Discovery Set Scent for Hair and Skin.

I’ll admit that I momentarily regretted buying this tester selection - but that’s entirely my own fault. No One Elsie is too beautiful for any other scent to compare to it.

I’ve never worn any perfume or scent, but this Christmas I took the notion that I wanted to treat myself to a nice perfume. I tested every scent I could find in Jo Malone, even promising myself that I’d buy one if I liked it, despite being on a very tight university student budget. But nothing ever clicked.

Then, as a longtime user of the hair primer and blow dry spray, I had an epiphany when I saw an Arkive advert on Instagram.

I don’t aspire to use cheap body sprays or popular perfumes. But at the same time, I’m not able to splurge on a £100+ Diptyque perfume (and, even when I was going to defy my budget, none of them really spoke to me…) Now that I’m in my early twenties and aspiring to a bit more luxury and sophistication, (but am not yet chic enough to be dousing myself in Chanel No 5 everyday!), Arkive fills the gap in the market perfectly.

The scents smell classy, unique, and expensive. The bottles are (mostly) inoffensive (but more on that later!) At £30, they’re affordable yet they still feel luxurious. And none of my friends have even heard of the brand, let alone used the perfume.

Since scent is so personal, these are just my own observations - not criticisms:

No One Elsie – It’s beautifully classy, perfectly feminine while remaining unique and sophisticated. I've just ordered a 50ml bottle and now consider it my signature scent. I also love that my hair and skin will match (I’m a bit pedantic that way).

Decorated Woods – I also really liked this one. It’s more masculine and woody, and helped me realise that my tastes lean in that direction. Sometimes I layer No One Elsie and Decorated Woods—the combination is gorgeous. I might even treat myself to a big bottle of it next pay day!

The Floral Scents – These weren’t for me. They felt like quite stereotypical floral scents—overpowering and a bit like something my Granny might wear (to my untrained nose!) I’m using them up at work but wouldn’t repurchase. That said, if you love sweet, feminine, floral scents, they might be perfect for you. I’ve just realised I’m not a floral girl!

The (ONE) Con:
My only issue is with the bottle design. Personally, I’m not a fan of the smiley face on the top of the bottle lids. It feels out of place with the brand’s affordable luxury feel. The scents are so sophisticated and the rest of the products’ packaging so classy that the smiley face seems at odds with that. I know it’s a small detail - and maybe you’ll call me a Karen - but I’m a minimalist and as a result a bit of a perfectionist who curates EVERYTHING. The smiley face just doesn’t feel cohesive with the brand image to me. However, it’s not a big enough con to dissuade me from repurchasing.

In summary, this set has provided a brilliant introduction to scent for me. I think it’s an ideal gift/treat for someone searching for something a bit more elevated than a “So…” body spray, without the price tag of a luxury brand. I’ll definitely be repurchasing—my new 50ml bottle of No One Elsie that is currently on the way proves that!

The parcel came very quickly, and the packaging and presentation was lovely. But sadly, none of them were right for me at the moment.

Received these yesterday. Could not decide on which one to order and got all 4 to try. I am very impressed, all 4 of them smell so divine. Was not expecting such lush packaging for sample set. Worth every penny and so much more!

They all smell divine !

Beautiful perfumes that last