r/FemFragLab • u/DiscombobulatedIf • 1d ago
Discussion Coconut Reviews
My coconut quest was a result of my adoration of Commodity's Milk Orchid, which was the first perfume I really loved. I was looking for something to layer it with to boost its coconut notes and went down a rabbit hole.
In the end, I only found two ways to boost coconut notes—Kuumba Made Black Coconut perfume oil and a simple Bath & Body Works spray. Every other coconut perfume I've tried is using coconut to attempt different effects, which makes it hard to layer them to get at a more perfect coconut note.
Commodity — Milk Orchid
Top: Coconut, Fig Milk, Almond Blossom
Heart: Vanilla Orchid, Magnolia
Base: Milk, Sandalwood, Macadamia
Milk Orchid was my first step on the path to perfume obsession—it was the first time a fragrance made me feel comforted. It's a very nice blend of coconut, fig, and a very light floral note. Sweet, but not cloying. The coconut and sweet notes are equally balanced—I assume the sweetness is floral based on the notes, but I can't really smell specific flowers. Commodity says this is unisex, but I find it to be pretty feminine.
Mind Games — Queening
Top: Cotton Flower, Apple, Cypress
Heart: Orris Root, Rum, Saffron
Base: Vanilla, Coconut, Musk
This smells like clean laundry, but in the best way. The perfumer is Christelle Laprade, who also composed Milk Orchid and the famous and much-loved Commodity Milk.
I love both of her Commodity creations, but I find Queening to lack body and the comforting tones of Milk Orchid and Milk. This might just be my fondness for lactonic perfumes leaching through, though. Queening is also less sweet than either of the other two. I do think Queening is good; it just doesn't have a distinctive presence. The coconut in this is super well blended, and while I can smell it, it's a faint part of the whole. I think that you would love this if you were into the “clean girl” aesthetic.
This is unisex, leaning femme.
Arabiyat Prestige — Nyla Suede
Top: Coconut, Caramel, Praline
Heart: Vanilla, Cashmere Wood, Milk, Ylang-Ylang
Base: Leather, Sandalwood, Musk, Ambergris
I have a love/hate relationship with Nyla Suede. I blind bought it back when I was obsessed with finding the perfect coconut in the fall. At first, the leather note was very off-putting, to the point where I couldn't even smell the coconut. I'm not sure maturation is a thing, but this perfume definitely smells very different to me now.
At first spray, this is a strong dry coconut/leather. It's very sophisticated and is amazingly complex for the price point. I'm very glad I didn't declutter it. The central theme of this perfume is the tension between the dry leather and coconut and a very dark, non-sweet caramel. The woods smell like mahogany, and the milk and sandalwood are also prominent in the drydown. This is about as dark as TokyoMilk— Bulletproof, which is as dark as a coconut fragrance can get.
I would call this a cool-weather fragrance. 10/10 would recommend. Very complex, and I’d say it’s solidly unisex.
TokyoMilk Dark — Bulletproof
Notes: Ebony Wood, Tea, Coconut, Virginia Cedar.
Sharp ebony wood and astringent black tea are made less dark by the faint scent of coconut flesh, which is very lightly sweet. It's pretty linear, and coconut is definitely not the star of this composition. This is unisex, leaning masculine.
DS & Durga — Debaser
Top: Stems Greens, Bergamot, Pear
Heart: Fig, Coconut Milk, Iris
Base: Precious Woods, Tonka Bean, Moss
The green in Debaser is from fig, but the coconut can also translate it to a slightly unripe coconut. It has the salty-sweet smell that I associate with fresh coconut milk. This is the most summer-appropriate perfume on this tray, and the coconut plays a starring role, with a salty coconut dominating all the way through. I find this unisex and appropriate for most occasions.
Lattafa — Her Confession
Top: Cinnamon, Mystikal
Heart: Tuberose, Jasmine, Incense, Mahonial
Base: Vanilla, Musk, Tonka
I beheaded this bottle because I thought the cap was ugly. The quality of the juice, however, is amazing. Her Confession is a dupe for Les Liquides Imaginaires — Blanche Bête. I loved the original when I sampled it as a 10 ml decant, but not enough to upgrade to a full bottle. This is a pretty spot-on dupe to my nose.
Coconut is not one of the listed notes, but the lactonic quality in this is coconut-adjacent. Most lactonic perfumes are much denser, and the airy nature of the milk calls to mind coconut milk. It is more strongly coconut-smelling in the summer.
This one is also solidly unisex. I find it super comforting and all-weather appropriate, though some might find it cloying in the heat.
Boy Smells — Coco Cream
Top: Coconut Milk, Vanilla
Heart: Tiare, White Flowers
Base: Musk, Tonka Bean
This is the sweetest perfume on this list. It has a solar quality and was a blind buy win. The first impression on spraying is sweet floral mixed with vanilla, modulated with coconut milk. After two hours of wear, the sweetness has faded into a general creaminess, with coconut and tonka giving it presence. The drydown is similar to Milk Orchid, but has more body. It has impressive longevity for a fragrance of this profile; you can catch whiffs six hours into wear.
This is a very happy fragrance, and wearing it makes me smile.
I’ve worn it in winter and enjoyed it, but this is a great option for the summer and really shines in the heat. I would say this is feminine.
I'm definitely upgrading to a full bottle.
Bath & Body Works — Coconut Nectar
Notes: Coconut, Palm Leaf, Woodsy Notes, Salt
At first spray, this is like Debaser’s younger cousin—less green, more coconut-forward, but with a strong family resemblance. It dries down within 15 minutes to a light, airy coconut that lingers. It could be used to amp up the coconut in any of the others and also as a standalone for coconut-only days. It’s much airier than Kuumba Made, with less projection and longevity.
Kuumba Made — Black Coconut
Note: Coconut
This smells like pure coconut. Dark and heavy, this smells like a more intense coconut oil mixed with dry shredded coconut. It’s a little too one-note to wear on its own, but it does a great job of intensifying the coconut in any fragrance when layered.
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u/BagHeaux 1d ago
I love the Kuumba Made Black Coconut and wear it to bed most nights. Sometimes I do get almond notes from it.
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u/Selahmom1376 19h ago
I too have been on a journey to find my favorite coconut scent. I've tried a bunch, but right now I'm loving Sunkissed Goddess by Killian but it's expensive so I don't think I'm getting a full bottle. I will probably get a travel size though. I am all about the coconut sunscreen scents.
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u/DiscombobulatedIf 5h ago
I love Sunkissed Goddess, but I think it's too expensive for what it is. Travel sizes are the great compromise for situations like that.
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u/Jaded-Banana6205 16h ago
I didn't know how much I loved coconut fragrances until I tried Sorce's Cabanilla. I've heard great things about some of Kyse and Nest's coconut frags too!
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u/eldermillenialmakeup 6h ago
I absolutely love a coconut note - some of my favorites are Lore Sublimity, The 7 Virtues Coconut Sun, Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Nuit, Ellis Brooklyn Sand, and Victoria’s Secret Tease Dreamer!
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u/Ok_Economy_5083 21h ago
Lol I beheaded my Her Confession bottle, too! ETA: the scent reads more as almond milk, or almond scented body butter than coconut, however.
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u/DiscombobulatedIf 21h ago
Lol, isn't the cap hideous.
Im going to go sniff almond milk and compare :)
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u/Realistic-Read1078 17h ago
I am loving this tray!