Andromeda's Curse: Maneki Neko, Usako, Candy Pail, Hex, Tea Ceremony, Samhain Spectre and Hex Review

In addition to some of my previous Andromeda's Curse reviews, I just remind myself, it's probably time to finally add my thoughts. I made this order quite a while ago, but this was an incentive to bust them out after a bit of aging to see if I changed my mind on anything. I will say - these seem to be aging pretty well considering they don't seem to have changed much since I first got them, which is a great upside for the house. They've got a super affordable price point and a lovely inspired catalogue also. 

Much like the rest of their scents, this has 2-3 hours wear and low throw and projection on my skin. 

Tea Ceremony - Matcha Green Tea, Wisteria, Tonka Bean, Amber

Honestly this is a fantastic matcha note - while it doesn't quite scream matcha in a truly authentic way, there's a real lovely grassiness and bitter dustiness with the herbal quality, and that's really most of the scent for me - a nice faint matcha scent. I don't get a lot of the wisteria or amber, but I'd love to see this as a soli-note blend because it does have a slight floral sweetness there, especially after a bit of wear. This matcha note also reminds me a lot of the Epically Epic matcha note! 

Hex - Chai tea, Cardamom, Pumpkin

This actually has a real salty savoury kick, especially on the opening with a punch of pumpkin and cardamom. I almost feel like I get a bit of smoked salt and black pepper with all the spices in this, with a sprinkling of bacon and rosemary and potatos. I don't know where that comes from, but there it is. I like the opening a lot but it goes increasingly savoury on my skin, and honestly, I'm not really that keen on smelling like a full roast dinner. 

Samhain Spectre - Sugar, Marshmallow, Smoke, Tonka Bean, Vanilla

This is just. All smoke. You know how Marshmallow Fireside from BBW is like, smoke jammed on top of marshmallow? Yeah imagine that but like, literally just smoked woodchips and smoke. After dry down it sort of mellows out into a nicer slightly soft marshmallowy base with the smoke on top. I think this is okay, but it's not one I'd reach for. 

Candy Pail - Lemon, Sugar, Cherry, Strawberry Candy, Green Apple, Caramel, Chocolate, Vanilla

Well this was, not good. Bitter almond laced cherry, with a slap of lemon toilet cleaner (Glade? Jif? Any of the above) on top of the shrill mixture of strawberry, dusty chocolate and vanilla. It's not intense enough for me to need to scrub it off but I would if it was any stronger. 

Usako - Creamy Melon Soda with Strawberry and Lychee

Hands down my favorite scent from this house. Gorgeous, beautiful sparkly green melon soda just twinkling away in the summer sun. Then the super sweet strawberry and almost creamy lychee just slowly slowly creeps in and makes it a little less perfect. Honestly I'd kill to get the creamy melon soda note in a soli-note or like a custom, I haven't tried another green melon scent from an indie house that captures the Japanese melon soda float as well (Festival Nights from Luvmilk is a close runner up but it's more creamy orange melon chewy candy). 

I would love to upsize this or get this in an EDP if this was a soli-note of JUST the melon soda tbh. Is there a petition? I'd sign. So good. Ugh. Love this. 

Moon Sugar - Sugar, Peach, Lychee, Strawberry Milk, Vanilla

This was unfortunately way too sweet for me - even as a gourmand lover. All I got was really screechy strawberry and creamy sugar and vanilla, which all kinda blended and melded together in a burst of sugar high. Not super inspired by this one. 

Maneki Neko - Honeysuckle, Cherry Blossom, Chilled Honey, Rice Milk, Tuberose

Soapy blast of 'cherry blossom' - which has this weird sophisticated fragrance aspect to it? Maybe like a posh shampoo or some absurdly floral handcream from Cath Kidston's bodycare line. I can't pick out any tuberose or honeysuckle as a distinct note, I'm guessing it's been used quite faintly and blended so that they all fuse together - it's objectively not terrible but it's not my thing. 

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored for this review or affiliated with this brand, and all opinions are my own, and do not reflect the brand's opinions or interests.