Niche perfume samples with tonka bean

Tonka bean is on record for 59 of the niche perfume samples. This guide walks through 8 of them using only what is on record: names, concentrations, note lists and tags. Read it as a map, not as a top list.

The selection

Tiziana Terenzi Andromeda

Tiziana Terenzi Andromeda is an Extrait de Parfum by Tiziana Terenzi. The notes on record are Bergamot, Cut Grass, Ylang Ylang, Water Jasmine, Lilum, Violet Leaves and others. The scent families on record: floral, gourmand and fresh. The listing names spring and autumn as its season. Write down what you notice after a few minutes and again after lunch, and you will see how it moves.

Fascent Corn Star

Fascent Corn Star is filed as an Eau de Parfum from Fascent; the note list on record reads Love pear, Coconut water, Angelica extract, Popcorn, Sesame SFE, Musky marshmallow and others. By family it is filed as gourmand, fruity and musky. For season the tags say spring and summer. Smell it right after applying and again later in the day, because the first minutes rarely tell the whole story.

Sarah Baker Jungle Jezebel

With Sarah Baker Jungle Jezebel, Sarah Baker has an Extrait de Parfum for which Banana, Peach, Bubblegum, Grape, Tuberose, Ylang-ylang and others are on record. It is tagged floral, fruity and oriental. For season the tags say spring and summer. Notes on a list are a map, and what you notice on your own skin is the territory.

Mind Games Mentor

Mind Games Mentor, an Extrait de Parfum from Mind Games, has Salted Caramel, Italian Lemon, Dark Plum, Amber Coffee, Crème de Cassis, Boya Oud and others on record. The scent families on record: gourmand, amber and woody. The listing names autumn and winter as its season. Warm skin and cool skin can bring out different sides, so try both if you can.

Stéphane Humbert Lucas Venom Incarnat

Stéphane Humbert Lucas Venom Incarnat is filed as an Eau de Parfum from Stéphane Humbert Lucas; the note list on record reads Blackberry, Strawberry, Wild strawberry, Caramel, Raspberry, Virginia Cedar and others. Its family tags read gourmand, fruity and leather. For season the tags say autumn and winter. Clothes hold a scent differently from skin, which makes a scarf or sleeve a useful second test.

Nishane Fan Your Flames

From Nishane comes Nishane Fan Your Flames, an Extrait de Parfum. On paper it lists Coconut, Rum, Tobacco, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss and Chinese Cedarwood. Its family tags read gourmand and woody. For season the tags say autumn and winter. One wearing shows a mood, several wearings show the perfume.

Argos Fall of Phaeton

Argos Fall of Phaeton by Argos is an Eau de Parfum with these recorded notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Cardamom, Pink Peppercorn, Ginger, Labdanum and others. By family it is filed as spicy, woody, leather and oriental. Season on record: autumn and winter. Do not judge it next to other perfumes on the same arm, as they blur each other.

Essential Parfums Nice Bergamote

Essential Parfums Nice Bergamote, an Eau de Parfum from Essential Parfums, has Calabrian bergamot, Rose petals, Jasmine, Ylang-ylang (Comoros), Cedarwood and Tonka bean (Venezuela) on record. It is tagged citrus, floral and woody. For season the tags say spring and summer. The opening is the loudest part and the shortest, so let it pass before deciding.

Also in this selection: Sospiro Vibrato, Frederic Malle Iris Poudre, Ex Nihilo Spiky Muse, Le Labo Tonka 25, Jo Malone London Scarlet Poppy, Penhaligon's The Tragedy of Lord George, Zoologist Bee, Lorenzo Pazzaglia Cherry Ink, Maison Crivelli Oud Stallion, Jo Milano Paris Game of Spades No Limit.

How to test them

Test it on skin and not only on paper. Use it the way you would use a full bottle, on a normal day. Note what you think each time, and read your notes back at the end of the week. Ask someone you trust what they notice, because your own nose adapts quickly.

Start with 2, 5 or 10 ml and give it a few days, so that the first impression is not the only one. Two or three samples at a time is plenty; more than that and the impressions blur. 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

• Tonka bean samples
• Niche samples
• all samples
• all brands
• find your scent
• frequently asked questions
• how to use a sample vial
• how to test perfume on skin
• how to store perfume samples

Questions

How were these samples chosen?

By the tags and note lists on record for each perfume. Nothing was added from memory, the order is not a ranking, and perfumes without recorded notes are described without notes.

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.