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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Review and Swatches: Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamels (four shades)

If you'll recall, I sort of lost my mind when I first saw this new nail color collection from Revlon. Everything about this collection speaks to me, from the concept to the packaging to the shades to the scents. So when I found the display at my local Bed Bath and Beyond last week, I had a difficult time narrowing down which ones to buy first. Luckily, I was able to get my hands on all four of the shades that I really wanted the most, so now I'd like to share my thoughts with you!

NEW Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamels
(retail: around $4.99 each, 0.4 oz)

If you missed my original post, you can see what the entire collection look like here. There are 16 shades in this range broken up into three categories (Fruits & Florals, Freshes and Sweets & Spices). These polishes are scented (of course) but the scent does not come out until your polish has dried (or is almost dry). So you can't open the bottles and take a whiff right in the store, and I know that some of you said you wished that Revlon would have included scratch-n-sniff stickers or something like that on the display.

Well I'm happy to tell you that the following little double-sided brochures are actually available in this display, free for you to take with you, and they're just like the scented perfume inserts you find in magazines. So you can smell both Autumn Spice and Surf Spray before you buy them. And just FYI, Autumn Spice smells exactly like the brochure--it's completely accurate.

Front of brochure:

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Back of brochure:

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These bottles truly remind me of little French perfume bottles (sort of like those adorable little L'Aromarine bottles). I love the ball-shaped cap and the shape of the glass bottles--they even have beveled edges:

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For size comparison, here is a Parfumerie bottle next to one of the original Revlon scented polishes:

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As you can see, the brush and stem are about the same width, but the length of the Parfumerie stem is much shorter:

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I have had absolutely no issues with using the Parfumerie brush. The ball-shaped cap is surprisingly easy to grasp, and I feel like I have a lot of control over the brush due to the shorter stem. If you're scared that this is going to be an awkward polish to use, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to maneuver. 


All of the following swatches were photographed after two coats of polish and no top coat:

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Italian Leather

Italian Leather is a beautiful, dark olive green with gray undertones and subtle golden shimmer. The formula is thin and a bit sheer on the first coat, but you can see that after two coats, the opacity is great. I had no issues with application--the formula, though thin, is easy to work with. Dry-time is great and this shade dries to a very shiny finish, as you can see above.

Scent: I've heard from a few of you that this doesn't really smell like leather, but I have to disagree! To my nose, it smells like leather...and chocolate. Almost like a very nice men's cologne, actually. And there's a little bit of a powdery note mixed in as well. 

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Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a deep wine-colored jelly-creme. The formula is thin but easy to work with, and two coats yeilds perfect opacity. Again, dry-time is great and this polish dries to a very shiny finish.

Scent: Sure, I have lots of polishes that resemble the color of red wine, but NONE of them actually smell like red wine! I had to have this the moment I saw it, and it definitely did not disappoint. This polish smells like fruity red wine (almost like sangria, actually) and for lack of a better word, it's amazing. I'm partial to wine notes in my perfumes though, so I do understand that not everyone is going to want to walk around with their fingertips smelling like red wine. I personally couldn't get enough of this one the entire time I was wearing it, and it's definitely my favorite scent of the four that I'm reviewing today.

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Lavender Soap

Lavender Soap is a frosty, pale lavender. The formula is thin and streaky on the first coat, much better on the second coat. I didn't anticipate that this was going to be a frost when I saw it in the bottle (it looked more like a pale lavender creme with hidden silver shimmer) so in that respect it was a bit of a disappointment. I'm not big on frosts (or the brush strokes they leave behind) but I do love the paleness of this color. Dry-time is good and this polish dries to a shiny finish.

Scent: Fresh and clean. It reminds me a bit of fabric softener. I get a some lavender but not too much, and I definitely detect a soapy note here. I think it's lovely and quite refreshing--nice for springtime.

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Autumn Spice

Autumn Spice is like fall in a bottle. The base is a chocolate-y brown and there's a gorgeous micro-fleck shimmer going on in this one. The shimmer is golden in certain lights, bronze in others, and then there's also a pinkish-red flash that you get at certain angles. You can see the pinkish-red flash a bit better in this photo:

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This formula is almost a one-coater (but as with all of the polishes in this post, I used two). It's very easy to work with, dry-time is great and once again, it dries to a very shiny finish.

Scent: To me, Autumn Spice smells exactly like pumpkin pie filling. NOT pumpkin pie--there is no buttery crust note to this one. It's like a big, delicious bowl of pumpkin pie filling that's waiting to be scooped into a pie shell. I get pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar here, but it's not sugary sweet. It's quite lovely, but it does make me hungry!

Additional observations about the scents in general: All four of the scents I am reviewing here today are fairly strong when they first dry on the nail (the strongest scent would be Bordeaux, the weakest Italian Leather). Overall, I have to hold my nails about 4 inches away from my nose in order to detect the scent, so it's not like you're going to leave a trail of wine or pumpkin pie wherever you go while wearing these polishes. True to what Revlon states right on the display itself, these polishes really do have "light fragrances" that "last all day." On day two, I could not detect the scent at all--for any of these shades (for the record, I do wash my hands a lot and I took two showers in that period of time). I also want to note that applying clear top coat does NOT diminish the scent. I tried applying Out The Door top coat and also Essie Good To Go top coat on top of these polishes and, by the time my top coat dried, the scent had completely returned. 

FINAL VERDICT: I loved everything about these polishes before I tried them, and I love everything about them now that I own them. The packaging, the perfume-themed scents and the colors are all quite beautiful (with the exception of Lavender Soap but, again, that's just because I'm not a fan of frosts).  The lids are surprisingly easy to grasp and work with, despite their unique shape, and I love that the bottles are square, so they'll stack together nicely in whatever storage system you use for your polishes. I'm also quite impressed with the formulas (thin, but perfectly opaque at two coats and easy to work with), and I really love that all four polishes dry to very shiny finish (and dry pretty quickly, as well). You could absolutely skip top coat with these (I did while I was testing them and my nails looked great, without any chipping, for three days). All three of Revlon's claims (on the display) are absolutely true: "Fragrance revealed when dry", "Vibrant, shiny shades" and "Light fragrances last all day". Even if you're not a scented polish fan, I think you might be pleasantly surprised by these. I say give them a try!

As of the time of this post, the Revlon Parfumerie Collection has only been spotted at Bed Bath & Beyond stores that have an extended beauty department (you can see the display here). I would imagine that this collection will start hitting drugstores and big box stores before the end of the year. As of the time of this post, I believe that this is a permanent collection but if I find out that it's limited edition, I will be sure to let you know.

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.
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63 comments

  1. Thank you so much for this great review! I have been dying to find these. I was hoping they would be everything they claim to be and it sounds like they are! I have a 15% off at Walgreens and I'm just waiting for these to surface there. ;D

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    1. You're very welcome, Carol! Now I just hope they live up to what I said (and how I feel about them) when you get your hands on them! Haha! ;)

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  2. Thank you for the review and the swatches! Autumn Spice WILL be mine.

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  3. That clinches it! I have a BBB not far from me that I will definitely be visiting tomorrow.

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  4. Dude OMG...leather scented polish! I have a soft spot for leather scents for some reason. and Autumn Spice is gorgeous. I love the color and those types of scents. Can't wait to see the display!

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  5. Am I the only one who hates these bottles? They look so cheap to me.

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    1. Nope. The entire thing does nothing for me, plus there are so many other np's out and coming out that I am way more interested in so I can safely take a pass on these!

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    2. Ack. I totally caved and got Autumn Spice, in person is even lovlier than G's photos. So far its the only one of interest though. Glad they're permanent either way.

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    3. Had to open with a rubber lid loosener. Lime Basil reeks but its a nice spring green. Got at CVS.

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  6. I was mildly obsessed with the original scented Revlon polishes (I got a bunch of them free during a great Walgreens sale a few years ago) and I just know that I am going to have to have nearly all of these. They're beautiful!

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  7. I really hope to see these in Austin soon! I have to have the Italian Leather and the Autumn Spice. .. just HAVE to.

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  8. Wow these look amazing and it looks like Revlon stepped it up a notch on these. Thanks for such a thorough review with a nice range of shades (and scents).

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    1. You are so welcome, and I'm so glad you enjoyed my shade range! :)

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  9. Autumn Spice is stunning! I think that's a must have for me if I come across these!

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    1. Yeah that one made me rethink my initial impression of these as I have nothing like it and now knowing they're permanent is even better :)

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  10. I missed the original post, but now I have read this I must have a ton of these! Just for for the bottles alone! I'd feel like a 1800's French processes apply these.

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  11. The colors are amazing and the scents sound divine! Revlon makes my favorite nail lacquers so I'm sure I'll fall in love with all of these.

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  12. These are so beautiful, Autumn Spice is an absolute stunner!

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  13. Great swatches, G! I usually don't like frosts either, but I think Lavender Soap is really lovely!

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  14. Oh my I am so excited to find these. All four colors are gorgeous - I immediately fell in love with Autumn Spice when you posted your Sightings of these, but I am leaning towards Italian Leather now. Thank you so much for posting these!

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  15. Womp, womp...what a letdown about the Lavender Soap. I had expected it to be a creme based on the previous post, hidden shimmer would've been nice. I don't typically do frosts either. LOVE the rest though! The Bordeaux would make such a cute hostess gift paired w a bottle of red wine...2 bottles, one for lips & one for tips! ;)

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    1. Yep, it really looks like a creme with hidden shimmer in the bottle. :(

      What a lovely idea for a hostess gift!!

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    2. Thanks! Btw- meant to ask...is that Grape Icy up in the comparison pic? The only 3 Revlon scented I ever bought were GI, Grape Fizz and Watermelon Fizz.

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  16. I bought the lavender and the bordeaux when i found the display (forgot my coupons!) and now that i have the coupons in my bag i'm going back tonight for the leather and the violet ones.

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  17. This is an awesome review G! very thorough and detailed(as always). I wish revlon would send ypu the entire collection so we can see watches. Are the scent packets only for those 2 shades or the entire collection?

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    1. Thank you so much!!! :)

      And yes, only the two shades you see here.

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  18. Like you i like the smell of the lavender one but was very disappointed by the streakiness and frostiness. It looks wintery to me though, I'm gonna try layering it lightly over some glitters and purples.

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    1. Good idea! I think I might try that too! :)

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    2. You might also want to try sponging on the last coat. Sponge application helps to minimize the steakiness of frosty polishes.

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    3. Oh really?! Have to try this! Thanks!

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  19. Hopefully these will come to drugstores very soon! I have one scented polish from Revlon from a couple of years ago. It smells like blue berries. I was really doubtful that the scent would be there (I always think Gimmick first) but to my suprise it was there, subtle but when my hands were close to my face a could def smell it for a few days! Look forward to seein these in person so I can choose. I think there are too many options to try and limit myself sight unseen

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  20. Would love to get Autumn Spice, but our BBB doesn't have a beauty department. :-(

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    1. Mine either so hopefully at least one drugstore gets the full display so I can see in person first.

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    2. I have seen the collection at 2 Rite Aid's. Check there.

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    3. Yep. Same. They seem to be putting out all the holiday and other new stuff at once which is killing my wallet. Thankful for their 20% wellness card discount when stuff isn't on sale.

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  21. I have been stalking every single drug store in my area on a daily basis trying to find these! I cannot wait to get my hands on these! There's a Harmon's/new Bed Bath and Beyond being built by my house but by the looks of their progress it won't be done until next year. I have a feeling I will be living there when it's done!

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  22. I'm definitely going to have to try a couple of these. The autumn spice and the leather shades are pretty. I can't wait to find this display somewhere!

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  23. Autumn Spice is amazing!!! No wonder that display was out of it already :)

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  24. Autumn Spice.. I have to get my hands on these. wish i can find these already!

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  25. Saw these in BBB and Harmon's. I love scented nail polish, and applaud Revlon for coming out with such an inspired collection! I bought Autumn Spice, Italian Leather, and Spun Sugar. The Autumn Spice is a standout. Italian Leather is awesomely unusual, and Spun Sugar reminds me of the dull side of aluminum foil, with a scent reminiscent of Angel perfume. Not what I expected. Gotta get the Bordeaux next!

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  26. I bought Autumn Spice and I love it. Love the depth.... Simply stunning in sunlight and the smell definitely reminds me of pumpkin spice.... Back up worthy people. Back up worthy. Because of your review I ran and bought Bordeaux an and Wild Violets.

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  27. Thanks for posting! I've been on the hunt for these... I wouldn't have guessed that Lavender Soap would've been a frosty finish either. It looked nothing like it in the pics. I have ideas about buying a set to wear and a set to display, and you saved me from duplicating one shade... Too bad the other 3 are stunning AND sound like they smell delicious!

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  28. I just saw these for myself at the Almaden BB&B with a beauty section. Unfortunately, none of the polish colors struck me as super unique, besides the scented aspect. I will probably be skipping these. :/

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  29. Thank you for the update.....I have no BBB store in my town.. hope they land at some other stores soon

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  30. Picked up 4 yesterday... They had just put out the display at my local Rite-Aid. Hopefully they'll hit other stores soon!

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    1. Oh good to know RA is getting them, hopefully more of them do too.

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  31. Too bad these are LE, I think they're a cute idea for year round.

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    1. They're permanent according to G's latest update! :D

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  32. I found these bogo1/2off at Rite Aid this week, I picked up Autumn Spice and Pink Pineapple. I can smell both thru SecheVite topcoat, and the smell lasts me about 2days. The pineapple smells AMAZING! I am glad these are permanent so I can collect them over time and on sale !

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  33. I finally found these at Rite Aid and splurged on two since they're buy one get one half-off. Swatched the Autumn Spice (smells amazing) and bought the Wintermint since it's different from what I already own. That has a hint of mint scent, like mint candy.

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  34. I'm *so* not a nail polish girl, but I had to pick up Autumn Spice after reading your review. It is lovely! I love the scent!

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  35. Is there an Autumn Spice dupe anywhere? I would love that color for fall with an easier price tag (what can I say? I'm weirdly frugal!)

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  36. Super late here, but I did see these at my CVS yesterday. Italian Leather is such a beautiful color! I guess I'll go back and get it - I wasn't sure about the scented thing.

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  37. I hope these are still in stores! I'm not sure if I would like scented nail polish, but I'd definitely try one if it was on sale. I smelled two of the scents in a magazine the other day. I liked African Tea Rose. There was another one that I wasn't a fan of, but I can't remember the name.

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  38. I just picked up 8 of these polishes. They we're buy one get one half off and they were on clearance for $2.99. I scored big time at walgreens.

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  39. Hi, I was reading reviews for the Revlon Parfumerie line and happened to noticed that the description of Autumn Spice on another page is awfully similar to yours. I thought your review is very well written so I thought I should let you know..
    Here is the link: http://makeupandbeauty.com/revlon-parfumerie-scented-nail-enamel-review/

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    1. Oh gosh, thank you SO much for letting me know about this. I'm seeing entire blocks of text from my review on this blog. Ugh.

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  40. This entire line is on clearance now at my Ulta, and $3.29 on the website.

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