When I consider what the concept of 'home' means to me, I think of a warm bed and the comfort of being in a familiar place; I think of my family - the ones I'm genetically related to, and those that I'm not (including the furry kind, of course). If I'm honest, I don't really conjure up any sort of smell to coincide with this thought - my home is more about the familiarity of the people I am surrounded by, than the sensory experience that supports it.
Having said this, when I experienced I'm Home Liquid Perfume for the first time, I felt an instant connection to the fragrance, which is something I haven't really experienced before when it comes to Lush perfumes. It transported me to a place where I felt safe and indulged, despite the nature of where I was at the time, and this warmed my heart and made me fall in love with the aroma immediately.
To my nose, this is one of the richest perfumes that Lush have ever released, especially when compared to the selection of fragrances that have been released across the first three volumes. This is one you'd expect to see more as a limited edition (Yog Nog), so it's exciting that this could possibly be a regular product that'll be available all year round.
As I have mentioned previously, my immediate thoughts about this perfume is that it smells like the more sophisticated, complex, older sister of Vanillary. It's a very 'foody' smell, and one that isn't necessarily suitable for every occasion. For example, I wouldn't say this would work that well in the hotter months, if you're wanting to wear something light and complimentary of the warmer weather. Likewise, I also believe it's a perfume that would appeal to a particular niche of people, so there will be many that might appreciate the smell but choose not to wear it.The ingredients list reads: cocoa absolute, vanilla absolute and benzin resinoid, and while these key ingredients will give you an idea of what sort of fragrance you're going to experience, it definitely won't prepare you for just how beautiful or complex the scent is.
From the bottle, I'm Home offers two very distinctive notes - a sweet, musky layer of vanilla, and a rich, powdery sprinkling of cocoa absolute. The latter is very robust from the get-go and almost blankets the vanilla slightly - offering a smell that reminds me of an expensive vanilla ice cream decorated with a generous sprinkling of cocoa powder or hot, dark chocolate sauce.
While it smells decadent in the bottle, it is when this perfume makes contact with the skin that it really begins to shine. On the skin, the fragrance grows and develops with the warmth of your body heat, and this process continues throughout the most part of the day. I could still smell it on my clothing and my skin some six hours after first applying it, and many colleagues of mine have also commented on how beautiful and robust it comes across to them.
At first it smells like simmering caramel - a buttery, brown-sugared aroma laced with a little sprinkling of powdery chocolate. Some of those lucky enough to own a bottle this have stated that they can detect a hint of cinnamon in the mix as well. While I can appreciate their opinions, I think this impression comes more from just how rich and decadent the vanilla and cocoa are in mix as opposed to there actually being a note of cinnamon. Each to their own of course.
Alongside this is a buttery, musky layer of vanilla that sits underneath the cocoa absolute and unravels itself on the wearer. Much like the heavy dose of tonka in Vanillary, it is this latter ingredient that gives the fragrance a sort of cloudiness on the skin - one that is elevated with movement and gives bursts of beautiful sweetness throughout the day. In simple terms, this perfume is mouth-salivatingly good. It's like a warm blanket of smells that comforts you and draws you in. Yet, while foody smells can often be short-lived and not really interesting enough to hold-up next to the more sophisticated fragrances, I'm Home is one that has too many merits not to be considered a classic perfume already.
It took a single spritz for me to fall head over heals in love with the smell, and if it sounds like something you'd enjoy, the likelihood is that you'll adore it just as much as I do. I may not have a smell linked to my idea of 'home', but this aroma would certainly be up there as a possible candidate.
Quantitative Ingredients: Cocoa Absolute, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Benzoin Resinoid , Anise Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Salycillate, Cinnamal, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool.
Vegan?: Yes.
2016 Price: £36 for 30ml
Year Of Original Release: 2016.
