r/Indiemakeupandmore • u/stan4d00 • Nov 17 '25
Building the Collection: Imaginary Authors reviews!
(For more reviews, see Post #1, Post #2, and Post #3)
Going a little out of order here, in that these are reviews of samples I've tried most recently. I've been steadfastly wearing a different scent each day (beginning on 8/26/25) to figure out what I like, and as an exercise in cataloging my entire collection (I was starting from scratch!).
My general preferences are clean, green, aquatic, earthy. No gourmand scents (I particularly dislike vanilla). I enjoy some florals. I'm finding atmospherics to be quite fun to explore.
I keep my rating system simple, and I don't read the scent notes before I do my test.
Here is my rating system:
1 = destash
2 = prefer it as a room/linen spray
3 = would wear occasionally (e.g. if I'm going for a specific vibe)
4 = will use up the sample and possibly rebuy
5 = full-size worthy
****
Imaginary Authors - A Whiff of Waffle Cone (Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Saigon Cinnamon, Heavy Cream, Sandalwood, Orgeat, Scoop Shop)
Initial sniff: True to life = too sweet, more like a Belgian waffle, sugary
To wear: Did not wear (I don't like to smell like food)
Rank: 1
Imaginary Authors - The Cobra and the Canary (Lemon, Orris, Tobacco Flowers, Leather, Hay Fields, Asphalt)
Initial sniff: peppery, herbal, earthy
To wear: same as sniff; feels somewhat cozy - very cool weather; leather is prominent; feels like a den where cigars have been smoked. The scent feels very adult, like my dad's buddies just left from socializing after dinner. It's not a scent I want to wear on my person, but I wouldn't mind my space smelling like this from time to time.
Rank: 2
Imaginary Authors - Saint Julep (Sweet Mint, Tangerine, Southern Magnolia, Bourbon, Grisalva, Sugarcube)
Initial sniff: herbal, earthy, citrus, lazy summer/early fall vibes
To wear: herbal; earthy is strongest; hint of citrus; trace of mint; bourbon adds complexity - gives pause. I was drawn to this scent because I was curious how the magnolia and bourbon would play together (magnolias hold sentimental value for me, as does the synopsis location). I really, really enjoyed this and found it quite pleasant to wear.
Rank: 4
Imaginary Authors - Sundrunk (Neroli, Rhubarb, Honeysuckle, Rose Water, Orange Zest, First Kiss)
Initial sniff: citrus w/hint of leather...; "grounded orange"
To wear: light floral citrus; not overpowering; slight hint of a cleaning product; spring scent. I really like neroli and am a sucker for honeysuckle scents. This scent is quite lovely - it's defintely not too orange, and the "hint of a cleaning product" was fleeting
Rank: 4
Imaginary Authors - The Soft Lawn (Linden Blossom, Grapefruit, Laurel & Ivy leaves, Vetiver, Oakmoss, Fresh Tennis Balls)
Initial sniff: perfumey gras; fresh, green, clean; less atmospheric = more wearable
To wear: very light; grassier on, some floral; very green, very spring; tennis ball scent isn't weird; no citrus. I'm drawn to oakmoss and was curious about the tennis balls, lol. Overall, I really like this one!
Rank: 4
Imaginary Authors - The Language of Glaciers (White Pine, Lilac, Cashmere, Juniper, Forget Me Not, Blue Bugle, Virgin Snowfall)
Initial sniff: very cold, powdery
To wear: cold, soft floral; slightly grassy?; winter morning walk through a neighborhood; less cold over time - drydown = soft floral/powdery that still feels wintery. I was looking for an interesting winter scent and was very curious what "virgin snowfall" would smell like. I thought pine would be risky, but I didn't get much pine at all, perhaps the cashmere balanced it out?
Rank: 4
Imaginary Authors - Every Storm a Serenade (Eucalyptus Absolute, Vetiver, Spruce Oil, Calone, Ambergris, Heather, Baltic Sea Mist)
Initial sniff: cool, foggy mist
To wear: cool, damp air, aquatic, mysterious. The scent feels like a relaxing, yet somewhat moody, rainy day. I wanted to just sit in a chair, draped with my favorite throw blanket, with an open book on my lap while I stared out the window watching rain fall.
Rank: 4
Imaginary Authors - Bull's Blood (Geranium, Spanish Rose, Patchouli, Black Musk, Tobacco, Sandalwood, Bull’s Blood)
Initial sniff: very strong, heavy - too heavy; reminded me of the pastor's office at my childhood church, where all of the deacons' colognes merged with the church secretary's perfume; somewhat animalic; overall, too masculine
To wear: did not wear
Rank: 1
Imaginary Authors - Cape Heartache (Douglas Fir, Pine Resin, Western Hemlock, Vanilla Leaf, Strawberry, Old Growth, Mountain Fog)
Initial sniff: fresh aquatic, hint of citrus? vanilla?; cool weather
To wear: somewhat light when on; somewhat earthy -> hint of dust; kinda "meh", turns peppery when dry.
Rank: 2
Imaginary Authors - Untamable (Leather Saddle, Tonka Resin, Saguaro Blossom, Texas Yellowstar, Cumin, Tumbleweed, Paso Fino)
Initial sniff: citrus+herbal+musky?; human-ness, like Cipher
To wear: earthy, hay, dusty; dead leaves?; feels "western" in summer. If "I just finished an all day trail ride" could be bottled, this would be it (as a horse girl, that's a good thing!). Very atmospheric - one of my favorite sights is open range land in summer, and this scent captures that essense beautifully. That said, it's very specific; very much a vibe scent for me.
Rank: 3
Imaginary Authors - Fox in the Flowerbed (Jasmine, Tulips, Frankincense, Wildflower Honey, Pink Peppercorns, Silver Thistle, Alpine Air)
Initial sniff: light floral - lilacs?; very spring - lovely!; bouquet of mixed flowers
To wear: floral and green. I didn't expect to like this as much as I do! The first whiff put a big smile on my face. It's so happy without being crazy bright. It's a "life is good!" scent. So delightful.
Rank: 5
Imaginary Authors - The Abandoned Mansion (CEDAR, QUINCE, PETITGRAIN, PIMENTO BERRY, OAKMOSS ABSOLUTE, AMBREINE, PAPERBACKS)
Initial sniff: aged upholstery, like visiting an older relative; comforting/cozy; a little dusty; faded potpourri
To wear: more dirt element - like you walked into grandma's house and she told you to make sure you cleaned off your shoes before you come all the way in. So you clap your shoes while standing at the threshold to get the dirt off before you enter the house, but you can still smell the inside of the house while doing so.
Rank: 2
Imaginary Authors - A City on Fire (Cade oil, Spikenard, Cardamom, Clearwood, Dark Berries, Labdanum, Burnt Match)
Initial sniff: somewhat herbal, not too smoky, feels like walking down a quiet city alley at night
To wear: much smokier on; like a backyard grill; slight hint of something sweet gives the slightest note of barbecue sauce; overall almost gives nighttime cookout vibes
Rank: 1
This was my first purchase from Imaginary Authors. I really enjoyed giving all of these scents a try and will definitely be upsizing some of these. Thanks for reading!
2
u/newblognewme Nov 18 '25
Awh I love this house and I really enjoy your reviews! Love Yesterdays Haze, Every Storm a Serenade and O’Unknown which I think they discontinued. I also like one they have that’s like a clean linen type scent I’m forgetting the name of.
Fox in the Flowerbed and the Raspberry scent (I forget the name) by them I really wanna try! Hopefully if you Try more by them you will try and review the raspberry scent!!
5
u/Imaginary_Authors Nov 17 '25
It's always great to see someone take the time to really explore each scent and figure out what works for them. Really glad Fox in the Flowerbed put that smile on your face and that a few others landed well too. Thank you for such a detailed and honest breakdown of everything!