Illamasqua Freak


Does this octopus clash with my perfume?
I'm a fan of Freak by Illamasqua. I really am. It's just that I get a "wha...?" reaction when I hold the darkly goth-decadent bottle in my hand, then smell the clean happy flowers that practically dance out of the spritzer. It's a stylistic disconnect, to be sure. Purple flacon with a snail vs. fresh florals with a kiss -- no matter, the important thing is that it smells good. And Freak does: pretty, sweetly feminine, dew-dappled, with a subtle spine of wood.
Freak is composed by Agent Provocateur perfumer Azzi Glasser around the idea of poisonous flowers: hemlock, queen of the night, datura. Datura is one that I've often encountered in my neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills -- their pale pink and yellow trumpets dripping from the tree like vintage Tiki ornaments. They're incredibly theatrical-looking, and smell like creamy shampoo. Just like Freak.
This is a young woman's perfume. It's innocent without being cheesy, and the cool bottle will draw "oohs" at your next pajama party. And just as pajama parties are fun no matter what age you are, so is Freak.
Freak is available from Sephora.com at $90 for 2.5 oz
Looking for a fragrance recommendation? Visit Fume Finder: the Katie Puckrik Smells fragrance app.
Apologies for the computer-cam video -- I'm visiting London and away from my usual set-up. I'll figure out something that looks less like 7-11 surveillance footage soon.

24 comments:

  1. I'd buy it just for the snail!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I had this perfume since Jan. I didn't use it much, I liked it but didn't love it. the down side that it doesn't have woody notes, it was too flowery to me. I'll use it as a day time perfume as I get it now after your review.My name is Hessa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Hessa, sometimes it's hard to peg a perfume until you smell it on someone else, or you hear how someone describes it. I had that experience recently when I smelled Chanel No. 5 parfum on a friend, and I understood its special magic.

      Delete
    2. It's Hessa again, sorry I didn't register yet, I'm so exited to chat with you Katie, you can not imagen how you influced my perfume selection so far, I used to love samsara, Chance &Eau des merveilles ,well I still love them, but I wear shalimar & L'agent provocateur Now !!

      Delete
    3. So pleased to hear you've been inspired!

      Delete
  3. I'm going to wear this to my next pajama party. If Freak goes with octopus, it'll go with anything!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awesome reply. I can also cross off on my Bucket List now, "A Perfume to Go With My Octopus."

      Delete
  4. I liked the picture of this bottle from the first time I read about this perfume but it's not available from a real store so I decided to pass on it. And since there are no PJ parties in my future (unless they have those in Senior Care facilities) I'll probably stick to that decision. But that snail...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. By the time you get the Seniorsville, it's a round the clock pajama party. Or at least, round the clock pajamas.

      Delete
  5. Oh, Lady Gaga. I'd expect more creativity from someone who wears deli slices.

    --Nora

    ReplyDelete
  6. If that bottle was a little more slender and that snail a wee bit larger, it could multi-task at that pajama party, methinks.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That bottle is pure genius. The missing corner makes it look as though the owner thoughtlessly placed it on top of a vortex to another dimension, and it is slowly falling in. The tiny snail is just trying to escape.


    --Nora

    ReplyDelete
  8. I hope it's not considered rude to break up the Freak fest, but I found something that might be fun:

    http://www.guerlain.com/int/en/base.html#/en/home-parfum/services-exclusifs/mes-consultations-parfums/

    It's kind of fun, but the pictures are a little confusing. I don't always know what they're supposed to mean. Also, I didn't like any of the bedroom choices. If I had the budget, my whole house would look like a Victorian brothel. Even the kids' rooms.

    --Nora

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lol on the Victorian brothel playroom.

      I know what you mean about the confusing pictures. I clicked on the one that looked like a honey-glazed ham, and it turned out to be a cinnamon bun.

      Delete
  9. I thought it was a honey-glazed ham, too!

    And then when you get to the photo of what looks like random piles of eyeshadow in various colors, only to find out that it's supposed to mean "powdery."

    Get it TOGETHER, Guerlain.

    --Nora B

    ReplyDelete
  10. I just ordered a sample of Freak based on your review, Katie. Always on the look-out for something new. Many thanks!


    Now if they would just create a juice to go with my hedgehog.

    TotallyDaft

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Katie, any plans to review Freak Scarab? It was released a few days ago. :)

    ReplyDelete