Wednesday Waftings: Sampler Set Review – NEST Eau de Parfum Collection

Hello! We’re having Wednesday on a Thursday this week, haha! To be honest, I’m a huge Olympics nerd and I’ve spent the last two weeks watching them intently every night so I do apologize for neglecting this blog a bit! But I’m back today with a favorite brand that I think many of you will enjoy reading about: NEST New York.

The NEST home fragrance brand was launched in 2008 by the then already-established luxury home fragrance guru, Laura Slatkin. She launched her artisanal eau de parfum collection shortly thereafter in 2013. Besides creating and heading one of the world’s finest fragrance brands, Ms. Slatkin is heavily involved in autism activism, being the mother of an autistic child herself. She and her husband co-founded NEXT for AUTISM, an organization dedicated to transforming the national landscape of services for people living with autism. She also serves on several autism and medical-related boards.

I first discovered this delightful brand at Anthropologie. I remember when their fragrances first appeared in-store there and immediately falling in love with Midnight Fleur. These sophisticated scents come packaged in gorgeous bottles featuring lush, beautiful, botanical artwork. The prices are incredibly reasonable and most of the scents come in three sizes, including (my fave!) a handy and affordable travel-size. These fragrances are eau de parfums so have great projection and longevity (for more about EDPs check out my Perfume 101 post here).

The sampler I’m reviewing today is a fabulous value containing eight 3ml rollerballs for $40. I was able to score a discontinued version last year at Nordstrom Rack, as they are (sadly) phasing out the Cocoa Woods fragrance. But they have replaced it with a new fragrance, Sunkissed Hibiscus, that is equally wonderful. With notes of frangipani and coconut, it’s delicious, tropical, and definitely worth a sniff.

Find it here:

NEST EDP Sampler Set (at NEST’s Amazon store)

NEST perfume oils discovery set (at Nordstrom)

Now, on to more information and my review of each fragrance!

Midnight Fleur

• Scent Type: woody vanilla
• Mood: optimistic
• Key Notes: exotic woods, black amber, patchouli, vanilla orchid
• Other Notes Perceived: jasmine
• Fragrance Inspiration: “I always dreamed of creating an extraordinarily alluring, sensual eau de parfum for my fragrance wardrobe. The kind of fragrance I could wear in the evenings that would make me feel sexy when going out for a romantic dinner with my husband or a black tie event. I wanted to create an intoxicating fragrance that would stop people in their tracks, turn heads, and seduce the senses. So I did.” ~Laura Slatkin

This was the first NEST scent I ever sampled and it was definitely love at first sniff! The fragrance immediately showcases its intoxicating, sweet vanilla orchid. The patchouli starts moving in a few minutes into the dry down. The patch dissipates some of the sweetness but the fragrance remains a lovely balance of vanilla and woods. The jasmine is more in the background, it’s mainly a woodsy, vanilla scent. This is one of a very few perfumes with a strong patchouli note that I really love. It’s well-blended, deep, dark, and sensual.

This is a sexy nighttime fragrance, perfect for date night and/or dancing/clubbing. It’s a cozy scent with a strong ambery-vanilla feel but I think it could work year-round for nighttime wear. With the heavy patch, I wouldn’t recommend it for daytime events or work, I think it’s probably going to be too heavy and strong. Good projection and it lasts all day and into the night for me. If you love the classic Coco by Chanel or Lancôme’s La Nuit Trésor, this will be your jam. Sexy and perfect for a dressy night on the town and a longtime favorite for me.

Find it here:

Midnight Fleur – 8ml travel spray (at Amazon)

Midnight Fleur – 8ml travel rollerball (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Midnight Fleur – 50ml (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Midnight Fleur – 100ml (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Black Tulip

• Scent Type: fruity chypre
• Mood: joyful
• Key Notes: Japanese violet, Indonesian jasmine, patchouli, pink peppercorn, black amber plum, black cherry
• Fragrance Inspiration: The inspiration for Black Tulip began during a cruise along the Black Sea when Laura Slatkin tasted delicious black cherries and dark plums that she discovered along the way in a Turkish market.

This is another deep and dark ‘fruitchouli’ fragrance. The initial feel is a sweet and plummy floral. ‘Dark fruit’ is a great way to describe this. I love this fragrance’s dry down, the pepper and woods join the party and it all blends together perfectly. I can also detect the lovely, lightly powdery violet. This fragrance feels sort of like Valentino’s Voce Viva and Victor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb had a lovechild, lol

This is another fragrance that would make a great date night perfume. I can imagine wearing this while sitting in a dark cozy corner in a jazz club with a fancy bourbon cocktail or scotch in hand. This dark, fruity scent is in the same family as one of my all-time faves, Byredo’s Bibliothèque, and shares many similar notes. This also has a similar vibe to Jimmy Choo’s original EDP to me. Another great NEST nighttime scent, full of fun and playfulness with just a touch of mystery.

Find it here:

Black Tulip – 3ml mini rollerball (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Black Tulip – 6ml rollerball (at Amazon)

Black Tulip – 8ml travel-spray (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Black Tulip – 8ml travel rollerball (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Black Tulip – 50ml (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Cocoa Woods

• Scent Type: warm & sweet gourmand
• Mood: empowerment
• Key Notes: bittersweet cocoa, Sequoia wood, white sandalwood, tiare blossom, Thai ginger
• Fragrance Inspiration: The essence of bittersweet cocoa is wrapped in sequoia wood and white sandalwood and blended with exotic hints of tiare blossom and Thai ginger for an empowered mood.

This perfume kicks off with a rich chocolate note. Sandalwood soon joins the yummy cocoa and the combo feels like a warm, cozy hug. I love the blend of sweet and woody here. The tiare flower and ginger are lighter players in this fragrance. To me, the story is really about the chocolate combined with the woods, as the name suggests.

The projection is a little lighter with this one but I would still call it moderate. I also think out of the batch, this could possibly be the most unisex, the woodsy notes bring it into a more neutral, less sweet territory. Longevity is fabulous, it even lasted through a shower for me! As aforementioned, they look to be phasing this scent out, it is no longer even listed as an option on NEST’s official website. But you can still get a rollerball of it at Nordstrom Rack for a screamin’ deal right now so if you like chocolatey-woodsy scents, I recommend snagging it while it’s still around.

Find it here:

Cocoa Woods – 3ml mini rollerball (at Amazon)

Cocoa Woods – 7ml travel rollerball (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Cocoa Woods – 8ml travel rollerball (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Cocoa Woods – 50ml (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Wild Poppy

• Scent Type: fruity floral
• Mood: joyful
• Key Notes: rose de Grasse, Himalayan jasmine, pear, raspberry, apricot
• Fragrance Inspiration: Laura Slatkin has always found inspiration in the flower market. One day she came across these very large buds that were so unattractive she had to ask what they were. She learned they were poppy buds. Week after week, she began to notice the evolution of this ugly bud to an extraordinary flower. This evolution became her inspiration to create Wild Poppy.

This pretty scent starts out very sweet, fruity, and floral. The opening is so sweet, in fact, that it is almost in gourmand territory. It reminds me of a mix of cotton candy and pink flowers. About 3 minutes in, the slightly indolic jasmine moves in. But it is not overpoweringly indolic. This is definitely a fruity floral, with a heavy emphasis on the fruity. I have seen some reviewers mention a soapy or tart/bitter impression with this fragrance. I do think there’s a slight tartness the longer it dries down but to me, it was not unpleasant; it just became a bit less sweet than the initial blast.

This falls into the category of fresh, ladylike, springy scents. It’s fun, happy, young-feeling and carefree. If you love pretty & feminine fruity scents, this is a must try. Projection is good and the last time I wore it, it stayed with me for a good 12+ hours. NEST fragrances definitely last!

Find it here:

Wild Poppy – 3ml mini rollerball (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Wild Poppy – 6ml travel rollerball (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Wild Poppy – 50ml (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Citrine

• Scent Type: citrus floral
• Mood: energetic
• Key Notes: lemon blossom, lotus flower, freesia, essence of morning dew, precious woods
• Fragrance Inspiration: “My father was a portrait photographer in Palm Beach, Florida. When I was a little girl, he was privileged to have the honor of photographing the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. I was on the shoot that day, and the memory of seeing the Duchess of Windsor in her yellow silk chiffon dress has been embedded in my mind ever since. She looked so radiant, like a ray of sunshine. The way she glowed in that dress would later inspire me to create Citrine.” ~Laura Slatkin

This might just be my favorite scent by NEST, though it’s truly difficult for me to pick a fave! It’s unique from the many, many other citrus scents out there. It’s very clean, slightly sweet, not overly girly but not really masculine, either – though anyone who likes masculine-leaning scents could certainly enjoy this fragrance. It’s kind of like a sweet, clean lemon-drop or lemonade. It’s not at all ‘cleaning product’-like, which some lemon scents can be like. The freesia lends a nice little powdery floral feel but the fresh lemon is the star of the show. It’s just a bright and happy scent. When I wear this, my mood instantly lifts.

This happy, zingy, uplifting summertime scent would be equally suitable worn to the beach or to shop at the weekend farmer’s market. Definitely office-appropriate, it has a lighter, daytime feel. As with most citrus fragrances, it has a slightly lighter projection but it’s still noticeable. As with the others, great staying power.

Find it here:

Citrine – 8ml travel rollerball (at Amazon)

Citrine – 8ml travel rollerball (at Saks Fifth Avenue)

Citrine – 50ml (at Saks Fifth Avenue)

NEST 3-pack of mini rollerballs w/ Citrine, Midnight Fleur, & Indigo (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Indigo

• Scent Type: fruity wood
• Mood: peaceful
• Key Notes: Italian lemon, orange bergamot, Moroccan tea, Kashmir wood, wild figs
• Other Notes Perceived: cardamom
• Fragrance Inspiration: With Indigo, Laura Slatkin set out to create a fragrance that was different from everything else on the market. She was inspired by a trip she took to Europe in 1992, when she was just beginning her career in the fragrance industry. She visited noteworthy perfumeries in Paris and apothecaries in London to learn all about the history and origins of fragrance. When visiting this one particular tea shop on Bond Street in London, she experienced the most amazing Moroccan tea aroma. It was so exceptional that years later, it became the inspiration for this extraordinary fragrance.

This is an interesting one! The opening is quite strong with the spiced tea. The bergamot is lightly there but it’s not really exactly like an Earl Grey, which is what I expected looking at the notes. It is quite aromatic, though. It has almost a licorice/anise vibe. It’s like enjoying a spicy bergamot tea along with an anise shortbread cookie. I enjoy it more and more as it continues to dry down. The sweet fig takes its time but finally comes through and it’s such an interesting combination of notes, there’s really a lot going on here.

I’m not sure if everyone will love this one but it has grown on me. I think those who are a bit adventurous when it comes to trying fragrances will enjoy this one. It’s certainly unique, I can’t say I have anything else quite like this in my collection. I can see this being a signature scent for the right person. And it’s versatile; definitely a year-round, unisex, any time of day fragrance.

Find it here:

Indigo – 3ml rollerball mini (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Indigo – 8ml travel spray (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Indigo – 50ml (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Dahlia & Vines

• Scent Type: rosy floral
• Mood: joyful
• Key Notes: peony, rose, daffodil, dahlia, essence of garden vines
• Other Notes Perceived: grapes, lychee, white musk
• Fragrance Inspiration: One evening, Laura Slatkin had the pleasure of attending a dinner at the home of her dear friend Martha Stewart to celebrate her remarkable, award-winning gardens. She was particularly taken by the distinct aromatic personality of each flower, which led to the creation of Dahlia & Vines.

The opening presents sweet lychee and peony which combine for an elegant ‘pink’ feeling fragrance. I also get the green impression of vines, stems, and leaves. And there is some rose in there, too, but it doesn’t take over the whole fragrance as rose sometimes can. There’s some light musk I can detect if I put my nose right up to my arm but it’s not overpowering. All of the elements combine well for a posh and easy-to-wear scent.

This is your girly, elegant, daytime fragrance from the collection. Lovely for spring. Good projection and another one with super impressive all night longevity. All around, a lovely floral and a must-try for the peony lovers. I always enjoy a good peony scent so she’s a winner as far as I’m concerned.

Find it here:

Dahlia & Vines – 8ml travel spray (at Amazon)

Dahlia & Vines – 100ml (at Nordstrom Rack)

Wisteria Blue

• Scent Type: watery floral
• Mood: joyful
• Key Notes: French wisteria, watery notes, Bulgarian rose, imperial jasmine
• Fragrance Inspiration: During a trip to Charleston, South Carolina, Laura Slatkin was especially enamored with the delicate beauty of the wisteria trees. Seeing their cascading flowers adorn the city’s historic homes inspired her to create this gorgeous, uplifting fragrance.

When we bought our old Tudor house, we were super blessed and lucky to inherit a wonderful garden as well. The family who lived here previous to us had been here since the 60’s and loved to garden so there are tons of gorgeous, old-growth plants and flowers, including a beautiful wisteria.

This pretty scent reminds me of sitting underneath our lovely wisteria, where it smells absolutely heavenly when it’s in full bloom. This scent is definitely a treat for the floral lovers. It’s a nice change-up from the usual white flower mix or rose-heavy fragrances and incredibly elegant and feminine. Lightly sweet and the watery notes make it feel quite fresh. The jasmine and rose are lighter players here as the wisteria takes center stage.

Floral lovers will really enjoy this. Projection is fair and longevity is good. Florals are not my first go-to for regular everyday wear but this is quite lovely. I would happily reach for this to wear to a wedding or special daytime event.

Find it here:

Wisteria Blue – 8ml travel-spray (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Wisteria Blue – 8ml travel rollerball (at NEST’s Amazon store)

Wisteria Blue – 50ml (at Nordstrom)

As alluded to earlier, NEST also carries tons of lovely home fragrance products including candles and diffusers. They also have a nice line of hand soaps (I’m eyeing the Pumpkin Chai for the autumn!) and lotions.

Oh and pro-tip: always check out Nordstrom Rack for NEST products that may be discontinued or overstocked, they have some amazing deals!

Do you have a favorite NEST fragrance you’ve tried? Whether it be a perfume or a home fragrance, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this brand and its artfully crafted fragrances. 💐

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