I've had subscription boxes in the past (*cough* Birchbox), and while I enjoyed them for a while, I began to feel a bit underwhelmed with the contents - tiny samples of products I had no interest in trying and generally not much for the money. Then Secret Scent Box* came to town, a new fragrance subscription box, offering a 30 day supply of three perfume samples each month for £15. The box focuses on designer fragrances, with a mix of new launches and old favourites, so it is great for discovering new and old scents alike. I know I for one am rather intrigued by many scents that launched before I got into fragrance, and I'm keen to try those that I may have missed. There is also a separate box for male scents too, so the men (or those that love masculine scents of course - perfume really should be gender-neutral) need not miss out!
The box is letterbox-friendly, so you won't have the dreaded red slip on your doormat at the end of the day, although I was surprised by just how small it was! It is well presented however, in a black textured box adorned with the Secret Scent Box logo. Simplistic and classy, almost like a jewellery box. When you open the box up, you'll see the insert which says the month which in this case was the "May Edition" and "For Her", and then below that are a series of cards, one for each of the three fragrances in the box, displaying a short description of the scent and the notes. In the May Edition, I was pleased to see three scents that I had not tried. The one that I immediately squealed at, was Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Bloom, a scent that I'd been very intrigued to sample for myself after smelling it in store. Then there is Calvin Klein Eternity Moment, one that's been around for a while, but I'd never really smelt, and Paul Smith Extreme for Her. Again, I've not tried much from Paul Smith, although I'm certainly familiar with this fragrance's jazzy bottle!
Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Bloom (rating: 5/5)
Obviously, I immediately spritzed Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Bloom (from £45 for 30ml) all over myself as I'd been desperate to try it and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Lighter and less sweet than the original, Flowerbomb in Bloom is a pretty fruity floral, perfect for spring and summer. It has an exotic fruity opening of mandarin and pomegranate, and there's a real exotic orchid feel to the florals (freesia, rose and jasmine) in the heart. It has a layer of mountain air which gives it an airy, fresh feel, and woody notes which stops it from being too sweet and young. I wasn't expecting it to be quite so different from the original. Even if you think you don't like Flowerbomb, give this a go as it's a completely new scent, despite sharing the name. I think it's bloody gorgeous and I'll continue to use this.
Calvin Klein Eternity Moment (rating: 2/5)
Calvin Klein Eternity Moment (from £27.99 for 30ml) is a bit of an oldie, having launched in 2004. It is inspired by "the eternal moment of two souls meeting, gazing at each other, touching for the first time...", and has top notes of melon, raspberry, lychee and guava, a heart of passion flower, water lily, jasmine and peony and a base of cashmere wood, Brazilian rosewood, musk and sandalwood. Despite the varied note pyramid, all I really get is peony and an aquatic note from the water lily. Although it's a pleasant, pretty and girlie scent, it's not overly groundbreaking, and to be honest if I was looking for a peony scent, I'd choose Prada Candy Florale over this one, as it's a bit overpowering.
Paul Smith Extreme For Her (rating: 3/5)
Paul Smith Extreme For Her (from £27.50 for 30ml) is another one that's been around for a while, and launched in 2003. Despite seeing it around, it's one that I've never really thought to try, so I was intrigued to see what it was like. It opens with blackcurrant, green tea and bergamot, and the heart of freesia and lily of the valley comes through almost immediately. To be honest, initially it seems like a rather confused scent, but it soon settles down to a pleasant mixture of green tea and blackcurrant, which is soft and powdery. The base is of amber, patchouli, vetiver and cedar, which gives it a touch of woody spice, stopping it from being so sweet. Although I'm not totally keen on the opening, I do like it as it dries down, although I can't really imagine myself reaching for it over any of my other fragrances.
Although I didn't enjoy every single fragrance from this Secret Scent Box, I still think it's a great idea. I adored Flowerbomb Bloom, and the 3ml sample is bigger than the 1ml I would have got had I purchased a sample from eBay. That being said, I was expecting the samples to be bigger, although you can most definitely make them last. I do think £15 is a lot when you compare the box with that of the Perfume Society Discovery Boxes. Their latest Travel Edition box contains 19.45ml of fragrance for £15/£20 (subscribers/non subscribers, inc P+P), compared to 9ml for £15 with the Secret Scent Box. However, I do think Secret Scent Box is great if you're not overly picky with your scents (I'm very choosy with my fragrances) and it would also make a fab gift for someone just getting into fragrance - maybe you could buy them a year's subscription for their birthday or Christmas present, so they'd be able to enjoy new fragrances all year long!
What do you think of Secret Scent Box?
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