Haus of Gloi Summer 2011 - initial impressions review

Sanctum - a beachy scent, but a tropical beach. This is mostly melon on first sniff, but with the coconut water and lime coming through, and something more exotic and woody at the base of the fragrance. This makes me think of Thailand, and is perfect for hot summer days, as it is quite a fresh, subtle scent. If you like Jo Malone Sweet Lime & Cedar, Haus of Gloi Sanctum is well worth a try. I also think those who liked Lassi from Haus of Gloi Spring will like Sanctum, although I personally prefer Sanctum as the fruitiness is more subtle. Really lovely in the Bubbling Scrub. I've used both the Bubbling Scrub and Pumpkin Butter since my order arrived, so these are 'on the skin' reviews.

The Brier Path - this is the one for lovers of Ploughman and Samhain from other seasonal collections. Rich damp woodland earth with berry/rose top notes. Fresh and pretty but not too girly, would also work for a man who doesn't mind a subtle rose note. An 'in the tub' first impression.

Narcosa - a heady warm floral. I don't know how I missed the tuberose in the description but I did, and the tuberose tends to dominate the blend a bit to my nose (I'm not a big tuberose fan). Heavier/headier than Come Hither from the Valentine's collection. If you liked Hex last Halloween, Narcosa is worth sampling. An 'in the tub' first impression.

Beguiled - smells like sweet lemon cake. Less tart and more foody than Honeysuckle Lemon Curd, with a sweet raspberry note following the initial lemon cake hit. I like it in the Bubbling Scrub, but it would be too sweet and foody for me in the Pumpkin Butter. If you liked Eggnoggin' last Winter, this is worth a sample. An 'in the tub' first impression.

I also bought Zazz in the soap. I haven't used it yet, but sniffing the bar this is a fresh, zesty, fizzy sort of scent.

Sanctum and The Brier Path are my favourite of the summer blends, although I recognise all the others are done well: my personal preference is for fresh or earthy scents. Haus of Gloi Summer scents are available until mid-July at www.hausofgloi.com.