Sunday 16 February 2020

Paying it Forward: (in) Puredistance Gold


"This post is a part of a joint mini project, a.k.a. giveaway, held by Undina (Undina’s Looking Glass), Vanessa (Bonkers about Perfume), Lucas (Chemist in the Bottle) and Portia (Australian Perfume Junkies) – see details at the bottom of the post."

Ooh, I haven't participated in a joint blogging project in forever. I do remember one in 2010 on The Scents of the Mediterranean, and there must have been an example or two since. However, with being a bit of a lone wolf that walks by itself I haven't tended to do much in the way of collaborations with other bloggers. To be fair, I haven't done much blogging lately, period, which has as much to do with the ongoing jip from my sprained pelvis (and inability to sit still for long periods) as it has with any dip in my fragrant mojo. Be that as it may, the rationale behind this particular joint exercise struck me as so worthwhile that I am delighted to have been asked to host the UK end of the giveaway.

Without further ado I should add that this initiative is the brainchild of Undina, who explains how she lit upon the idea on Undina's Looking Glass.

For the full background do hop over to her blog, but in brief, Puredistance is a fine example of 'slow perfumery' (to annexe a term perhaps best known in the context of cooking and travel). It has gradually increased both its stable of fragrances and its retail network, growing the company in a measured and organic way, also in terms of its marketing approach. Undina feels (and I wholeheartedly agree) that Puredistance has always been appreciative of the varied and highly individual ways in which bloggers have spread the word about its perfumes. The company even collated their reviews into a presentation book, which I have never seen done by a brand before. To this day, 11 years on from the launch of PD 1, Puredistance continues to be unstintingly generous to the blogging community in its provision of samples. This was never conditional on their part, and by the same token, we bloggers wrote from the heart and not as part of some tacit quid pro quo arrangement that 'free stuff' would automatically come our way. But because of Puredistance's respect for the blogging community and its voice, I'd say this naturally led to closer - while still independent - ties.

Conversely, owing to the limited distribution of the brand, the fact of the matter remains that most people reading reviews will probably not have the opportunity to try these perfumes in a store anywhere near them. Which is why Undina thought it would be a nice idea to hold parallel giveaways in the four regions of the participating bloggers, enabling one reader in each area to win a sample of Puredistance's latest release, GOLD.




Here's the technical detail, courtesy of Undina:

"Puredistance Gold Sample(s) Giveaway

One ~ 1.5ml handmade sample of Puredistance Gold is offered in a giveaway on each blog for a reader from the specific geographical region:

Bonkers about Perfume - the UK
Undina’s Looking Glass – the US and Canada
Chemist in the Bottle  – Europe (without the UK)**

While you’re invited and encouraged to comment on any/all of the participating blogs, to be entered into the draw you should leave a comment on 'your' region’s blog, following the instructions given there.

The draw will close on February 23. You know all the disclaimers etc."

Now I love GOLD myself and for anyone who hasn't tried the line, it is an ideal introduction to Puredistance's luxurious yet wearable style. Links to my review of it and those of five other scents are listed below, along with one to my post about visiting the offices of Puredistance in 2011 - I was apparently the first blogger to do so. I received a very warm welcome from Jan Ewoud Vos and his team, and at the end of our meeting was given a memorably packaged(!) ;) slice of apple cake for the road.









Editor's note: It occurred to me that as Bonkers receives few comments anymore - looking again at these reviews has rather reminded me of that - if you are in the UK the chances of scoring a sample here are extremely high!

**Europe (without the UK) Ah, how true...;(


WHITE and BLACK cosying up together


30 comments:

Heather said...

I always enjoy reading your blog and love that there is an opportunity to win a sample this time! I’ve shared this blog so my friends have a chance to win too! Thank you!

Hazel said...

I am, as you know, your greatest fan. AND I have a vacancy for a new perfume direction.

Pats said...

Dear Bonkers - this post came at just the right time. I realised that Gold by Puredistance was the only one i had not managed to get a sniff of. And so, here is my plea. I received no Valentines, i've got an upcoming birthday and feel sad about getting older. A new sample in the post would make me smile muchly! Puredistance do the most amazing perfumes, and i would really like to try this one! I live in hope. Thanks for the chance - am in the UK (NI).

Trong Nghia said...

Hi Bonkers,
I need to thank my friends who just passed me your blog. As a perfume lover but don't have enough time and finance, your blog's content have been helping me, to save my time and my money a lot. Please keep it up, thank you.

Best,
Jin

Vanessa said...

Hi Heather,

I really appreciated the share, and how kind to think of your US friends too. You are in the draw!

Vanessa said...

Hi Hazel,

Kind of you to say so. The timing of this draw is ideal then if you are getting itchy feet - I mean nostrils. Good luck!

Vanessa said...

Hi Pats,

Thanks for your amusing comments - you have convinced me that you really could use a sample of GOLD, especially if it is the one still out there that remains tantalisingly unsniffed. Nice to have Norn Iron represented in the draw. Hazel my SIL is from there too.

Vanessa said...

Hi Jin,

I am glad you are finding the blog helpful, and my thanks to your friends for pointing you in this direction. You are in the draw and good luck!

Unknown said...

Oh my, the review has definitely piqued my interest. It sounds like a transcendental experience! I would live to smell this and feel that fascination with perfume again. By tge way, I also had no goodies on Valentins day as husband was grounded with the lurgy!

Vanessa said...

Hi Rachael!,

Luckily we cleared up the 'Unknown' mystery over on Facebook. ;) I think GOLD might very well float your boat, and kick start the fascination again, so you are in the draw! Hope husband gets well soon.

Ingeborg said...

I have already commented on the correct blog, given Norway is still part of Europe (well, by most ways of looking at it, that is).

I just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery, frequent pain can be so draining!

Anonymous said...

I love this idea, and feel so happy that there are still people in the world who aren't motivated by greed and commercialism! A kind person has already given me a sample of Gold, so please don't enter me. I really do like it and would even consider getting a full bottle (or rather persuade my husband that I would like a very early birthday present!). It is classy stuff.

So sorry that your pelvis continues to misbehave. You must be feeling absolutely exhausted and miserable. Have you got a new bed yet?

Take care, and thank you and your fragrant blogging pals for being such good sports.

Jillie

Vanessa said...

Hi Ingeborg,

Yes, Norway and the UK are on a similar footing now within Europe! Well, I guess the footing remains to be determined in our case. Thanks for dropping in - I know you are no stranger to pain yourself.

Vanessa said...

Hi Jillie,

I am glad you already got to try GOLD, and pleased that you like it and also find it 'classy stuff'.

The bed saga continues apace...bought a mattress on the Internet, having tried it in a bed shop, and it is incredibly and unexpectedly firm. It is going back today at my own (expensive!) expense. Not sure what went wrong there - the manufacturer calls it 'soft', while Which rate it 8 out of 10 where 10 is the softest bed imaginable. So yes, I need to regroup on the mattress front, but I think I know which one would be best otherwise, and will carry on with the old one for a bit longer. It is a vast improvement on the one I bought!

Anonymous said...

Oh Vanessa, I do - literally - feel your pain. My husband has often said that I am the Princess and the Pea as I have sent so many beds back ... luckily not at my own expense, which must add insult to your injury. Do you think the problem with your latest addition could be that you bought it over the internet and that it might actually have been an imposter and wasn't the same as the one you tried? Fakes are rampant, although I wouldn't have thought mattresses were the sort of product that would be worth copying, but who knows? I always stuck with bricks and mortar stores, and chatted up the salesmen (which stood me in good stead when I inevitably told them I couldn't stand the bed I had just bought).

In the meantime, would a good mattress topper (with plenty of thickness and support) be of any help? Trouble is, they can be expensive. But I have heard people swear that they cured their back problems, and I have to say that I wouldn't be without mine (a pure wool topper from a company in the West Country).

Horrified to see the flooding, and particularly sad to see a cafe in Tenbury Wells, where we had lunch while killing time when the kitten was having surgery, now sitting in water. Are you OK?

Jillie

Vanessa said...

Hi Jillie,

Before I bought the mattress I rang the manufacturer to check that the product was the same specification, whether bought in store or online, and they assured me it was. However with a £400 differential between the two sales channels you have to wonder. It looked the same, but who knows? It was a gamble, but if I had liked it I would have been way better off than if I had bought in a store, and I thought I had more than done my homework.

A topper is not really practical on the memory foam bed I have reverted to using. I think I will get another John Ryan eventually, which is what the lodger is happily sleeping on.

We have a lot of standing water here and there, and puddles like you wouldn't believe, but nothing like the people in Wales or on the Severn.

Anonymous said...

Shame ..... perhaps when you don't have any lodgers you could sneak into that room and sleep there???

J

Vanessa said...

I do already! ;)

Hayley said...

Hi Vanessa I think my previous comment has got lost! I’ll try again but two might appear.
Thank you for hosting this giveaway I would love to try Pure Distance Gold infact I’d love to try any Pure Distance they sound fascinating, I think White sounds very appealing, I shall have to seek them out! I do still read blogs but have become more into Instagram as I like taking photos and it’s a place to share easily thoughts on perfume. I follow you there (I’m the penniless perfumista ☺️) anyway fingers crossed for the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your problems but very glad to see another post! I hope you keep blogging as I enjoy reading about your adventures. Good luck sorting out the bed issues. I have never tried any of the perfumes from this line ....

Vanessa said...

Hi Hayley,

Sorry for your comment bother and thanks for persevering - you got there finally. ;) And I had no idea you were the penniless perfumista over on Instagram! It is nice to make that connection now. What part of the country are you based in out of interest?

I am quite liking Instagram after a slow start, but am rarely moved to post any perfume-related pictures on there for some reason, just whatever I see that takes my fancy really.

Good luck in the draw!

Vanessa said...

Hi Anonymous,

Thanks for your words of encouragement about the blog - I will keep going at least for a while and see...

And please do let me know your name, so I can properly identify you in the draw?

Hayley said...

Thanks Vanessa, I’m in Lancashire...and it’s very grim up North at the mo!

lucas said...

Love the photo of BLACK & WHITE in their silk pouches. So elegant.

Glad to see our project is doing well.

Vanessa said...

Hi Hayley,

Oh not so very far from me, and it is grim down here too - we had hail earlier!

Vanessa said...

Hi Lucas,

That photo is only slightly staged, hehe...the samples were in a bowl on the coffee table in my living room, and I added the little wooden hearts - decorations from a friend's wedding.

The project was a great idea of Undina's, and I hope four readers will enjoy sampling GOLD!

Aurora said...

Thank you for this draw, it also made me discover your blog :)

Vanessa said...

Hi Aurora,

What a charming name you have! Glad you were led to the blog by the draw, and the best of luck.

Anonymous said...

Oops forgot to identify as Helen....sorry

Vanessa said...

That's great, Helen, thanks!