It really wants to lean one way.. will the bushiness at the bottom eventually spread upward and even out? One more question, if you look toward the bottom there’s a very dried out stalk sticking out, what should I do about that if anything? Apologies if these are silly Q’s - I’m obviously a total newbie.
The set up in my flat is a little awkward and the best lighting is directed toward the plain white walls. I’ve been taking photos of garments hung up flat against the white wall and often it makes the contrast go a bit weird in photos, looks too one dimensional and overall my photos don’t get many favourites despite having good stuff.
I see some sellers displaying their garments/jazzing them up with accessories on dress mannequins and honestly it looks a lot more appealing and you can get more of an idea of the vision. Would love to hear from any sellers who use one and whether you think it’s worth having/if you noticed a difference in engagement or sales once you started using one!
This is my first time reviewing perfume so forgive me if I don’t paint a super detailed picture! I bought the Gabar core 5 part discovery set, mainly because I was interested in trying 02 Ground which I had heard great things about. Gabar is a London brand rooted in Southeast Asian philosophy, woven with a fresh modern & digitally led aesthetic. These will be my first impressions as so far I have tested them all on paper and the only one I have sprayed and worn for a few hours so far has been Ground.
01 Float.
Notes of Lemongrass, Basil, Bergamot, Jasmine, Violet Leaf, Gardenia, Orange Blossom, Amber, White Musk, Tobacco Absolute.
When I first sprayed this, I was hit with an overwhelmingly strong, rich and sickening stench of patchouli which is strange as there doesn’t seem to be any patchouli in it. I find this hard to believe! It instantly transported me to a bathroom in a fancy hotel or restaurant where I can’t wait to get out because over the overpowering headache inducing herbaceous stench. You really smell the orange, the ghost patchouli (lol) and lemongrass. I usually like Jasmine but I’m not really smelling it in this. We’re not off to a great start here and to be honest this is the worst scent of them all in my opinion. Not a fan. But we move!
02 Ground.
Notes of Coriander, Saffron, Pink Pepper, Ginger, Oreos, Fig, Cedarwood, Oud, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Musk.
This one was what I was excited for so I sprayed it directly onto my pulse point on my wrist. Wow, what an interesting initial whiff! What happened was a little strange and conflicting. I liked it upon first sniff but then before that first minute was even up, it made me feel incredibly nauseous. I am currently on my period so am probably more susceptible to feeling nauseous right now though. Okay, so besides the nausea, it’s a unique, interesting and sophisticated scent. One that if you smell on a person who briefly walks past you in the street, you’d be left wanting to run after them and ask what they had on. The woodiness, the fig and the musk combine to make a rich and somewhat sexy scent but also reminds me a lot of the smell of books! So think a sophisticated librarian or professor. The rich initial scent also had me envisioning a dark candlelit speakeasy bar. This scent has me really conflicted because although it’s made me super nauseous for the first 30 mins or so of wearing it, the dry down has been *so* pleasant. Really figgy, sometimes more sandalwood and then the fig comes back. I keep smelling my wrist and it’s somehow created a nostalgic scent taking me back to the natural scent of a childhood crush. Because of how much I’m enjoying the dry down scent a few hours later, I’m going to have to try it again once I’m off my period to check does it still give me initial nausea.
03 Swim.
Notes of Blackcurrant Bud, Galbanum, Wild Fig, Green Tea, Orris, Jasmine, Oud, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Musk.
Unfortunately my sample bottle only came 1/4 full and this may actually be my favourite scent or at least the most wearable scent from this set. This is a really pleasant fresh, aquatic and tranquil scent! It reminds me of my time staying in the Four Seasons - swimming in the pool outside in the sun and looking out on lots of fresh green foliage with a lazy river weaving through. It’s a scent I would put on after coming back to the room to freshen up for the rest of the day and spend a nice long summer evening outside. It’s a lot lighter than the other scents and feels feminine without being too flowery. The dry down is very green tea and fig which is so pleasant! A very easy to wear scent perfect for day time & a spring/summer evening.
04 Rise.
Notes of Juniper, Pink Pepper, Green Mandarin, Lavender, Cypress, Mint, Lily Of The Valley, Amberwoods, Cashmere Woods, Cedarwood.
This is reminding me a bit of 01 Float to be honest, though it’s not as bad and definitely not as overwhelming. But it is tangy and bathroomy. A fresher scent. Reminds me of a spring/summer B&B stay in the west of Ireland. The dry down is very soapy & cashmere, reminding me of a standard middle aged Irish or British mother scent in the mid 2000s. Not much else to say on this one - not my favourite but not the worst. Just meh!
05 Lull.
Notes of Orange Blossom, Black Tea, Red Apple, Cherry, Rose, Sandalwood, Cashmere Woods, White Musk.
A lovely fresh, creamy and sophisticated scent with a touch of sweetness! I envision walking through a park with an ice-cream as the weather gets a little warmer. Very spring/summer. Comforting, welcoming, pleasant and laid back. It feels social yet a little more alluring than a basic scent. The dry down is a milky apple sandalwood smell, not overpowering at all. A very easy to wear day time scent for when you’re catching up with friends, family or meeting your boyfriend’s parents and want to make a nice impression.
Overall, this discovery scent has been a bit of a mixed back for me! The two that I’m most interested in are 02 Ground (though very conflicted due to the initial nauseating impact compared to the gorgeous dry down) and 03 Swim. I’m unsure if I’ll get a full bottle of either as I don’t feel absolutely wowed or confident about either. However, I’ll continue to test them out over the next few weeks and then make a decision. I would love to hear other people’s opinions on these scents if you do get the chance to test them out!