Initiation Discovery Set, 6 x 0.33 oz

Why it works as a gift

Initio Parfums Privés is a French house whose fragrances are all sold as unisex, and this set is its own introduction to the range. Luckyscent lists it as Initio's six most emblematic essences, drawn from four of the house's collections, which makes it a fair first look rather than a random handful.

The six cover a lot of ground. Initio lists Oud for Greatness with oud, agarwood oil, lavender, saffron, patchouli, musk and nutmeg. Side Effect, which the house calls a night perfume, combines cinnamon, rum, tobacco, saffron, sandalwood and Hedione. Rehab pairs bergamot and lavender with cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood and musk. Musk Therapy brings bergamot, mandarin, white magnolia and blackcurrant over white and pink musks. Atomic Rose is Turkish and Bulgarian rose with jasmine and vanilla, and Blessed Baraka lists white flowers, amber, sandalwood, vanilla and musk.

Against one small bottle of a single Initio scent at a similar budget, the set is the better gift when you can't tell which direction they lean. Six 0.33 oz (10 ml) sprays also give enough of each to wear for more than a day or two. The trade-off: most of these are warm and rich, so it suits someone who already enjoys statement fragrance more than a newcomer.

Who it’s for

• A fragrance collector who follows niche houses and hasn't tried Initio yet
• A partner who wears warm, evening scents such as oud, tobacco or vanilla
• A friend who likes trading opinions on fragrance and would enjoy comparing six side by side
• Someone marking a promotion or milestone who would rather choose their next full bottle themselves

Skip it if

• They find heavy, long-lasting fragrances too much
• They prefer clean, light or citrus scents for daytime and office wear
• They already own several Initio bottles; the set will mostly repeat what they know
• They are sensitive to fragrance or prefer unscented products

Giving it

• Add a card suggesting they wear one a day for a week and note which they reach for again
• Retailers list the concentrations differently (some call two of the six extraits), so don't promise a specific strength in your note
• Opened fragrance often can't be returned, so check the retailer's return policy before you give it

The facts

Contents

Rehab, Side Effect, Oud for Greatness, Musk Therapy, Atomic Rose, Blessed Baraka

Size

0.33 oz (10 ml) spray each

Concentration

Listed as eau de parfum by FragranceNet; Bluemercury lists Musk Therapy and Rehab as extrait de parfum

Oud for Greatness

Oud, agarwood oil, lavender, saffron, patchouli, musk, nutmeg

Side Effect

Cinnamon, rum, tobacco, saffron, sandalwood, Hedione

Rehab

Bergamot, lavender, cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood, Hedione, musk

Musk Therapy

Bergamot, mandarin, white magnolia, blackcurrant, white sandalwood, white musk, pink musk

Atomic Rose

Bergamot, Turkish rose, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, vanilla, Hedione

Blessed Baraka

White flowers, amber, sandalwood, vanilla, musk

Made in

France; all fragrances described as unisex

Consider instead

• Molton Brown Oudh Accord & Gold Triple Wick Candle — Oud for the home rather than the skin, for someone who loves the note but not wearing it
• Maison Margiela Replica Mini Discovery Set — A gentler set of minis for someone newer to fragrance