Petrolhead by ByKathryn

RRP: £35 for 15ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Our PETROLHEAD perfume packs a punch and empowers you to Write Your Own Rules: Fearless and modern, vivaciously bold. Live life on your terms!

Jo Polley, racing driver, is our PETROLHEAD perfume Ambassador. We are so excited to be headline sponsor for her Mini 7 S Class for the 2019 racing season. Jo simply embodies our PETROLHEAD vibe.

Designed to be taken with you PETROLHEAD comes in a hand luggage sized 15ml perfume spray bottle in colourful eye catching packaging to keep your perfume at peak performance."

--Packaging--

I received a 2ml sample/travel size from ByKathryn's PR - thanks for your generosity! So mine took the form of a glass tube around the size of my pinky, with a spray top, and encased in a paper sleeve decorated with an iridescent oil design. Very attractive by all accounts that gives a good impression of the brand's packaging overall.

--Application--

Spritz onto pulse points such as behind the ears, onto the wrists and - one random one I heard lately - behind your knees. You can also spray the air and then step into the fragrance so that it spreads more evenly over your hair and clothes for an overall effect.

--Appearance--

The liquid appears mildly yellow in the bottle, but leaves no visible residue on skin or clothes.

--Scent--

The notes on ByKathryn's website describe this fragrance as having citrus in the top notes, jasmine and woody scents at its heart, and a spicy, almost oriental base. 

I love jasmine (it appears in some of my favourite perfumes) but I felt it to be overridden by the woody notes (the website says conifer), making this fragrance a little too masculine for my taste.

I would describe this perfume as leathery and smoky - definitely great for making a unique first impression and without doubt living up to the product description: fearless, bold, vivacious and modern.

--Longevity--

Despite the fragrance not being truly what I would normally go for (preferring fresher, sparklier scents), I was genuinely impressed by the staying power of this one, compared to many other lesser-quality perfumes whose scents fade away much more quickly over the course of the day. I could still smell this on myself by the end of the morning and I am told it was still detectable by the time I went to bed at night as well - so I would say it lasts at least 12 hours.

--Value for money--

This was a little tricky to compare as 15ml isn't actually a usual perfume bottle size; most are available in 30ml, 50ml, and 100ml bottles. So comparing to bottles that are around £70 for 30ml, or £110 for 50ml (as opposed to ByKathryn's £35 for 15ml), this is priced equally to high-end brands such as Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, and Ralph Lauren. I would argue that this is worth it for the quality of fragrance provided, even if I myself would not choose the Petrolhead variant. I would certainly be interested in testing ByKathryn's other fragrance in future, named Padstow Rocks, which promises a more floral scent (accented by citrus notes), and which I think I would prefer. In short, ByKathryn is definitely a brand worthy of your time and money - especially as there are options available for every budget (see below).

perfect partners

Travel Lite Minis, £5

Petrolhead Perfume Sachet, £6.50

Mini Perfume Gift Set, £7

Luxury Perfume Gift Set, £65

Write Your Own Rules accessories pouch, £16.50