Having written in the past about my favourite scents and actually just the obscene amount of bottles I have on my dressing table, I guess you could say I am a bit of a perfume addict.
When I heard about Fiole, the worlds first virtual perfumery and fragrance finder I was really excited to trial their services. Also a little intrigued as to how from answering just a couple of questions they could possibly point me in the direction of my personalised scent.
The initial steps are simple. You create and account on the website and answer a few questions. Multiple choice, nothing too difficult.
You then enter your details and pay an initial fee of £20. This is deductible from your chosen perfume at the end of the whole process.
The box arrived and was thin enough to slip through the letterbox. Inside are 6 spray vials of perfume which are numbered, not named. Six perfume paper strips which you are to spray the scents on to and an envelope which says step 5 open me last.
It really is a bit like a grown up journey for the senses. Rather excitedly I followed the steps and sprayed each of the perfumes, choosing my favourite as I went from each pair. Between 1 and 2 my favourite was 1, between 3 and 4 my favourite was 4, and between 5 and 6 my favourite was 5.
With it now whittled down to 3 it was now time to figure my top 2 and try them on my wrists. Fragrances smell different on each individual so what smells nice on someone else might not always work for you, likewise with the paper. Once you body heat and own scents are holding the fragrance it can smell completely different.
After spraying both number 1 and 5 onto my wrists I discovered number 5 was my favourite. It had a strong heady scent of leather and violet which reminded me of old movie stars (I don’t know how old movie stars smelled but it was the image the fragrance cultivated for me!)
Opening the envelope revealed that my signature scent is the Aleksandr by Arquiste. Inspired by 19th century Russia and based on Aleksandr Pushkin’s duel in 1937. Aleksandr depicts big fur coats, leather boats and a clearing in a Russian forest. The main notes are violet, fur balsam and leather.
Overall I love the theatre of the Fiole fragrance finder box and to be honest it was absolutely spot on with what my favourite scents would be. The cost of the perfume is pricy at £160 a bottle but you can spread payments and for a signature scent I think this is something that would make a fabulous gift.
