Olfactif is a monthly perfume sampling subscription. Every month, you’ll receive a curated collection of three niche fragrances (2.25 mL for most, occasionally 1.75 mL) by perfume artists from around the world. You will also receive an $18 credit towards a full-sized purchase of one of the month’s featured fragrances.
Olfactif offers a unisex collection and recently began offering a men’s collection as well. This is a review of the unisex collection.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this subscription box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Olfactif
The Cost: $18
COUPON: Receive 15% off your first collection by joining their mailing list (it was a pop-up when I went to the site).
The Products: Three 2.25 mL sample spray bottles from three fragrance artists from around the world.
Ships to: US
Check out all of our Olfactif reviews and other great fragrance boxes in the Perfume Subscription Box Directory.
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Each Olfactif collection comes with a card offering instructions on how to try out the fragrances.
It’s important to note that fragrances may smell different when you wear them than when you spray them on a card or piece of paper. They may also smell different on different people due to individual body chemistries.
Also, the fragrances develop and change over time, with different notes becoming prominent. “Top” notes form your initial impression but evaporate within a few minutes, so you may still love a fragrance even if you are not fond of the top notes. “Middle” or “heart” notes emerge after you’ve been wearing the fragrance for a few minutes up to an hour. “Base” notes are large, heavy molecules that persist for a long time. They are often richer than the top or middle notes, although they may contribute to how you perceive the top and middle notes due to their interactions with the other fragrance components.
The collection also included an information card about this month’s theme and the notes in the individual fragrances that were sent. This month’s theme was “Spring Day.”
Each Olfactif collection comes in a custom black case. This month’s theme was “Day to Night.”
Summer by Dasein – Over the past few months we’ve tried the other three seasonal fragrances by Dasein. I loved “Autumn” (but the cinnamon oil in it turned my skin red for a bit – it’s a known irritant) and “Winter” is one of my top 3 or 4 ever received from Olfactif. Notes in this one include cilantro, grapefruit, jasmine, orange blossom, and grass. This is definitely a very green fragrance – the grass predominates and the cilantro is noticeable at different times. Unfortunately, I don’t really care for the scent of cilantro so this one is not for me. But, I am happy to have been able to have tried all four.
Geisha Vanilla Hinoki by Aroma M – This is, hands down, my favorite for the month. Notes include bergamot, hinoki (a type of Japanese cypress), lavender, patchouli, amyris, and cedarwood. I actually predicted I would like this one from reading the card, before I even sprayed any out. I love spicy, woody sorts of scents. Amyris has been compared to sandalwood and I sort of get that vibe here, but it’s different in a way, lighter. Anyway, I'm a big fan of this one!
The Red by The Sum – This is a close second for me this month. Notes include fire, saffron, sandalwood, amber, and sterling silver. I think it’s the sandalwood and amber I’m noticing and enjoying here, but I’m not sure what “sterling silver” is supposed to smell like…
Verdict: This was a pretty good month for me from Olfactif. I was not overly enthusiastic about all the florals we’ve been getting during the spring, but I loved two of the three from this month. (I typically think of myself as more of a fall/winter fragrance sort of person.) It is fun to try out scents that I’ve never heard of and likely wouldn’t encounter as freebies from Ulta or Sephora, and subscribers also get an $18 coupon towards the cost of a full size bottle in the shop (can be used on one of the fragrances sampled that month). Anyway, I’ve had a lot of fun with this subscription.
What do you think of the July 2016 Olfactif collection? What was your favorite fragrance this month?
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