Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: October 2016

My Bloom Perfumery October sample pack arrived yesterday. This month the focus is on #ExploringLabdanum. Labdanum is a rich brown gum resin that's sourced from the cistus shrubs of rockrose. It helps to anchor and extend the impact of more fleeting notes.

"A key ingredient in any amber based perfume, labdanum is a truly multifaceted thing. Both the spice and sweetness it's honeyed and still enriched with oriental elements. It smells truly exotic yet comfortingly familiar. It's leathery and yet woody at the same time conjuring up ideas of far flung luxury as much as it does dusty carpenter's workshops and bustling shipyards".

Bloom Perfumery have included a sample of labdanum absolute so it can help subscribers identify the ingredients wholly unique properties. The perfumes this month are:

Paradis Perdu by Frapin EdP (100ml - £98, 1ml - £2) - is aromatic and woody with top notes of bergamot, lemon, grapefruit and mandarin with green notes of basil, elemi and galbanum. Hay and labdanum combine with moss and rosewood.

Panorama by Olfactive Studio EdP (100ml - £108, 50ml - £74, 1ml - £2) - this is a very green perfume. The labdanum adds a spicy note. With top notes of bamboo shoots, bergamot, fig tree leaves, tonka bean and vanilla a heart of cardamon, galbanum, cut grass and violet leaf with a base of fir balsam, labdanum, musk, myrrh, patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla.

Signature Wild by Art de Parfum Extrait de Parfum (50ml - £88, 1ml - £2) - the labdanum is buried between the layers. It has a woody and slightly masculine edge. With notes of leather accord, orange blossom, cinnamon, cardamon, orange flower absolute, ciste labdanum, davana, peru balsam and vetiver.

Sable Marocain by Phaedon EdP (100ml - £95, 1ml - £2) - opens with Moroccan labdanum with a sweet cocoa note. Ginger and balsamic notes help to avoid too much sweetness. With notes of cocoa, copahu balm, gaiac wood, ginger, labdanum and vetiver.

Saffron Rose by Grossmith EdP (100ml - £295, 50ml - 195, 1ml - £5) - this is the perfume you don't want to like too much ouch that price! It is really lovely and one of my favourites this month. Labdanum is used alongside the oud, myrrh and castoreum which provides an animalic note which "makes the rose smell dirtier and more realistic".

The final sample this month is by one of my favourite perfume houses. Just Landed: Fathom V by BeauFort London EdP (50ml - £95, 1ml - £2) "The idea of this ’sea-change’ and the constant tidal flux of the sea is properly explored in Fathom V with the overdosed use of contrasting materials: salt and earth, fragrant herbs and mosses, pleasant floral notes and intense dark spices encompassing and outlining the push and pull of the oceanic torrents". 

It has top notes of juniper berry, tangerine, blackcurrant, green leaf and earth with a heart of thyme, lily, jasmine, ylang ylang, ginger, cumin, black pepper and mimosa with a base of patchouli, vetiver, moss, salt, frankincense, atlas cedar and amber. Rather in love with this one!

Are you liking the sound of any of the perfumes in this month's selection? 

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: April to June Favourites

Here's my final favourites from my first year of the Yearly Sample Pack Subscription and I'm super excited to say I've signed up for another year!

In April I loved them all (apart from one) but I have to say I simply loved Art de Parfum's Sensual Oud (Extrait de Parfum - 50ml - £88). See my thoughts HERE.

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May saw me fall for Carner's stunning Costerela EdP (50ml - £85) which has costal notes and summer freshness. See my thoughts HERE.

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Finally in June my favourite was Wūlóng Chá by Nishane (Extrait de Parfum - 50ml - £110). See my thoughts HERE.

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You can see my favourites for the rest of the year below:

The 1st Four Months - July, August, September & October

November to March Favourites

I know I'll definitely buy these perfumes at some point as they just wowed me:

Tardes by Carner EdP

Coeur de Noir by Beaufort London EdP

Boszporusz by Nishane Extrait de Parfum

Sensual Oud by Art de Parfum Extrait de Parfum

Costarela by Carner EdP

What's your favourite perfumes from Bloom Perfumery?

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: May 2016

I can't believe this is my second last month of my subscription! I've loved receiving beautiful perfumes every month. This month is "Sea, Sand and Sun Lotion" and the picks are gorgeous!

My eye was first drawn to CARNER'S Costarela EdP (which is new in) (50ml - £85, 1.6ml - £2) which captures a coastal Mediterranean breeze and has top notes of Bergamot and Saffron, a heart of hot sand accord and sea spray accord with base notes of Ambrozan and Virginia cedar. Love.

Next up is Art de Parfum's Sea Foam Extrait de Parfum (50ml - £88, 1ml - £5) which smells of the ocean, salty and foamy as it breaks onto the shore. With notes of Bergamot, Frankincense, Haiti Vetiver, Lemon, Sandalwood, Eucalyptus, Guaiac Wood, Laurel, Patchouli and Seaweed.

Absolutely loving Parfumerie Generale's Bois Naufrage EdP (50ml - £81.50, 1.6ml £2) which has top notes of carob tree (Egyptian Fig), a heart of salt and a base of Ambergris and Vetiver. Bestselling Paris Seychelles EdP (50ml - £80, 1.6ml - £2) is a white floral blend (lush) with notes of Black Pepper, Galbanum, Lily, Petitgrain, Coconut milk, Ginger, Monoi Oil and Plumeria.

NEW IN: Neon Graffiti by Jazmin Sarai EdP (50ml - £72, 1.6ml - £2) has notes of Ambroxan, Cardamon, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Mint, Sunflower, Bergamot, Frankincense, Ivy and Mimosa and is fresh, floral and fruity.

The final one this month is Best Selling: Eau de Protection by Etat Libre d'Orange EdP (50ml - £70) with a salty note wrapped up in the ginger and rose heart. With notes of Benzoin, Black Pepper, Cocoa, Frankincense, Patchouli, Bergamot, Bulgarian Rose, Ginger, Jasmine and Salt.

What are your thoughts as to May's selection?

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: April 2016

My Bloom Perfumery April samples arrived on Saturday and this month the theme is "Citrus Breeze". The picks are fresh and citrus (and there's only one in the pack which doesn't make me swoon!)

I've had a sample before of Phaedon's Verveine Figuier EdT (£69 - 100ml, £2 - 1.6ml) and I loved its refreshing verbena and earthy fig notes. With notes of benzoin, fig tree leaves, licorice, musk, ooakmoss, Texas cedar and Verbena. It's the perfect scent for spring and summer.

I am totally smitten with NEW IN: Art de Parfum's Sensual Oud Extrait de Parfum (£88 - 50ml, £2 - 1.6ml) and I'd say it's up there with TARDES by Carner as one of my favourites from the whole year. It has notes of rose, leather, cloves, cypress, jasmine absolute, patchouli and geranium.

From Olfactive Studio we have Flash Back EdP (£74 - 50ml, £2 - 1.6ml) which is sweet and tangy with top notes of grapefruit, orange and rhubarb, a heart of Granny Smith apples and pink pepper with base notes of amber, musk and vetivert.

Spice Bazaar Extrait de Parfum from Nishane (£110 - 50ml, £5 - 1ml) is spicy and woody with top notes of ginger, juniper, rosemary and yuzu with a heart of cedar, cinnamon and cumin and base notes of black pepper, saffron and vanilla. I also loved their Boszporusz scent.

Arquiste's L'Etrog Acqua EdP (£135 - 100ml, £2 - 1.6ml) is woody and citrussy and has notes of bergamot, cedrat, labdanum, mandarin, myrtle, petit grain and vetivert.

I find Arquiste's Fleur de Louis EdP (£125 - 55ml, £2 - 1.6ml) a little too powdery for my tastes. With top notes of bergamot, cypress, galbanum and neroli, a heart of clove, jasmine, orange blossom and rose and a base of amber, cedarwood, Italian iris root, labdanum and vetivert.

What do you think of this month's picks?