December

“DSH Perfumes December Review: An Honest Winter Woods Experience”

The clove hits immediately. Spraying December on your wrist releases a sharp, dry crackle of crushed whole clove buds, freshly grated ginger, and bitter orange rind. It does not smell like a mass-produced holiday candle. Instead, you get the unmistakable aroma of a classic homemade pomander, sharpened by a bitter streak of green galbanum that cuts through the heat. The first two minutes carry a brisk solvent snap before the aromatic botanical oils warm against your pulse points. This is bold, rustic, and wonderfully bracing on a frosty morning.

The woods arrive quickly. Within twenty minutes, the fiery kitchen spices yield to an authentic grove of balsam fir needles and sticky pine sap. You can practically feel the sticky conifer resin between your fingertips. A subtle petal note of Bulgarian rose hides underneath the needles, buffering the wood so it never turns harsh or medicinal. As the heart recedes around hour three, dry olibanum frankincense and sweet golden myrrh take over the base. Earthy Virginia cedar and a faint touch of vanilla bean wrap the resins, giving the dry-down a peaceful, contemplative warmth.

Skin chemistry matters here. Because Dawn Spencer Hurwitz crafts her formulas with significant proportions of natural botanical extracts, December develops through physical body heat rather than synthetic aroma-chemical projection. The warm spicy and conifer accords fuse with your skin oils, softening from an initial punchy citrus-spice burst into an earthy resinous hum. On dry skin, the cedarwood and frankincense absorb quickly, whereas well-moisturized skin holds the sweet tolu balsam and oakmoss for hours longer. It never feels sticky or synthetic, leaving a soft sheen on the skin where you applied it.

Do not expect a powerhouse. December delivers roughly three to five hours of longevity on bare skin before fading into a quiet whisper of cedar and resins. Projection spans about an arm length for the first thirty minutes before shrinking into a personal bubble within six inches of your body. If you need it to last through an entire workday, spray your wool sweater, flannel shirt, or scarf. Fabric holds the balsam fir and tonka bean for a solid eight hours. This modest volume makes the perfume remarkably polite for close-quarters office wear, holiday family meals, and relaxing evenings at home.

Anyone can wear this. The composition is entirely unisex, balancing rugged evergreen needles and cedar against sweet orange and comforting tonka bean. It caters directly to indie fragrance lovers who crave the authentic smell of winter boughs without the saccharine sweetness common in commercial gourmands. If you want a sugary vanilla gingerbread cookie scent, you will be disappointed. December is herbal, woody, and resinous. It appeals to hikers, gardeners, and reflective readers who appreciate natural botanicals and nostalgic holiday traditions.

Sample this before committing. December is a handcrafted seasonal treat that values quiet authenticity over commercial loudness. If you want a perfume that announces your arrival across a crowded holiday party, look elsewhere. But if you desire an intimate, beautifully blended personal scent that smells like real fir needles, cloves, and church incense on a snowy day, this small bottle is well worth testing.