When I was invited to attend the pop-up Gorilla gallery in Edinburgh, I had no idea what to expect. Aside from knowing that the showcase was created to display and celebrate the finer details of Volume 4, my expectations of what I was going to learn and discover were non existent. What I took away from the experience completely blew my mind. Not only did it rekindle that flame of passion that had be dwindling slightly for the company, but it made me fall deeply in love with every single one of the new fragrances on offer at the event.
Inspired by the life and work of Hal Samples, Sweet Grandma is definitely the most personal perfume in the collection. A homage to the woman he called his 'mother' and 'best friend', this exquisite fragrance is inspired by his Grandma, Mary Ellen, who he says made him feel safe at times in his childhood when he was anything but.
His memories of his grandma are filled with funny stories and anecdotes that helped to shape him into the person he is today. It was also the support of Mary Ellen and her encouragement to film and document the good times that they shared, that helped Hal to establish and grow as a photographer and an artist. Sweet Grandma is a loving tribute to her life and the memories he holds most dear, and this just makes the fragrance appear even more beautiful to me.
In the bottle you get a wonderful floral sweetness that reminds me a little of Death and Decay, albeit brighter and more pronounced. To me, the rosewood is one of the strongest elements - offering up a delicate and very dainty fragrance that comes alive on the skin, and stays present for a good few hours after you've sprayed yourself. While subtle, the rosewood adds gentle woody notes that intertwine themselves around the rose and jasmine oils, so the three components work in harmony as opposed to standing alone.
Although not fruity in the usual sense, this fragrance has what I can only describe as a gentle fruity floral undertone. In addition, the jasmine adds a light but noticeable sultry note, and I think it is this layer that gives the perfume its richness, and helps to make it as sensual as it comes across.
I would describe Sweet Grandma as a perfume that sits in between being both youthful and mature. As a homage to Mary Ellen's entire existence, this fragrance offers both the youthful optimism of her early years, as well as the sophistication of her later life. It is both light and refreshing for those who prefer the less cloudy or potent scents; yet it also has an ageless appeal to it that would attract fans of the more classic smells. In as many words, Sweet Grandma is both a modern and yet old-fashioned smell at the time. While it doesn't smell anything like this, fans of Lily Savon will no doubt be able to appreciate this scent for its light feel and delicate touch.
On the skin, each of the three components interlock with each other and intensify from the heat of your body. I found that although the fragrance wasn't at all what I would call potent, the three ingredients do last for a good while on the skin, and I was able to enjoy bursts of this perfume for a good 4-5 hours before I needed to reapply.
Overall, while I wouldn't say that this is a favourite scent of mine, there is something rather lovely about it that is comforting to me. As I said to begin with, the stories behind its creation make Sweet Grandma one of Lush's most personal fragrances to date, and I feel incredibly privileged to be able to share that experience while I am wearing the scent.
Quantitative Ingredients: DRF Alcohol, Perfume, Water, Glycerine, Rosewood Oil, Rose Absolute, Jasmine Absolute, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Farnesol, Butylphenyl Methylproplonal, Coumarin, Hydroxycitronellal.
Vegan?: Yes.
2017 Price: £?
Year Of Original Release: 2017.
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