Trying Out Perfume Samples

Updated on December 22nd, 2023

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and I thought what better way to celebrate than by trying out the various perfume samples I have received.

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I am picky regarding perfume because most scents are too strong and can give me headaches. Before reviewing the perfume samples, I want to compare the ARI by Ariana Grande perfume, which is one of my favorite perfumes.

ARI by Ariana Grande

I have previously briefly reviewed the ARI perfume. ARI is a perfume with a fruity and floral scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes crispy pear, pink grapefruit, and juicy raspberry
• Middle Notes soft muguet, rose buds, and vanilla orchid
• Base Notes marshmallow, creamy musk, and blonde woods

The perfume was easy to apply to my wrists, hair, and clothes. I loved the sweet scent, and I did not find it overpowering. The perfume also lasts all day, and Ariana Grande is cruelty-free.

$45 for 1 oz at Ulta

Rate: 10/10

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Now for the samples!

Calvin Klein Ck2

Ck2 is a unisex perfume with an urban woody fresh scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes wasabi, green spices, mandarin, and violet leaf absolute
• Middle Notes wet stones, orris absolute, and rose absolute
• Base Notes sandalwood, incense, and vetiver

I like the spray top because it is easy to apply wherever I want, including on my hair. However, I do not like the scent because it is too masculine, which makes sense since it is unisex. The perfume lasts most of the day before fading, but Calvin Klein is not cruelty-free.

CK2 is no longer available, but CK Everyone is available at Ulta for $58 for 1.6 oz, which has a similar woody scent with a citrus hint.

Rate: 5/10

Clean Cashmere

Cashmere is a unisex perfume that smells like cashmere with its woody, floral, and musk scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes cedar leaf, bergamot, and lime
• Middle Notes mimosa, jasmine, and guaiacwood
• Dry Notes heliotrope, tonka bean, and musk

I do not like the stopper top because I find it more difficult to use, and the perfume was very strong when I applied it to my wrists. However, when the perfume dried, it was less overpowering, but it is still my least favorite out of the 3 Clean perfumes because it is too musky. The perfume lasts all day, though, and Clean is cruelty-free.

Clean Cashmere is no longer available. However, there is Clean Amber Cashmere, which is a warm and graceful scent.

Rate: 4/10

Clean Lovegrass

I received this perfume in my March 2017 GoodieBox. Lovegrass is a unisex scent that smells like fresh-cut grass with its floral and woody scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes lemon blossom, clementine, cedrat, and black pepper
• Middle Notes orris, orange blossom, and eglantine petals
• Base Notes blonde woods, amber woods (orcanox), skin musks, patchouli, and labdanum

I like the roll-on because it is easy to apply to my wrists. I also liked the scent, but this is my second favorite of the 3 Clean scents. The perfume also lasts all day or night, and Clean is cruelty-free.

Clean Lovegrass is no longer available, but it may be available online

Rate: 8/10

Clean Rain

I received this perfume in my August 2016 GoodieBox. Rain is a perfume for women and smells like rainfall with its aquatic floral scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes dewy melon, daffodil, and watermint
• Middle Notes spring daisy, water lily, and violet leaves
• Base Notes fluid musks and sleek woods

Like with the Clean Lovegrass perfume, I like the roll-on because it is easy to apply and bring in a bag. Of the 3 Clean perfumes, Rain is my favorite scent because it is more feminine, unlike Cashmere and Lovegrass, which are unisex scents. The perfume also lasts all day, and Clean is cruelty-free.

$44 for 1 oz at Ulta

Rate: 9/10

Escada Joyful

This perfume is for women, and it smells like a bouquet of flowers with its bright floral scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes blackcurrant sorbet, melon, and mandarin
• Middle Notes pink peony, magnolia, nectarine, and violet leaf
• Base Notes honey comb and sandalwood

Again, I do not like the stopper top because it is difficult to apply, and even when the scent dried down, it was still too strong for me. The scent also lasts only 5 hours, and Escada is not cruelty-free.

Escada Joyful is no longer available in stores, but it may be available online

Rate: 1/10

Marc Jacobs Decadence

Decadence is a perfume for women with a woody scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes Italian plum, iris flower, and saffron
• Middle Notes Bulgarian rose, jasmine sambac, and orris
• Base Notes vetiver, papyrus woods, and liquid amber

Like with the Calvin Klein Ck2 perfume, I like the spray top because it is easy to use. However, I do not like the scent because it is too masculine with the woody scent, even though this perfume is meant for women. The perfume lasts most of the day, but Marc Jacobs Fragrances is not cruelty-free. On a side note, Marc Jacobs Beauty is cruelty-free as the beauty and fragrance brands are separate.

Marc Jacobs Decadence is no longer available, but it may be available online

Rate: 4/10

Mugler Angel Muse

I received this perfume in the Ulta Beauty Bag from my Ulta Haul + Christmas Presents post. Angel Muse is a perfume for women with a sweet and sensual scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes grapefruit and pink peppercorn
• Middle Notes hazelnut cream
• Base Notes vetiver and patchouli

Like the other perfumes with a spray top, it is easy to use. However, the perfume was bordering too strong when I first applied it, but it smelled a little better when it dried down, but I still do not care for the scent. The perfume lasts only about 5 hours, and Mugler is not cruelty-free.

$70 for 1 oz at Mugler

Rate: 3/10

Philosophy Amazing Grace Ballet Rose

This is another perfume I received in my Ulta Beauty Bag from my Ulta Haul + Christmas Presents post. Amazing Grace Ballet Rose is a perfume for women that smells like rose petals. The notes include:

• Top Notes sparkling lychee
• Middle Notes delicate rose and peony
• Base Notes woods and sheer ballet pink musk

Like with the Escada Joyful and Clean Cashmere perfumes, I do not like the stopper top because it is difficult to apply and the perfume is overpowering when I first apply it. When the perfume dries down, it has a decent floral scent, but it reminded me of a scent older women would wear. However, the scent does last most of the day, but Philosophy is not cruelty-free.

$74 for 2 oz at Ulta

Rate: 5/10

Ralph Lauren Woman

Woman is the last perfume I received in the Ulta Beauty Bag from my Ulta Haul + Christmas Presents post. Woman is a perfume for fearless yet feminine women with its floral and woody scent. The notes include:

• Top Notes pear, rhubarb, and blackcurrant
• Middle Notes tuberose, orange flower, and Turkish rose
• Base Notes sandalwood, hazelnut, and vibrant woods

I like the spray top because I can easily apply it to my wrists, hair, and clothes, but the scent is so strong that even when it dried down, it gave me a headache and made me feel sick. The perfume did last most of the day, even after I tried to remove it, but Ralph Lauren is not cruelty-free.

Woman is no longer available. However, the Ralph Lauren Romance perfume has a similar feminine scent and is $63 for 1 oz.

Rate: 0/10

Versace Eros

Eros is a perfume for passionate women with its floral, woody fragrance. There is also a cologne with the same name, and the notes for the perfume include:

• Top Notes Sicilian lemon, mandarin, raspberry sorbet, and white currant
• Middle Notes freesia, magnolia, jasmine petals, and orange blossom
• Base Notes sensual woods, white patchouli, and musk

Like all the other perfumes with a spray top, this one is very easy to use. I liked the floral scent, and Eros is one of my favorite perfumes I tried. The scent also lasted all day, but Versace is not cruelty-free.

$99 for 1.7 oz at Ulta

Rate: 8/10

Overall, I liked the Clean perfumes the most because Rain and Lovegrass were good scents, and Clean is cruelty-free. However, most other perfumes were either too strong or masculine, and none of the other companies were cruelty-free.

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What is your favorite perfume?