Berries samples: what is on record

100 samples in our shop have berries in their recorded note list. This guide walks through 8 of them using only what is on record: names, concentrations, note lists and tags. We do not rank them, because the same perfume wears differently on every skin.

The selection

Bujairami Drip No 7

Bujairami Drip No 7 is filed as an Eau de Parfum from Bujairami; the note list on record reads Citrus Fruits, Marine Notes, Berries, Spices, Cedar, Amber and Musk. It is tagged citrus and gourmand. The listing names spring and summer as its season. Clothes hold a scent differently from skin, which makes a scarf or sleeve a useful second test.

Rayhaan Valhalla

Rayhaan Valhalla, an Eau de Parfum from Rayhaan, has Cognac, Raspberry, Liqueur, Bulgarian Rose, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss and others on record. Its family tags read floral, gourmand and woody. The listing names autumn and winter as its season. Pay attention to what is still there by the evening, since that is the part you live with longest.

Street Origins Singapore Proper

From Street Origins comes Street Origins Singapore Proper, a Parfum. On paper it lists Pepper, Raspberry, Bergamot, Smoke, Warm Spices, Red Apple and others. It is tagged fruity, oriental and woody. Season on record: autumn and winter. One wearing shows a mood, several wearings show the perfume.

Aroma Concepts Echelon Soleil

Aroma Concepts Echelon Soleil, an Eau de Parfum from Aroma Concepts, has Bergamot, Lemon, Black Currant, Violet, Jasmine, White Flowers and others on record. It is tagged citrus, floral and woody. Season on record: summer. Write down what you notice after a few minutes and again after lunch, and you will see how it moves.

Tiziana Terenzi Kirkè

With Tiziana Terenzi Kirkè, Tiziana Terenzi has an Extrait de Parfum for which Passion Fruit, Peaches, Raspberries, Cassis, Pears, Warm Sand and others are on record. Its family tags read fruity, floral and musky. Season on record: spring and autumn. Notes on a list are a map, and what you notice on your own skin is the territory.

Khadlaj Karus Gold Absolu

Khadlaj Karus Gold Absolu is filed as an Eau de Parfum from Khadlaj; the note list on record reads Candied Lemon, Blackcurrant, Bergamot, Praline, Magnolia, Violet and others. It is tagged citrus, floral and gourmand. The listing names autumn, spring and summer as its season. Wear it on more than one day before you make up your mind.

French Avenue Royal Blend Sequoia

French Avenue Royal Blend Sequoia is a Parfum by French Avenue. The notes on record are Raspberry, Cognac, Liquor, Rose, Moss, Praline and others. Its family tags read floral, gourmand and woody. Season on record: autumn and winter. The opening is the loudest part and the shortest, so let it pass before deciding.

Byredo Bal d'Afrique Absolu

Byredo Bal d'Afrique Absolu, a perfume from Byredo, has Bergamot, Black Amber, Blackcurrant, Lemon, Musks, Praline and others on record. Its family tags read woody, gourmand and citrus. For season the tags say autumn and winter. Your own nose gets used to a scent quickly, so ask someone near you what they notice.

Also in this selection: Maison Crivelli Hibiscus Mahajád, Stéphane Humbert Lucas Venom Incarnat, Bujairami Non Stop, Mind Games Mentor, Penhaligon's Juniper Sling, Sospiro Il Padrino, Stéphane Humbert Lucas Pink Boa, Les Eaux Primordiales Saffron Superfluide, Mykonos Marbella, Goldfield & Banks Rose Magnitude.

How to test them

Wear it on at least three different days before you decide. Try it once at home and once outdoors, since air and temperature change the impression. Spray it on the inside of your wrist or elbow and do not rub. Note what you think each time, and read your notes back at the end of the week.

Skin, weather and habit change how any perfume comes across, and a sample shows you your version of it. A sample earns its place when you reach for it again without planning to. A sample is the sensible first step: a perfume on paper and a perfume on skin are rarely the same thing.

Where to go next

• Berries samples
• all samples
• all brands
• sample sets
• find your scent
• how to store perfume samples
• decant, tester or sample
• how to test perfume on skin

Questions

Which sizes do the samples come in?

Every sample comes as 2, 5 or 10 ml in a glass spray vial. The smallest is enough for a first impression, the larger ones for many wearings.

How many samples should I try at once?

Two or three is a good number. Wear one per day, on clean skin, and write down what you notice in the morning and in the evening before you move to the next.

Why do some perfumes show no notes?

Because we only print notes we can trace to a source. Where no note list is on record, the page says so and leaves the judging to your own skin.