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The Big Sniff

560 replies

CountFosco · 21/01/2018 19:57

Welcome to The Big Sniff!

Some of us on the Perfumista threads have decided it might be fun to have a synchronised perfume smelling. The idea is once a week, probably a Sunday, we all try the same perfume and post our opinions here. We’re very friendly so don’t worry if you’re not an expert (I’m definitely not!), the idea is to have some fun.

We’ve contacted The Perfume Society and have wangled a 20% discount on a mixed box of 9 perfume samples (plus a hand cream, some cleanser and a bar of Green and Black chocolate - what’s not to like?). The Box we’re going for this time is The Velvet Collection. All you do is visit The Perfume Society website, Add The Velvet Collection to your cart and use the coupon Mumsnet (we’re original like that!). The box is normally £19 (or £15 if you’re a VIP subscriber), but with our discount it is £15.20, (or £12 if you’re a VIP subscriber of The Perfume Society). There are some other lovely boxes on sale at the moment which come highly recommended by some of our Perfumistas and would make lovely gifts or to keep for yourself not enabling at all oh no

If you are interested then sign up here and get over to The Perfume Society and order your box. We’ll do the first Big Sniff on Sunday 28th January. Oh, and before you eat all the chocolate have a look at the sniffing notes, there’s some on the chocolate as well.

The contents of the box are as follows:
• Atkinsons Pirates Grand Reserve 1.2 ml eau de parfum(full size £120 for 100 ml)
• Floral Street Chypre Sublime 1.5 ml eau de parfum(full size £55 for 50 ml)
• Connock Andiroba Eau de Parfum 1.5 ml eau de parfum(full size £75 for 100 ml)
• Avery‘E’ 4 ml pure perfume (full size £90 for 30 ml)
• Lalique Rêve d’Infini 1.8 ml eau de parfum(full size £72 for 100 ml)
• Map of the Heart Gold Heart v.4 1 ml eau de parfum(full size £150 for 90 ml)
• Ruth Mastenbroek Firedance 2 ml eau de parfum(full size £90 for 50 ml)
• Vince Camuto Amore 7.5 ml MINIATURE eau de parfum(full size £60 for 100 ml)
• Valeur Absolue Rouge Passion 1.5 ml eau de parfum(full size £59 for 45 ml)
• philosophy purity made simple 3-in-1 cleanser for face and eyes30 ml lotion (full size £19 for 240 ml)
• Cochine White Jasmine & Gardenia Hand Cream5 ml (full size £24 for 100 ml)
• Green & Black’s Velvet Edition Orange & Almond Chocolate 100 g

OP posts:
CoolCarrie · 22/02/2018 23:44

Late to this thread as box took a while, but here goes,

Pirates Grand Reserve - not too keen, however It’s a winter perfume, and it was boiling hot today , so will keep for the winter months here.

Avery E - like this, very soft and powdery, would buy.

Connock Andrioba - will try tomorrow

positivepineapple · 23/02/2018 13:00

Coolcarrie Where are you in the world? Very jealous of your warm weather, it's blinking freezing here in the uk at the moment - I had hoped spring was on its way. Alas, I had to dig the de-icer out this morning.

explodingkittens · 23/02/2018 17:09

So what's Sunday's scent - the Lalique?

CountFosco · 23/02/2018 19:15

Yes, Lalique on Sunday.

OP posts:
CoolCarrie · 23/02/2018 19:44

positivepineapple, I am in South Africa, and we have finally had rain!!!

CountFosco · 25/02/2018 08:31

Good Morning Everyone. Lalique Reve d'Infini today.

Smelling Notes from TPS:

What outfit would you wear with this, to dinner or a ball?
Which precious gems best reflect Reve d'Infini's character?
Is there a particular Lalique bottle you dream of owning?
If Reve d'Infini was a piece of music, what would it be?
Which three words best sum up Lalique Reve d'Infini to you? Elegant? Sparkling? Romantic? Over to you...

OP posts:
AnotherPinkiePieStory · 25/02/2018 09:26

OOOO first to sniff!
Rose and ?freesia floral. Soft and pretty but not really my thing. Elegant and quite gentle. Brings to mind a perfume advert with an actress surrounded by lots of pink flowers. RL with Gwyneth Paltrow?
Dry down is better and I’d happily wear but never buy.
DH said plesent which I’m not sure is a compliment! Not a stand out but a good bag stand by for quick inoffensive office scent.

lasttimeround · 25/02/2018 09:43

This is a soft one. Gentle and pink. There's a transparent quality to. I'm a bit hmm and not interested but I learned my 'give it time' lesson with Avery E. Which I would buy if I could afford it. I will be sad when that sample ends.

Buntyforgirls · 25/02/2018 09:57

Very very soft rose. I can smell something more- I thought it was Violet but must be the freesia. Didn't realise how many perfumes are rose. Nice for a rose but wouldn't purchase.

CheapTarnishedGlitter · 25/02/2018 10:05

So far agree with the soft and pink but it's not rose for me - very dominant peach. This could settle to something nice enough or could get sweet. Let's see which way it goes.

explodingkittens · 25/02/2018 10:16

This is a dull, generic fruity floral on me. I get a lot of peach, which is not a favourite note, unless 'cut' with something much more interesting. Sweet, pink, boring. I just don't see the point of perfumes like this - there's a million of them, they're like the cheap white bread of perfumery.

positivepineapple · 25/02/2018 10:26

This is nice enough, inoffensive. The main note I get is Peach. It very much reminds me of fabric conditioner at the moment, nice scent but not necessarily something I want in a perfume.
Will see how it wears.

64BooLane · 25/02/2018 11:35

Missed two weeks, so sorry! I have notes to post but I’ll stick to today’s scent for now, the Lalique.

Not that there’s much to say. Artificial-peachy and floral, and reminiscent of the cosmetics side of the little independent chemist in the town where I grew up. I think it’s reminding me of the combined scent in the air there of the old-fashioned scented soaps they used to stock.

Slightly cloying, not at all elegant or romantic. No sparkle - it falls a bit flat. Just kind of [insert fragrance here].

Calmwhoknows · 25/02/2018 12:26

Lalique Reve d’Infini

This is a fruity floral. It has a nice bright opening, fading down quickly to a skin scent. I don’t particularly get rose or peach. It’s probably the lychee (I looked up the notes!). It’s light, not very interesting and only lasts 2-3 hours. Disappointing.

The Cannock Andiroba is my favourite so far.

Calmwhoknows · 25/02/2018 12:27

Connock London Andiroba!

CountFosco · 25/02/2018 13:08

When I pretested it reminded me of SJP Lovely so I have tested it alongside today which has been interesting (don't often do that). Reve d'Infini smells sweeter initially ( I think that's the lychee) but then the musk in Lovely comes to the fore and is more interesting than Reve d'Infini. Agree it feels fairly generic romantic perfume, perfect for a very young bride. Don't love it, don't hate it. I do prefer it to last week's Chypre Sublime though (which annoys me still with it's very misleading name).

OP posts:
AnotherPinkiePieStory · 25/02/2018 13:23

Interesting comments and seems fairly universal. Overall though I’m a bit confused by PS choices. So far I’ve not loved any of this box and, while I know perfume is personal, I can’t see any of them gaining entry into my curated ‘velvet’ box.

explodingkittens · 25/02/2018 13:33

Agree Pinkie - my experience with this box so far hasn't been great. The Big Sniff itself is great fun but I've been seriously underwhelmed by the samples. Still, there's always next week and I can't wait until we get to the Mastenbroek Smile

Judydreamsofhorses · 25/02/2018 13:43

I’m pleased I tested this on my hand rather than whack it on as my SOTD. It makes me think of the perfumes they try to flog you at the till point in places like Savers.

Is it maybe the wrong time of year for this box? I might like this slightly more on a hot day when I wanted something inoffensive to wear to work.

SoFancy · 25/02/2018 15:48

I tried the Lalique a couple of weeks ago and made this note to myself:

Lalique Reve D’Infini
1st wear: Reminded me of Dior J’Adore initially, then like a less sharp Chloe Love Story. Slightly soapy floral with a bottle fruitiness. Quite like.
2nd wear: Clean, floral, less fruity this time. Inoffensive, could be quite nice in early summer, but not full bottle worth

SoFancy · 25/02/2018 15:48

Bottle fruitiness = bit of fruitiness

BluebellGal · 25/02/2018 15:56

Soft, floral, the opening was quite interesting and I was hopeful but it just settled down into a fairly generic pink fragrance. I could pick out freesia and rose. Ageee one for spring sunshine. Already have a few Yardleys in this category and they do this well for a very low price tag.

Grin to Kittens’ observation that these types of perfumes are the white bread of perfumery!

Agree with comments about this TPS box. I’ve had so many fantastic boxes from TPS and this one isn’t as good so far. Although the presentation and selection of perfume houses is as excellent as always - it’s just the fragrances which haven’t wowed me. But there are still a few more to try! I also like trying perfumes that I don’t end up loving or even liking as it’s honing my nose!

MrsGruber · 25/02/2018 18:21

Initially pink and fruity then pink, floral and musky, without any particular stand-out qualities. As a 'tribute to feminity' it is a bit of a worry.

Because of the fruity/freesia/musky vibe, I tried it alongside Christopher Sheldrake's Perceive (for Avon, 2000). Freesia, pepper, carnation and pear on the turn. Perceive isn't pink and is more interesting.

CareFusion · 25/02/2018 19:57

I've liked this one. It feels bright and fresh florals and fruits... uplifting and yes a bit sparkly but not overpowering. An easy fragrance but nice and comfortable and very pleasant to wear. I have just reapplied for the evening! Lasted maybe 4 hours after generous application this morning. I'm getting more peach than rose now which I prefer.

I had a shock this morning as i put on my going -to -the -Gym-very- warm- fleece and could smell last week big sniff which I did not enjoy then or now!

CountFosco · 25/02/2018 20:33

could smell last week big sniff which I did not enjoy then or now!

I had to wash the jumper I wore last weekend purely because it stank of roses thanls to that perfume.

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