Sephora Fragrance Samplers

Ever so often, Sephora will include these awesome little baggies full of perfume sample cards in your online order. No codes, no minimum purchase... it's just something they do. I love trying out new fragrances so I love to see these arrive in my packages. And since they are typically new products, I like to let my readers know how they smell and whether they're pleasant or just have a high-end name on the bottle. I'll give you my thoughts and rate them with my totally original and super complex A, B, C ratings system. A's mean it the scent is just wonderful. B's are for meh, it's okay - I don't hate it. And C's are... not good. But you might love something I dislike so don't give too much weight to my opinions. Below are my reviews of the most recent perfume cards I was sent.

Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent - Addictive. Floral. Energetic. Black Opium has notes of coffee accord, orange blossom, cedarwood essence, and patchouli essence. "Fascinating and seductively intoxicating, the opening notes of adrenaline-rich coffee and the sweet sensuality of vanilla recline into the softness of white flowers for a modern, young, and vibrant interpretation of addiction." This product is a 2015 Allure Best of Beauty award winner.

MY THOUGHTS: I can definitely pick out the coffee, patchouli, and vanilla. It also has a bit of a creamy smell so it actually ends up smelling like coffee creamer! That being said, it certainly is a perfume so don't go pouring it into your morning java. I'll give this a B (for me), but I think for the right person it could easily be an A. The 1.6 oz EDP spray is available here for $91.00.

Bloom (for her) by Gucci - Confident. Intuitive. Magnetic. Gucci Bloom has key notes of tuberose, rangoon creeper, and jasmine. "Capturing the spirit of the contemporary, diverse, and authentic women of Gucci, envisioned as a thriving garden of flowers, Bloom EDP For Her is created to unfold like its name." This product is an Allure Best of Beauty award winner.

MY THOUGHTS: First off, that description. Holy moly that's good stuff. And what the bejeezus is a rangoon creeper? I looked it up. I'm not telling you. For real. I'm not. I'd been wanting to try this for quite a while and it was worth it. I like this one a lot. It's floral and tart. Sweet but not sugary. It's hard to describe. So if you get the chance, snag a sample from Sephora on your next mall trip. This is an A all day long. The 1.6 oz EDP spray is available here for $94.00.

Bright Crystal by Versace - Sheer. Sensual. Luminous. Bright Crystal has notes of iced accord, yuzu, pomegranate, peony, magnolia, lotus flower, acajou, vegetal amber, and musk. "Inspired by a mixture of Donatella Versace's favorite floral fragrances."

MY THOUGHTS: I've sampled this before and it is glorious. It is quite busy with all of the notes and I can't pick them out. And also, I don't know what 75% of the ingredients are. I do smell freshness though. I imagine myself standing on the balcony of an Italian villa, wind sweeping through my hair, breathing the scent of gorgeous gardens. And now I feel like a dork. But this is a review and I'm telling the truth, so it definitely get an A in my book. The 1.7 oz EDT spray is available here for $75.00.

Daisy by Marc Jacobs - Bright. Flirtatious. Free Spirit. "Charmingly simple with a signature quality, you'll be transported to a place that's optimistic, beautiful, and pure. The top of the fragrance is infused with succulent wild strawberries and soft white violets. At the heart, velvety jasmine warms to a dreamy dry-down of sensual sandalwood, for a romantic, lingering finish." This product is an Allure Best of Beauty award winner.

Daisy Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs - Exhilarating. Bubbly. Playful. "A spirited incarnation of the original Daisy, this fragrance excites the senses with a bright elegance and whimsical charm. The scent's enticing top notes of raspberry and grapefruit sparkle on the skin like sunshine, deepening into a sensuous heart of wild rose and a musky, sophisticated finish of warm plum and cedarwood."

MY THOUGHTS: Daisy is exactly as it's described. I didn't pick up sandalwood but did everything else. I'm giving it a B, only because the fruitiness has a bit of a sophomoric feel. Eau So Fresh gets an A though. It was slightly more mature and I could pick out the citrus and woodsy notes, which pushed it into a different category than the original (for me at least). The Daisy 1.7 oz EDT spray is available here for $84.00, and the Daisy Eau So Fresh 2.5 oz EDT spray is available here for $96.00.

L'eau Bleue by Miu Miu - Forthright and coy. Playful and rebellious. Delicate yet daring. Miuccia Prada shared her inspiration with perfumer Daniela Andrier, to create this study of contradictions. L'eau Bleue evokes the essence of early Spring and new beginnings. It captures the essence of lily of the valley at its most seductive, with a transparent tint of honeysuckle to lend a touch of fragile femininity, revealing the richness of exclusive Akigalawood® accord.

MY THOUGHTS: I was so excited to try this once I read the description. Honeysuckle and lily of the valley are my two favorite smells, consecutively. Apparently Akigalawood is "a fractioned note of patchouli oil which contributes to the pepperish and woody character of the fragrance." Welp... my first though upon smelling this was... PEPPER! No florals whatsoever. It had a bit of sweetness and woodiness to it, but mostly ground pepper. Here's the thing... Miu Miu absolutely achieved its goal. I don't even know how to explain it. I hated it. I loved it. It was unpleasant. It was amazing. Wow! I can't even grade this fragrance. Every single whiff evoked a different response from me. I highly suggest trying this out. Definitely get a sample of this ASAP, but heed my advice... DO NOT buy the full-size bottle until you've tested it. The 1.7 oz EDP spray is available here for $94.00.

L'eau Rosée by Miu Miu - Radiant. Witty. Playful. The key notes are blackcurrant lily of the valley, cassis buds, and musk.

MY THOUGHTS: For the life of me, I could not find an official description anywhere. Gotta say... I wanted to smell this pretty badly after trying L'eau Bleue. What on earth do they have in store for us now? Ohmigosh! They did it again! I could totally pick up all of the key notes much easier than its predecessor, but it was so strange!!! I think I have to buy both of these, probably roller balls because it won't be a daily use thing. I'm amazed. Again, no rating. Just impossible. The 1.7 oz EDT spray is available here for $81.00.

Nomade by Chloé - Inspired. Poetic. Free-Spirited. Nomade's intense mineral character of oakmoss is enveloped in the voluptuous softness of mirabelle plum. From this freshness emanates a bright floral note carried by freesia. Natural ingredients brought into focus by the perfumer Quentin Bisch, revealing accords as exhilarating as the feeling of escape they inspire.

MY THOUGHTS: This is one potent perfume. It fades though. Honestly it reminded me of the fragrances I wore in my teens. I don't hate it, but I don't like it, so it's getting a C for me. Again though, like Black Opium before it, I can see someone else, maybe older, maybe younger, finding it very pleasant. The 1.7 oz EDP spray is available here for $105.00.

Saint by Kat Von D - Soft. Alluring. Dreamy. "This gourmand fragrance sweetens a bouquet of jasmine and tiaré flower with notes of mandarin, caramel, and sparkling mirabelle plum. Vanilla, sandalwood, and creamy musk build to the romance of the perfume, imparting a warmth that reminds Kat of falling in love for the very first time." Saint shares the same floral soul as Sinner, with a sweet and gourmand twist. "Different experiences, shared heart - these sister scents can be worn alone or layered together."

Sinner by Kat Von D - Dark. Sultry. Empowering. "This enticing fragrance sweetens a bouquet of jasmine and orange blossom with notes of vanilla, mandarin, and mirabelle plum. Spicy cinnamon envelops white florals at the heart of the fragrance, while base notes of vetiver, patchouli, and wood form the deeper, darker nuances. Sinner is the fragrant embodiment of the edgy, unapologetic, and outspoken Kat Von D we know and love."

MY THOUGHTS: Saint is way too powdery- and musky-smelling for me. I can't pick out any of the other scents and that may be because the ingredients are too busy. Unfortunately Sinner was so similar, I got the same impression as I did Saint. The only real difference I could find is that after smelling Sinner I had to sniff Saint again and noticed a bit more sweetness than Sinner.  The Saint 1.7 oz EDP spray is available here for $65.00, and the Sinner 1.7 oz EDP spray is available here for $65.00.

Tory Burch by Tory Burch - Elegant. Engaging. Effortless. The key notes are neroli, grapefruit, cassis, bergamot, peony, turberose, jasmine sambac, vetiver, and sandalwood. The first fragrance from Tory Burch captures classic elements in unexpected ways - feminine and tomboy, easy and polished. Florals blend with citrus notes, anchored by earthy vetiver - a bright and complex mix.

MY THOUGHTS: I love this. It is so pretty. The grapefruit/peony/sandalwood combination is a  delightful mishmash that I would not have expected to work so well together. First sniff I felt it was another immature scent but after a couple more times, it quickly grew on me. I give it an A. The 1.7 oz EDP spray is available here for $96.00.

IN CONCLUSION: I think Sephora did a great job curating these perfume sample cards. Besides the obvious (Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Kat Von D), no others are too similar. I thoroughly enjoyed preparing this post and trying all of the lovely fragrances. My favorites are Bright Crystal and surprisingly, L'eau Bleue and L'eau Rosée. The Miu Miu perfumes were just so unlike ANYTHING I've tried before. You just cannot say that about fragrances anymore. Everything has been done. I truly find it disarming.

I have a few other packs that are duplicates. I'm going to give them to some of my friends and see how they feel about these scents, and maybe they can contribute to the conversation in the comments below. If you're interested in getting a pack, comment below with your name and Twitter handle, then follow me on Twitter (@tazcaz_whocares), and I'll DM you to get your address. No charge! No shipping! I'll just send it cause you're nice and I like you. But I only have a few, so let me know as soon as possible to ensure you get one.