**REVIEW** Mix:Bar Perfumes Are Pretty Yummy

 What a delightful find this was. Thanks to a comment on Fragrantica, I heard that one of the fragrances from Mix:Bar (yes, that is the way the name is styled) is a possible dupe for Glossier's You perfume.

Do tell.

Better yet, the Mix:Bar line is really affordable. I mean, really affordable. As in $10 for the hair and body mists, $12 for the small-sized (0.14oz) perfume, and $20 for the large (1.7oz) perfume.

And... And...

...One of the scents really is a dupe for You. I got my hands on a discovery kit from Target with 0.05oz samples, each large enough for me to try out several times. 

$13.99 for this sampler set

I tried every single one, so let me tell you about them. By the way, I'll show the notes given on the product pages for each fragrance but I will link the names to Fragrantica so you can see more detailed info:

• Cloud Musk - (Notes: Cardamom, Iris, Jasmine, Cotton Peony, Tonka Beans.) This is the You dupe. The notes for You: Musk, Powdery, Iris. In the Cloud, I don't smell any of the notes listed on the product page but I do smell (mostly) powder and (a touch of ) musk. So...The only reason Glossier won't have to worry is that this, as delicious as it is, doesn't last long. Well... neither does the You in a bottle (unlike the solid for the compact). This Cloud perfume is so quiet that it practically whispers. I couldn't even smell it a minute after spraying it. So, while the perfume would be, IMO, a waste of money, the hair and body mist is a go. It is stronger and longer-lasting. There is no need for the perfume.
• Whipped Almond - (Notes: Sweet Milk, Almond, Iris, Sandalwood.) My least favorite of the sampler. I smelled only almond and sandalwood - mostly almond. While not for me, I could see someone liking this if they are into the drier smell of the almond/sandalwood combo. I didn't get any floral notes. Also, this was very faint. I have not tried the mist.
• Sparkling Hibiscus - (Notes: Bergamot, Hibiscus, Champagne Bubbles, Cashmere Musk.) Even though this is not my kind of scent (too playful and "bright"), it's a fun one. For someone who wants the vibe of a floral mimosa, this is the one. It's really interesting. I didn't get anything very cashmere-like about it, but bubbly and citrusy, yep. Cyndi Lauper (from her "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" days) looks like she'd wear this.
• Coconut Palm - (Notes: Coconut Wood, Vanilla, Salty Accord, Incense, Amber, Musk Milk.) This was very forgettable, so much so that I had to go back and try it again to write this review... I expected coconut at the least and maybe some vanilla. I was thinking tropical and sweet but I just got something that reminded me of an old Avon perfume (and not one of the decent ones) from about 20 years ago. It was more incense than coco-amber. ~meh~.
• Vanilla Bourbon - (Notes: Bergamot, Jasmine, Apple Blossom, Madagascar Vanilla, Sandalwood.) Ding, ding, ding, ding! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Out of the entire kit, this was my favorite. Every note comes through - even though the apple was very weak. And that is fine. The vanilla is a not-fake-but-truly-rich one and it goes perfectly with the sandalwood. And I normally don't love sandalwood because it reminds me of incense. Not this time though. I also get some of the bergamot but it doesn't drown out the sweetness of the 'nilla. I liked this one so much that I got a full-size perfume and even sprung for the mist.

Now, the Mix:Bar brand is styled that way because you are meant to mix and layer the various cocktails (of scents). Clever, right? I think it must be a Target brand because that's where you can find all of them. (You can find some of them on Amazon, of course, but I would stick with Target for the real deal. Too many iffy sellers and you cannot return most perfumes to Amazon...)

Vanilla.
+
Bourbon.

While I didn't love all of these, for the price, I can't say anything bad about this line. Well, maybe that the longevity isn't great, but did I mention the price? This is a great buy for someone who wants to smell nice but can't spring for the pricier scents. Go look up the notes for your wish list fragrance then try subbing it with one of these until you can get something else in the $50 to $150 range. We can't all have big budgets. Each of these is pretty much a dupe (or good substitute) for more extravagant brands.  

I haven't tried any other than these 5 scents. I'm sort of tempted to try the Wood Elixir and I've heard nice things about the Glass Rose one but I'm going to stick with the Cloud Musk mist and the perfume and mist of the Vanilla Bourbon. They mix nicely and the V.B. brings out the best in the Cloud. The Cloud also works really nice with Britney's Fantasy. Who knew?

I suggest trying one of the discovery kits. Everyone has different body chemistry and skin type. What doesn't work for me might turn out to be your favorite thing.

Peace

--Free