Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

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:
Motoko · 05/03/2018 08:29

Just sprayed it and it's full on pepper! Hoping some of the other scents come through with time (though maybe not baby sick!).

pestilentialboundary · 05/03/2018 08:34

The soft milky note developed as I snuggled down to sleep. Was like a lullaby. I rather like this.

Calmwhoknows · 05/03/2018 10:04

I have used up my whole sample of Gold Heart in an effort to understand it. It is described on the sample card as having a “shiny metallic spark”. Well, on me the opening is like going into a metal sheeting finishing workshop, very screechy, but an intriguing smell just the same. Then the spices start to develop, including an edge of something that is not quite comfortable to my nose. I have no idea what that is, the saffron maybe. I need to try other saffron perfumes to be sure. It dries down to a pleasant, gentle, spicy scent and I enjoy this stage. Then, pouf, within two hours it is gone. 🙁. I found this one interesting and I’m pleased to have tried it, but there are other spicy scents I much prefer. Also I dislike the bottle design.

UnnecessaryFennel · 05/03/2018 10:47

The bottle is really vile. I absolutely hate gimmicky 'concept' bottles. Just put it in a nice solid bit of glass and let the scent speak for itself

BigPuddleOfFloofyCatOnTheFloor · 05/03/2018 18:19

The bottle is totally vile, I agree. Looks like it should be on a lab shelf somewhere. Reminds me of drinking cocktails out of bloody test tubes in some pretentious wanky bar in London, possibly the 90s? Probably the precursor to food on bloody slates...

I did enjoy the perfume though, and resolutely avoided all posset recollections. Actually I couldn't get the milk at all Blush and not much other than pepper but I loved the pepper! Could only spray on neck not wrists for long boring reasons but will try it again on wrists and hopefully it will be less overpowering.

BigPuddleOfFloofyCatOnTheFloor · 05/03/2018 18:19

God I'm a grumpy old woman Blush

CountFosco · 05/03/2018 19:08

Reminds me of drinking cocktails out of bloody test tubes in some pretentious wanky bar in London, possibly the 90s?

Definitely the 90s. When we 5Sed the labs at work and got rid of all the grade 2 glassware it was all going to be chucked in the recycling so I took it home to use as vases for flowers. If I'd bought it it would be wanky (horrific how much you have to pay for a erlenmeyer flask when you're using it as a home decoration) but since I got mine from work I reckon I'm safe Grin.

OP posts:
LibertyBlue · 06/03/2018 11:07

Couldn’t smell on Sunday due to cold so testing Gold Heart today. It’s lovely- woody, creamy and spicy- but very soft sillage so not make a particularly big impact on me as I’m not really into skin scents. This is unisex.

positivepineapple · 07/03/2018 21:12

On another note, I'm definitely sold on the hand cream that came in the box, it's lovely. Rich, fast absorbing and lasts! I have a little patch of psoriasis on the top of my hand and to my surprise this actually eases it!

MaryLennoxsScowl · 08/03/2018 08:53

I adore the Gold Heart, it’s my favourite from the box so far. I get soft creamy saffron and spices, with a hint of rose. I don’t exactly get milk but I think it must be giving the creamy note. I wasn’t expecting to like this due to the milk, as Secretions Magnifique made me feel sick! I love cardamom and the pepper isn’t too overwhelming here as it sometimes can be on me. This could be FB worthy for me, I don’t dare look at the price!

Motoko · 08/03/2018 09:38

I tried it again, but I'm still only getting pepper, as if I'd stuck my nose in a pot of ground pepper. Absolutely nothing else. Very disappointing.

AnotherPinkiePieStory · 09/03/2018 08:50

count I have an Erlenmeyer flask necklace but would love a vase too!
Currently trying out a selection of M&S EDTs. They were in a xmas selection box. So light and airy that I can barely smell anything. Looking forward to a punchier sample on Sunday!

Motoko · 09/03/2018 13:53

I got a box of M&S perfumes. Butterfly Garden was one of them I think. Very light, but quite nice. Haven't tried them all though.

MrsGruber · 10/03/2018 08:02

What are we sniffing tomorrow?

LibertyBlue · 10/03/2018 10:02

Yes I was thinking the same thing- what’s tomorrow’s Sniff?

lasttimeround · 10/03/2018 10:05

I found it really noticeable this week how suggestible my sense of smell is. Ever since the mention of the possett note ive found it overbearing. Interesting but im put off

UnnecessaryFennel · 10/03/2018 10:20

The Mastenbroek?

CountFosco · 10/03/2018 16:38

The Mastenbroek?

Yip.

OP posts:
ItWillAllBeOkayInTheEnd · 10/03/2018 19:48

I may have already tried this a couple of weeks ago. Go easy to start with!

LibertyBlue · 10/03/2018 21:22

Ooh the Mastenbroek! I do love the two from her I’ve tried but they are so powerful- both sillage & longevity. I own Amarosa and 1 spray is enough! I love it but have to be in the mood because it’s so strong.

CountFosco · 11/03/2018 07:49

Happy Mothering Sunday to everyone, I hope you're able to be spend the day with the people you love (children and/or mothers). SotW is Ruth Mastenbroek Firedance.

Smelling notes from TPS:
Is Firedance hot or cool, to you?
To you, what is the story behind the stunning label's image?
What memories does Firedance evoke, for you?
How many rose perfumes have you tried, and how do they differ? Do you have a favourite - or could this be it...?
Which three words best sum up Ruth Mastenbroek Firedance to you? Warming? Exotic? Resinous? Over to you...

OP posts:
positivepineapple · 11/03/2018 09:28

Wow! Those saying it's strong are not exaggerating.

UnnecessaryFennel · 11/03/2018 09:53
Sad

Love rose, leather and smoke notes. Heard great things about Mastenbroek. Excited by the idea of this being 'a rose set on fire'. Was so looking forward to this one.

Well, who knew that the smell of a rose set on fire is so close to the smell of burning tinned frankfurters?

This actually made me feel slightly nauseous. There's probably a great scent there somewhere a bit of rose did start to peek out after 30 mins) but I simply couldn't get past the smoked meat accord. Awful.

AnotherPinkiePieStory · 11/03/2018 10:12

Thanks count. With my lovely DC who have presented me with Shalimar- yum!
This perfume was the one I was most excited to try from the box. Loved the initial smokiness and now the warm, incense-y rose. Weirdly I didn’t find the silage that impressive. I have dry skin and think I absorb perfume very impressively! I also have a cold which never helps!
My favourite rose is Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud which I do rate highly and like more. It is a similar dark rose but has a sweetness or maybe fruitiness to it that I prefer to this sample. I will wear it today as Firedance seems to suit a foggy Scottish day! Best sample from box but not yet FB although closer to velvet!

CountFosco · 11/03/2018 10:14

And another rose heavy perfume this week. Don't get the topnotes at all, get lots of rose, a tiny touch of leather but not enough and no sign of the base notes yet. I'm going swimming in less than an hour, I think I'll be using a different perfume after that.

OP posts: