Sample Set 12 x 1.75ml
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No need to think about it, just buy it.
No doubt about it, there are some extremely talented noses / designers at the House of Annick Goutal. The quality is just so impressive. The only issue you'll have with these fragrances is choosing which you will buy.
There are some truly stunning scents in this set. So much so that even though the one I was hoping to test "Mimosa" (my reason for buying) wasn't in there, I am still so happy that I bought this. You get ten samples, too many to review individually, and I can honestly say that I liked all of them bar one.
I am not a fan of gourmandes and this is the only reason that I disliked the fragrance "vanille exquise". The benzoin resin and gaic woods do however smell just lovely and really impart their earthiness on the musks (not a musk fan either) making the base very sensual indeed and not at all sickly as musks can be.
I was blown away by "Un matin d'orage". For me this is the most beautiful gardenia scent. The gardenia is accented by a crisp, cool magnolia and warmed by a jasmine / orange blossom accord. These contrasts do not clash, but play eachother off beautifully. On warmer skin I get more of the jasmine, but on these cool spring evenings this is a true gardenia soliflore. It feels spiritual. There are not many florals I would wear, certainly not pure gardenias, but this I will go back to time and again. Really this could be worn by women throughout the age ranges, not at all just for the more mature women as one might expect with a pure floral.
I think the designer is also a gastronomer, as there are a number of accents in these perfumes evocative of fresh foods. The citrus notes are so true to their freshly squeezed forms, the green notes potentise and add interest like herbs. Sweet, sour, bitter, earthy, fresh are all perfectly balanced as if one were creating a dish. And all components seem placed to showcase the star of each frangrance. The blending of these fragrances is for me stimulating and delightful, not at all boring.
I'm primarily a chypre person and don't like to wear things that smell like foods. I even prefer my chypre tops to be derived from acidic facets of flowers and green materials rather than citruses. So I was so surprised to find "Ninfeo mio" to be such a lovely and wearable perfume. The main two listed notes are italian lemon and fig. The lemon is so lemonny and the fig so figgy, but this doesn't smell like dessert. The wood base grounds it, and though balmy (smells like sandalwood) somehow manages not to create fine furniture polish. Very impressive.
The last one of the set I'll mention is "Ambre fetiche". For me such a great find, because I've been questing both a lovely amber and a frankincense scent. So this is two hits in one. It's the most stunning of all in my opinion and an absolute must for those, who like me, love ambers but don't like gourmandes. This is not sickly caramel sweet like so many others. This is beautiful earthy resin. Rich yet subtle. And, the frankincense (if you are not an incense fan; no problem) is just indescribably nice and very alert on the top (makes you alert). Not in the least bit churchy. These two are blended perfectly, in my opinion, with the other resins. This isn't a hippy scent, but something very sensual that just melds with you. The incense becomes a very pleasant mild leather. Through the middle this perfume gets sweeter, richer and creamier. Never too sweet and never the confections of say "flowerbomb" or "Angel". I got someone else to test this, and on them it became particularly clove oilish and medicinal through the middle, but not on me. Whatever molecules were responsible, they produce instead a hint of something animalic on my skin like fur (on a live animal). Finally it dries down to become simply like the most wonderful smelling skin. The dry down was just the same on the other person that tested it. If it were me, I'd happily go through the 'clove oil' stage to get to the base. I think this is the perfect amber. It's grown up, sensual, warm and very natural. I would also say it could be worn by both sexes. If you are into allegorical 'clean' scents that are more evocative of skin cleansing agents than actual skin, this won't be for you. If you enjoy that you are a physical being, this will make you enjoy it more. This is definitely one I will be buying.
The sample set contains about 6 edt's and 4 edp's. The quality is lovely. It is also really good value for money, especially when you consider that you get the purchase price back when you choose to buy a full sized bottle (not sure if it's a limited offer though).
March 31, 2012
Perfect perfume.
I love Annick Goutal perfumes but, having no local stockist, was finding it hard to choose one that suited me. This trial set was great as it contained a range of scents from different olfactory groups. I found the perfect one for me and will be ordering my new signature scent and recouping the cost of the sample set very soon.
March 14, 2012
Great Purchase
Very pleased I bought this. Half of the samples or even over that is not my cup of tea but even so it is a great value, as if you were to go and buy a bottle of the perfume, you get a discount of the £17, so got all these samples for free. I gave away the unwanted ones and still keep my favourites. Thank you, Escentual, for the freebie as well!
March 2, 2012
Fab way to try annick goutal fragrances
Delicious fragrances small enough to carry in your purse and long enough to last an impression on your skin.
November 3, 2011
