I bought the discovery set on a whim, partly influenced by TikTok, but largely because I wanted my next fragrance purchase to support a Canadian small business. I was optimistic about the set, and my expectations were exceeded. Grassland and Lucky Days were the first scents I sampled — both winners! My other favourites (so far) are Sex & Jasmine (which is gorgeous layered with Smoked Bloom), Eros Fig (which is so much better on skin than on paper), and Fruit Thieves. Grassland evokes childhood memories of days at the cottage, with dry sea grass blowing in the ocean breeze. It’s comforting and nostalgic. Each of the perfumes in the set smell very different on skin than they do on paper, so wear tests are necessary before you choose you favourite(s). The worst thing about this discovery set is having to decide which one will be my first full bottle because I’m struggling to choose between so many fantastic fragrances.
I ordered this thinking there will be for sure at least one or two scents that I'd like, but they ended up being ALL too strong or just really not my vibe, which is unfortunates because I thought paying 90$ of samples would def be worth it :(
I was hoping the Fruit Thieves would be it, but its smells very very sweet, which is surprising coming from the maracuya inspiration - passion fruit isn't that sweet,
but I have tried ...
I was so impressed with this discovery set. It was beautifully packaged, with an individual card for each scent, describing the scent and the notes. I’ve been working my way through them, trying to decide on a favorite. The samples are a generous amount- more than enough to try a number of times each. The scents themselves are exquisite. Some scents I’ve tried have a strong “perfume” smell that all kind of smells the same. Like they’re used the same base or something. These scents each smell so different, so unique, so whole. Like it’s hard to distinguish separate notes in each scent, as they all blend together so beautifully. Some of the scents feel more masculine, and some more feminine, though most of them could be unisex. The way they dry down on my skin is incredible- I find myself sniffing my wrists throughout the day, just to get a little hit. Currently I’m leaning towards Fruit thieves or Smoked Bloom as my faves. I may just have to order both!
I was really excited to support this company. I've been searching for a new signature scent. The marketing and packaging are beautiful, but after purchasing the Discovery Set, I was left disappointed. I did like Soft Woods, but not enough to buy a full-sized bottle. One of the scents smelled purely like alcohol, almost as if no fragrance had been added to it; another was very overpowering. Overall, the perfumes had a somewhat dusty smell once they settled or soured unpleasantly. I love incense and sage too, but some of the scents that captured those notes didn't appease my nose. I'm starting to wonder if I got a bad batch. I noticed a newer photo where the fragrances have differentiating colours, whereas mine were a set with only a yellow hue, so I'm thinking mine were from an older batch. Good luck, I do hope to support you in the future~
Very happy with this sample set, and want to commend their customer service. My package got delayed at the border (US) and was redirected back to Paraphrase. I thought I would have to wait another 1-2 weeks, but they immediately sent a new one out with express shipping and it arrived within a few days.
I had 10 scents in my set and didn’t get Fruit Thieves which was the scent I was most curious about, but its not a big deal. The rest are what I was hoping for - natural and unique. There are some really cool notes that I’ve never smelled in colognes/perfumes and soft woods is the most incredible mild forest smell. Perhaps the first woody cologne that doesn’t smell too much like pine sap and actually makes me reminisce on alpine camping. Just saw that US shipping is suspended but I hope get a full bottle one day:)
