I’ll allow myself to be honest here and admit that niche and indie fragrance brands intimidate me a little bit. They remind me of those high concept art pieces at an art gallery that make you feel like a complete idiot for not understanding their deeper meaning. Niche perfume scene is known for creating scents inspired by a single moment, a memory, a place, or an emotion, and unless you can feel that connection the whole bouquet turns into a pedestrian “yeah I like it” or “bleh, too fruity”. Today I want to introduce you to my newest indie discovery – LURK Fragrances. I was offered three scents to try, and ended up selecting LURK BS 003 Perfume Oil [$55 for 0.125 oz, available here].
LURK fragrances are made with premium quality absolutes, 100% pure essential oils, resins, and extracts infused in certified organic jojoba carrier oil and organic alcohol. Each bottle is hand poured and blended by perfumer and founder of LURK Anne Nelson. The company takes pride in their natural formulations that adhere to the most stringent standards for perfume quality and purity.
I was in the mood for something warm and casual, so when asked which fragrance I’d like to try my finger somehow pointed at LURK BS 003 Perfume Oil. Described as a woodsy citrus, this unisex scent turned out to be even better than I imagined.
“Dry woods mix with crisp citrus notes and sweet Bergamot to produce this effervescent yet balanced fragrance.”
My fragrance arrived in a small giftable muslin bag printed with the brand’s logo. The bottle itself is made of glass and adorned with a round golden screw-on cap. Unlike most perfume oils that normally come with roll-on applicators, my bottle had a small hole opening under the cap, so the oil needs to be shaken out.
The scent is quite simple, but the notes are blended masterfully to create the perfect balance and the illusion of something more complex. This blend of dry woods, crisp citrus, and bitter bergamot can be worn by both men and women, day or night. Like a classic cashmere sweater, it’s the kind of scent that is both luxurious and unobtrusive. It doesn’t have a lot of sillage and is best smelled at close distance, which makes this a great choice for work environment. However, the real reason why a lot of people choose natural perfume oils is the longevity. On my skin LURK BS 003 Perfume Oil lasted from shower to shower, and the scent didn’t become duller or weaker.
You can buy LURK BS 003 Perfume Oil at LURK.
Have you tried natural perfume oils before? Let me know in the comments below!
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Love the bottle. I tend to avoid perfume oils simply because I’m not a big fragrance person and they last for so long. But I have a friend who loves them exactly because of how long they wear.
For those who prefer their fragrances to be a bit “airier” LURK also has the standard EDT versions of the oils, now those definitely don’t last forever on the skin and might be what you’re looking for.
I feel the same way, but about perfumes in general. I am terrible at describing scents and really just know nothing about fragrance, other than whether I like a scent or a I don’t like a scent, haha. I DO really love perfume oils though!
Thank you for saying that! I was beginning to wonder if it’s just me who feels that way 🙂
I’m really picky about perfumes. I like very few mainstream perfume brands and mostly I prefer gourmand scents. Most perfumes smell too flowery or musky to me. Not my thing.
I am kind of picky, too, but not to the point where there are only a few brands I like. I certainly dislike most popular fragrances though, they all smell the same to me – cheap and generic.
I love conceptual art and I love indie perfume brands especially when they’re oils. I find the scents so much more interesting than the mainstream stuff. Unisex scents are my jam, but I tend toward orientals also I do like some woodsy scents as well. This sounds like I brand I need to get to know. TFS!!
I know exactly what you mean about being intimidated! This mix of notes sounds lovely–bergamont is a favorite of mine.
Thank you for saying that – I wasn’t sure if I might be the only one who feels that way. Everyone always seems so confident when they talk about fragrances. I am also a big fan of bergamot, and really anything with a citrusy vibe.
I love trying new brands (new to me at least) and I am a sucker for fragrances!
Likewise! I love a good fragrance and even have a small collection sorted by moods.
Your description of this is beautiful.
Thank you Marcia!
I love fragrance and this brand sounds gorgeous. Your photographs… Stunning!
Thank you Erika! It’s the place that really did it for me, natural light and natural materials are the best props after all.
The packaging is very nice 😀
Right? Love the elegant simplicity of it.
Ohh I need to check this out! Im a fragrance hoarder
If you are not an oil person LURK also offers more typical alcohol-based EDTs 😉
I love indie scents! They are so fun to try, even when they don’t work out. This line sounds interesting. I’ll have to check them out!