Traveling Perfume Box : USA

Our US perfume box is ready to make its next round. If you are in the States and would like to participate, here is how you can do it. And whether you’re participating or not, please read Theresa’s perfume descriptions below.

How does it work: To enter, please post a comment answer these questions: 1) are you in the USA, and if you’re a winner, can I share your email address with Theresa? ; 2) do you agree to pass the box onto someone else within two weeks or so (add a couple of your own samples and share your sampling notes with the rest of us)? and 3) what perfume are you wearing today? I will pick the next person to receive the box via a random number generator. I will announce that person in this spot and contact them via email. The box is going to rickyrebarco.

Winners, please read this part closely: When you’re ready to pass the box onto someone else, please get in touch with me. Please include 2 things in your email: the full list of samples and your sampling notes (what you’ve discovered, what you’ve liked/disliked, any observations you care to include).

To check the progress of our boxes, please click on the Traveling Sample Box tag.

Theresa’s Notes
This was a fun exercise, trying scads of perfumes which I knew nothing about. I decided to really test myself by trying the fragrances blind (without recourse to the internet for information) to see how many of the notes I could detect with my untrained nose. The answer: very few. Of course, the name often gave a strong hint “Ambre Precieux” or “Fleurs de Orangers” – but the names were sometimes deceptive.
Unsurprisingly, many of the mass market fragrances smelled similar to themselves and to hordes of other department store scents. However, some of the niche perfumes also smelled similar to many other supposedly niche perfumes, even if I couldn’t detect what their interesting notes were.
One downside of trying before knowing what to expect: while most of the perfume samples were relatively weak, a few were exceptionally strong so that I unintentionally over-applied the fragrance – Fleurs d’Orangers, I’m looking at you! This was an issue because we have a “No Perfume” policy where I work. Usually that is not a problem for me, because I am quite discreet with my own perfumes. However, I accidentally put on a squirt of Tom Ford’s Velvet Orchid right before a meeting, and spent the meeting furtively looking around to see if my manager was glowering at me.
Mostly what this exercise taught me was sincere appreciation of the skill of trained experts like Victoria, who can tease out different layers of scent and weave beautiful stories about them. Thank you for our daily indulgence!

TESTED:
10 Corso Como, edp
Aftelier, Cacao – very sweet burnt chocolate; syrupy. I love the sample bottle itself – a little teeny tiny bottle with a screw top – very cute!
Amouage, Opus II – cool incense
Andree Putnam, Preparation Parfumee – Inoffensive scent, but an unfortunate name (reminiscent of the hemorrhoid cream “Preparation H.”
Annick Goutal, Petite Cherie edt
L’Artisan Parfumeur, Passage d’Enfer – light incense with floral.
Azzaro, Chrome edt — nasty
Biehl Parfumkunstwerke al01 – interesting floral scent, some jasmine maybe. Not very long lasting.
Biehl Parfumkunstwerke gs01 – something bitter to start, maybe sage? reminds me of being in the desert.
Biehl Parfumkunstwerke mb02 –This one is sneaky. At first it doesn’t seem like much, kind of dusty. I reapplied a little more heavily and was very pleasantly surprised by a warm enveloping scent.
Bottega Veneta, Essence Aromatique
By Kilian, Cruel Intentions – Woody with some incense. Very soft; nice vanilla undertones. Very pleasant, not what I would expect from the name!
Byredo, Black Saffron – spicy woody with a jammy heart. Very nice, but not long lasting or particularly distinctive. (later in the day assessment) Actually, the raspberry jammy note is very persistent – can still smell it hours later.
Byredo, La Tulipe – forgettable floral
Calvin Klein, Endless Euphoria edp – boring. nothing special. The same sweet fruity musky scent ever present everywhere.
Carthusia, 1681 edp – slight whiff of pine? amber base. Very soft.
Carthusia, Caprissimo – pleasant but faint
Carthusia, Fiori di Capri
Carthusia, Mediterraneo
Cartier, Eau de Cartier Zeste de Soleil – very pretty light cologne, similar to Orange Sanguine. only lasts a few minutes, but during those few minutes you have a delicious citrus burst!
Donna Karan, Cashmere Mist edp – I liked this one a lot. Couldn’t put my finger on the particular notes; not too floral or too sweet. Very cuddly, as its name suggests. Has a bit of vanilla in the drydown.
Comme des Garcons x Artek, Standard – soft woody scent with some kind of incense note going on
Comme des Garcons x Undercover, Holygrace – Interesting smell, not like anything I can put my finger on. Ultimately, not something I want to smell like personally.
Chloe, Roses de Chloe – another rosy scent
Diptyque, Ofresia edt – light flowered, pretty; not too sweet
Eau d’Italie, Paestum Rose – A much softer version of Andy Tauer’s Rose Incense
Elizabeth & James, Nirvana White for her – sharp and unpleasant peony note, settles into being very girly & flowery.
Etat Libre d’Orange, Rossy de Palma – this one smells like blood to me, which is not an association I like
Hanae Mori edt
Harvey Prince, Journey – Initial impression is bad (slightly urinous) but it quickly settles down to being a light floral with fruity overtones
Hermes, Jour d’Hermes – I liked this one a lot. Sweet tangerine, opens delicious but not very long lasting.
Hilde Soliani, ACQuilissima – light, clean. Like dish soap. Not my cup of tea!
John Varvatos edt – masculine aftershave-type of fragrance
Keiko Mecheri, Bois de Santal – nice but very faint.
Knize, Ten edt – leather
Library of Flowers, Forget Me Not – light pretty floral
Lush, Breath of God – bitter leather
Marni Perfume – opens with a blast of pepper than peony?? Faded quickly, thankfully, as those are notes I don’t care for.
MPG, Ambre Precieux – both this one and the “ultime” version are nice ambers
MPG, Ambre Precieux Ultime – a bit musty, then vanilla. The beauty of this scent crept up on me. I initially dismissed it, but in the hour after I applied only a drop to my wrist, the fragrance kept wafting up at me. I would bury my nose into my wrist, – but up close it didn’t smell that special. It was the slow enveloping in a veil of softest amber that captured me.
Michael Kors, Glam Jasmine edp – Very jasmine.
Montale, Blue Amber – very nice amber. Everything I’ve put on today seems like it was full of amber.
Nasomatto, Absinth – interesting herbal note, but fleeting fragrance
Outrageous – NOT! Seems just like normal orange flower blossom to me. Fades quickly to a mild musk.
Parfums Delrae, Coup de Foudre edp – this was the first scent I picked out of the box to sample, partly because I love the name. The frag doesn’t live up to the name,– pretty white floral, but nothing special. Fairly powerful, and persistent. I could still smell the base musk after showering.
Parfums de Rosine, Ecume de Rose – pretty rose scent. Longlasting.
Patricia de Nicolai, Patchouli Intense – this was my second choice to try out of the sample box, as one of my favorite scents of all time is Coromandel, which has an intense dose of patch. Patchouli Intense is indeed intense, with a strong woody overtone. Maybe too masculine for my tastes (and I often prefer the so-called masculine scents). One hour later, I’m liking the drydown more and more.
Profumum, Fiore d’ambra – nice amber base but unpleasant sour notes on top. Maybe the sample has gone off?
Profumum, Vanitas – almost candy-like sweetness, very delectable. Very strong vanilla, but with a slight edge. Kind of makes me want to lick myself!
Serge Lutens, Fleurs d’Oranger – opens like orange blossom (quel surprise!) – powerful floral blast. Lasts a long time. I could smell the dab I put on for a good 6 hours.
Serge Lutens, Jeux de Peau – sweet toasted spice, buttery
Simply Belle edp – peachy, clean floral with an undertone of vanilla. Quite pretty, if you like this kind of thing!
Sonoma Scent Studio, To Dream – Yum! very soft marshmallowy texture (if scent can have a texture). There is an appealing play-doh note, reminiscent of Farnesiana. Mimosa maybe?
Tom Ford, Velvet Orchid – get an immediate coconut note. Heady white flowers. Actually quite lovely, although this is not usually my kind of scent.
Versace, Bright Crystal Absolu
Vagabond Prince, Land of Warriors – sweet absinthe opening out into the smell of dark fir forests. Interesting!
Vagabond Prince, Swan Princess
Valentino, Valentina edp – a little fruity, sweet after a few minutes. The floral character comes forward – jasmine?
Xerjoff, Oud Stars Al Khatt – interesting progression: very sweet to start, then, in a few minutes, pronounced woody note (the oud?), then something medicinal creeps in.

DID NOT TRY:

Burberry, ?? (unmarked pink plaid bottle)
Burberry, My Burberry edp
Calvin Klein, Euphoria edp
Calvin Klein, Euphoria Men edt
Carven, Le Parfum
Chloe edp
Dolce e Gabbana, Dolce edp
Dolce e Gabbana, Light Blue pour homme
Exceptional edp
Kenneth Cole, Mankind edt
Lancome, La Vie Est Belle edp
Lolita Lempicka edp
Michael Kors, For Men edt
Paco Rabanne, 1 Million edt
Prada Candy L’Eau edt
Ralph Lauren, Midnight Romance edp
Route de Th… edt (name worn off vial)
Thierry Mugler, Angel edp
Victoria’s Secret, Eau So Sexy edp
Viva La Juicy Noir edp
Versace, Pour Homme edt
Viktor & Rolf, Bonbon
Viktor & Rolf, Flower Bomb
Vince Camuto, Amore edp

DONATING TO THE CAUSE:
Anne Pliska, Parfum
Antonia’s Flowers, Floret
Bond No. 9, Chinatown
Bond No. 9, Madison Square Park
Donna Karan, Woman
Guerlain, Chamade edt
Halston, Couture
L’artisan Parfumeur, The pour un Ete
L’artisan Parfumeur, La Chasse aux Papillons Extreme
Viktor & Rolf, FlowerBomb