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: February 2016

My February Bloom Perfumery subscription arrived on the final day in February! I've been enjoying trying out the scents which are spicy, sensual and slightly aphrodisiac.

My absolute favourite this month is Just In: Nanban by Arquiste EdP (1.6ml - £2, 100ml £135) which is smokey and woody. With notes of black pepper, black tea, Chinese osmanthus, coffee, copaiba balm, frankincense, leather, myrrh, saffron and styrax.

My second favourite is the unusual New In: PG10.1 Bouquet Massai by PG EdP (1.6ml - £2, 50ml - £81.50) which has notes of coffee (it gives the floral notes an unusual coffee aroma!), karo karounde, magnolia, cashmeran, peony, tolu balm, peach and sandalwood.

I'm also loving Best Seller: Exclusive: Rubj by EdP .vero.profumo (1.2ml - £5, 50ml - £156) which is a heady lush floral with top notes of bergamot, mandarin, neroli and passionfruit with heart notes of basil, orange blossom and tuberose and a base of cedar, musk and oakmoss.

Best Seller: Embers by Rouge Bunny Rouge Edp (1.6ml - £2, 50ml - £95) is a beautiful sexy smokey scent. With top notes of cloves, nutmeg and pink pepper and heart notes of freesia, jasmine, cistus and incense with a base of styrax, Peru balsam and sandalwood.

Exclusive: Dzari by Phaedon EdT (1.6ml - £2, 100ml - £69) with notes of cashmeran, cedarwood, dates, malaga wine, sandalwood and tonka beans. The drydown is sweet and spicy.

The final perfume this month is Caravelle Epicee by Frapin EdP (1.6ml - £2, 100ml - £98) which is spicy and woody. It has top notes of coriander and nutmeg, a heart of gaiac wood, pepper and thyme and a base of amber, patchouli, sandalwood and tobacco.

I've actually really enjoyed wearing all the perfumes in February's subscription pack.  Do you have any favourites this month or are there any from the selection you fancy trying?

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: November 2015

This month Bloom Perfumery mixed up the sample packs and the girls got the ones for the guys! I was initially a bit surprised but being a lover of Drakkar Noir, Eau Savage and Cacharel Pour Homme in the 80s I decided to give this month's choices a bash.

Bloom Perfumery also thinks swapping this month will help with Christmas present choices for the men in your life - there are woody, citrus, leather, spices, herbs and frankincense notes in the perfumes this month.

My favourite this month is CUIRS by Carner EdP (50ml - £81, 1.6ml - £2) an intense oud leather scent with top notes of Saffron, heart notes of Gaiac Wood, Sandalwood, Texas Cedar and Violet and base notes of Amyris Wood, Oud, Patchouli, Leather, Musk, Tonka Beans, Cistus and Nagarmotha. I also adore TARDES by Carner (review).

My second favourite this month is best seller PG20 L'Eau Guerriere EdT (50ml - £81.50, 1.6ml - £2) which is woody, spicy and fresh. It has top notes of Cinchona Bark, a heart note of Frankincense and a base of Aloe Oud Wood and Ambergris.

The ultimate best seller for men in 2015 has been Tabac Rouge by Phaedon EdP (100ml - £95, 1.6ml - £2) which smells sweet and spicy on my skin and reminds me a bit of chai tea! It has notes of Benzoin, Cinnamon, Ginger, Honey, Frankincense, Musk and Tobacco.

Frapin's L'Humaniste EdP (100ml - £98, 1.6ml - £2) is light, refreshing and aromatic. It has top notes of Bergamot, Black Pepper, Cardamon, Lemon and Pink Pepper. Heart notes of Juniper, Nutmeg, Peony and Thyme with a base of Oakmoss and Tonka Bean.

Bestseller Autoportrait by Olfactive Studio EdP (50ml - £74, 1.6ml - £2) is my least favourite. It's apparently a popular choice for customers working in the City and No.5 bestseller this year. It has top notes of Bergamot and Elemi, a heart of Benzoin, Frankincense and Musk with a base of Cedar, Oakmoss and Vetivert.

Finally, new in Selfie by Olfactive Studio EdP (50ml - £74, 1.6ml - £2) almost smells quite edible on first spritz. With top notes of Angelica Root, Elemi, Ginger, Star Anise and Frankincense with a heart of Maple Syrup, Cabreuva Wood, Cinammon and Lily with a base of Oakmoss, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Suede, Tonka Bean and Styrax.

What are your thoughts on this month's choices?

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: September 2015

I'd forgotten that I was due my Bloom Perfumery September sample pack so it was a nice treat to receive it when I arrived home from work yesterday. This month the scents are perfect for the start of autumn - warm woods infused with vanilla, amber, frankincense, ginger and more. I actually love all the scents this month.

The pefume that stands out the most for me is one which is new in Beaufort London Coeur de Noir EdP (£95 - 50ml - £2 - 1.6ml) - it's a simply stunning perfume and unlike anything I own. From a new British Perfume House which draws inspiration from ships, sea battles, voyages and tattoos. It has top notes of ginger, ink and rum, heart notes of leather, paper and vanillin with base notes of cedar, tobacco and birch tar. It starts off very powerful and mellows to a smokey sexy scent. Love it!

Passion Boisée (Frapin) EdP £98 - 100ml - £2 - 1.6ml) is a warm and spicy scent with top notes of mandarin and nutmeg, a heart of cypress and rosewood with base notes of ambrette seed, sandalwood and vanilla. It appears quite subtle and perfect for autumnal days.

Eau de Madeleine (Au Pays de la Fleur d'Oranger) EdP £110 - 100ml - £2 - 1.6ml) a beautiful scent which has notes of frankincense, leather, sandalwood, vanilla and incense.

Hasu-no-Hana (Grossmith) EdP £185 - 50ml - £5 - 1.6ml) it's nice to be able to try a perfume I'd never be able to afford! This is a classic formula from 1888, an oriental chypre which is rich with flower, spice and wood notes. It has top notes of bergamot, bigarade orange with heart notes of iris, jasmine, rose and ylang ylang and base notes of oakmoss, patchouli, cedar, sandalwood, tonka bean and vetiver.

The Architects Club (Arquiste) EdP £135 - 100ml - £2 - 1.6ml) a delicious autumn amber with a note of Mexican vanilla, benzoin and resins and woods. It has notes of ambermax, amber, angelica root, bigarade orange, gaiac wood, juniper, lemon, oak and vanilla.

The final perfume this month is best selling PG18 Cadjméré (Parfumerie Generale) EdP £117.50 - 100ml - £2 - 1.6ml) which is comforting and gentle. A soft sandalwood with a hint of vanilla. With a top note of tangerine, a heart of cypress and rosewood and base notes of ambrette seed, sandalwood and vanilla.

I really love all the scents this month and I'm looking forward to trying them out. Do any of the perfumes included this month jump out at you?

Bloom Perfumery: Yearly Sample Pack: August 2015

I've had my Bloom Perfumery August sample pack a couple of weeks now and already have a few firm favourites.  As you know I'm on a spending ban but I'm planning on picking up the perfume I've loved most in the (July - December period) after my ban as a little treat.  You can see what I received in July HERE.

This month the samples come in plastic vials (exactly the same if you buy a sample online).

Inside the package is 5 x 1.6ml samples - and this month includes fruit, honey and patisserie inspired fragrances. There is also a 1 x 1.6ml of a recent launch and a promo code for 10% off one of the perfumes included in this month's selection.

My absolute favourite this month is Parfumerie Generale PG16 Jardins de Kerylos (50ml - £81.50) which is a delicious fig scent perfect for summer. In fact it is a "summer fruity best seller". Inspired by a fruit orchard on a cliff in Cote d'Azure and has top notes of Fig tree fruit, heart notes of Peach and Sycamore with base notes of Musk and Tuberose. Love!

Ciel D'Airain (Huiteme Art) (50ml - £88) is a woody and fruity scent. It is "a study of a pear" and includes fruit notes, bark, leaves, ambergris and olive tree twigs. It is quite unlike anything I've worn before but I really like it.

The all year round best seller among the fruity scents is 1270 (Frapin) (100ml - £98). The perfume is a tribute to the year the Frapin family started making Cognac in the Grand Champagne region in France. This is fruity and sweet with notes of Cocoa, Coffee, Pineapple, Prunes, Raisins, Grape Blossom, Immortelle, Linden, Pepper, Gaiac Wood, Honey and Vanilla.

Like This (Etat Libre d'Orange) (50ml - £70) - a gourmand edible scent which is rich and sweet. With notes of Ginger, Heliotrope, Immortelle, Musk, Neroli, Pumpkin, Rose, Spices, Tangerine and Vetiver.

This best-seller PG03 Cuir Venenum (Parfumerie Generale) (50ml - £81.50) is my second favourite this month. It has top notes of Orange Blossom, a heart of Leather and Tamanu Oil with base notes of Atlas Cedar, Honey, Musk and Myrrh. I love it's leathery scent with floral and honey notes.

The final sample is new-in Pasion Choco (Nishane) (50ml - £110) - which is sweet and comforting with notes of Passionfruit, coffee, carmelised Grapefruit, dark Chocolate, Orchid, Coriander, Vanilla, Benzoin, Patchouli and Dark Musk.

What do you think of the choices this month?