Ah, The Big Apple.

Sometimes I get teary-eyed when a quick New York memory flashes through my mind. Some of my most carefree, magical moments in life were spent in this incredible state. Whether it’s been rushing through the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, soaking up the suburban quietude on Long Island, or plowing through the snow in the Catskills, it doesn’t take much to remind me of this beautiful state—New York City in particular.

That’s why, when a rep for perfumer Mathieu Nardin’s new Kierin NYC fragrances reached out to me about testing their products, I said “yes” without hesitation. Each scent that makes up the four-part, cruelty-free, toxin-free, vegan and gender-inclusive line creatively stems from a specific memory Mathieu experienced in New York City.

The Products

Let me preface this by saying I own an array of high-quality aromas. I’ve collected them over the years, and the older ones have simpler packaging. But regardless of the year of production, never have I seen more detailed and exquisite packaging than I have with Kierin NYC’s. Before you even dive into the rich and multi-dimensional scents, the box itself takes you to a specific moment.

On two of the outside panels, there’s eye-catching artwork that matches what you see on the perfume bottle. Then, on another panel, you have the few main perfume notes (listed in English and French), along with the vibe of the scent, followed by the brand’s social media handles. Lastly, you have a panel that includes a full paragraph (in English and in French) explaining the inspiration and specific story behind a particular scent.

Then, once you open the package, your eyes are greeted with a psychedelic, black and white pattern. Altogether, it’s the most sensory-driven packaging I’ve yet to see. I’m amazed. Even the little fold where you open the box is cute.

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I’ve never seen better packaging than this in my life! @kierinnyc

A post shared by DS (@videos_of_dahvi_doing_stuff) on Nov 16, 2018 at 12:11pm PST

Now that I got that out of the way, let’s get to the actual scents, shall we?

Sunday Brunch ($78)

I received mini samples of the other three fragrances, but was lucky enough to get a full size of Sunday Brunch—which is great because it happens to be my favorite of the batch.

This makes sense because of its Earl Grey Tea contents. I love no scent more than one that’s tea-infused. If you visit my apartment, you’ll find it full of Aquiesse candles and reed diffusers in Mandarin Tea. My perfume cabinet is chock full of tea-infused fragrances, including the famous BVLGARI green tea perfume that happens to be the first tea fragrance ever made. I had yet to experience Earl Grey, but like its counterparts, it took no time winning me over. And with its added Italian bergamot and lemon, the trio resulted in a three-dimensional scent-ual experience.

The vibe is listed as cheerful, energetic and luminous—which makes sense given its name. Sunday brunch should always be light, airy and non-invasive, right? On the outer box, Mathieu shares a special anecdote of waiters pouring him squeezed juice and Earl Grey tea at a trendy café on West Broadway while he waited for his friends to arrive for their Sunday brunch tradition. This could not be a better description to capture the essence of the scent.

And much like Sunday brunch, the aroma sticks around for a long time.

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Sunday Brunch inspires a celebratory mood and making memories of a life well lived. A unique blend of scents, this fragrance is citrusy, cheerful, and luminous (not to mention #CrueltyFree, #Vegan, and #Sustaniable)! Tag a friend who reminds you of #SundayBrunch!

A post shared by KIERIN NYC (@kierinnyc) on Oct 11, 2018 at 3:17pm PDT

10 a.m. Flirt ($78)

Much like Sunday Brunch, 10 a.m. Flirt is easy-breezy. It’s light and uplifting, making it the perfect spritz to kick off your day. Given its notes of gardenia, fig, cashmere wood and sandalwood, there’s no surprise someone would wear this in the daytime as a way to reel ’em in *wink*.

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We’re feeling (10 A.M.) flirty today, are you? 🌈

A post shared by KIERIN NYC (@kierinnyc) on Nov 6, 2018 at 10:46am PST

Santal Sky ($78)

While this cardamom, saffron, sandalwood and vetiver-scented spray can be worn day or night, its woodsy, spicy qualities make it a better fit for evening. A bit earthy, giving off serene and intimate vibes, this aroma is said to replicate that of strolling through an NYC park, sitting under a canopy of trees.

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A unique blend of scents, this eau de parfum, for men and women, is woody & spicy with just the right touch of #mystery. 🔎

A post shared by KIERIN NYC (@kierinnyc) on Nov 1, 2018 at 9:06am PDT

Nitro Noir ($78)

With noir in the name, you know off the bat that this will be your alluring nighttime fragrance. Perfect for date night or an intimate dinner, you’ll want to save this one for when it counts.

Described as intoxicating and hypnotic, this scent—made up of Italian bergamot, pink berries, orris and patchouli—is quite the opposite of Sunday Brunch.

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#DidYouKnow Nitro Noir, along with all our other fragrances, is #CrueltyFree, #Vegan, #Sustainable, and #GenderInclusive. 🐰❤️

A post shared by KIERIN NYC (@kierinnyc) on Oct 19, 2018 at 12:30pm PDT

The Experience

My work colleagues are used to me smelling like (or spraying) all sorts of scents for the sake of my job. I always apologize to them in advance for my seemingly never-ending spritzes (some much better than others). I have to accept that everyone has different preferences. Some people would prefer no aroma at all, while others only like citrus, some only floral and some are down for whatever.

When I spritzed my Kierin NYC samples, however, I got a universal stamp of approval. Even one of the dads in the office walked by a few minutes after my spraying and said, “Ooh, what’s that? I like it!” As others walked by throughout the day, I asked for opinions, and yep, they were sold on the line.

Not only did I breathe a sigh of relief that I could write an upbeat review, but also, I now had a scent I could wear around the office without concern.

Bottom Line

In a nutshell, Kierin NYC’s fragrance line is impressive. From the packaging to the multi-dimensional aromas, you can tell immediately that the creation of the products took a significant amount of time and thought. Owning one of the fragrances is not only re-living someone else’s magical experience, but giving yourself a chance to create your own, while feeling the empowerment the scent is supposed to bring. Clearly I’m not the only one impressed, as the line just made it into Amazon’s Luxury Beauty collection as of Nov. 1.

And, as an added bonus, if you want to try before you buy, the line offers $18 trial sets that come in fours. So you can try all four scents or try four of one particular scent. And special for Sweety High readers, enter Fragrance Festival at checkout to receive 20% a full-sized bottle!

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Our Discovery Set is a perfect way to try all of our #CrueltyFree, #Vegan, and #Sustainable Premium Eau de Parfums in order to DISCOVER your perfect scent. ✨ The set includes four 2ml trial size mini-sprays plus an $18 credit towards your next online order of a full-sized fragrance!

A post shared by KIERIN NYC (@kierinnyc) on Oct 26, 2018 at 12:53pm PDT

Not sure if one of these is the perfect fragrance for you? HERE’s everything you need to know about selecting your first signature scent.

PERFUME

2/6/19

11/17/18

3/12/18

10/4/17