Bye Bye Fragrance Samples

I am very picky about fragrances on myself, so I frequently give away my fragrance samples to friends or coworkers. This time around, I thought I'd do a post about the most recent picks that made it into the give away pile. 

First up, I have the newly released Dior j'adore Voile de Parfum, which is described as a "silky veil of Tuscan Iris and white musk." While I like it more than the original j'adore, it doesn't smell like anything special and doesn't have that light freshness that I usually prefer. I didn't spray it on myself, as I knew I wouldn't like it on me. 

I was quite excited to try Elie Saab, as it is one of those floral and sweet type of scents that I normally like. It does start off that way, with the powdery floral that reminds me of Chloe but lands somewhere between Narciso Rodriguez for Her and Stella McCartney. For whatever reason though, this gets heavier on me, becoming an almost cloying spicy floral. I think it even gave me a headache. Sad. (And I so wish I wasn't so difficult when it came to fragrance!) I do want to try the Eau de Toilette next time I see it in stores, just in case!  

I was excited to sniff the bergamot, neroli and gardenia in Tocca Liliana, and while I thought the scent was nice, I just couldn't imagine liking it on me all day. Like the scent from Dior, I also didn't find it particularly unique, but then again, my nose isn't all that smart, haha! My fiance found it to be a "generic floral" and this being a few days ago, I honestly can't think of any other way to describe it. 

Lastly, I thought long and hard about the new Marc Jacobs Honey. I know it is popular right now, but yet again, it just isn't me. It doesn't even smell like honey, at least not like the honey you put in tea or on toast. Perhaps it is the vanilla notes that throw me off, but this honey is more artificial to my nose. I can't say how this one wears on me either, as I took it out one morning to try it and went ughhh. (Yes, my always nauseous morning feelings are never very conducive to trying out perfumes! Stupid mornings/stomach/fast metabolism, LOL)  

Of course, fragrance is a very personal thing, and I think just about everyone except me gets along with lots and lots of scents out there. Still, it is fun to try, and I've really broadened my range of wearable scents over the years. Now the real question is, who do I give these samples to??? :) 

What do you guys do with your perfume samples? Do you actually manage to try them all or even use them up? Or do you give many away like I do? I'd love to know!  

This post contains affiliate links. 

2013 Empties: #4 The Sample Edition

These last 2 weeks, I've been on a desperate attempt to finish up some samples. Even though my fiance helped, I think I did well!  

Kate Somerville Quench Oil-Free Hydrating Serum (not pictured)
This was actually quite nice - light, and cooling on the skin. (Though I'm not sure that it is meant to be cooling, it may just be from cold AC, lol!) It absorbed quickly, and felt properly moisturizing. Yay!
Purchase?: Maybe. I'd love to finish up some stuff first before I purchase more skincare. At $65 for 1oz, it is a bit more than I'd want to spend!

Darphin Aromatic Renewing Balm
I was drawn to this stuff because it is lemon scented, and you know how much I love lemon and other citrus scents!  This neat balm was quite soothing on my skin, and really helped to keep my skin calm, hydrated, and dare I say radiant? I only had a small chunk of product in this container, and it lasted forever. Months, really, and I used it every few days. 
Purchase?: Maybe. I've been considering putting my $10 of Space NK points towards this, but it is also pricy at a whopping $70!

Sisley Emulsion Ecologique
I had this sample packet laying around and I smushed it on when I was having a particularly dry day. It was nice and did the job, but I don't even want to to think about how much it is. Plus it wasn't miraculous, so I'm going to pretend it doesn't exist. 
Purchase?: No! Ignoring the fact that this even exists, lol. 

ReVive Intensite Moisture Serum
This serum was SO nice. It was light, and absorbed nicely, and helped keep my skin really hydrated.
Purchase?: Maybe. I would love to, but sadly it is $395. Groan

Jack Black EpicMoisture MP10 Nourishing Oil
I really liked this oil. It absorbed quickly, and felt super hydrated. I'm glad to have tried it!
Purchase?: Yes! I was surprised to find that it is not too pricey! It is totally on my list. 

Pangea Organics Nigerian Ginger with Lavender & Thyme Facial Cream
This cream was decently hydrating, but left a strange not quite tacky feeling on my face. I also don't like lavender scents on my face at all, so this just isn't for me. I do like the idea behind the brand, and would like to look at more of their line. 
Purchase?: No. 

Origins GinZing Moisturizer
I think I received this sample when I bought this moisturizer - how funny! Anyway, I liked the orange scent and light texture of this cream, and it seemed to provide an appropriate amount of moisture. I'll be sure to review it soon!

Aesop Moroccan Neroli Post-Shave Lotion  
My fiance used this one after shaving one day, and was alarmed to find that it didn't absorb in right away. After a few minutes though, it totally absorbed in and did the job. I don't know if it is a miraculous product, but I have another sample packet that maybe I will try on part of my leg or something! Also, I vaguely hoped it would smell like Tom Ford Neroli Portofino, and it was more herbal/spicy. 
Purchase?: Not sure. Needs more investigation!

Boscia White Mask
This white mask reminded me a bit of glue, which was a bit alarming at first as I didn't expect it. It also didn't peel off like I expected, but it left my complexion looking even, clear, and even a bit glowy! 
Purchase?: Maybe. I'd like to look at all of Boscia's available masks!

Lancome Milky Cream Face Cleanser
I'm a bit of a cheat on this one, as I didn't completely use it up, but it was an average non-drying cleanser that I didn't love or hate. Maybe I should've given it more of a chance, but I didn't love the slightly chemical scent. 
Purchase?: No. I have cleansers I love, so I'll pass on this. 

Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque  
I used a sample of this a few weeks ago, and I was on the fence. The more I use this, the more I think that this mask really does keep your skin clear. I definitely want to try it now! 
Purchase?: Yes. It is on my list now, along with the Parsley Seed Serum!

Glam Glow Super-Mud Clearing Treatment
I was a bit frightened to try this, as it seemed so intense, but it was a decent mud mask. I think we made a bit of a mess, but the mask was fun to try and not horribly drying or anything. 
Purchase?: Probably not. I don't need more clay type masks at the moment!

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Masque
My fiance tried this one, and I have no memory of how he liked it. I know he had no objections, and liked the cooling texture, but I don't know what else!
Purchase?: Probably not. I have too many masks now, haha!

Korres White Tea Cleanser
This smelled nice - light and fruity. It wasn't too drying for a gel cleanser, and it was just fine on my skin. 
Purchase?: No. It wasn't bad, but I prefer the cleansers I have. 

Skyn Iceland Glacial Cleansing Cloth
This cleansing cloth was quite nice - fresh scent, no residue, and not drying! All the things I look for in a pinch. I'm bummed that Sephora no longer carries the brand and it totally fell off my radar. 
Purchase?: Yes. It is on my list! 

Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Arancia di Capri
When I sniffed this at the store, it was a delightful concoction of orange and floral. Once I worked through this sample, I knew the scent wasn't one for me, but I still found it to be a neat scent. 
Purchase?: No. Not in love with them, so I gotta save my dollars!

Tom Ford Neroli Portofino
This is gorgeous, and I gladly used up the sample. Light and fresh, this is such a perfect summer scent for those who don't want too much floral or fruit but still like a hint of it in their fragrances.
Purchase?: No. I have Diptyque L'Eau de Neroli, which is also in the same family, and I'm loving my new perfume purchase!

THE TOSS PILE
As I was cleaning up my collection, I found these things that were quite ready to be tossed. Mysterious perfume samples that aren't too thrilling and also probably at least 5 years old, a sad broken Chanel Aqua Crayon in Velveteen that had its fair share of fun back in the day, and a sample of 3Lab The Cream that my fiance managed to use and then leave in a drawer that he found to be quite mediocre.  

So there you have it! What do you think of all the samples I got through?? Have you tried and loved any of these products? 

Sampling Jo Loves

Sometime last spring, I fell in love with Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia and then fell headfirst into a Jo Malone obsession. A few months back, I discovered that Jo Malone had launched Jo Loves recently after leaving her eponymous brand. With a smaller collection of scents, Jo Loves brings some interesting notes to the table. A month or so ago, Jo Loves sent me a few samples and scent cards to get a sniff of their lineup. Exciting!

The two sample sizes I selected were the popular Pomelo and A Shot of Thai Lime Over Mango. Both had a very interesting combination notes, so I was quite excited to try them. I am terrible at describing fragrances, so all I can really provide is an impression and whether or not they work for me! Apologies in advance for my lack of ability to discern scents! :)

Pomelo Top: Pink Pomelo, Rose Heart: Clove, Vetiver Base: Suede, Patchouli

On me, Pomelo is a sweet and spicy concoction that is also a bit woodsy. Pomelo wears quite well - hours and hours, in fact. The scent is quite interesting, but unfortunately something in the depths of this fragrance just doesn't agree with my sensitive nose. The clove or patchouli notes, perhaps, but I can't be sure. On the other hand, my boyfriend likes this one and would even wear it himself. Actually, he's taken this sample off to who knows where!

A Shot of Thai Lime over Mango Top: Mango, Kaffir Lime, Black Pepper Heart: Freesia, Mint Leaves Base: White Thyme Absolute, Vetiver

A Shot of Thai Lime Over Mango is definitely a sweet citrus floral. It reminds me of a shower gel or something that I can't put my finger on! Mango and lime are quite a nice pairing, but yet again, there's something about this that I just don't like on me, though this was milder than Pomelo. Grrrr why do I have to be so weird about scents on myself??

Green Orange & Coriander Top: Bitter Green Orange, Black Pepper Heart: Coriander Seed, Coriander Leaf Base: Green Oakmoss, Tonka Bean

I found Green Orange & Coriander to be a very interesting mix of powdery floral and a light herbal scent. Quite nice, though I typically don't prefer herbal notes in my fragrances.

A Shot of Oud Over Mango Top: Mango, Black Pepper Heart: Freesia Base: Oud Wood Accord

I'm always a bit fearful of "oud" type scents for fear that they are too strong and heady for me. This one, however has strong woodsy notes with a nice layer of sweetness that I find very intriguing. I really want to love this one, but it is another that I don't think will work once I wear it!

Gardenia Top: Italian Bergamot, Gardenia Leaves Heart: Ylang Ylang, Gardenia Blossom, White Narcissus, Sambac Jasmine, Coumarin Base: Heliotrope, Musk

I think this is one of the purest gardenia scents that I've sniffed lately in my limited fragrance experience. It is very light and delicate, and smells like a sweet gardenia. I think that bit of bergamot makes me love this even more!

Orange Tulle Top: Orange Flower, Mandarin Heart: Mint Leaves, Neroli Base: Petitgrain, Musk

I quite like Orange Tulle, but find it hard to describe. It is a light orange blossom scent, not as green to me as Jo Malone Orange Blossom, yet quite sweet and nice. Actually, it almost reminds me of a Lush bath bomb. :) My boyfriend quite likes the scent too, but as you may be able to guess, this one is not particularly masculine.

Mango Nectar Top: Bitter Orange, Pink Grapefruit, Mango Leaf Heart: Mango Nectar, Apricot Blossom Base: Jasmine, Musk

Nectar immediately reminded me of mango nectar juice, which was actually quite exciting to me. My boyfriend immediately thought it smelled like Skittles! Yummy! I quite like the different notes in this fragrance, despite how sweet it is, I would love to see how it develops on the skin.

Pink Vetiver Top: Pink Crushed Peppercorns, Juniper Berries, Cardamom Heart: Cumin, Nutmeg, Ginger, Angelica Base: Vetiver and Amber

My immediate reaction to Pink Vetiver is to the "spicy" notes. I think this scent is also very interesting and merits more exploring. I quite like it, but sadly, I don't think it is me!

My absolute favorite was Gardenia, followed closely by Orange Tulle. I also liked Nectar, though I'm not sure that I could wear it often. Pink Vetiver is also interesting, but I fear I wouldn't like smelling it on me! My boyfriend really enjoyed Pomelo, as mentioned before, and thought that Pink Vetiver was very interesting and really wants me to wear Mango Nectar and smell like Skittles! LOL.

All in all, I was very glad to have experienced this fragrance collection. One of these days, I'll purchase one or a few of these. :) What do you think?? Have you tried Jo Loves??

These samples were provided for review. Jo Loves is available online at www.joloves.com which ships to a number of countries worldwide. If you're in London, be sure to visit the shop! 

Fragrance Sampling: Chloe vs. Love, Chloe

You know how I have piles of samples laying around? Turns out, I also have PILES of perfume samples laying around. Oops. Now I have never been good at identifying notes and putting words to scents, so I do have to warn you in advance! :) I do also have to preface this by saying that I am quite picky about scents on me, and tend to have more success with lighter, citrus based scents. I don't like sweetness in the realm of cherry, vanilla, etc, and tend to stay away from heavily floral scents in general.

Anyway! I thought it could be useful to offer a comparison of Chloe and Love, Chloe in case any of you were curious!

The original Chloe scent is a powdery floral, that to me smells clean and sweet. I do like the scent, but I just can't seem to commit to it! Because it is powdery, I am still not sure of how much I like it on me. I think that depending on how it mixes with your skin, Chloe can lean more clean/soapy, which is not necessarily a bad thing but may not be what you prefer. On my best friend, I absolutely adore the scent. I think it makes her smell like she just bathed with a really luxurious soap that is a bit sweet and very intoxicating!

I was really interested in Love, Chloe because it lists Orange Blossom as one of the main notes. A number of other florals and pink pepper comprise this fragrance, and there is something in this floral combination that doesn't agree with my nose. (Not sure if it is the pink pepper or some combination of iris, lilac and hyacinth that I don't enjoy.) However, as the fragrance wears over a few hours, it does become reminiscent of the original Chloe scent. At this point, I did find the fragrance very intriguing, and I think that if I was not SO picky about florals on me in general, that I would actually love this.

Have you tried Chloe or Love, Chloe? Are you a fan of floral perfumes? I'd love to know! :)