Frequent questions
Searching for brands, products, …
I’m looking for a specific brand or one of its products
If you know the brand of the product you are looking for, go to the “BRANDS” tab and select the type of product you are looking for (Fragrances, Perfumes or Home Fragrances). Then select the brand and then the product you’re looking for to have more information.
I’m looking for a category of products (Bestsellers, seasonal products, ranged by olfactive family, etc.)
If you’re looking for a category of products, go to the “Boutique” tab and select the category you are interested in (Brand, Perfume or Home). You will find the Bestellers on top, then our products organized seasonaly and finaly by olfactive family. At the bottom of the page, under “Search in the Boutique” you can refine your search results by combining different criteria (brand, gender, product category, olfactive family and season).
About Perfumery….
What is the difference between Selective Perfumery and Niche Perfumery?
Niche Perfumery usually has a smaller scale of distribution and is very much creator oriented, with original and hard-to-find raw materials. It doesn’t mean that Selective Perfumery doesn’t have the same standard in quality or is less expensive. They are simply each driven by different commercial prerogatives.
Top/Middle/Base Notes
Fragrances are made of different scents called “notes”. They are divided into three categories accroding to their volatility: Top (head) notes, Middle notes and Base notes. The top notes are the most volatile, they only stay on the skin for a few minutes. They are often citrus, spices and aromatic notes. Middle notes appear right after the top notes and are often floral. The base notes are the least volatile and the last to be registered. They can stay on the skin for a few hours and even a few days on clothes. They can contain, among other things, woody and powdery notes or accords.
Olfactive… Family history
Fragrances are classified into 7 olfactive families according to the notes that compose it.
FLORAL: They have a large quantity of floral notes both as Top and Middle notes. They can be sometimes combined with fruity notes. Fragrances built around a single flower are called Soliflores.
CITRUS: Hesperide fragrances; i.e. High citrus concentration. They can be combined with floral and/or spicy notes. This is the case for most Colognes.
ORIENTAL: Oriental fragrances contain warmer notes like patchouli, vanilla, amber, musk and woodsy notes. They are often combined with floral middle notes.
FLORIENTAL: A floral oriental contains floral top notes combined with vanilla, Tonka beans, sandalwood and/or musk. Unlike oriental fragrances they do not contain any patchouli.
CHYPRE: Built around an accord made primarily of Patchouli, bergamot, oak moss, Chypre fragrances can also contain green or spicy notes. But they do not contain any vanilla unlike oriental fragrances.
FOUGERE: Fragrances in this category are often more masculine. It will contain lavender, oak moss and/or Tonka beans notes. It can also include other aromatic notes (mint, thyme, rosemary, etc.).
WOODY : Woodsy fragrances contain a large quantity of woodsy base notes, such as cedar, vetiver, sandalwood… It does not contain any patchouli.
Is there alcohol in all perfumes?
Not necessarily. Perfumes are mixed in a specific base that can be made of water, alcohol, wax, lotion, etc. Alcohol is a common base because of its neutrality, it allows the perfume to quickly spread while it evaporates.
Cologne, Eau de toilette, Eau de parfum, Extrait… what is the distinction?
The distinction is the concentration of perfume extract: the higher the concentration, the more expensive it will be and the less perfume you will need to wear. So from the highest concentration to the smallest : Perfume (or Perfume extract) over 20% concentration in essential oils, Eau de parfum (10-20%), Eau de toilette (8-10%) and Eau de Cologne (less than 8% of essential oils). Some brands use the term “Cologne” for commercial purposes when their product are actually Eau de toilette.
Rather Spray or Splash?
There is no difference between what’s inside a bottle of Spray or of Splash. You only put it on differently. You need to see if you prefer to put on Perfume directly from a bottle (splash), or if you’d rather spritz it (spray). With the sprays the top/middle/base notes appear more distinctly.
Where to put on Perfume?
Our advice is to put on perfume on the warmer body zones, and where the skin is the thinnest. You can put some on the inside of your wrist, behind your ears, on the back of the neck, etc. You can also put some perfume on your clothes or your hair by spritzing from afar. Try to avoid the back of the hand and don’t rub your wrists after putting on the perfume !
More is more?
You want to leave a trail of your scent when you walk down the street? To make your perfume stay, put on some odourless lotion, or the lotion scented with your fragrance before putting on the perfume. Hydrated skin will keep the perfume molecules longer. If you can’t smell your perfume anymore during the day, it doesn’t mean other people can’t, maybe your nose has simply gotten used to it..
Where and how to keep it?
Some say you can keep an unopened bottle of perfume for years. What is certain is that the longer you keep a perfume the weaker the top notes will become. If it is opened, you should use it within a year. In any cases, to keep it the longest, keep it away from light, humidity and heat.
Raw materials: Natural Vs Synthetic
By definition, natural molecules are of chemical nature. There are often negative connotations linked to using synthetic raw material. But despite the prejudice, a perfume containing synthetic raw material is not of inferior quality than a natural one, quite the opposite. Almost all perfume contain them. Some natural material are restricted by european and world regulations. Synthetics are the best way to reproduce a scent close to these materials. The lily of the valley for example, this note cannot technically be extracted from the flower. Other materials, like musk, ambergris or civet are restricted because of their animal origin.
Do coffee beans really allow you to “neutralise” the sense of smell ?
When you smell several different perfumes, you sometimes can’t distinguish the different notes anymore : your nose is saturated. Smelling a few coffee beans between each fragrance “neutralises” your sense of smell.
About home fragrances and other products for the house
What are the different categories of wax ?
There are three types of wax : Animal, vegetable and mineral. Beeswax is an animal wax. Very expensive, it is considered a high-end wax. When it burns it produces neither smoke nor soot and leaves behind a sweet and undertoned scent. Paraffin wax is mineral. It is a refining by-product from petroleum, it is what most candles are made of today. It allows the candle to burn at a low temperature. Finaly vegetable wax can be made from soja, palm, rice or Copra. All natural, they burn and keep well.
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What is the difference between coton and wooden candle wick ?
Wooden wicks make a slight crackling sound when burning, reminiscent of a fireplace. They burn just as slowly than coton wicks, if not slower. Just as with coton you can cut them to maintain them.
How to properly use the candle ?
To enjoy all the benefis of your candle, follow this advice :
Let it burn until the surface is liquid.
Don’t let it burn for more than three hours at a time for the first third of the candle. Then for one to two hours at a time.
Don’t hesitate to reposition the wick when the wax is hot.Regularly cut the wick so that it is never longer than 6 milimeters (just under one quarter of an inch). You will prevent it from emanating smoke. Keep it away from draughts and far from curtains. Put it preferably on top of somehing (plate, tray, etc…)
How to use wooden sticks (for ex. perfume products) ?
Some room fragrances diffusers use wooden sticks. This diffusing technique is called “capilla”, since it works through capillary action: the fragrance gets diffused as it slowly runs up the wooden stick.
How long can a candle or diffuser (for ex. Perfume) last ?
Different factors are to be taken into acount for how long a candle can burn. Its height, the quality of the wax and the wick. Here are the average time by candle size :
small (70g): about 30 hours
medium (190g): 50 to 60 hours
big (300g): 70 to 90 hours
very big (+1500g): + 150 hours.
As for diffusers, they can last for about 6 months. It can be longer under specific atmospheric conditions. Low humidity, low pressure and/or high temperature can decrease the rate of evaporation. You can also stop the diffusing process by removing the sticks and puting the lid back on the bottle.
I register and do my diagnostic
Why create a profile?
In order to run your diagnostic You need to create a profile. The information you put in (age, gender, country) will help your establish your account. Moreover, your profile allows you to access all your information is shared and when to our website you visit our ViinRiic Niche store, 84B Tran Quoc Toan Str. Ward 8 Distric 3 HCMC, Vietnam.
How do I create my profile?
To create your ViinRiic Niche profile, go to the “My ViinRiic Niche” section of the website, on the top left corner of the page. On the “New Visitor” page, click on “Do the Diagnostic” on the right. You can then fill in your information and preferences.
The diagnostic… how much will it cost?
It’s free ! To get your diagnostic, you will only have to create a ViinRiic Niche account and give us your personal information and your preferences.
How does the ViinRiic Niche diagnostic tool work?
You want a change of perfume and you are looking for a new one? Our ViinRiic Niche diagnostic tool will help you in 4 simple steps:
My diagnostic : create a profile and tell us about your olfactive preferences.
My recommendations : thanks to your diagnostic, we will suggest 5 perfumes and 5 home fragrances. You will be able to give them a try by ordering samples for each.
My evaluations: Once you’ve ordered and received the samples, you will able to grade them: -5 (I don’t like it), 0(neutral), +5 (I love it). You can also come to our store to try them directly.
My favorites : The products who obtain the best grades will appear in this section.
My personal data is precious to me!
ViinRiic Niche pledges to keep your data private and confidential and not to pass them on to any third party for commercial purposes without your authorization. For more information you can consult our Privacy policy.
How many times can I run my diagnostic?
You can do it as many times as you wish. Your recommendations will only be changed if your information or evaluations are modified. Every time you try and grade recommended perfumes that you ordered or tried in our store, new suggestions will appear refined to your taste thanks to your input. Another reason to come by the store!
I manage my account
How do I access my ViinRiic Niche account?
If you’ve already created your profile in the store or on our website, go to the “My ViinRiic Niche” section on the top left corner, then in the sub-section “My Account”. You can then sign in with your id and password under “Registered Visitor”.
Can I change my personal information?
You can, at any time, change your personal information. To do so, sign in in the “My ViinRiic Niche” section and go to “My Profile”.
Oops, I’ve forgotten my password…
You have forgotten your password? Go to the “My ViinRiic Niche” section on the top left corner, then under “Registered visitor” click on “Did you forget your password ?”. Fill in your e-mail address and you will receive an e-mail from ViinRiic Niche and will be able to change your password by carefully following the instructions.
My order and basket
Trying before buying?
You can give a perfume a try by ordering a sample. It is important, once you get it, to take your time to try it, in order to fully appreciate how it develops over a few hours. Perfumes are often not given enough time, causing disappointments and missed chances. Perfumes have different top, middle and base notes that evolve over minutes and hours (see the olfactive pyramid). That is why it is important to try it on your skin and to pay attention to its evolution. Important: we would like to notify that ViinRiic Niche keeps the right to cancel any abusive order of samples of a same perfume (ex. any order of more than 2 samples of the same perfume and/or any orders above 15 samples).
I would like to buy a product online…
To order online, sign in to your ViinRiic Niche account. When you have found the product you wish to buy, add it to your shopping cart. Click on “Go to cart” if you want to finish your order. You can also click on “Make another purchase”.
Do I have to run a diagnostic in order to make a purchase?
You can place an order without a ViinRiic Niche account. You will still need to register with your e-mail and password. You can then easily place an order and run your diagnostic at a later time by signing in.
I have changed my mind, can I cancel the order ?
To prevent you any unnecessary steps, check what you’ve put in your cart and the total amount of your order before confirming it. Once it has been confirmed we will be unable to cancel it and you will have to wait to receive the products to exchange or return them.
What is in my shopping cart?
You can at any moment check what is in your cart by clicking on the “My cart” button, on the top right corner of the page. The number between brackets is the number of items in your cart. When accessing your cart you will also be able to delete products and modify the quantity you’re ordering.
Shipping & follow-up
Shipping modes
You have the choice between the following shipping modes:
Local Pick up at the ViinRiic Niche store 1: 84B Tran Quoc Toan Str. Ward 8 Distric 3, HCMC, Vietnam.
Local Pick up at the ViinRiic Niche store 2: Lobby Renaissance Riverside Saigon Hotel
8-15 Floor 1, Ton Duc Thang Str. Ward Ben Nghe Distric 1 HCMC
Delay and costs
Pickup at the Store:
Cost: free
Timing: following your order, you will receive an email confirming your order is ready and that you can come at the store to pick up your order during opening hours, from Monday to Saturday, from 10:30AM to 7:30PM.
Returns & refunds
To know more about returns and refunds, please consult Terms and Conditions of Sales, section 6 Right to and period of withdrawal.