of Amber and Musk, this scent seems to live comfortably in the dry woodiness of the Vetiver and Cypress and smells like a walk through the forest at dawn with rays of morning sunlight flickering in between the branches.
Magic Circus:
All your childhood delights combine in this sweet fruity mixture, decadent like the sights and sounds of a three-ring circus!
This is a Gourmand scent, but not for those with a sweet-tooth. Instead this rich and classy Gourmand scent is mature and refined. Sweet enough for the ladies and not too sweet to be worn by men!
Nose-tickling Pink Pepper and vibrant Bergamot make your eyes light up as you quickly become enchanted by the heady mix of candied Nuts, Cotton-Candy, and Caramel.
Grounding the fragrance are the impeccable additions of smoothing Labdanum and Geranium that hold the scent together and earthy Wood chips and green Patchouli that keep the fragrance from becoming too sweet.
This is not your daughters Gourmand! Don’t let it’s playful name deceive you, Magic Circus is an elegant Gourmand that is all grown up!
Old School Bench:
You can’t think of Fall without thinking of school! Even if you have long graduated!
Old School Bench is one of the most unique Scent Stories of the collection. The first scent among a few that aren’t so much “pretty” as they are sentimental. A nostalgic combination of sweet and woody. The balance between hope for a new school year and the seriousness of the homework to come!
With notes of vibrant Bergamot, smooth Rum, sweet Chocolate and Vanilla, you’d think this would smell almost edible, but add to that earthy Angelica Root and Wood wax and you realize you’ve been benched….sitting on an old school bench that is! Swinging your legs, kicking up your leather loafers and scratching at the soft waxy wood as you wait for the school bus.
And no school scent would be complete without the distinct smell of pencil shavings and chalk boards recreated by woody Cedar and dusty Vetiver roots and almost lead-like Patchouli.
Winter
Moon Dust:
This fragrance is out of this world! Literally!
With an other-worldly combination of Flint Stone, Ozone, and Dirt, Moon Dust smells like a metallic sharp coolness like the darkness of space. But I included it in the Winter category as it reminded me of that cool, icy, mineral-like smell after a fresh snowfall on a cold Winter day.
This scent is cool! A bit hard to get used to as it’s so unique, but definitely one-of-a-kind!
However, this icy stangeness melts under the warmth of slightly smoky Tobacco, Sweet Benzoin, and Black Musk.
Moon Dust is one-of-a-kind and a truly imaginative fragrance executed to perfection!
Onseen:
An ethereal and wondrous like the magic of Christmas Eve. Onseen is a mystical and atmospheric scent to inspire.
Glowing Amber, the brightness of Bergamot, and the deep green notes of, Pine Needles, Cypress and Hinoki evoke a distinct festive feeling. But the presence of unusual notes of Absinth, Sulfur, and Minerals represent to me a sparkling snowfall on Christmas Eve, glowing in the dark like stars in the night sky. Oddly beautiful and still.
And to add a deeper level of introspection, dry Vetiver Root and earthy Oak Moss leave the wearer with an intimate scent that transcends the typical perfume experience.
Barrel:
Barrel is an intoxicating masculine scent with a twist. Smokey and smooth like a glass of whisky by the roaring fire. This scent radiates!
A complex cocktail of peaty spirits of Rum and medicinal Absinth combined with rich Leather, dry Vetiver, and Oak Wood give off a distinct manly vibe. In addition, notes of herbal Coriander, sharp Pink Pepper, green Patchouli and Oak Moss round out what seems to be a typical masculine scent.
But once again, MiN doesn’t do typical, so added to this intoxicating concoction are unique notes of earthy Dirt, tart Tannins, Smoky Myrrh, combined with feminine notes of Orange Blossom, Tuberose, and Vanilla.
The result is a glowing cologne that is captivating and alluring but also comforting. Think snuggling with the man of your dreams on a fur rug in front of the roaring fire!
Shaman:
“Guardians of sacred spirits. Clairvoyant, infinite, and profound.”
Shaman is the smell of peace and tranquillity, like the stillness of falling snow.
A unique combination of slightly metallic and watery Violet Leaves and atmospheric Incense mixed with smoky Patchouli that leads to a one-of-a-kind scent of pure meditative bliss!
The smell of Shaman takes me to a mental nirvana! A transcendental scent worthy of all spiritual gurus, or those who just need some peace & calm in their lives.
In conclusion, I was more than impressed with MiN New York’s Scent Stories collection. Not only because of their imaginative scent combinations, the use of impeccable quality fragrance oils, and the unparalleled longevity of scent, but because of their risk-taking philosophy of making a scent more than just good smelling!
Scent should do more than just smell sweet it should inspire, create moods, evoke memories, and elicit deep feelings never felt before. Fragrance should transcend our daily lives, taking our senses to a whole other level and it is with the ingenuity of bold and creative fragrance houses like MiN New York, that the perfume industry can continue to evolve.
To learn more about MiN New York’s fragrance line or bespoke services visit: minnewyork.com
[Press Samples for review courtesy of MiN New York]
About the Author
The Perfume Expert The Perfume Expert is an online Perfume Blog, Beauty Blog and Skincare Blog all rolled into one so you can stay looking good, smelling nice and feeling great all in one place! Written by an expert you can trust, I provide you with Perfume reviews, Best Perfumes, Beauty reviews and Makeup trends that are all written with passion and an eye for excellence.
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