The Perfume Challenge

[txcatx]

Do you have a box full of perfume vials and/or a vanity covered in perfume bottles? Are you the Goldilocks of perfume, just looking for the perfect signature scent? Do you want an opportunity to post daily about how your perfume of the day smells oaky and smoky with hints of blackberry and currant, like a cigar in a whisky barrel rolling through a Mediterranean orchard on a breezy summer morning?

If you answered yes to any of the above, or you just want to hop on board for the ride, join us for a 31 days of perfume challenge starting January 1st! Some of us from the 25 days of lipstick challenge wanted to continue the fun and exploration, and since many of us have so many perfume samples, we thought this challenge would be perfect. If you don't have 31 perfumes or hate everything that doesn't smell like Meyer lemons and fresh goat cream, that's fine--we're just aiming to use the neglected perfumes we have laying around and incorporate them into our perfume rotations.

And if you want more perfume vials, there's no better time than now to take a peek at Sephora's samples section.

Edit: Anyone can join in at anytime! We're here to support, live vicariously through, and encourage everyone in their olfactory adventures!

[monseyyyyyyyyyy]

The kayali sample scent is really good! My niece loved it when i gave it to her for her birthday. i recommend!

[itsfi]

I enjoy perfume sampler sets - they're a great way for trying out fragrances before committing to a full size. I was happily surprised that there was only one fragrance in the Sephora Favorites Fruits & Flowers Travel Spray Perfume Discovery Set w/ Redeemable Voucher that I already have in a travel or full size. 

Each vial in this set is in spray form (vs rollerball) which I find to be a plus. I've posted more detailed thoughts on the product page for each fragrance, but here's a summary of my thoughts on each, based on having put them to 2-3 wear tests over the last month. 

*  Commodity Juice Expressive Eau de Parfum with Raspberry Pulp & Rhubarb - Fresh, juicy & bright opening dries down to a much softer mix of berries, fresh roses and a subtly woodsy/earthy blend. Longevity is decent on this one (5-6 hours) and while the dry down is nice, the fragrance is too sweet for my preference, but I can see this being a hit with a few Community members. 

 
*  DedCool Sunlit Blooms Eau de Parfum 1.7 oz / 50 mL eau de parfum spray - Beautifully layered and balanced - soft, fresh, creamy, vanilla floral with a subtle note reminiscent of (maybe?) driftwood. The key notes listed by the brand (orange blossom, white floral, salty vanilla) are spot on and I love the combination of notes. It wears well on me, for a good 7+ hours before it starts to fade. I can't recall ever seeing orange blossoms along a coastline, but Sunlit Blooms is what I imagine such a scene would smell like. This one is a frontrunner for the fragrance I'll redeem with the voucher/certificate.

*  Ellis Brooklyn MIAMI NECTAR Eau de Parfum with Coconut and Pink Pineapple 1.7 oz / 50 ml eau de parf... - Sparkly, lush, tropical, fruity, floral, & beachy without smelling like sunscreen or suntan lotion. Rich & creamy, but has a soft, elegant overall strength and sillage. Calls to mind the fresh, green, lush blend of tropical florals, fruit & aquatic air of the lobby of a luxe tropical resort. Not a bad thing at all. Lovely for warm, summer days. Lasts about 7-8 hours on its own, 10+ when I layer it over an unscented body lotion. This is another one I'm considering picking up in the travel size with the voucher. I'm also thinking about getting the Ellis Brooklyn MIAMI NECTAR X Amika Set: MIAMI NECTAR Amika Perkup Dry Shampoo + EDP Travel Spray Gi....

*  #Jo Malone London Frangipani Flower Cologne 3.3 oz / 100 ml spray - Creamy, decadent jasmine and ylang-ylang flowers made approachable and less heady by the sunny, sweet, subtly citrus notes sprinkled throughout. It's a Hawaiian vacation in a bottle, though reapplication is needed more often than the other fragrances - I get around 3 hours of this before it becomes a skin scent. I picked up a full size during a 2024 sale and will be pulling it out with summer around the corner. It's rare that the Sephora Favorites sampler sets only have 1-2 items that I've tried or actually have (usually I have all but 1 or 2) so I was pleased that was the case here and that this one was the one I already have. I may see later in the season how it compares to Jo Malone Beach Blossom, another well loved beachy summer fragrance for me from the house.

*  KAYALI EDEN SPARKLING LYCHEE | 39 Eau de Parfum - Vibrant, very sweet, fruity floral. I remember testing this when it was released last year (or maybe even in 2023?). There were other similar scents released around that time - by Clean and Nest. It'll come down to body chemistry and preferences, but I preferred (and still do) the Nest fragrance, which isn't too surprising - Nest perfumes seem to wear better on my skin; I generally don't have the same luck with Kayali perfumes I've tested previously.

*  #Maison Margiela 'REPLICA' Beach Walk Eau de Toilette with Coconut Milk & Musk - Soft, gentle, delicate skin scent, with very subtle undertones of sun, sea, and sand. This one took me by surprise as I do better with candles from this brand than their perfumes. It's a very nicely done fresh, clean, feminine, beachy scent - a great everyday summer fragrance, and another perfume I'm thinking about picking up in the travel spray. It's not often I find so many scents I'm interested in from the same discovery set which makes the Sephora Favorites one this came in a great purchase in my mind.

*  Valentino Donna Born in Roma Green Stravaganza Eau de Parfum with Vanilla & Tea Accord  - Fresh, lush, floral with a variety of notes (woody, green/herbaceous, subtly smoky) coming in at different points during the wear of the fragrances. It's a unique blend of citrus, earthy, creamy & floral, unique enough that I don't think I have anything similar to it in my collection. This too may be one I pick up in a travel size with the voucher but I want to see how it wears in warmer, humid weather, especially those stronger tea notes, which while noticeable are not too much.

*  Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Tiger Lily Eau de Parfum with Coconut Milk & Mango -  Crisp, fresh, fruity (tropical fruit), floral, slightly nutty, and creamy. This is different from the other fragrances in the V&R Flowerbomb series and that is one of the reasons I was intrigued by this one.

Spoiler

Sorry for the delay in posting this one @Samtian.

[Samtian]

@itsfi That sounds like a really good set!

[itsfi]

@Samtian, it is, and I'm so pleased about that. 😊 I go into these discovery sets expecting that there will be 2 or 3 that are a definite pass. The two here that are too sweet and fruity for me aren't bad, they're just not for me. I have found a couple of other perfumes to layer them with to make them more my speed. I feel like this was a good deal for me; I haven't redeemed my voucher yet but plan to do it later this month. That worked out well, too, since I'm on a no buy (or actually a no-spending $$ out of pocket) - I look at it as I'm not coming out of pocket any additional/new money. Yeah, that's probably some fuzzy math going on, but ... 🤣

[Samtian]

@itsfi Math checks out to me. But I did go to a school well known for being bad at math...minor detail. 

[itsfi]

That's a small detail, @Samtian! 😅 I'm noting your support of my math. ✔️

[Samtian]

The last of the Lilac Sampler-

• Dream Sequence by Marissa Zapas
• 6 hr wear time
• 1/5

From Luckyscent-

The Scoop

Dream Sequence is a tornado of lilacs, a swirling rush of greenery, earth and purple petals, painting the dark technicolor of an August sky. As the tornado approaches, it looks like a stunning arabesque and there is the impulse to dance alongside it. In the wake of the storm, you are left soporific and in awe of this natural phenomena, as this ecstatic experience has suddenly gone.

Note - Dream Sequence is a re-imagined version of Marissa's discontinued Lilac Dream.

Fragrance Notes

Petitgrain, bergamot, lilac, neroli, ambrette, musk, tonka, vanilla, soil

Fragrance Style

Powdery / Soft, Floral - Light, Floral - White, Floral - Citrus, Fresh

My thoughts- A very strong petitgrain + bergamot start. I do not like petitgrain. Shortly after the ambrette + musk take charge. After about 2 minutes an amber-y lilac with a slight hint of vanilla starts. After a bit the white powdery comes in. The final dry down is this basic ambery, grainy, powdery white floral mix. 

[itsfi]

I can't seem to recall or distinguish petitgrain - I've seen it in a few scent profiles but it's not a note I recal instantly. I'm sorry this was a miss @Samtian. It's great you found a scent that was a 5/5 for you, but would you say the sampler set one you like overall?

[Samtian]

I'm posting two today, and next week I will finish the last lilac sample.

•  Amouge Lilac Love 
• 1/5 10+ hr wear time.

Luckyscent-  

The Scoop

Disclaimer: this is not a lilac perfume. This is a lilac-colored angora sweater that you want to wear on your naked skin while rolling around on 1,000-thread count sheets with a basket of gray Persian kittens. It is a million miles away from the bold ambery regalia of the Amouage lineage – this one whispers, and has an adorable French accent.

We can’t get over how pretty Lilac Love is. A soft bouquet of roses, jasmine, gardenia, and heliotrope is whipped up into a rosy, milky froth, dusted liberally with cocoa powder, tonka bean shavings, and fresh vanilla sugar. The texture transitions fluently between a cool, floral milk (lactones, gardenia) to a warm, cocoa-like powder (iris, patchouli). You won’t know whether to wear it or sip it from a mug while watching the snow fall outside your ski lodge.

Fragrance Notes

Jasmine, rose, gardenia, peony, heliotrope, orris, cacao, tonka bean, sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla

Fragrance Style

Floral, Gourmand, Powdery / Soft, Creamy

My thoughts- Starts out with a rosy sandalwood, definitely a creamy bouquet for sure. Midway cocoa powder kicks in and a slight medicinal warming, like icy hot. It's weird. Final dry down is a hot chocolate/ powdery jasmin with patchouli kicking in at about 2hrs. I gave this to my mom. 

• Regime des Fleurs Tears
• 2/5 2+ hour time.

From Luckyscent- 

The Scoop

Beauty moves the soul to tears. A provocative name, but don’t assume only sadness here. Have you ever experienced a work of art that moved you so deeply that it elicited a physical response? Have you ever become so overwhelmed with beauty or joy that it consumed you?

Main Note

Rose, Iris

Fragrance Notes

Lilac, Orris, Olibanum, Frankincense, Orange Blossom, Green Cognac Oil, Rosewater, Pink Pepper, Mandarin Oil, Ambergris

Fragrance Style

Fresh - Citrus, Floral - Ambery Spice, Floral - White

My thoughts- Nice lilac start with a good pleasant green. Orange blossoms and other white florals start to hit early on, reminds me of a morning garden stroll. Very citrusy middle and a faint smell I can't recognize. After the 2 hour mark it is very faint and just citrus. 

[itsfi]

@Samtian, I like that fragrance sampler sets gives you a variety of scents to try, but it means there may be some that really do not suit you.

Sorry Lilac Love wasn't a love. I was curious that the notes Luckyscent listed didn't include lilac, but I saw that lilac is included in the key notes on the Amouge site. In any event, as I was reading your take on the perfume, I was all for it until we got to the part where it smells like icy hot. 😅 The treatment has its purposes but I'm not big on smelling like menthol unless I have to. 🤣

Regime des Fleurs Tears sounds like it started off well; I hope your mom likes it. 

[Samtian]

@itsfi Thank you! Yeah that part was really weird haha. Maybe it's just damage from the long Covid. 

[Titian06]

@Samtian - Lilac Love sounds nauseating to me.  Tears doesn't call to me.  Thanks for reviewing these! 💖💖💖

[Samtian]

@Titian06 You bet! It's funny because I read the reviews others leave and some of them are complete opposites of what I think of them. 

[Samtian]

3rd Lilac-

Fzotic Lilac Brulee.

3/5

6 hr. wear time. 

From Luckyscent- 

The Scoop

A dreamy reimagining of lilac, transformed into an unexpectedly sophisticated gourmand. This innovative fragrance opens with delicate lilac blossoms and fresh mimosa, brightened by a surprising twist of tangy rhubarb. At its heart, sweet marzipan mingles with soft vanilla cream, while the base reveals rich notes of sandalwood and cedar wrapped in a warm embrace of praline and tonka bean.

Like discovering a secret pastry shop in a spring garden, Lilac Brûlée marries the ephemeral beauty of florals with the comforting warmth of French confectionery. It's a masterful balance of the familiar and the unexpected—where classic lilac finds new expression in a modern gourmand composition.

Fragrance Notes

Lilac, rhubarb, mimosa, marzipan, cinnamon, cream, sandalwood, cedar, tonka bean, vanilla

Fragrance Style

Gourmand

My experience- It started with notes of cinnamon, lilac, and tonka. Delicious start followed by a creamy cinnamon marzipan middle. Very good. Sandalwood slowly creeps in along with the rhubarb and a mimosa vanilla-y scent. Sadly for me it was a very strong cinnamon woodsy dry down. 

[itsfi]

@Samtian, sorry to hear the dry down wasn't something you enjoyed - depending on how strong those cinnamony and woodsy notes hit, this one sounds like one I might like. The opening and middle notes sound wonderful.

[greeneyedgirl107]

@Samtian love all your lilac posts!   💜 lucky you!

[Samtian]

@greeneyedgirl107 Thank you! I am glad I was able to get the pack. I have 2 more left, plus the one I did today that I'll review tomorrow. 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@Samtian looking forward to it - i adore lilac!

[Samtian]

The second of the Lilac sample pack-

From Luckyscent-

Lilac

Eau de Toilette by Caswell-Massey

The Scoop

In a creative collaboration with the master gardeners at the New York Botanical Garden and renowned perfumer Laurent Le Guernec, Caswell-Massey has been able to capture the authentic scent of the living lilac that blooms in the Garden’s Lilac Hill. The flowering period is brief yet magical, and the plant only flourishes in colder regions. Now, no matter what the season, visitors can enjoy the natural scent of this much-loved bloom.

What We Think

Lilac is a delicate, fresh feminine floral that perfectly replicates the gorgeous aroma of the fleeting annual blossoming of this intoxicating flower. Effervescent top notes of sparkling bergamot and leafy green accord unfold into a romantic heart of living floral lilac and muguet. A dusting of suede is enhanced by the sensual warmth of amber at the dry-down.

Fragrance Notes

Bergamot, Leafy green accord, Living floral lilac, Muguet, Suede, Amber

4/5- My thoughts- It started as a light fresh garden, but not a garden with roses.  Shortly it because citrusy vs floral with citrusy on top. Slightly green. The final dry down was a strong lilac and sweet green. I'm not sure on the wear time because I forgot about it. 

[itsfi]

This one sounds interesting @Samtian, though the strong lilac scent you picked up on the dry down gives me a little pause. I mean, I like hearing that a scent with the name "Lilac" smells of lilacs 😉 but sometimes lilac notes can be too powdery for my nose. It doesn't sound like the amber or suede notes were very prominent which is too bad; that might have been an interesting mix with the floral notes and green accord.