Hello everyone, and welcome to another Singaporean review! On this shiok Saturday, I’m reviewing two perfumes from local fragrance label, Scent by SIX.
Scent by SIX is a homegrown perfume brand that I’ve been wanting to cover in-depth for quite some time. After featuring them in the Singaporean perfume listicle that I wrote previously, I reached out to them and they were kind enough to pass me two of their best sellers – the 2065 Ujong, and the 27°F Biei – for review. Let’s see if they are any good!
Update: I’m pleased to list a curation of Scent by SIX perfumes on my new web-store, The Shiok Shop.
Scent by SIX – the Brand
Scent by SIX was founded in 2016 by Jason Lee. They burst into the local fragrance scene in with an initial trio of perfumes, the Tribeca, Puka and the Biei, which we will take a more detailed look at later. Before launching his own perfume label, Jason worked for four years at renowned fragrance house Givaudan, where he developed a passion for scents. After earning rave reviews for two unique scents he gave to his friend as a wedding gift, Jason embarked on his entrepreneurial journey and launched Scent by SIX.
For those wondering, the name of the brand – often referred to as just SIX – is inspired by the quality of the sixth sense, which the brand says “tells us things like no one else does”. Just like how the sixth sense is often an emotional experience, Scent by SIX wants to create that same magical, almost inexplicable experience for those that try on their perfumes. It’s seems as though they are on the right track, as they have steadily cultivated a loyal following locally – personalities such as Hossan Leong swears by them.
Alright, without further ado let’s delve into the review!
Scent by SIX – 2065 Ujong
First and foremost, we have Scent by SIX’s latest creation, the 2065 Ujong.
There are two different colour variants for the bottles, rose gold (seen above) and black. The rose gold variant has a slightly glossy finish, adding a dose of luxe to the bottle. I found the bottle to be pretty chic too, reminding me of lipsticks actually! I’ve reviewed a couple of perfumes thus far now, and I have got to say that SIX’s perfume bottles wowed me the most. I applaud the brand for taking the extra mile to innovate on the designs of their perfume bottles – it definitely sets them apart from the other perfume brands out there.
For those wondering about the name, Ujong is the Malay word for “tip”, which signifies Singapore as the country is located on the tip of the Malay Peninsula. All together, the 2065 Ujong is supposed to serve as the brand’s interpretation of Singapore in the year 2065, 100 years after independence. As such, the scent is supposed to be “well-balanced, between the past and future”.
According to the brand, the top notes of the 2065 Ujong opens with lemon peel, mandarin peel and bergamot. The middle notes are stated as orchids and lavender, with the base notes consisting of rosewood and musk. I have to say, I found that description is pretty accurate. To the a layman like me, the 2065 Ujong instantly reminded me of the botanic gardens. It’s a very “fresh” scent. It starts off with refreshing citrus notes, before developing into strong floral notes. Finally, the scent eventually tapers off into a more subdued, woody tones that reminds me of walking into a forest. Personally, I think it’s a very well composed fragrance. The top, middle and base notes are distinct, but they blend well together with a floral/fruity undertone that reflects Singapore’s status as a Garden City. It makes sense as well – the initial citrus notes revitalises the wearer in the early morning, while the floral notes ensures that you smell fresh whilst at work. Finally, the woody – but still with a hint of floral – base notes grounds the perfume, and ensures that you still smell good when you’re having dinner after work. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I recommend reading this informative article on perfume composition here.
Another cool thing about SIX’s perfumes is that most of them are refillable! While the bottle (with 20ml of perfume) costs $66, once you run out you can simply re-order the refill (shown above) for a mere $45. I personally have not heard of another perfume company that makes their perfumes refillable, so again kudos to SIX for their innovation! Not only does this make purchasing their perfume more economical, it is more environmentally friendly too. What a great idea!
Scent by Six – 27°F BIEI
SIX also sent me one of their OG fragrances, the 27°F Biei.
As aforementioned, there are two colour variants for the bottles, with the black variant shown above. While the rose gold variant conveyed an air of luxury, the matte black one here is stealthy and sleek. I should also mention that you “open” the bottle by twisting its lower half, which results in the cap popping up – exactly like how a lipstick works! Again, I think that the aesthetics and functionality of SIX’s bottles are pretty cool. I suspect the rose gold bottle would prove more popular amongst the ladies, while this stealth black version should be more of a hit with the gentlemen.
27°F Biei is one of the original trio of fragrances that SIX launched back in 2016, alongside 127 Tribeca and 1724 Puka. These fragrances were inspired by locations which Jason had previously visited, and he sought to capture their essence in these perfumes. For those who don’t know, Biei is actually a beautiful town located in Hokkaido, Japan. Famous for their wide fields and hills, Biei is commonly used as a backdrop for Japanese movies and commercials. Coincidentally, it was 27°F (about -2 degrees Celsius) when Jason visited Biei. Therefore, the scent was named 27°F Biei to pay tribute to the sense of exploration and adventure he felt whilst he was there.
SIX doesn’t state the specific top, middle and base notes of the 27°F Biei, though it lists the ingredients used as: Coriander, Orange Blossom, Mandarin Orange, Lavender, Bulgarian Rose, Sandalwood, Green Tea, and Cedar. For me, I found the 27°F Biei to be a more complex scent than the 2065 Ujong. There seems to be more depth to the 27°F Biei – it’s definitely the more intriguing one. For some reason, it reminded me of the beach. The perfume starts off as refreshing, but it’s more akin to how having the cold breeze on your face refreshes you, rather than the fresh citrus scents of the 2065 Ujong. Thereafter, it smells like TWG – one gets the scent of fragrant tea, possibly due to the Lavender, Bulgarian Rose and Green Tea ingredients inside. Lastly, there’s a strong woody undertone that evokes the sand/driftwood of the beach. I agree with SIX – there’s something about the 27°F Biei that reminds me of adventure and exploration, or rather infinite possibilities. I find myself turning to the 27°F Biei on days when I need a bit of inspiration and courage to try something different.
Just like the rose gold bottle, the black bottle is refillable as well, so you can just buy the refill cartridge once the perfume runs out. Honestly speaking, there’s not much for me to dislike about the 27°F Biei, or the 2065 Ujong in general. I think that they are both well-crafted scents – it’s clear that the person who formulated them (Jason) has some experience in perfumery. My only knock would be their concentration. Although SIX doesn’t state it on their website, their perfumes come in EDT concentration by default. This means that the scent will only last for about 4 hours. If you’re spending a full day outside, you would have to reapply the perfume mid-day. A stronger EDP variant is available, but you would have to request it specially from SIX, and it will invariably be at a higher price point.
Conclusion – so Scent by SIX “shiok” or not?
I really liked both the 2065 Ujong and the 27°F Biei. I think both were by far one of the most complex and layered scents I’ve encountered thus far. Personally, I think ladies would prefer the fresh, floral scent of the 2065 Ujong more, while guys might lean more towards the slightly heavier 27°F Biei. Between the two, I would have to say that I liked the 27°F Biei better – I’ve a preference for heavier scents, and it also came across as more unique. My only criticism, as aforementioned, would be their relatively low concentration. I definitely would have preferred both perfumes to come EDP by default.
For those interested, you can use the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” to enjoy 10% off all of SIX’s products on their online store! After the discount, a 20ml bottle of the abovementioned perfumes can be had for just $59.40, while a refill would cost $40.50. If you intending to gift it to a loved one, you can also choose to personalise the bottle with text of your choice for just $6 more! Lastly, for those who want to try it before you buy, SIX also has a physical store in Bugis Junction which you can check out before committing online.
View the full range of SIX’s products here.
Update: A curation of my favourite Scent by SIX perfumes can also be purchased on The Shiok Shop.
SIX’s Physical Location:
Bugis Junction, 100 Victoria St, #01-15, Singapore 188021.
P.S Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wahsoshiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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