Review of perfume samples from eBay pot luck – part 4

Graciously, the FeelUnique Pick and Mix sample deal is back! I had been missing it a lot, and in lieu of it, I'd bought a pot luck of assorted perfume samples from eBay. As my previous reviews (un et duex et trois) attest to, the collection had been decidedly unlucky.

Fortunately, now that FeelUnique is letting me order samples again, I needn't venture to the eBay samples any more, and thus, part 4 of reviewing them will be the final instalment.

Red Door by Elizabeth Arden

A potent white floral fragrance featuring rose, orange blossom, tuberose, jasmine, lily, freesia, and musk, Red Door smells heavy on impact. The product has serious longevity as well, as the smell lasts all day.

Such intensity would be welcomed if Red Door was any good, but unfortunately, I really disliked it. It had a very noticeably soapy smell, and the combination of all the flowers with the musk gave it a distinctively mature smell, which aged me by about 20 years. 

Rose is used in the top and the middle notes. Usually, I'm a big fan of roses in perfumes. But the chemical reaction between rose and all the other components, or perhaps the strain of rose used, just smelt artificial. As with Moschino Toy 2, Red Door made me feel nauseous, with the linger giving me a headache. 

I think Elizabeth Arden skincare products are brilliant, but sadly, this perfume left a lot to be desired. 

3/10. 

Sira des Indes Jean Patou for women

The perfumer who concocted Sira des Indes was going for an exotic smell when crafting this. With ingredients that don't often feature in perfumes, such as banana, cardamom and pink pepper, it's certainly unusual. 

However, as with Oriental Pearl Shanghai Tang for women, in trying too hard to create that 'exotic' fragrance, they sprinkled far too much amber into the formula, meaning the finished product is too heavy to appreciate the other notes. 

Pity, as I think using banana in perfumes is a promising idea, and mixed with the right ingredients, could be a unique delight. This just isn't it.

4/10. 

Puma I'm Going for Women 

As I mentioned before when reviewing the Cosmopolitan EDP, I'm always a bit wary when brands that specialise in things other than beauty dabble in making fragrances. Sports brands making perfumes, in particular, makes me raise an eyebrow, because the essence that sports brands go for, of power, efficiency and drive, is quite at odds with the image that perfumes project of dainty femininity and flowers. 

So I wasn't surprised that I'm Going was a jarring, almost unwearable mess. Its dominant note was pineapple, which can be a welcome addition to fragrances that are aiming for a fruity smell that's a bit different. But the placement of pineapple in the formula of I'm Going completely lacked nuance, and was just carelessly tossed in. On the skin, this formula lacks elegance and finesse.

The whole scent has an undeniably synthetic smell to it, which is reminiscent of shower gels. Methinks Puma should stick to the sports gear; perfumes are not their forte. 

3/10. 

Capri Adrienne Vittadini for women 

This fragrance had a strong citrus note, with some mossy floral notes blended in. It was certainly evocative of being by the seaside and the sound of the waves lapping against rocks, so in that sense, the advertising department earnt their keep. 

The zestiness of the lemons made a statement, giving an uncomplicated, direct smell which I think would best suit my mood and attire during the summer. But Capri Adrienne Vittadini lacked a star ingredient that made me step back and go 'wow!'. As such, it's a middle-of-the-round, inoffensive fragrance, much like most of the ones that I've gotten in the eBay haul. 

5/10. 

Hang Ten for Her by Hang Ten

The Hang Ten perfume aims for a laid-back, chilled vibe (think of the kind of scent you'd wear on the beach in California). Perhaps this relaxed attitude was also adopted in the construction of the perfume, which I unfortunately found it to be sophomoric.

Fruity ingredients had been blithely dolloped into the formula and the end product is too strongly alcoholic and lacks refinement. The way the components blend and interact with each other have clearly not be considered, because the end product is a genderless smell, despite claiming to be feminine. Another dud. 

4/10. 

As these five perfume reviews show, bulk-buying a bunch of perfumes (the brands of which are at the seller's discretion) is very much not the answer, because you will just get the leftovers. 

Fortunately, FeelUnique is back, and my reviews of the samples I bought from them will also be returning. At least now, if a perfume sample wasn't to my taste, I was the one who chose it!