Chemical Bonding (2006)
by Ineke

Effervescent citrus opens this extroverted frag from Ineke, and it is vibrant and lemony. An immediate reference combination of Keiko Mecheri's Sanguine and Damask Rose come to mind. However, this Chemical Bonding is all about the peony. Like foetidus says - larger than life! I have a so-so feeling about peony in my perfume, and although this one is very good, it isn't something that connects my nose to my heart. This peonys' most likeable quality is its' lightness. Sometimes highly fragrant florals like peony or rose can 'lay heavily', but not this one! A tea like character wafts in and out on occassion. Blackberry is a difficult note for my nose to detect, and I don't smell it in this compostion. The musk is subtle, and appropriately present, very polite. I don't 'get' the name though...possibly a self-indulgence by the creator?! Nonetheless, a uniquely creative springtime scent.

I was strongly reminded of Clinique Happy by Chemical Bonding. I don't care for Happy due to the pronounced (to me) chemical notes, but I will guess that if you like Happy you will like Chemical Bonding.

Foetidus' review is really all you need to know about this fragrance's smell.

I will add that I sampled at a store that did not indicate the gender of Chemical Bonding.... I assumed it was unisex, and even though it is classified otherwise I look forward to buying my own someday soon.

I would not have known that this scent was marketed as a Woman's fragrance if it weren't for Basenotes! The opening is a nuclear cloud of isopropyl alcohol (IPA), which is forgivable, since this is not an oil based perfume, and the IPA-medicinal mushroom cloud disperses quickly enough. What comes next, (or even simultaneously but I don't notice because I'm distracted by the IPA), is a sharp, slightly bitter, green accord that is not unpleasant, but not the tea and citrus I expected. I thought Chemical Bonding, by it's name, would be some type of phermone and musk laden uber-sensual fragrance that focused on "organic" chemicals, attraction between people, etc... Instead it's more synthetic and "inorganic." Interesting and creative, so points for that, but not something I'd reach for very often. Gets a full blown "meh."!!

At first there is a very serious chemical note that is somewhat bitter: I get the bitterness in the opening. I find the "chemical" accords of Chemical Bonding definitely attractive: It quickly becomes a neutral texture that has elements of citrus and tea and metal. I like it very much except that it lasts only about five or six minutes. Then a strong peony note enters in – a very good peony note, actually: a peony note almost larger than life, just like the peony flower itself. When the peony note recedes, we are back to a chemical note again. This time the notes in the accord are more less synthetic and more standard – there are a recognizable vetiver and amber, and the accord is very enjoyable in a subtle sort of way. It is smooth and light and a bit powdery. Chemical Bonding is quite an enjoyable fragrance.

Hrm... I'm not too wild about this one. It smells bright and fresh, but it also smells like citrus-scented cleaning solution. The drydown leaves me with a slightly bitter scent -- perhaps the peony?

I feel like Ineke always straddles the fine line between really amazing fresh and sparkling scents, and scents that remind me of cleaning solution. After My Own Heart comes out gloriously, but Chemical Bonding unfortunately falls to the other side.

Aside from that, this scent is not particularly offensive, and does have good lasting power, along with all her other perfumes. I'm giving it a thumbs neutral for the fact that it strays much too close to the scent of Windex for my comfort.