Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

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:
lasttimeround · 04/03/2018 10:36

Ahhh! after finding I really couldn't be bothered re-sniffing last week's sample, this is what I'm talking about!
Love this. Warm spicy chai latte mmm

SoFancy · 04/03/2018 10:42

I tried this once last week and really liked it. My notes to myself were:

Map of the heart. Nothing like my usual. Blissed out on first spray, though. Buttery, slightly sweet, black pepper. Then cardamom, leather abd vanilla. This isn’t what I like on paper but it has a gourmand deliciousness I love. Not sure it’s fb worthy but I’d def wear again.

I’ll try again later!

SoFancy · 04/03/2018 12:17

I’ve got Map of the Heart on again.

It’s lovely and easily the most interesting of the Sniffs so far, for me.

I don’t get chai latte so much as a quite savoury, butter/pepper/cardamom combo. It’s gorgeous, but feels like a fragrance I’d enjoy wearing at home rather than out and about.

Amrapaali · 04/03/2018 13:21

Map of the Heart is utterly utterly gorgeous. I am reminded of rasmalai an Indian pudding made of boiled down sweetened milk with saffron and almonds. I want to keep nibbling my wrist. Is there cardamom in there? I could only detect sharp saffron...

ItWillAllBeOkayInTheEnd · 04/03/2018 14:39

This is nice! I keep sniffing my wrist.

ItWillAllBeOkayInTheEnd · 04/03/2018 14:45

I was going to say I'd put this on my birthday list, but then I looked at the price! I love it!

Buntyforgirls · 04/03/2018 14:53

First sniff on paper- oh yes! And different from the other sniffs. I didn't get the spiciness- it reminded me of orange and peach sherbet. I'm guessing the sherbet is the spice and I'm describing it with my limited perfume knowledge and vocab - hopefully that makes sense?! Also like on skin.

positivepineapple · 04/03/2018 15:49

I love this! The pink pepper and cardamom compliment each other beautifully, it's punchy and unusual. When the warm woody notes come in I keep getting a hint of sage? This tastes good enough to eat.
I think the sample will be finished today, on my second application already.

FB - maybe, if I'm brutally honest I wouldn't be as put off by the price if it was in a nicer bottle. The heart creeps me out and the gold just looks cheap.

MrsGruber · 04/03/2018 16:09

With you on the bottle PP.

CareFusion · 04/03/2018 18:13

I've never come across any perfume like this Gold Heart. I am a novice though. Its really unusual and I don't think its one for me after first test today. I left my review till later as I didnt want to put any one off!
I initially got the cardamon and I thought of cloves, but it may have been the cinnamon. I liked this bit. Them in whooped a slight whiff of warm baby sick, sweet milkiness, and saffron and I havent been able to shake this off all day. Its now a more pleasant musky woodiness that I dont mind but I do still feel like a newborn has posseted on me.

Judydreamsofhorses · 04/03/2018 18:41

I can see this is cleverly done, but I am just not a fan of the whole pepper thing. It reminds me of a horrible Molton Brown bath gel, a pink one.

ItWillAllBeOkayInTheEnd · 04/03/2018 19:04

I like the smell, but I don't think it has lasted particularly well.

CountFosco · 04/03/2018 19:33

I do still feel like a newborn has posseted on me

This is a good description, it did make me feel a little bit sick, really not a fan of milk accords.

OP posts:
CheapTarnishedGlitter · 04/03/2018 19:40

I quite like this one. The opening was ok - got the peppercorns mainly which I'm ambivalent about. Then it went a bit nasty - couldn't identify why but Care you've nailed it - posseting. But, that didn't last long and then I got a really wonderful gentle spice. Cardamommy and a bit rice puddingy but in a grown up way.

Will definitely enjoy the rest of the sample but as with most of you, It's not worrying the topspots on my £££ FB will never happen wishlist.

ItWillAllBeOkayInTheEnd · 04/03/2018 19:52

Slightly off topic (and my apologies if this is already covered in the perfumista thread), would anyone like to post their current favourites and their full bottle wish list?
I'm a complete novice, so all I can say is current favourite is scent of a dream (I know, I know...) And FB wishlist is molecule 01.
Anyone else? I'm a fan of scent samples, so convince me to try some new ones!

LibertyBlue · 04/03/2018 21:07

I liked the Map of the Heart when it was first applied, but then struggled to smell it because of a chesty cough and blocked sinuses. So I’ll have to try again in the week and review then!

SoFancy · 04/03/2018 21:10

itwilallbeokay - def post in our perfumistas thread! I have a very small sample (1.5ml?) of Scent of a dream I’d be happy to part with. X

SoFancy · 04/03/2018 21:10

Pm me!

LibertyBlue · 04/03/2018 21:21

Hi ItWillAllbeOk

Ask any perfume related questions you like here Smile

Currently on full bottle wish list ...

Ormonde Jayne Vanille D’Iris
Ormonde Jayne Tsarina
Chanel No.19
Chanel No.5 L’Eau
Chanel Bois de illes
4160 Creamy Vanilla Crumble
Shay and Blue Dandelion Fig
Guerlain Shalimar EDP
Guerlain Le Heure Bleu
Agonist White Oud
Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood
Sisley Eau de Champagne
Dior Addict
Prada Infusions d’iris Or Purple Rain
Profumi Fior di Panna
Yardley April Violets

In terms of samples, I would like to explore more Frédéric Malle, Francis Kurkdjian, Kilian, E Coudray and Heeley

AnotherPinkiePieStory · 04/03/2018 21:39

Totally spot on Care. Liked at first spray and then didn’t and now do again: perfect description!
My fave so far but agree Judy that very Molten Brown and no idea why but pink pepper conjures up bad memories. Might have been doing a rubbish job at time of using it!
So probably the most velvet one but still looking for a winner from this box. I have high hopes for the Fire one.
Liberty we have a few of the same FB list and I have a few Guerlain in my basket on Allbeauty. Just waiting for right moment!

Count loves your daffodil story. Must have made lots of people’s day!

UnnecessaryFennel · 04/03/2018 21:42

ItWill - current full bottle wishlist (although this changes frequently)

Tauer - Une Rose Chypree
Dior - Diorissimo (pref. vintage)
4160 Tuesdays - Eau My Soul
Chanel - Coromandel
Annick Goutal - Heure Exquise
Comme des Garcons - Jaisalmer
Papillon - Salome
L'artisan Parfumeur - Amour Nocturne

UnnecessaryFennel · 04/03/2018 21:46

Oh, and maybe Tauer - Lonestar Memories. And 4160 Tuesdays -
Creamy Vanilla Crumble. And Serge Lutens - Ambre Sultan.

Come over to the main perfume thread!

Buntyforgirls · 04/03/2018 21:58

Went off this during the day- powdery peach nappy sacks !

pestilentialboundary · 04/03/2018 22:37

Just sprayed, what a lot of pink pepper Grin Hadn't read the notes and was a little surprised. Settling fine, will look out for posseting and nappy sacks. Quite like at the moment.

MrsGruber · 04/03/2018 23:40

Think I liked the posset note Grin

Swipe left for the next trending thread