Monday, April 13, 2015

Olfactif Artisan Perfume Subscription: April


This particular subscription box company purports to be the first perfume subscription company, at two years old. I recall reading about them on various perfume blogs I follow and kept a weather eye on them, awaiting tweaks such as spray vials and more juice included in the samples. Sure enough, those improvements were made and I dove in, nose first. For $18 a month, you get a curated trio of niche/artisan perfume samples that follow a theme. April's theme is: British Invasion! How apropos for me!



The packaging feels elegant and high end. The ebony drawer easily pulls out to reveal a placard with information about the theme and the three fragrances.



Centrepiece by 4160 Tuesdays- Notes include: honey, green tea, vanilla, frangipani, cedarwood, musk.
Centrepiece feels right at home in this early summer Florida climate. The plumeria is heady and extra sweet with an additional dollop of vanilla honey. Green tea and cedarwood keep the sweetness from becoming smothering, but what kept my nose pressed to my skin was the musky drydown that brought to mind my Lutens MKK over and over again. A gorgeous velvety sweet musk that feels rich. I liberally sprayed this on at 9 am and it is now a faint memory in the crook of my arm at 3 pm. Centrepiece is a beautiful luscious scent perfect for impending summer heat waves. 

Jardin Mystique by Friedemodin- Notes include: cassis buds, bergamot, cut grass, jasmine absolute, lily of the valley, crushed leaves, patchouli, precious woods.
Redolent of hidden gardens buried in the heart of the deep south where Confederate Jasmine vines sprawl indolently on wild citrus trees and among sweet tall grasses that grow in abandon, swaying in the sparking sunshine. The dry-down brings evening to the garden, quieting the verdant florals and awakening the dove grey woods. Another attractive fragrance that compliments the current season.

Golden Chypre by Grossmith- Notes include: cardamom, nutmeg, citrus, rose, geramium, heliotrope, patchouli, vetiver, woods, amber, musk.
Simply exquisite. A classic fragrance indeed, it has the fine boned porcelain face of a lady but underneath lurks a sharp mind and strong will. The razor edges of spice and geranium become softened with the filter of powdery rose and musk. A scent for feeling powerful.

If you can't tell from my glowing reviews: I am in love. So in love, that I have not canceled my subscription, nor do I have plans on canceling anytime soon. Every month, as a subscriber, I get the perk of an $18 discount on any scent that I purchase from Olfactif. Their prices are comparable to other online perfume retailers. You can find out more about Olfactif here. The link is not a referral and in no way beneficial to me.

10 comments:

  1. Interesting subscription service, however $18 for three samples seems a tad steep. I'm with you on the spray atomizers, though! Hate those tiny plastic wands, or worse yet those that have neither.

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    1. It seems like it is steep at first glance but the samples are a generous 2.25 mL and on Surrender to Chance comparable samples of the same size run about $7 each. The $18 includes shipping.

      You can make the argument that for a few dollars more you can buy samples of your choice rather than "get what you get" but I like trying things I would not normally choose if left to my druthers :-)

      The Grossmith full bottle runs $395, indicating a pretty high quality juice (one hopes! But it smells exquisite to me).

      I agree wands and caps are not fun. I am a spray with abandon gal- excepting MKK, dabbing only please lol! I hope you have a great Monday Gil. <3

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  2. This looks very cool, good to be rewarded for experimenting.

    This is random but I ordered jewelry from the UK and it came in the same small efficient-looking box, I like it.

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    1. Yes! I am quite enamored of these fragrances! And the whole British motif is just icing on the cake.

      I would love to see the jewelry you speak of! I appreciate thoughtful packaging.

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  3. Your scent descriptions are beautiful! I'm so glad it was everything you hoped it would be. The British Invasion theme is pretty awesome. Haha. Also, your scent description of Golden Chypre by Grossmith reminds me of Clarie from Outlander!

    <3 <3 <3

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    1. It does! More specifically it reminds me of Claire when she is a member of the French court under King Louis! I can envision her in a ball gown scented with Gold Chypre. Ah Outlander! She is a British lass after all!

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  4. Julie, you are a font of fantastic fragrant facts! I just signed up for the three month plan and am looking forward to testing a few of these with metallic fragrance rings on my light bulbs throughout the house. I really appreciate your eclectic taste and style which aligns nicely with my personal preferences!

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    1. Thank you Kevin! You will most certainly have the most elegant scented home that I know of. This is the first I have heard of using perfume on lamps! I remember my mom having ceramic rings she used to pour fragrance oil into. Alas, I own not even one lamp. I am such a perfume nerd I need to spray mine on the skin so I can smell all the transitions and interactions with my chemistry. :-) I hope you enjoy your subscription as much I do!

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  5. You have such a wonderful way with words! I loved reading your descriptions -- they sound divine!

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    1. Thank you for your sweet words! These perfumes are so beautiful. I am having a hard time deciding which one I want a bottle of.

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