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Sephora Favorites: Scent the Look Mini Perfume Review – February 2020

Megan K.
ByMegan K.Feb 18, 2020 | 14 comments

Sephora Scent the Look Wardrobe January 2020 perfume sampler review

Sephora has a few perfume samplers and if you are looking for a new fragrance, these are no-brainers! Curious as to how they work? Read on!

This review is for the Sephora Favorites Scent the Look Mini Perfume Sampler Set!

FYI – this is still available for purchase!

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

About this Fragrance Collection

The Box: Sephora Favorites Scent the Look Mini Perfume Sampler Set

The Cost: $75.00

The Products: 5 coffret perfume samples and a mini size bestselling Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain. This set also includes a certificate to redeem a full-size perfume of your choice!

Shipping: Free!

Good to Know: The scent certificate can only be redeemed in-store at Sephora (not a Sephora inside JCPenney)

Sephora Favorites Scent the Look Mini Perfume Sampler Set

 

Here is the info sheet for the perfumes included. On the other side is the information you need to redeem for your rollerball or travel spray, so make sure to keep this safe!

 

Clean Reserve Solar Bloom Eau de Parfum, 0.10 oz - Certificate redeems for a 3.4 fl oz bottle worth $98.00

Vibe: Hot girl summer. Warm sunshine and woods with white flowers and a hint of tropical citrus and coconut. Smells like sun on skin.

Against all odds, I really like this scent. It opens up with sharp citrus that is quickly mellowed by a creamy - and very natural - coconut. There are loads of white flowers in the middle (my nose caught freesia and wee bit of jasmine). I think what makes this scent work for me is the base of woodiness and vetiver, along with some patchouli. On paper, the coconut notes should make this a non-starter for me, but somehow they work with the rest of the ingredients to come together and honestly smell like warm, clean summer skin. I could see this reading as super tropical to many, but my beach-related memories lean much more towards my former home in New England, and I think this perfume somehow touches on those summers too.

 

Dolce&Gabbana Dolce Eau de Parfum, 0.16 fl oz - Certificate redeems for a 1 fl oz bottle worth $76.00

Vibe: Super polished, ultra-feminine, airy. Sexy, but light. White flowers, lilies, spring, air, musk, and water. 

This fragrance reminds me of my mother, but not in a mature way. My mom doesn't wear lots of perfumes but she does have a few little vintage coffrets she has always kept on her vanity and I remember carefully opening them as a child and smelling them over and over. Who knows, maybe that is where my perfume obsession started? Something about this reminds me a little of White Shoulders, which was one of the perfumes she had, but I know factually these perfumes are wildly different. Memories attach in odd ways though! This perfume smells very crisp and floral, with a musky base that borders on creamy but stays light. This is the sort of scent I would be crazy about on another person, but I am not sure it is for me. Regardless, if you are on the hunt for a very good choice for spring, this is absolutely worth sampling at Sephora. And, um, how gorgeous is the bottle??

 

Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gioia Eau de Parfum, 0.17 oz - Certificate redeems for a 1.7 fl oz bottle worth $74.00

Vibe: Summertime fancy garden parties with mint juleps aplenty. Fresh air and green grass. A blanket under a lemon tree near the coast. 

I had an ex-bf who religiously wore Acqua di Gio and I think I was expecting the feminine equivalent in this bottle. Wow, I was off. This scent opens up with sharp mint and lemons, then shifts to something grassy and slightly herbal (in a good way!). Give it a good 30 minutes and it morphs again to something oceanic and sweet. I really like complex perfumes like this that are full of surprises and notes that compose some sort of nose-related symphony. Even with all the different elements this perfume never loses those lemons and mint, and feels extremely cohesive. While this initially reads as a very summer scent to me, I think the pink pepper makes it very versatile for multi-seasonal wear too!

 

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Eau de Toilette, 0.13 fl oz - Certificate redeems for a 2.5 fl oz bottle worth $100.00

Vibe: Blush dresses, soft curls, and youth. A brunch spread with fresh berries, multiple cakes, and lemonade for all of your best girlfriends. 

This is a very cute fragrance from the bottle to the scent itself. It feels like a very young scent, but it has a complexity that makes it feel more special than many other sweet raspberry perfumes out there. This is a scent for someone who smiles a lot, is quite girly, and loves pretty things. All in all, it is pretty charming! The main notes that caught my nose were a burst of bitter citrus and some raspberries. In the middle I found some more fruits and bolder green notes and a little bit of powdery violet. The base is quite mellow (which is probably why it feels so light!) and smells sort of like woods, but it is so light that it is hardly noticeable to my nose. All in all, this is a very fresh scent you could easily just spray on and go. It isn't complicated or overtly sexy, but rather it is just a good effortless scent that is easy to love, or at least like.

 

Versace Bright Crystal Absolu Eau de Parfum, 0.08 oz - Certificate redeems for a 3.4 fl oz bottle worth $94.00

Vibe: Elle Woods probably owns this perfume. Big bold pink notes. 

This kind of feels like the older cousin of that Daisy Eau So Fresh, but this girl is much bolder and prefers hot pink to blush. This is a louder perfume, but that is always kind of nice because they last a lot longer. It opens with raspberries and pink flowers (hello peonies) and there is a little bit of fresh water and citrus if you look hard enough. The base of musk and woods isn't in your face, but it does tone down the over-the-top PINKness of the rest of the perfume. This is, admittedly, way too sweet for me. The mix of all the fruit and flowers is beautiful and I think I would still be very curious about this scent if I smelled it on someone else.

 

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in 'Red Velvet', 2.5 ml - Estimated Value $7.50 (Buy a full-size 5 ml for $15.00)

Also included was a mini tube of liquid lipstick in a classic red. The color is so bold and lovers of red lips will likely adore this, myself included. It has a matte finish and the longevity is wonderful!

A bestseller for all the right reasons.

So what perfume did I choose?

Any ideas?

 

Clean Reserve Solar Bloom Eau de Parfum, 3.4 fl oz - Retail Value $98.00

This choice surprised me too. It was a hard decision between this and the Acqua Di Gioia, but something about this warm scent just made me happy each time I wore it. This might be because I am craving summer (it is literally a blizzard outside my window right now) and the allure of a 3.4 fl oz bottle was very strong indeed.

The redemption process couldn't be easier. Simply take your card into your local Sephora (it has to be an actual Sephora store!) pick out your perfume, take it to the counter and swap it. Voila! You walk out with your new scent in your cute black and white striped bag.

The Verdict: I have to just say something: if you are shopping for a perfume, a sampler like this is literally a no-brainer. How many of us wish we could sample perfumes long-term before we buy? I know you can always ask the wonderful Sephora team to make samples to take home, but something about this unboxing experience with all the gorgeous little bottles feels much more fun and seriously special.

You can also save some real money with a set like this. The redemption values in this box vary from $74-$100, and even if you fall in love with the least expensive trade in bottle (Heck, I almost did!) you are only short $1 and have all these cute mini bottles, a lipstick, and your new full-size bottle. Best case? You just spent $75 on a $100 bottle of perfume. That is a savings of 25%. BOOM.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, as of publication, this set is still available!

Value Breakdown: This kit costs $75 with free shipping. I redeemed the card for a perfume worth $98 which means I saved $23 by buying this kit. That is enough to buy another something at Sephora I probably don't need!

Want more Sephora goodness? Check out all of our PLAY! by Sephora reviews plus our best beauty boxes of 2020!

What do you think of the Sephora Favorites: Scent the Look Mini Perfume Sampler Set?

Are you currently shopping for your new signature scent? What are your top picks? My nose needs to know!

Megan K.
Megan K.
I love natural/vegan beauty products, Korean skincare, unique jewelry, and weird candies from far away places. When I am not waiting for my next exciting box you can find me painting or taking photographs of interesting people. I never leave home without pug hair somewhere on my shirt and a bold lipstick on my smile.

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14 comments

Steph H.

Great review! I would love to get one of these but I don’t have a Sephora anywhere near me. It would be nice if you could redeem for the full size online.

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Carol

LOVE Solar Bloom! I received it in a different sampler, but chose a different full size (Tom Ford Black Orchid). So tempted to pick up another sampler to get the Solar Bloom!

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Megan K.

Spoiler alert: I am reviewing that one too! <3

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Carol

Yay!

Carlak

My sweetie and I went to Sephora on Valentines Day. He wanted to buy me a bottle of Versace Bright Crystal. They had this set so we bought it and the lady took the certificate right then and did another transaction so we could walk out with both. They were super nice about it and a great deal!!! I love the little mini bottles too!

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Megan K.

Aww this actually sounds like the ideal Valentine’s Day, imo. I also love these little minis. They make my vanity look so fancy.

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bunnygirlbrem

Daisy Eau So Fresh is the only scent I wear, and I love your description of it! (Although I’m not a girly girl…:-))

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Megan K.

It is such a cute bottle too! I wish I had like a crazy necklace covered in those flexible daisies.

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Kim

This is far nicer than the men’s version I purchased for my husband this Christmas when he said buy me a cologne. Ummmm which one do you like dear? These bottles are great instead of the 2-3 shot vials. The selection is amazing too. Daisy dream is my new favorite but I’ve never worn any of the others included. Definitely will try these.

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Megan K.

They have a few of the little vial versions for women too (I will be reviewing one or 2 more!) but I agree that the little bottles feel so much more fun!

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Claudia

I agree—what a pleasant read!

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Megan K.

<3

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Christy

This was a delightful read – and now I NEED to try Solar Bloom, so thanks for that!

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Megan K.

Thanks so much! Solar Bloom really caught me off guard. But I LOVE it. Pick up a sample next time you are out and see what you think 🙂

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