Wednesday Waftings: Sampler Set Review – AERIN Discovery Set

Well, I’m a day late with my Wednesday post yet again, oops! Perhaps I should rename this feature ‘Weekly Waftings’ and save myself some pressure? 🤔 I hope everyone is finding some peace during what has been yet another eventful week. Some positivity in my world includes the fact that my sweet kitties, Bowie and Moog, turned 2 yesterday! I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 years since we brought these two, tiny, pathetic-looking little babies home in an office copy paper box:

Anyway, I digress… we’re actually here today to talk about a new perfume sampler that’s just recently come out from the beauty brand AERIN. Founder Aerin Lauder is the granddaughter of cosmetic empire mogul Estée Lauder. In addition to running her own cosmetic/perfume/fashion/furniture line, Ms. Lauder is also the style and image director for the Estée Lauder Companies conglomerate, which also owns tons of other beauty brands. I can’t even begin to imagine how busy this woman’s life must be!

This discovery set contains 7 of AERIN’s best-selling fragrances with a heavy emphasis on florals. All of these scents are eau de parfums and have good projection/sillage and most have impressive longevity. All of these fragrances are pretty appropriate for most settings with a lean towards daytime and office. The scents are lovely on their own but mixing and matching to create signature scents is encouraged. The packaging is gorgeous, featuring a beautiful bird and floral design on the outer sleeve and a sturdy inner box with a magnetic closure. Read on for more details on each fragrance in my reviews below.

Find it here (sometimes only available around winter holidays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day):

AERIN Best Sellers Fragrance Discovery Set (at Nordstrom)

AERIN Rose Premier Fragrance Discovery Set (at Bloomingdale’s)

Amber Musk

• Scent Type: Oriental woody amber
• Notes: ambrox, coconut water, rose centifolia (cabbage rose), muguet, benzoin, sandalwood, musk
• This fragrance available in: 7ml (.23oz) travel spray, 50ml (1.7oz), 100ml (3.4oz), body cream

The opening of this fragrance is a lovely, spicy, powdery amber and it stays pretty linear with that feel throughout wearing. Not being a musk fan, having it as part of the name did scare me a bit but it’s no strong player here. To be honest, I can’t even detect any musk in this fragrance. It has a similar vibe to Byredo’s Gypsy Water with lots of powdery vanilla, so I am here for that! It’s not as woodsy of a scent as Gypsy Water, however, it focuses more in the spicy amber territory. This is a warm, cozy scent that will lend itself especially well to nighttime or autumnal/wintry wear but can definitely be worn anytime. For amber lovers, this one is absolutely signature scent-worthy.

Projection is surprisingly light for this type of fragrance. I would rate it somewhere in between the spectrum of intimate to moderate. Longevity is also lighter/moderate, it is possibly the quickest to fade out of this collection. Overall, a strong contender to become a favorite for amber lovers. This is also a perfect match for anyone who loves scents in the Gypsy Water family but wants a more intimate skin scent. This lovely fragrance used to also be available in a deeper d’or concentration with the addition of opulent oud, magnolia, praline, and amber notes but, unfortunately, I am not finding it online anymore (as of October 2024).

Find it here:

Amber Musk 7ml travel-spray (at Estée Lauder)

Amber Musk 50ml, 100ml (at Estée Lauder)

Amber Musk 5oz body cream (at Estée Lauder)

Aegea Blossom

• Scent Type: luminous white floral
• Notes: bergamot, verbena, jasmine orange flower, neroli, musk vetiver, sandalwood
• Other Notes Perceived: mandarin orange
• This fragrance available in: 7ml (.23oz) travel spray, 50ml (1.7oz), 100ml (3.4oz)

I would classify this scent as a light, powdery floral. It has a very classic, sophisticated feel and leans slightly mature. It kind of reminds me of the smell of powdery make-up, like facial powder. It’s a very neutral, classic ‘perfume’ smell. Not sweet or musky, though. The prominent African orange flower note makes this fragrance reminiscent of both Byredo’s very popular Bal d’Afrique and Elie Saab’s Le Parfum. I compared the three side by side and I would say Bal D’Afrique is a bit heavier on the creamy/suede/vetiver feel and less floral. Le Parfum is a musk bomb with a heavy leaning on the jasmine and orange blossom notes. All three fragrances remind me of a basic light lotion scent.

This fragrance has a spring/summer daytime wear vibe and is definitely office-appropriate. Projection is lightly moderate. Longevity is good, 5+ hours. This is a clean, comforting, ‘easy grab’ scent that’s perfect for everyday wear. If you’re drawn to light, mellow, floral fragrances, this will probably be your jam.

(ed. note: this fragrance has become really tricky to find since this post was published and I think it may be discontinued. Can still sometimes find on Amazon, I’ve linked there below)

Find it here (maybe?):

Aegea Blossom (at Amazon)

Ikat Jasmine

• Scent Type: floral woody
• Notes: jasmine sambac, Egyptian jasmine, tuberose, honeysuckle, sandalwood
• Other Notes Perceived: ambrox
• This fragrance available in: 7ml (.23oz) travel spray, 50ml (1.7oz), 100ml (3.4oz), body cream

This beautiful fragrance focuses on the popular jasmine note. It is a staple note that is used frequently in countless fragrances and here, it is also the star. The opening does have a slightly indolic nuance, which can be an aspect of jasmine that I do not care for. However, it is not an overwhelming impression here and as the fragrance dries down, those indoles really dissipate and you’re rewarded with the loveliest white floral scent. The light honeysuckle note lends an extra level of elegance to the mix.

Daytime, feminine, office safe, and easy to wear; this fragrance will certainly have mass appeal. Perhaps not groundbreaking but definitely lovely and a must-try for jasmine and white floral lovers. Projection starts very light but grows to be more moderate as the fragrance dries down. The longevity for this scent is outstanding, it lasted 8+ hours for me. An easy, ‘no-brainer’ grab that’s appropriate for any occasion.

Find it here:

Ikat Jasmine 7ml travel-spray (at Estée Lauder)

Ikat Jasmine 50ml, 100ml (at Estée Lauder)

Ikat Jasmine 5oz body cream (at Estée Lauder)

Lilac Path

• Scent Type: floral green
• Notes: lilac, galbanum, jasmine, angelica seed, orange flower
• Other Notes Perceived: honeysuckle
• This fragrance available in: 50ml (1.7oz), 100ml (3.4oz), body cream

If you love the aroma of fresh, blooming lilacs, you’ll want to sit up and take notice of this scent! This fragrance is going to be your dream come true. The opening greets you with a strong punch of lilac, soon joined by the peppery angelica seed note. Besides the angelica, the jasmine is the most prominent supporting note. If you’re like me and sad that lilacs seem to bloom and fade way too quickly, you’ll love being able to surround yourself with this lovely fragrance any time of the year.

This pleasant green floral has a decidedly springtime feel. Another office-safe, daytime-leaning fragrance. Projection is moderate. The longevity is a bit weaker with this one but it should last at least a few hours. An elegant floral that’s suitable for formal events but does not feel overly fussy. If you’ve been looking for your holy grail lilac scent, I have a feeling this could be the one!

Find it here:

Lilac Path 50ml, 100ml (at Estée Lauder)

Lilac Path 5oz body cream (at Estée Lauder)

Mediterranean Honeysuckle

• Scent Type: floral citrus
• Notes: honeysuckle, grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin, lily of the valley, gardenia, jasmine sambac absolute
• Other Notes Perceived: pepper, lemon
• This fragrance available in: 7ml (.23oz) travel spray, 50ml (1.7oz), 100ml (3.4oz), body cream

This is a lovely blend of honeysuckle and citrus. The opening is very citrusy and reminds me of a lemon tart. In the notes, it lists practically every kind of citrus EXCEPT lemon, lol But my nose definitely perceives that lemon! The grapefruit note is also quite prominent and gives the fragrance a nice, sparkling feel. It’s lightly sweet but not overly so and definitely not into gourmand territory. Something peppery joins in a few minutes into the dry down. Pepper is not a listed note, either, but it’s definitely there. I do not personally get much of an impression from the white floral notes listed.

This fragrance is a perfect summer floral, all of that citrus keeps it very fresh and from becoming cloying. Projection is quite good and the longevity is fair. I love wearing this scent for an afternoon of running outdoor errands. Overall a very pleasant citrus floral with great summertime vibes.

Find it here:

Mediterranean Honeysuckle 7ml travel-spray (at Estée Lauder)

Mediterranean Honeysuckle 50ml, 100ml (at Estée Lauder)

Mediterranean Honeysuckle 5oz body cream (at Estée Lauder)

Wild Geranium

• Scent Type: floral green
• Notes: geranium, pink pepper, winter lemon, narcisse, orange flower petals, white peony, rose centifolia absolute, tuberose absolute, ambrox
• Other Notes Perceived: benzoin
• This fragrance available in: 7ml (.23oz) travel spray, 50ml (1.7oz), 100ml (3.4oz), body cream

Right off the bat when I first tested this fragrance, I instantly thought “PEONY!” Then I checked the notes and sure enough, peony was listed. There’s a lot of other really beautiful notes that intermingle here with that lovely peony, though. The lemon and pink pepper are stand-outs and I can also detect the other florals. Overall, the fragrance has a fresh and lightly powdery citrus-floral scent with just a kiss of sweetness.

I noticed this scent had a lot of common notes with Floral Street’s Wonderland Peony so thought it would be interesting to test them side by side. I think Wild Geranium is a great choice for anyone who liked Wonderland Peony but thought it was too sweet or didn’t care for the cotton candy note. If you’re not a gourmand lover like I am, I can see where it could be a bit too sweet with both the cotton candy and the blackcurrant – which gives it a jammy feel. This Wild Geranium is much less sweet and also has a more grownup feel with the added rose and white floral notes. I like them both, though Wonderland Peony is decidedly more ‘me.’  Although, I will say the two fragrances become closer in feeling to one another the more they both dry down.

Good projection and very good longevity, the fragrance lasted 5+ hours for me. This is a pleasant, peppery/citrus peony-heavy floral that I think will appeal to lots of people. As a lover of peony fragrances, I’m in!

Find it here:

Wild Geranium 7ml travel-spray (at Estée Lauder)

Wild Geranium 50ml, 100ml (at Estée Lauder)

Wild Geranium 5oz body cream (at Estée Lauder)

Evening Rose

• Scent Type: floral rose amber
• Notes: blackberry, cognac, rose centifolia, Bulgarian rose absolute
• Other Notes Perceived: incense, amber, pepper
• This fragrance available in: 7ml (.23oz) travel spray, 50ml (1.7oz), 100ml (3.4oz)

This lovely scent is a very ambery rose, slightly sweet and very much rooted in the Oriental fragrance family. This is no boring, ‘old lady’ rose. It’s deep and dark. This is truly a nighttime rose, true to its name, with a hint of powdery vanilla and lots of amber. The scent has a very warm, cozy, autumnal vibe. I can sense the jammy blackberry and rich cognac enveloping me like a warm hug.

The projection and longevity (4+ hours) are both quite good for this fragrance. I really like this, much more than I was expecting to! I don’t dislike rose fragrances but they are rarely something I’m drawn to. But the warm, cozy amber in this perfume has definitely won me over. This deep fragrance is also available in an even richer d’or formulation that contains additional notes of lychee, pink pepper, miel de provence absolute (French honey), incense, patchouli, amber, and creamy leather for a truly decadent experience.

(ed. note: this fragrance has become really tricky to find since this post was published and I think it may be discontinued. Can still sometimes find on Amazon, I’ve linked there below)

Find it here (maybe?):

Evening Rose (at Amazon)

Evening Rose d’Or 100ml (at Bergdorf Goodman)

So, those are my thoughts on AERIN’s pretty sampler. The house does offer other scents and I’d love to explore all of them. Being such a huge vanilla lover, I’m especially drawn to wanting to try Tangier Vanille. I wish it had either been included in this sampler or came in a travel spray. Oh well, maybe someday I’ll find a way to test her out! Please do let me know if you’ve tried anything from AERIN’s line. There are certainly a lot of items to choose from and love with this extensive lifestyle brand! 💖

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