I'll cut to the chase: I'm a big fan of Scent Trunk. This should come as no surprise to anyone who's read my dozens of indie fragrance reviews, but for folks who are new around here, I'll say this: If you like indie fragrance, you should really check them out. What's in a Scent Trunk, you might be wondering? Well I'm about to show you!
First, the basics. Scent Trunk is a subscription service designed to help folks test out new niche fragrances. Here's what you need to know to get started:
- Scent Trunk is based in Canada. Their subscription box costs $18 per month, which includes shipping to both Canada and the United States. They have a men's box and a women's box. Use coupon code pretty40 for 40% off your first box (expires August 2nd, 2015).
- Each shipment contains three different fragrance samples, tailored to the preferences you indicate in their scent profile signup survey. They also have an online shop should you want to snag a full-sized bottle of something!
- Scent Trunk specializes in niche and indie fragrances, which is great for folks who want to discover something beyond the usual department store brands.
I filled out the scent preference questionnaire before receiving my box this time, and my preferences were listed as such (from greatest to least):
- Floral: Pure and flowery or soft and powdery
- Fresh: Citrus, aromatics, aquatics, fruits, and greens
- Oriental: Warm and spicy
- Woods: Nutty and leathery
Based on my own perception of which scents I usually like, I'd say that's fairly accurate. I actually like scents in all four of those categories, but I'm often drawn to florals and aquatic scents, so... yeah. That said I also indicated on my profile that I'd be willing to be adventurous with my scents, so I had no idea what I would actually end up getting! Well until now, anyway.
Earth by Roberta Andrade EDP ($55):
A green, earthy fragrance with a hint of woodsiness. Dries down to a softer, slightly powdery floral scent. Info card:
This is an interesting scent in that it doesn't smell as incense-y as some other fragrances with patchouli as a featured note. Less head shop, more well-rounded fragrance. That said, I'm not sure it's exactly my style... I would like it a bit better if it was less grassy and more floral. Scent Trunk was definitely on the right track by choosing this one for my box though!
Reflection Woman by Amouage EDP ($260):
A light, green floral. Info card:
This scent is very fresh and pleasant. Reminiscent of traipsing through the botanic gardens. This was another "on the right track but not exactly right" scent for me... again, a bit too green. I wonder if maybe Scent Trunk should separate their "fresh" profile category into different subcategories? I like fruity scents more than greens, if that makes sense.
Violet Disguise by Imaginary Authors ($85):
A fruity, resiny scent. Info card:
Based on the notes listed I thought this one would be the winner for me, but unfortunately it turned sort of musty and sour-smelling on my skin. That's the thing about perfume... you never really know which ones are going to react weirdly to your body chemistry. Hence the need for samples!
Overall impressions:
None of the scents I tried this time knocked it out of the park for me, but I think Scent Trunk was definitely on the right track with what they sent me. I do think their profiling process might be a bit more effective if they split up aquatic/green and fruit/citrus into two separate categories, because personally I wouldn't lump all of those things together. I'm certainly not an expert on fragrance
In any case, Scent Trunk still stands out to me as one of the more well-considered fragrance subscriptions out there. They seem to have a high attention to detail (in case you couldn't tell by the individual info cards). They even threw some tester strips in the box this time:
It's the little things, people.
Does Scent Trunk sound like it might be your kind of thing? If so, you can get 40% off your first month—just use coupon code pretty40 at checkout (expires August 2nd, 2015).
What do you think of the fragrances I got in this Scent Trunk box? If you filled out their scent profile, were you surprised by the results?
Disclosure: The box featured in this post was provided to me by Scent Trunk for review, however any opinions expressed above are honest and my own. I did not receive any other form of compensation. Some or all of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will earn a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on them. For more information, check out my full disclosure policy.
Even though the perfumes you got this month were misses, I agree--it seems like Scent Trunk does a really good job of trying to pick scents based on your profile. I think I'm going to have to give them a try with that coupon code!
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it! They weren't too far off with their choices for me this time - I actually liked the first two pretty well, just not enough to run out and grab a bottle. Close but not quite.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review! Don't forget, you can always update your scent profile and adjust the sliders at any time. We're working on adding sub-categories in the future! If you have a perfume that you love you can also add it in your My Account. This helps us find you a better scent next. Rating and reviewing also helps us pick out better scents. Rating and reviewing also give you points to redeem on bottles. We're testing this new feature out with current customers! - Jolisa, Scent Trunk
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a cool concept. I like the scent cards that give you more info on the perfume. I don't even really know WHAT types of scents I like because I never know WHAT exactly im smelling just that it smells good lol. From Viva La Juicy AND VLJ Noir to Rihanna Reb'l Fleur and Rihanna Nude to Philosopy Fresh Cream. Not sure if those are all in the same categories scent wise. You seem to def know what you like which makes this easy!
ReplyDeleteThe scent profile questionnaire asks you a bunch of questions like "Which of these things do you prefer?" so if you don't really know what kind of scents you like, it will automatically generate a profile for you. Pretty cool if you're not sure how to categorize what you like!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jolisa! Glad to hear you're doing a points system, that's one feature I really love about subscriptions like Birchbox. :)
ReplyDelete