Buzzapp Master 
Purchasing perfume online, whether as a treat or for a loved one, can be a bit of a gamble, mainly because we can’t sample the scent before buying, and typically can’t return it if it’s not to our liking. However, as someone who used to work at a fragrance counter and owns over 50 bottles in her personal ‘scent wardrobe’, I’ve picked up a few tips to make finding a new signature scent, or thoughtful gift, a doddle.
A lot of perfume enthusiasts, particularly those who aren’t tied to a specific scent, enjoy changing their perfumes with the seasons. So, with summer on its way, there’s no better time to share my secrets for confidently ordering online and discovering a new favourite.
Thanks to the popularity of discovery sets, fragrance quizzes and flexible return policies, it’s now simpler than ever to find the perfect scent from the comfort of our home without the hassle of spraying dozens of those flimsy white cardboard strips, forgetting which is which and leaving the shop with a headache. So, here’s how to shop for fragrance online like a pro.
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Fragrance edits Many shops and brands now offer curated fragrance discovery sets, allowing us to sample multiple scents before investing in a full bottle. These sets usually include smaller vials or minis, so we can see how the scent lasts throughout the day and how it reacts with our skin.
Usually retailers like LookFantastic, Cult Beauty and Next will launch boxes throughout the year, but they’re never available all year round and often sell out quickly.
One that’s currently available is the Liberty Fragrance Lounge Edit, but being a premium collection, it costs £425. Housed in a Liberty print gift box, it contains 10 fragrances worth over £825. As well as two Liberty perfumes, there’s also names such as Fugazzi, Bibbi and Ex Nihilo. In total, the set comprises 241.5ml of luxury fragrance.
Inside the Liberty Fragrance Lounge Edit
(Image: Liberty)
Brand discovery sets While some may wish to explore various different brands in the sets above, other shoppers might be intrigued by a specific perfume name, but aren’t quite sure where to begin. To assist us, several fragrance brands have introduced little discovery sets of their own collections, allowing shoppers to sample each one and discover their favourite.
The Maison Margiela Memory Box, available at Sephora, is the ideal way to test or gift some of Maison Margiela’s top-selling Replica fragrances. The set comprises 10 x 2ml minis, totalling 20ml, each designed to evoke different memories.
The unisex scents include Lazy Sunday Morning, Jazz Club and Beach Walk. Currently discounted to £30.60, it’s far more affordable than purchasing a 30ml bottle for £62.
Who Is Elijah is certainly a brand to keep an eye on – a female-founded, independently-owned fragrance house renowned for its accessible luxury, genderless, and minimalist fragrances. The Australian brand has been gaining traction since it entered the UK market, with its scent Nomad (one of my current favourites) being a top seller.
However, for those who don’t want to follow the crowd and opt for the fan favourite, which costs £80 for 50ml, a great option is the brand’s discovery set.
Similar to the Maison Margiela one, it includes ten of the signature scents in 2ml mini-atomisers, allowing customers to sample them all before committing to a full-sized purchase. In addition to Nomad, there’s also the likes of Haze, Muse, Rebel Rose and Ocean Eyes. The set is currently priced at £45 at Boots.
Over at LookFantastic, this Jo Malone London Scent Layering Kit is available for £45 and contains three 9ml colognes designed to be layered together to create a unique scent trail. One 9ml fragrance usually costs £18, so this set saves shoppers £9. It includes the Grapefruit cologne, alongside Peony and Blush Suede and English Oak and Hazelnut.
There’s also a Jo Malone London Cologne Discovery Collection available at Sephora for £20, offering five mini fragrances, however they’re only 1.5ml each, so collectively add up to 7.5ml, meaning it’s more cost effective to buy a full 9ml bottle for less, providing shoppers know what they like.
Alternatively, the Charlotte Tilbury Fragrance Collection Of Emotions Perfume Travel Trio Set is available for £48 at Space NK, or comes free when spending £95 on the brand’s beauty best-sellers at the retailer. Another great option for gifting is the Ladies Fragrance Collection from Penhaligon’s, which is priced at £50 for five 5ml bottles, totalling 25ml of scent. It includes The Favourite, Elisabethan Rose, Empressa, Halfeti and Luna.
‘Try Before You Buy’ samples Several brands now offer a ‘try before you buy’ model where shoppers receive a sample along with their full-size purchase. If the customer doesn’t like the scent after trying the sample, they can return the unopened bottle for a refund, reports the Mirror.
Floral Street is one such brand, who include a sample of a chosen fragrance with all orders of 10ml, 50ml and 100ml scents. If the scent isn’t not the customer was looking for, they can then return the unopened fragrance for a full refund.
The perfume has notes of pink pepper, candyfloss and blackcurrant
(Image: Floral Street)
For those in need of some inspiration, Floral Street’s Wonderland Peony is a bestseller, adored by Stacey Solomon, who has previously praised the small business’ fragrances on Instagram. The fruity floral fragrance features notes of blackcurrant, pink pepper and candyfloss, with the Loose Women panellist loving it so much, her sister Gemma even included it in the party bags for Stacey’s baby shower guests.
The Perfume Shop offers a unique service where selected fragrances from their ‘try me’ range come with a free perfume sample. If buyers are smitten, they can keep the bottle – if not, send it back. Some of the scents available in this scheme include Armani’s Stronger With You, Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid and Viktor and Rolf Spicebomb Extreme.
Keep an eye out for deals and gift sets Perfume gift sets often offer better value than purchasing a single bottle. During key holidays like Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Black Friday, many retailers offer limited-edition gift sets that come with extras such as body lotions, travel sprays, and candles.
ASOS currently has the ASOS X Miss Selfridge Euro Summer Beauty Box which is priced at £20 and saves 70% on the RRP. It contains six summer-ready beauty products and a hair bow, including a dual-ended fragrance stick of Billie Eilish scents, including Eilish – an amber gourmand fragrance – and Eilish No 2. a fresh, woody and spicy scent.
With Father’s Day fast approaching, LookFantastic has rolled out a grooming edit that stars Jo Malone’s Cypress and Grapevine Intense Cologne. Worth £24, it’s an earthy aromatic scent, with notes of vetiver and amber, leaving a ‘long-lasting crisp woody aroma’. As part of the set, it works out at £5, which is a steal for a Jo Malone scent. Worth a hefty £180, the haul is priced at £45 and contains some seriously impressive products.
For those looking to splurge, Liberty’s ‘She Deserves It’ beauty kit offers a luxurious selection of indulgent treats from their iconic Beauty Hall. Worth over £406, it’s priced at just £130 and includes a fine fragrance from Paris-based Ex Nihilo.
Take advantage of freebies Many brands and retailers offer travel-friendly bottles as free gifts when they buy a full-sized bottle. This is a great way to get more value for money if beauty fans love a particular fragrance. They could even gift the full-sized bottle for birthdays or special occasions, and keep the mini.
Boots frequently offers free minis with their fragrances, and sometimes other treats, too. Current offers include a free rollerball duo and pouch bundle when buying Ariana Grande REM Cherry Eclipse 50ml, or a free candle when buying selected Viktor & Rolf. Georgio Armani fans can even get a free travel spray with certain bottles.
At LookFantastic, shoppers can receive a complimentary Lancôme bundle when they spend £75 on the brand. The set, worth £75, contains a range of the premium brand’s bestsellers.
Consider opting for 10ml bottles Most perfume brands offer a 30ml bottle as their smallest size, which can be quite a gamble if we’re not sure we’ll like the scent. However, some brands do offer smaller 10ml bottles, perfect for travel or popping in handbags, and less wasteful if customers decide they’re not keen on the fragrance.
Floral Street offer 10ml bottles with the added bonus of a try-before-you-buy sample. Their travel-friendly spritz is priced at £29, and if the shopper doesn’t love the mini, they can return it for a full refund.
Kayali, the sister brand to Huda Beauty, also offers 10ml bottles of their fragrances. These are priced at £28 and come in a range of enticing scents, including Yum Pistachio Gelato and Eden Juicy Apple.
LookFantastic currently has the Marc Jacobs Exclusive Perfect Eau de Toilette Pen Spray 10ml available for £20, while Sephora is offering the Charlotte Tilbury 10ml Calm Bliss for £20.
Other top tips for buying fragrance online For those who are not sure where to begin, online fragrance-matching tools can assist in finding perfumes based on our preferences or existing favourites. These tools typically use algorithms to suggest scents based on the notes we like or the mood we’re aiming for.
Boots and The Perfume Shop have their own Fragrance Finder on their websites, which will suggest scents based on each shopper’s personal taste, although they generally only recommend brands they carry.
Lastly, reading customer reviews can also give an idea of how popular a perfume is, and offer insights that the product description doesn’t, such as how it changes over time and its longevity. If shoppers still need more inspiration after all this, have a look at some of our latest reviews and top deals here.
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