The Big Sniff

[CountFosco]

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

Dear me, I am an inept tester. I can't open this fiddly thing until DH gets home (why can't they all be spray bottles ) and realised I never came back with my Firedance thoughts from last week.

So bit behind the times, but funnily enough today I have a big bunch of carnations in my bedroom and they reminded me a little of FD. I was really really looking forward to this one and maybe I built it up too much as I don't actually like it . I can appreciate it is a well crafted and good quality perfume, but it isn't to my taste at all. It smells to me like someone accidentally left a leather jacket hanging in a smoke room full of big hams, and then sprayed some perfume over the jacket to hide the smell. I feel guilty even writing that The later notes that came through (similar to my carnations) were pleasant but I couldn't shake the leathery hams I'm afraid.

I'm excited to try the Rouge Passion though, and I too have really enjoyed the Sniff. I feel like I definitely learnt some stuff and it's a good reminder to be more "thoughtful" rather than spraying automatically as part of getting dressed.

Can't see myself using this one much, the bottle is too hard to open, and although I really didn't spill it, I still managed to get it on my fingers and over the bottle.

Not keen on the smell either. I've only just put it on and it's not very strong, I have to sniff my wrist to get a good whiff and can't make out any single notes. Smells quite old fashioned and reminds me of soaps you used to get in gift sets from the chemist.

First impressions 3/10, definitely not FB worthy.

Valoure Passion is pretty pleasant- musky, Tonka bean. Some florals. It smells good quality EDP.

It’s a skin scent on me with practically no sillage. It’s very well blended but doesn’t have a lot of depth to it. So it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

I’d give it a solid 5 out of 10.

Motoko I agree! I couldn't make out a single note and I thought I put quite a lot on.

Now that I think about it, maybe it was too much liquid hence the top notes evaporating quickly? Spray testers all the way - I might decant into an atomiser and try again.

This was so fiddly to open, and I was scared of dumping the whole lot out. I think I went the other way and ended up with just a tiny dribble, but it doesn’t smell of much to me. Safe, pleasant, not very interesting.

I’ve really enjoyed doing the sniff, but with the exception of Avery E I haven’t much liked any of the perfumes. None of them said velvet particularly to me either.

Pleasant but not very exciting here as well. Reminds me of Lancome Miracle, they definitely share the ginger topnote, need to check what else. But better than all the rose perfumes we've had!

My favourite so far was Connock (will probably buy a FB, well, 30ml in travèl set, since I realised how like daffodils the scent it), followed by Avery and then the pirate one. Others have been meh or active dislike. That's probably a good ratio actually.

This is a perfectly 'nice' scent, but neither interesting or unusual. I like the notes, it's got some warmth from the tonka, and it's actually lasted very well on me. As Liberty says, it seems as if it's decent quality.

However I can't think of a single reason why I would ever bother wearing this again. It has no charisma.

I think my review adds nothing new - nice, inoffensive, nothing to make you remark. But remarks can be for bad reasons so at least it's not terrible. Could be good for delicate times when nothing strong would work. Good idea on the atomiser Pineapple. Let us know how it goes!!

Judy I agree on the velvet thing.

So far I've liked the Avery and Map of the Heart, disliked Eau de Pirate and Firedance and the rest have been ok. One more left, is that right?

Oh, and also looking forward to the chocolate after lent!!!

If anyone is looking for the new Lovely, Friendly Perfume Thread (number 12) it is here.

All perfume fans welcome .

Valeur Absolue Rouge Passion. I found the actuality of this perfume belied the name and marketing. Some pleasant bright top notes are followed by a toffee-like creme brûlée with barely-there florals underneath. It lasts no longer than a couple of hours on me. It’s not very passionate! It has similarities to Madonna Truth or Dare Naked, although there are no boozy notes in Rouge Passion, but the Madonna is much more interesting and lasts longer, as well as being cheaper. I think I prefer Aquolina Gold Sugar to this and it’s only £10 a bottle!

Yes, I was also thinking the name wasn't appropriate. When I think of "passion" I think of the colour red, leather, sensual fabrics, and heady scents, rose, jasmine, incense, patchouli, amber etc.

This one doesn't say "passion" to me.

Working so missed the sniff. Working on it but don’t hold much hope having read your reviews!

Totally agree with most posts. Nice enough but not the scent of passion! I also thought I smelt peppercorns which I really don’t like. Stupid bottle too. Will use up but won’t think of again! Roll on the last week!

Good morning! Our final perfume in The Big Sniff is Vince Camuto Amore.

Smelling notes from TPS:
If you designed an outfit to match Amore, what would it look like?
What notes would you include in a perfume evoking first love?
For you, is perfume an expression of mood - or character?
What time of yeardoes Amore put you in mind of, and why?
Which three words best sum up Vince Ca.uto to you? Charming? Youthful? Graceful? Over to you...

Other business: since this is the last week, which of the perfumes are FB worthy for you? How would you rank these perfumes?

Also, any ideas for The Big Sniff 2? It was suggested after Avery E that we all wear a perfume for a week and see how our views of it develop. Does anyone have any other ideas for a sniffing challenge?

Your not forgotten Count I have found the Vince.

It is very pink!

Although I haven't posted often, I have really enjoyed this synchronised perfume smelling. As a total novice it has been so interesting to read the reviews of a more "trained" nose.

For me today's choice is not to my taste at all but looking back I would choose Avery E as my favourite and when the opportunity arises will buy a full bottle, and my second choice would be Cannock.
On the other hand I couldn't even try the Firedance as one whiff of the tester made me feel sick!

I am really happy to have had the chance to get out of my comfort zone and I am looking forward to the next one.
Many thanks CountFosco for instigating this.

Thanks thisyear, think those two are my favourites as well, although I'm likely to buy the Connock before the Avery.

I'm not fussed about todays, although it doesn't offend me as much as some, it's just very pink blah boring, nothing to say.

This one is quite pleasant, in an inoffensive sort of way. I wouldn't buy a full bottle. I think I liked the Connock Andiroba best, and I'll give the firedance another try.
A lot of the rest didn't really stand out for me. They all just smelt vaguely pink.
It's been fun though. Thanks Fosco.

I already have a bottle of Vince Camuto Amore. It’s been fun wearing it today as it’s not one I reach for often. Yes it’s a bit boring but it’s familiar and easy to wear. A perfect can’t be arsed Perfume that should be applied liberally as the sillage is soft.

Must admit this has been the least impressive box from TPS - I think it’s my 14th however I have still enjoyed it.

I would buy a full bottle of the Avery E. I’m really into Iris at the moment and this is a good soft office friendly fragrance

I also really loved the Ruth Mastenbroek fire dance ... thought it was very unusual and beautifully blended... however I’d be careful where/ who I wear it with as I think it divides opinion.

My least favourite was the Connock

Thanks Fosco for hosting the Big Sniff.

I think we should go for a Bloom box next- perhaps a bespoke one like Pest suggested?

This has been fun... especially welcoming all the new perfumistas! X

Agree again. Lovely pleasant fragrance but doesn’t last very long and I think I could pick up something similar for £10 in M&S. again really didn’t evoke velvet for me!

I’ve loved this project count and feel more confident to join you grown-up sniffers on perfumista board! Would def do again.

Vince Camuto Amore. Lovely scented fruit opening. The fruit is at its peak of deliciousness, not over-ripe or under-ripe (acidic). Looking up the notes, I think this is the passion-fruit. But this bit only lasts half an hour at most and it then becomes a bit boring, a pleasant fruity floral with low sillage. It’s gone in 3-4 hours.

I have really enjoyed the Big Sniff. Thank you Count for organising it. I know some of the perfumes have been a bit uninteresting, but I have been fascinated by how differently other sniffers perceive them, picking up different notes and liking ones that I really disliked 😨.

For wearability and all round enjoyment, my favourite was the Connock Andiroba. I loved the damp earth whiff. Second was Firedance. After coming to terms with the patchouli, it was a lovely rose scented coal fire on me. Not one to wear out, though! I kept on going back to the Gold Heart, and have completely finished my sample, but in the end decided that actually I disliked this one. There’s a note in there which I just can’t get comfortable with. But it was very interesting and I enjoyed the testing.

Would love to join in Big Sniff 2 and yes, perhaps a Blooms set would be the way to go?