Category: Giveaways

National Fragrance Day Giveaway

~ Ari ~ 1 Comment
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Photo credit: Catherine Romatowski!

It’s National Fragrance Day, and we at Arielle Shoshana are nothing if not observant of this great nation’s holidays! So we’re celebrating this worthy occasion with a fragrant giveaway. We’ve got a full bottle of the wonderful Lubin Gin Fizz for 1 grand prize winner, and L’Artisan Parfumeur The Perfume Box sample sets for 3 runner-ups!

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Photo credit: Catherine Romatowski!

To enter the giveaway, please join the Arielle Shoshana mailing list. If you’ve already signed up, you’re already in the running! If you’re not already signed up, just scroll down to the bottom of the Arielle Shoshana website, type your email address into the bar, and click the purple “Sign Up” button.

We’ll choose the winners by random raffle using random.org on Friday at noon. The giveaway is only open to U.S.-based entries. I can’t apologize enough to those of you outside of the U.S., but we are currently unable to ship internationally due to USPS restrictions on perfume.

Disclaimers: Email addresses provided to our mailing list are used to send you information about store events or new product launches ONLY. We do not use your email address for any other purpose. We do not provide your email address to any other parties. I do not know how to do anything illegal or unethical with your email addresses. 

Chanel Misia Review and Giveaway

~ Ari ~ 27 Comments

My all-time best vintage perfume find was a bottle of Guerlain Meteorites for $60 at a mall kiosk. It really was the exact scent of the Meteorites pearls- violet, rose, and cosmetics powder. It was so close to perfect, but in the end, it was just the tiniest bit too retro, too period-piece.

Chanel Misia, with its excruciatingly pretty violet-rose scent, is the fresher, brighter, modernized Meteorites that I’ve been hoping for. It manages to evoke the pleasurable glamour of old-fashioned cosmetics and fluffy Caron powder puffs without actually smelling like powder. Misia is defined by its delicate, candied violet note. It’s as girly as a Pinterest board filled with ballet slippers and pastel macarons.

When I read that the perfumer was Olivier Polge, I thought about the resemblance to his Balenciaga Paris. Paris is much thinner and less sweet than Misia, a starched white shirt to Misia’s swirly skirts. Many Misia reviews are comparing it to Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose, but they’re completely different in tone: if Misia is a wisp of light pink, Lipstick Rose is a streak of vibrant fuchsia. As a longtime Lipstick Rose lover, I adore (and need!) both.

I was so smitten with Misia that I bought a small bottle on the spot last week, which never, ever happens. The generous Chanel SA also included an adorable 4 ml deluxe sample, which I would be happy to pass on to you. If you would like to enter to win the Misia sample, please leave a comment telling us your favorite Chanel Les Exclusif fragrance. This giveaway is open to both U.S. and international commenters. The giveaway will be open until noon on Friday, April 3rd. Good luck!

By Kilian Giveaway Winner

~ Ari ~ 1 Comment

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The winner of the By Kilian Addictive State giveaway, as selected by the random.org list randomizer, is Lyubov! Congratulations, Lyubov! Please email me at scentsofself at gmail dot com so that I can send you your prize. Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway!

By Kilian Addictive State of Mind Review and Giveaway

~ Ari ~ 20 Comments

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Finally, y’all. After a few too many rounds of uninspiring releases from By Kilian (ahem, Asian Tales), the new Addictive State of Mind collection is a stronger, less commercial effort. I think the concept of perfumes based on addictive substances has a lot of potential; I can’t be the only one salivating at the prospect of a Kilian chocolate scent. The first three fragrances in the series, Intoxicated, Light My Fire, and Smoke for the Soul, focus on the vices of coffee, tobacco, and marijuana. Sadly unrepresented is the most potent intoxicant of all, Kilian himself. “Skinny Robert Downey Jr.!” I hissed at my Sniffapalooza seat mates.

Intoxicated is extremely sweet, with more cardamom and less coffee than I was hoping for. There’s a strong resemblance to Thierry Mugler A*Men and the dearly departed Rochas Man. I still prefer Bond No. 9 New Haarlem for my coffee fix, but I think Intoxicated will easily be the most popular of these first three.

Light My Fire is a dry tobacco fragrance, more masculine and easygoing than the voluptuous, honey-drenched Kilian Back to Black. Unlike most tobacco fragrances, the emphasis is on tobacco itself rather than the accompanying vanilla and spices. My personal favorite, although I’m not sure I would pay Kilian prices for it.

Smoke for the Soul combines a hilariously unsubtle cannabis note with harsh, billowing birch tar smokiness. Probably the most interesting and the least wearable of the trio. Curiously, even though Smoke for the Soul has a much stronger smell than the other two fragrances, it has the weakest staying power. Not a particularly lasting high.

I have an extra Addictive State of Mind sample set from Sniffapalooza, and I’d love to share it with you! If you’d like to enter the giveaway, please leave a comment telling us your favorite, non-depressing addiction. Perfume counts, of course. I will close the giveaway at noon on Friday, October 17th. This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers. Good luck!

Atelier Cologne Rendez-Vous: Review and Giveaway!

~ Ari ~ 34 Comments
Image courtesy of Ca Fleure Bon.
Image courtesy of Ca Fleure Bon.

The good: Rendez-Vous is stunning. A joyful burst of bright, juicy apricot and the softest leather. I’ve smelled vintage Iris Gris twice, from The Non-Blonde‘s precious vintage bottle. It was the most beautiful perfume I’ve ever smelled. Rendez-Vous instantly reminded me of Iris Gris and its famous peach note, made a touch fruitier for modern tastes. Rendez-Vous has great presence and good lasting power. This is the best new release of the year, no question.

The bad: Rendez-Vous is exclusive to Neiman Marcus and Atelier Cologne boutiques. Worse, it’s currently only available in a THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLAR set containing a 200 ml and a 30 ml bottle. This distribution strategy is particularly bizarre coming from Atelier Cologne, which has always been celebrated for offering perfumista-friendly 30 ml bottles. A somewhat sneaky solution is to request Rendez-Vous as the complimentary 30 ml bottle that Atelier Cologne provides with the purchase of any 200 ml bottle, but I really hope that we’ll eventually be able to buy the 30 ml separately.

The giveaway: I have an extra sample of Rendez-Vous for you! If you’d like to enter the giveaway, please leave a comment telling us your favorite Atelier Cologne fragrance (or the one you’d most like to try, if you’re unfamiliar with the line). This giveaway is open to U.S. and international readers. I’ll close the giveaway at 12 AM this Friday, and announce the winner later in the day.