How can you smell boujee on a budget is a question that’s more pressing now than ever, given the time of year and the fact we’re all watching our purses a little more. But you CAN still smell amazing, and try lots of luxury niche scents for less – it’s all about being clever and sampling before you save up and splash out, we find…
Cultivating a love for niche fragrances is a thrilling exploration of what those independent houses are creating – a bit like the catwalk shows in fashion, often showcasing exciting new trends years ahead of the mainstream. But, as many of us know all too well, it can become somewhat injurious to one’s wallet if you want to try several all at once (and we always, always do!)
The joy of a luxury Discovery Set is the chance to indulge in the fragrances of ultra-luxe niche and designer houses, often giving you the opportunity to try the entire collection of a particular perfume house. Or, perhaps, allowing the luxury of sampling the scented wares from cult brands you’ve not heard of, or not everyone knows about yet. And, of course, not everyone happens to live near a niche perfumery (or feels brave enough to go in, even if you do).
Very few of us could go out and purchase full-size bottles of every brand we want to try – with these luxury sets, you can afford to wear every single one!
Manos Gerakinis Discovery Set £35
Inspired by childhood memories of Kavala, Greece, embracing his family’s heritage in Istanbul, and the intertwining of art, history, and philosophy; Manos Gerakinis is the first niche luxury Greek perfume house, and the fragrances truly radiate the diversity and passion of their founder.
Discover the full Mano Gerakinis Parfums story here
Quintessence – A refined woody ambrée fragrance, with top notes of saffron, clove and black pepper.
Sillage Royal – Manos Gerakinis’s first fragrance, which was originally created for himself a woody ambrée fragrance with top notes of smoke , cardamon, saffron and curcuma.
Rose Poetique – A soft woody ambrée fragrance combining damask Rose and labdanum to create a floral ambrée scent with an addictive opening and an uplifting body.
Pivoine – A soft floral fragrance, with a heart note of peony taken after the name Paeon, the physician of Greek gods who angered Asclepius with top notes of red apple.
Immortelle – Immortelle is a yellow flower found in Greek nature and its story dates back to the Trojan war, with top notes of clove and cinnamon.
Omen – Omen is a fruity-spicy-ambrée fragrance that is sweet and juicy, deep yet fun.
Maya Njie Discovery Set £34
Born in Västerås Sweden, with a West African heritage, and moving to London in her teens where she went in to study at the University of the Arts, Maya Njie experiments with smell along with colour and photography. The box also holds a beautiful booklet containing the 6 photos that inspired these scents.
Read more about Maya’s incredible artistic journey here
Nordic Cedar – inspired by a Swedish forest of cedars with earthy patchouli
Vanilj – comforting vanilla, spiced with cardamom and swirled in musk
Tobak – honeyed tobacco leaf, musks and leather, so addictive
Les Fleurs – bergamot, magnolia and fig, a celebration of life, love and creation
Tropica – tropical fruits layered with sandalwood and coconut for an idyllic escape
Voyeur Verde – verdant cypress trees entwined through leather seats of an abandoned car
Prosody London Cologne Collection £32
Perfumer and founder Keshen Teo worked tirelessly to ensure his 100% natural scents have an aesthetic quality as well as the ethical purity they strive for. As he explains: ‘The intrinsic complexity of naturals means you have to work hard to keep things well structured and balanced’, to ensure that the fragrances delight the nose and beguile the emotions from first sniff. ‘I like the challenge of this’.
Discover the full Prosody London story here
A Capella Ray – a chorus of desire
Bebop Allure – divine revolution fills the air: a scent to conquer empires
Berry Blitz – sublime and bewitching
Moiré Mimosa – defined by magic and mystery
Ocean Commotion – seriously stirring
Pizzicato Bliss – boundless optimism and energy
And that’s not all, as we’ve lots more luxury and niche fragrance discovery sets and sample packs to tempt you with on our dedicated Brand Boxes page, here!
