Dirty by Lush

Starts with sweet peppermint like gum, but within minutes it turns into that intense, unbearable 2000s wall paint scent. I don’t detect the woody notes they claim.

Smells great, fresh, makes you feel clean and energized. The downside is it doesn’t last and you can’t smell it much from a distance.

The total is a super clean, polished fragrance with good trail and projection. It feels cool-fresh, like a high-quality mint gum or iced mint tea. I recommend it; it’s a must-have for any collection.

What a weird thing! I love it! I don’t know if it smells like airplane restrooms or a spring walk through a garden by the river. It’s exotic and tacky at the same time. Refined and cheesy. It’s like brand-name toothpaste mixed with delicate flowers and spices, distilled from a mansion air freshener. It’s certainly a perfume with a lot of personality. It’s not for everyone. You never know if it smells like Acqua di Parma, Penhaligon’s, or the air freshener at the Chinese bazaar.

It was awful to me. No, it doesn’t smell dirty; it smells clean, or rather, as Bofifa so aptly defined it, like a public restroom after being cleaned, though in my case I do notice the mentholated part for a long time. I also agree that this doesn’t seem like a perfume.

Dirty awakens hatred, and I’m not surprised. It’s a weird bomb that has me hooked. Ironically, it smells clean: expensive hotel soap, masculine sandalwood, and sexy tarragon. Those spicy touches are its dirty point. It evokes showering with fresh sheets after an intense day. My mom uses it on bedding. It performs well as a body spray; I gave it to my boyfriend and he loves it more than I do.

Smells too much like tarragon and drowns out the mint, which becomes spicy and I don’t like it. It lasts quite a while and takes getting used to. I don’t recommend it blindly; try it first.

I’m a mint fanatic and was looking for what they describe: peppermint, mint, fresh. However, I only notice thyme and tarragon. It seems like a men’s fragrance, and I’d love for men to smell like this instead of expensive commercial perfumes. It’s very pleasant, balsamic, relaxing, and cozy. Unfortunately, it’s too masculine for me, so I won’t buy it again.

This is a perfume from another world. Bofifa defines it better than anyone: it smells like a spotless public restroom, a scent I’ve always loved. It starts with bubblegum-like mint and then moves to tarragon, as far as my nose can go. I bought it on impulse in a store, but I’m sure I won’t repurchase. Still, it’s pleasant and I use it in winter for its incredible longevity.

I’ve tried almost all of Lush’s scents, and this is definitely the one I dislike and can’t stand the least. I love the smell of natural spearmint and lavender, but this has nothing to do with it… it smells like artificial mint gum with a weird lavender finish, like those ‘lavender’ or ‘mint’ scented trash bags. I don’t detect any oak, sandalwood, or moss notes anywhere. It’s extremely strong at first, pushes people away, and lasts forever. You can wash your hands with soap and water, and it’ll still smell like that. Still, it’s been a Lush staple for years and many people are obsessed with it; they even have a shower gel, massage bar, and body spray. For me, this doesn’t smell like the sea or ocean breeze or anything related; I think the wave illustration is metaphorically referring to how strong that mentholated freshness hits, like a tsunami (now they come in minimalist rectangular glass bottles with white labels). It gives me the feeling of eating something and instead of brushing your teeth, you pop an artificial blue mint gum/Halls/mint gum to cover bad breath. Don’t overapply; it has huge potency. It’s so strong that despite being fresh, you could wear it in winter/fall without issues, and in spring/summer. Completely unisex. Try before you buy.

Dirty is my signature scent, or at least it has been more years than any other, though I’m slowly forgetting it with precious nostalgia. It’s not for everyone. Its notes are a Russian roulette: tarragon, mint, toothpaste, sea salt, a touch of earth, and shy spearmint. It’s both synthetic and natural, shy and unisex with masculine tints. Its salty trait stands out as it dries, clinging to scarves, t-shirts, and sweaters like a spoiled child. It’s a balm of nostalgia, shaving cream, a spray of Atlantic softness. Performance is good, and the bottle lasts a long time for the price. Body spray is less impressive but gets the job done. My only issue is that I use it so much that I start not noticing it due to habit. I’m spacing it out with other perfumes. I’m being unfaithful to you, Dirty, yes, but we understand each other so well… will you forgive me?

To know how this perfume smells, go to the nearest Chinatown and buy a marine room freshener. The mint is noticeable at first but disappears in two minutes, leaving a simple mix that seems to be lavender and musk. It’s the same smell used to freshen a lavatory or a closed space where several people with poor hygiene have gathered. I don’t see the point in going around smelling like that. I can’t find any composition or intention in Dirty; I don’t even think it’s a perfume. It’s refreshing to wear at home when it’s hot, it’s eternal, and has a huge trail. But honestly, I feel weird going out leaving that crowded, freshly cleaned hygiene aroma behind.