Perfume Samples – Collect, Experiment, Explore, Discover!

Hey there,

I love perfume samples!
Whenever I’m in a shop that gives you an option of what samples you want to try, I always go for the perfumes. And if there is an opportunity to get a deluxe sample, I’ll find a way to get that, too!

Recently, I made a Christmas purchase (don’t judge me – I start on presents, early) on Sephora.ca and they were not only giving away a deluxe sample of a perfume they carry in store, but you also had the option of picking three other samples. As expected, I selected three other perfumes. None of that fancy face cream (Kiehl’s is my go-to anyway), no hair-transforming concoctions, just give me perfume, perfume, and more perfume.

I don’t have a signature scent. I used to when I was younger, but now my perfume collection is vast. I love to try new scents to see if I “bond” with them. That way, I know what direction to go when I’m looking to buy another perfume. The best way to see if a perfume is meant for you, is to wear it an entire day. Perfumes change with your body over time, and no scent smells the same on each person.

I’m going to take a moment to review the four perfumes that I received as samples!

My deluxe perfume sample was FLOWERBOMB by Victor Rolf. This perfume is reasonably priced in Sephora stores, and what I love about the deluxe sample is that it’s literally a miniature stylistic version of the original bottle. If you know me at all, you know that I love mini-things!

The first smell that hits your nose is a top note that’s rather musky. It comes out seeming to have a patchoulli scent but with what might be a jasmine undertone, which makes the musky-ness of the scent even more prominent. I have a hard time smelling the distinct flowers used in this perfume, and they didn’t even come through when wearing them.

This perfume was an award winner for Allure magazine, but I’ll be honest: it smells like an old grade one teacher. You all know that smell! I don’t think it smells sophisticated or chic,  it just smells heavy and old.

The next sample I’m going to review is TAINTED LOVE by Tokyo Milk’s Dark Femme Fatale Collection. The first smell that hits me is a top note of a vanilla that is softened by citrus! It’s got a smooth smell that is juxtaposed with a fresh scent, and it’s immensely unique. There are hints of tea in those middle notes, and the basenote is a musky sandalwood that only becomes prominent as you wear it.

This scent is very original, and if you are someone who likes a balance of fresh and sophisticated, something quite dramatic and something that definitely leaves a mark on whoever smells it, then I highly recommend it. Again, this wasn’t a scent that I would particularly wear, because it’s the flowered middle notes paired with musk that I never seem to enjoy. Also, heavy musk smells seem to cause my nose to get stuffy… riddle me this.

The next sample I received was BERGAMOTE SOLEIL by Atelier Cologne. I didn’t even know this company existed, so it was a pleasant find, since, as you may have guessed by the name, it’s a Parisian company! This perfume is on the “middle” side of cost, rather than low (anything under $100 is low), but it’s quite obvious why: this is a higher quality perfume and it’s obvious as you smell it.

This perfume is outstanding. The first smell that hits you are those “sunny” top notes of citrus – that powerful bergamot orange! It’s such a distict citrus note; almost like an orange and a lime combined. It’s so powerful in this perfume, and yet so soft and fresh.

The middle notes have hints of soft floral scents like lavender or jasmine, and while there is a slight hint at a musky basenote like a white amber, it’s so soft that this perfume keeps that “fresh” and “light” feeling throughout it’s wear on your skin. I absolutely adore this sample.

Last but not least is another sample from Atelier Cologne called POMELO PARADIS . I forgot to mention that this company also has a less expensive cologne option: a rollerball for about $30. I just find that rollerball perfumes, though convenient, finish rather quickly.

I picked, accidently, two citrus based samples. But those seem to be my favourite scents overall, and Pomelo Paradis is no exception. The top note that hits you immediately, and with such a force, is a smell I would compare to the rind of a grapefruit, which is, of course, pomelo! It’s so powerful and so beautiful, I can’t describe it. I can smell a light middle note of blackcurrant, and it seems like there are some hints at orange blossom in there. There is a pungent kick that will hit you sometimes, that seems to be of mint. And that base note is of course a musk of amber, but it’s so light, even as you wear it,  it never reaches a point of overpowering that beautiful pomelo top note. I loved this sample, as well.

Hopefully knowing a bit more about each of these samples might help you make decisions on what you should try. Do you have a particular smell that you’re always drawn to? What about one that you always stay away from? Let me know in the comments!

xo
C