Skylar Perfume Palette Review

I love different scents and how they can evoke memories and feelings. However, I'm sadly pretty sensitive to perfume- some give me instant headaches. Skylar is supposed to be a natural perfume brand, so I decided to give them a try as I'm usually ok with essential oils and I've tried another more natural fragrance company as well that I've had success with (they'll be featured in an upcoming review). Skylar states clearly that the are a clean, hypoallergenic, vegan and cruelty-free brand that is made in the USA. They also say that you can blend the perfumes in layers to create new scents.

I purchased this Skylar palette from Sephora for $27.00 CND. It includes their main line of perfumes that can be purchased in the full size (except the newest edition Salt Air). There are six perfumes in the palette. They also have a scent club that has a new roller ball perfume every month, but I've not tried that.

The packaging for this set was cute, with a nice sturdy box and decent sized little spray bottles for each of the scents. I love the watercolour spots beside each of the scent slots and how the back fully describes each scent. There was a lot of plastic in it though which I thought was a waste. The ingredients are listed clearly which I thought was great as many perfumes often just say fragrance which could be many ingredients.

Skylar brand photo from the Sephora Website

First up is the fragrance Isle. Isle is described as having key notes of Bergamot, Cardamom, and Sandalwood, with the short description overall being Beachy, Dewy and Fresh. They go on to describe it as "With a subtle citrus and spiced sandalwood, this ocean-inspired oasis will have you feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready to take on the day".

This perfume is my second favourite of the bunch, but I honestly don't smell any of the supposed key notes. No sandalwood, no citrus. I would say that it is dewy and fresh with a touch of beachy though. Upon first sniff I smell sweetness and fresh water. Over time this becomes more ocean-like (without any of that overwhelming fake ocean scent that is so prevalent in fake candles). As it develops I could smell a hint of salt added to the water, and then later more sweet and water. As it settles more I get the tiniest hint of possible spice.

I think there could have been a bit more to this to make it a tad more unique but I do like it. If the sandalwood had shown up I probably would have really loved this.

Sprite Rating: 7/10

Skylar brand photo from the Sephora Website

Second in the set is Coral. Coral is supposed to have key notes of Grapefruit, Apple Blossom, and Lily Petals. It's supposed to evoke Fruity, Floral, Flirty vibes. Skylar describes it as "With hints of grapefruit and a touch of apple blossom, this happiness booster will have you smiling all day long".

My take on this perfume is that it's alright. I did initially smell a fruitiness, but I didn't smell any grapefruit and the fruitiness disappeared into a typical 'perfume-y' floral/Jasmine scent. I didn't find this unique or different at all and I found it kind of one dimensional. I was probably the second most disappointed with this of the set as the description sounded great but I found it just didn't live up to my expectations. 

Sprite Rating: 3/10

Skylar brand photo from the Sephora Website

Arrow is next in the palette. Arrow's key notes are Midnight Jasmine, Vanilla Bean and Patchouli Haze. It is said to embody Spicy, Warm and Seductive feelings. It is described as "With warm notes of patchouli and jasmine, this confidence complement will have you feeling like you're ready to take on the world".

I'll be honest and say this is the last of the perfumes from the set that I tried. I don't generally like Jasmine or Patchouli so even though I love Vanilla Bean I wasn't particularly looking forward to trying this one. I will say I was pleasantly surprised by it. I still didn't really like it but I didn't hate it either. It started as slightly spicy, slightly sweet and somehow a touch grounded. I didn't smell the patchouli at all. The spiciness does fade a little to become more traditional jasmine-perfume-like but it is still there and over time seems to almost come back stronger. If you like more spicy and seductive perfumes this one might be worth a try. 

Sprite Rating: 6/10

Skylar brand photo from the Sephora Website

Meadow is fourth. Meadow is supposed to smell mainly of Orange Blossom, Ethereal Tuberose, and White Rose. This fragrance is supposed to be Floral, Chic and Beautiful. It's described as "With notes of baie rose, tuberose, and orange blossom, this floral fantasy will highlight your feminine, chic and coy side".

This perfume is my favourite of the bunch. It still has a sort of normal 'perfume' feel to it but it's the only one I didn't wash off soon after applying it and I am looking forward to wearing it again. I actually went back and smelt my wrist multiple times while on a walk. I found that it is sweet and fresh and floral and does give me a springtime meadow or french garden feel. Sometimes I get a hint of lily sometimes a hint of lilacs, all with a sweetened background. I can't quite pin it down. I really enjoy it though.

I don't smell orange blossom nor rose distinctly in this so if you are looking for that this isn't it. I did wish there was another layer to it however, just something a touch more. I'm debating on a larger size of this one as I do like the feminine feel it gives me.

Sprite Rating: 8/10

Skylar brand photo from the Sephora Website

Nearing the end we have Capri next. Capri is said to have key notes of Bergamot, Neroli (Orange Blossom) and Grapefruit. It is supposed to have a Citrus, Sparkling, and Sweet feel. Skylar describes it as "With notes of bergamot, neroli and sparking wine, this carefree indulgence will have you feeling all of the vacation vibes".

Capri was the one of the set that I was looking forward to the most. At first this one to me smells like melon and then it becomes melon-bergamot then mainly bergamot. So it really smelt very normal 'perfume-like' and not too unique. I was really hopeful to smell the Neroli or Grapefruit but neither was there for me. It didn't give me an instant headache, and it was alright but unfortunately that's about all I can say about it.

Sprite Rating: 4/10

Skylar brand photo from the Sephora Website

Last but not least is Willow. Willow is supposed to be Woodsy, Lush and Cool. The key notes in this one are Willow, Pine Resin and Heliotrope. The description is "With notes of cedar wood, pine and fir, this everyday serenity will put you at ease immediately, reflecting everything we love about the outdoors".

I was hesitant about Willow as I find fragrances with pine notes tend to be too sharp. Sadly I found that to be the case with this one too. At the very beginning I could smell a little cedarwood and something fresh and damp like ferns or wet moss. As it developed however all I could smell was the sharp pine. There was no heliotrope or floral at all for me. It also gave me a bit of a headache.

Sprite Rating: 4/10

I think the Skylar Perfume Palette was a great way to sample the majority of the line. It gave me a feel for the brand and let me find one that I liked. Overall though, I was kinda meh about most of them. I found many of the scents kind of typical 'perfume-like', some were even one-dimensional. More than one I ended up washing off shortly after applying. I was hoping for more nuances to them and less conventional generic 'perfume' scents. I do however really like Meadow, and Isle was nice as well. If I liked Jasmine at all then Arrow would have likely been a favourite.

I would recommend the palette if you have an interest in the line at all especially to try first or I would make sure to sample in store. As always scent is so subjective so although I may not have liked most of these, someone else certainly could- especially as Jasmine is not my thing and that is in more than one of these scents.

The travel roller balls for Skylar retail for $37.00 CND and $85.00 CND for the full size. The palette's are limited edition on Sephora and are $27.00 CND, but I believe they are not limited edition on the brand website.

Skylar is available through Sephora or through their own website Skylar. It's great they are being offered through Sephora as that makes them accessible for us Canadians. I believe if you get the palette through their brand website there is a coupon included for a reduction off of a full size bottle for afterwards. Something to note that I have heard is that if you purchase anything from Skylar through their own site, even the palette, they automatically sign you up for their monthly scent club and take automatic payment for that so that is something to be aware of beforehand.

Have you tried Skylar perfume? If so which scent were you drawn towards? Have you tried any other 'clean' or 'natural' perfume companies? Let me know!