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.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this subscription box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of the Unisex Collection, $18 a month, box.
The Subscription Box: Olfactif
The Cost: $18 a month
The Products: Three 2.25 mL sample spray bottles from three fragrance artists from around the world.
Ships to: U.S.
Check out all of our Olfactif reviews and other great fragrance boxes in the Perfume Subscription Box Directory.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
This month’s theme was “Love.” Each Olfactif collection comes with a card detailing the month’s theme. This time, there was a little envelope with individual cards about the fragrances. This time, there were also little test strips for you to spray the fragrances on. This is useful (and way better than the ripped-up Post-It notes I was using before). And no, Angus did not lick anything. I just caught him with his tongue out.
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.
Earth Mother by Dame Perfumery
This was, by far, my favorite this month. My husband said it was floral. But he is not really into perfume, either. I think it is more complex than that. Olfactif lists the notes as galbanum, lemon, caramel, jasmine, lily of the valley, sage, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, and amber. Sandalwood, vanilla, musk, and amber, especially in combination with other non-floral notes, pretty much guarantee I will love a scent. Here, I find the florals blend in nicely but aren’t overpowering. This one is also affordable, by Olfactif standards (a 100 mL bottle is $85).
Pillow Talk by 4160 Tuesdays
This is one of those weird cases where I like the top notes but something goes wrong over time. This has yuzu, orange blossom, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, and black pepper. Based on the base notes, you’d think I would love this. I think maybe it is the ylang-ylang that isn’t working for me, since I seem not to be a fan of ylang-ylang in other fragrances, either. This is very sweet and has an almost bubble-gum like scent to it (I was really surprised not to see clove in the list of notes, honestly).
Emotional Rescue by Mark Buxton
Wow, I really did not like this one at all. (Funny, it is the most expensive one this month. Usually $$$ = my favorite.) This has neroli, violet leaves, gooseberry, orris, rose, cassis, vetiver, sandalwood, and fir balsam. Normally sandalwood and fir balsam are notes I love. But there was something overpowering and green/herbal here.
Verdict: This was an interesting month from Olfactif. Not everything was a hit but I do enjoy learning about new perfumeries and experiencing different scents that I’d otherwise never encounter. (There has been a little bit of overlap between samples Birchbox sends out and Olfactif in the past, but not a lot. Plus I don’t subscribe to Birchbox anymore.) Even finding one fragrance I love enough to buy again is a good deal for me (don’t forget you get a credit each month equal to the subscription cost to use on a full-size bottle), and I am learning more about what notes in fragrances I should take a chance on and which ones to avoid.
What do you think of the March 2017 Olfactif collection? What was your favorite fragrance this month?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.