Review: Calgon Sensual Collection Mist Sampler Gift Set

Back in March, I shared a preview of the Sensual Collection from Calgon, and today I'd like to review the Sampler Gift Set, which I was given recently for review. I think sampler sets for fragrance are always a fun way to try out a few different scents before determining whether or not you'd like to make a full-size purchase, and this one's quite economical at $4.99 per set (plus there's a printable $1 off coupon here). So let's take a closer look:

 Calgon Sensual Collection Mist Sampler Gift Set

(retail: $4.99 at most major drugstores, 2.0 oz per bottle = 6.0 oz total)

A full review of each fragrance, after the jump...

 Calgon Fragrance Mists in Angelic Kiss, Flirty Tease, Femme Inferno

(2.0 oz each)

Angelic Kiss (from the Calgon website):

 Bask in divine romance. This glamorous and sensual floral oriental scent opens with golden notes of bergamot and mandarin zest with a touch of cardamom.

The soft and delicate floral heart features enchanted violet, Moroccan jasmine petals and white lavender and is followed by a gorgeous and sexy blend of sensual musk, soft vanilla, cedarwood and creamy sandalwood.

I get lots of violet, lavender and cedarwood from this fragrance, and a strong baby powder note as well. I think that if you're drawn to powdery florals, you might gravitate toward this one. But for me personally, it doesn't have enough vanilla and sandalwood to give it that touch of warmth that I tend to prefer. It's not a bad fragrance, but it's just not one that I personally gravitate toward. The staying power is good--I can get about 2 hours before I need to reapply (pretty standard for me and body mists).

Flirty Tease (from the Calgon website):

 Playful and provocative all at once. This sexy and provocative fruity-floral composition opens with a sparkling blend of red currant, orange flower blossom and gala apple.

The enchanting floral heart featuring exotic Egyptian jasmine, angelic lily of the valley with a touch of mirabelle is followed with sensual notes of crystal vanilla, warm sandalwood and atlas cedar.

I really like this fragrance, but it's no surprise because I love just about every note listed above. The red currant and apple give this a crisp, tart opening, but the dry down is a little bit sexy--it's a tiny bit spicy, but the fruity notes linger around, which makes the overall fragrance fun and playful. Quite true to its name. In terms of staying power, this one's the weakest of the three for me--it lasts about an hour on my skin before I feel the need to reapply.

Femme Inferno (from the Calgon website):

Fiery seduction at its finest. This sophisticated and ultra-feminine floral, woody scent opens with a sultry blend of pink pepper, bergamot and rose petals.

The seductive heart features exotic star jasmine wrapped with juicy raspberry and a touch of lily of the valley. The dry down is rich and seductive with notes of Kashmir sandalwood, classic amber and skin musk.

They weren't lying when they described this as being a "woody" scent because, for me, the opening is pure "pencil shavings". After about 1-2 minutes, the strong note of pencil shavings does soften but, on my particular skin, it never quite goes away. I detect a touch of spiciness here, as well as a bit of an aquatic note but, in the end, I just don't think this one works with my chemistry. I can't get over the pencil shavings, which I guess could be a fun sense-memory for some, but not for me. Staying power is good--I can about 2-3 hours before I need to reapply.

FINAL VERDICT: Fragrance is completely subjective and everyone's nose is different. That's what makes sampler sets great, since you can try out three fragrances without much commitment. Since these are 2-oz bottles, you'll definitely have enough product to give each one a nice, long test-drive. I personally like one of the three fragrances in this set enough to consider purchasing a full-size bottle but, as always, your mileage may vary. I think this could be a fun stocking stuffer type of gift (be sure to print out this coupon before making a purchase), or if you're like me and love experimenting with drugstore body mists, I think it's a good value for the price and I'd consider giving it a whirl if any of the fragrance descriptions above pique your interest/curiosity.

Calgon fragrances are available at most major drugstores. For a store locator, click here.

Have you tried any fragrances from the Calgon Sensual Collection? Thoughts?

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.