Today was part of Vika's birthday weekend event. They had a lot of new lines since my last visit a…read moremonth ago and as always, I couldn't walk out without picking something up. This time I got two new scents from two new lines. Excellent service and always friendly and honest opinions. This is ny favorite store ever. It's a wallet's nightmare but a fragrance lover's dream. Not only is it clean and organized, the staff is amazing.

"It's mine. . . created only for me, by me from special ingredients sourced from France." If…read moreyou've ever wanted to say that, now's your chance. Once upon a time, I used to take my Mom's perfumes and start mixing them just because I wanted to create an all-my-own, but soon to be in high demand, attention-getting scent. It worked. Sort of. I got attention, but the repercussions were not good, and it all stunk - the attention, the creation, the repercussions and the demands. But still, even after all these years, I've thought about doing it again. A new shop recently opened in Cary that took me back to those days. Escentuelle is a studio where anyone, working with the owner/professional perfumer, can create a custom scent. Although I didn't take that step, I spent a few moments speaking with Carolyn as she gave me an overview of the process, how she started in this uncommon business and the types of base fragrances that start things off. Some are essential oils, others are not, but for all, the fragrance notes once isolated, give a new perspective on the previously-thought ordinary. Because she had an upcoming booking, and her studio was set up for that, I had a preview and brief summary of what was in store for her group. It's part chemistry and part aromatherapy. Once the scent is created, a process that begins by picking a core scent and then gradually layering through to the top note, you can reorder it. There are some ready-made custom scents available if you don't have the time. Nevertheless, ninety minutes of time to get a unique fragrance seems like a reasonable trade off.

Imagine sitting down at the perfumer's organ, creating your own signature scent using all your…read morefavorite notes, but with an expert by your side to ensure the end result is wearable and delightful. That's the experience you'll have Escentuelle. I can't stop sniffing the wonderful, complex scent Carolyn helped me put together today. She is very knowledgeable, has a great "nose," and will walk you through the process. Whether you know a lot or a little about perfumes, you'll have a great time and leave with a scent to treasure!

This place smells amazing! Staff are incredibly helpful. Prices are fair and the fragrance oils are…read morehigh quality. I spent minimum 30 minutes here with my partner sampling a few fragrances and picking just the right one. The woman behind the counter was very attentive and charismatic.

Well, at first I was a little skeptical as I know that some fragrance shops make some stuff that…read morejust smells like cheap cologne. NOT THIS PLACE! I was also a little wary as I was ordering online, without smelling first. But a $6 a sampler, I figured, why not give them a try? Shipping was only like $4 for first class mail and each time, the package was delivered pretty quickly. Shipped on a Thursday and delivered on a Monday or Tuesday. I was really excited to try out my fragrances but then I think the package was stolen! I let The Fragrance Shop know and they sent out another package so FIVE STARS for customer service! I decided to have the package shipped to my office instead and these perfumes smell AMAZING! Santal 33 was great. I am IN LOOOOOOVE with White Tea, which smells just like Bulgari/Bvlgari "au the blanc" which is a very expensive and hard to find unisex perfume. I have yet to try the other two samples I got in the mail, but I will be ordering more samples and ordering a larger bottle or spritzer of White Tea. Also, I highly recommend trying perfume oils. Way better than typical alcohol based colognes/perfumes.

I needed a nice gift basket for a co-worked on the East Coast. I reached out in the morning West…read moreCoast time, and Teresa was very responsive and friendly. She was easy to work with and was able to make the custom basket I needed and get it delivered same day. The basket looked great!

The Wishes is amazing, I had a request to send a basket the day before to a couple celebrating the…read more1st bday of their kid. I got in touch with them, they quickly put together the custom basket, and sent it out immediately! They have some really nice selections that that highlight businesses in NC and the prices were pretty good! They took so much care with the basket and were super responsive. The basket arrived right on time! Then they followed up after to make sure it got sent! I'm so grateful, thank you The Wishes!

This is hands down my favorite olive oil shop in all of the triangle area. Trust me; I've been to…read moreall of them. The owner is welcome, super friendly, and helpful. They offer olive oil, balsamic vinegars, honey, marinara sauce, mustard, cheeses, honey, chips, pasta..... Many of these items are local. You can sample pretty much anything in the place! The owner will even help you put together gift baskets or make selections based on what you plan to cook. They are constantly getting new things in to try. It's such a great experience going in for a visit. Check out Indio next door while you are there. It's a cute little gift shop with great greeting cards and local products.

I recently visited Bull City Olive Oil for the second time. Wonderful experience! The owner kindly…read morehelped me pick out a Christmas gift I needed. I love that I was able to choose mini sizes of whichever high quality olive oils I wanted! I also got myself a cranberry pear white balsamic mini- I am a sucker for these flavored white balsamics! As with my first visit, I loved poking around the store, admiring all of the awesome gifts that are for sale- candles, seasonings, etc. The space is cozy and beautiful. We are lucky to have such a gem right in the heart of downtown!

I absolutely love Fillaree...I have switched to all recommended products and have not been…read moredisappointed! I love that their products are all refillable and you bring the packaging back to be reused for a discount. They have these soap mesh bags for bar soap that are my all time favorite things, I have recommended them to so many people! I love that they also have local products the nut butters have had the last time was sooo good! The staff is always amazing they are so helpful and friendly! I literally cannot say enough good things about them!

I came to Fillaree to meet with a local clothing designer who uses the space (which is a very cool…read morealternative use), so I wasn't aware I was walking into the refill hub for a local soap business! While I wasn't in the market for cleaning supplies, the concept seems great (you can bring in your own containers or purchase there), and the owner was super friendly! They also have local goods for sale, and I picked up some super cute jewelry and hair accessories made by local artists! The storefront can be hard to spot from the road and has a small lot out front (next door is Crafts & Drafts, which is another awesome concept I have been meaning to check out). Overall, a great local, eco-friendly refillable and sustainable option to keep in mind!

During covid 19 I requested a special blend 3 of Tom Fords minerale, oud wood and vanilla Tobacco…read morein one oz bottle. Erica did great job and shipped it now state fairgrounds flea market is closed. Yes I could try any online shop but I have used her oils which are highest grade plus supporting a small business owner in this pandemic is worth it. She even acquired Clive Christian which if you know expensive scents she got me a bottle. Please dont buy subpar scents at other places support Classy Fragrance. I'm new to patchouli and her oils make great lotions, hair spritzers, body mist and add to lotions etc. I'm so glad I found her at market and hopefully we will get back to normal and I can enjoy more scents. Best to you and yr family.

This is a cute little boutique in the heart of Five Points. I stopped in after having lunch with…read moremy mom at Lily's Pizza. This was back in December just a few days before Christmas so I decided to do a little Christmas shopping for my friends. The boutique carries a variety of hand crafted items such as scarves, shawls, hats, and clothing. I bought a really pretty scarf for a friend and she loved it. I certainly recommend Peddler's Moon as a place to buy gifts for your girlfriends!