There are many ways to get cologne samples for free. Some companies, such as Sephora, offer free samples in-store, while others provide them online. Signing up for newsletters, following social media pages, and joining product testing sites are also great ways to get your hands on some samples. If you're willing to spend a little, you can pay a small fee to subscribe to fragrance boxes or buy sample sets from beauty retailers. However, when it comes to shipping cologne, there are some regulations to be aware of due to the flammable nature of the product.
What You'll Learn
Online sampling programs
Online Reward Programs
Some companies like Sephora offer reward programs that provide free fragrance samples when you make an online purchase. For example, Diptyque offers deluxe fragrance samples with the purchase of a candle, while The Body Shop, L'Oreal, and Lancome offer free fragrance samples with or without an online purchase.
Online Newsletters
You can also sign up for newsletters from your favourite cosmetics lines or beauty product newsletters. This way, you'll be alerted about new product drops and will be in the loop when it's giveaway time. Seasonal gift sets often come with deluxe fragrance samples.
Social Media
Make sure to follow your favourite cologne brands on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit. These platforms are great sources for scoring free scent samples. Simply search for relevant hashtags to see who's giving away samples.
Online Review Sites
Product review sites such as Home Tester Club, Poshly, TryIt sampling community, and BzzAgent regularly offer free colognes, often full-sized, for you to rate and review.
Online Sample Aggregators
Sample aggregators such as PinchMe, Sampler.io, and Daily Goodie Box often include cologne samples in the sample boxes they send out. They typically offer a sample box every month, and shipping is free.
Online Subscription Boxes
You can also sign up for a cologne-only subscription box, like Scentbox or Scentbird, which are monthly deliveries that allow you to build your knowledge of on-trend colognes. These subscription boxes also provide coupon codes for when you're ready to commit to full-size purchases.
Online Retailers
Online retailers like The Aromi offer a wide variety of discounted cologne samples. Scent Split is another online retailer that provides hand-decanted samples of niche and luxury fragrances, allowing you to try various fragrances at a reasonable price.
Brand Websites
You can also visit the websites of your favourite cologne brands and look for a "free sample" tab. You might have to enter some information, such as your email and mailing address, but in return, you'll receive free samples of their latest colognes.
Online Reviews
If you don't mind putting in a little extra effort, you can reach out directly to cologne brands through their websites. Express your interest in their products and request a sample. Many brands will be happy to send you a free sample if they sense your genuine interest in trying their product before purchasing.
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Social media promotions
- Instagram Hashtag Contest: This type of promotion works by having users follow your account and post a photo with a specific hashtag. Their photos will be displayed on a dedicated page, and they will be incentivized to share their submission with their network. The submission with the most votes wins.
- Referral Promotion: This type of promotion incentivizes sharing. Everyone who enters gets a discount code and a unique share link. The entrant who refers the most people wins the grand prize.
- Photo Contest: Entrants submit a photo and share the contest with their network, who then vote on their favourite. This type of contest encourages engagement and interaction with your brand.
- Vote Contest: Similar to a photo contest, but you provide the content and entrants vote on their favourite.
- Coupon Promotion: Offer coupons or discounts to prospective customers to incentivize purchases. You can also give a basic discount to everyone who enters and a larger discount to those who refer their friends.
- Giveaways: People are drawn to the chance of winning a prize, so hosting giveaways or contests is a great way to boost engagement and create awareness for your brand. Offer cologne samples or gift sets as prizes to attract participants and showcase your products.
- User-Generated Content: Encourage users to create and share content featuring your cologne samples. This could be in the form of reviews, photos, or videos. You can also propose new products for them to review, like upcoming colognes.
- Social Media Aggregators: Platforms like PinchMe, Sampler.io, and Daily Goodie Box often include perfume samples in their monthly sample boxes. Reach out to these aggregators to include your cologne samples in their boxes.
- Newsletters: Send exclusive offers, discounts, or giveaways to your mailing list. This is a great way to build a community of engaged customers and keep them informed about new products.
- Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with influencers on social media to promote your cologne samples. You can send them free samples in exchange for social media posts or sponsored content.
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Sample aggregators
PinchMe
PinchMe offers a monthly sample box that often includes cologne samples. You can create a free account and check their website regularly for new releases. Shipping is also free.
Sampler.io
Sampler.io is another website that offers monthly sample boxes, which sometimes include cologne samples. As with PinchMe, you can sign up for a free account and keep an eye out for new sample box releases.
Daily Goodie Box
Daily Goodie Box provides a monthly selection of samples, which may include cologne. The samples are free, and shipping is free too.
Scent Split
Scent Split offers an extensive collection of niche and luxury fragrances, including colognes. They provide hand-decanted samples, allowing you to try a variety of scents at a low cost before committing to a full-size bottle. Scent Split offers free shipping on orders over $70 in the US and $150 in Canada.
My Fragrance Samples
My Fragrance Samples is an online store that offers smaller quantities of colognes and other fragrances. They have a wide range of perfumes, from affordable designer brands to high-end niche fragrances. You can purchase sample sizes ranging from 2.2ml to 32ml, all of which come in glass spray bottles.
In addition to these sample aggregators, you can also find cologne samples on product review sites such as Home Tester Club, Poshly, TryIt, and BzzAgent. These sites often provide free samples, including full-size colognes, in exchange for your ratings and reviews.
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Product review sites
- Home Tester Club: This site sends you a sample product in exchange for an honest review on their platform. While they work with various products, not just fragrances, you can propose new products to review, such as upcoming colognes.
- Poshly: Poshly is a product review site that offers free perfumes, often full-size, for users to rate and review.
- TryIt Sampling Community: This community-based site provides free perfumes for users to try out and review.
- BzzAgent: BzzAgent is another product review site that regularly offers free perfumes for testing and reviews.
- Fragrantica: This website provides perfume and cologne reviews and an online community for fragrance enthusiasts. They also offer giveaways and free samples to their American readers.
- Freeflys: This site curates various free samples, including cologne and perfume, and provides tips on how to get them.
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Beauty clubs/subscription boxes
Beauty clubs and subscription boxes are a great way to try out cologne samples without committing to a full-sized bottle. Here is a list of some popular beauty clubs and subscription boxes that include cologne samples:
Scentbird
Scentbird is a popular fragrance subscription service that offers a wide variety of scents for both men and women, including designer and niche fragrances. They provide detailed scent descriptions and categorizations, making it easy to find the perfect scent. The subscription box includes a 30-day supply of fragrance decanted into a glass vial, and you can choose the frequency and number of scents you receive. Scentbird also offers discounts on the purchase of full-size bottles.
Scent Box
Scent Box is a monthly subscription service that offers an extensive selection of fragrances, with over 575 different designer options on the standard plan and more than 850 on the premium plan. You can choose your own scents or let Scent Box select them for you based on a brief questionnaire. The box includes a 30-day supply of fragrance in a travel-size atomizer, providing four sprays per day. Scent Box also allows you to exchange scents if you receive one you don't like.
LUXSB - Luxury Scent Box
LUXSB - Luxury Scent Box is a monthly subscription service that offers a wide selection of authentic designer and niche colognes. You can take a brief survey to find your fragrance mood and select your favourite, or discover new scents curated just for you. The box includes a 9ml perfume vial with approximately 150 sprays. With the standard membership, you'll receive a protective case for your glass vial, while the premium membership gives you access to all fragrances and a new case each month.
Debonair Scent
Debonair Scent is a monthly cologne discovery service that helps you find the perfect scent to suit your style. You create a scent profile, and then receive three 3ml bottles of cologne curated especially for you each month. Debonair Scent offers a simple, straightforward profile quiz and provides a $15 shop offer that can be used to purchase a full-sized bottle, making the box practically free.
Olfactif
Olfactif is a fragrance subscription service that focuses on niche, indie, and natural fragrances from around the world. Each month, you'll receive a curated collection of three 2ml fragrances from different parts of the globe. Olfactif offers discounts on the purchase of full-size bottles, and members also receive benefits such as 10% off all à la carte samples.
Perfume.com Fragrance of the Month
Perfume.com's Fragrance of the Month program offers a 0.27-ounce fragrance atomizer for $15 per month, providing access to over 500 brands and scents, including popular designer options. You can browse and select the fragrances you want to try, or let Perfume.com's scent experts curate a selection for you.
The Fragrance Club
The Fragrance Club offers an affordable way to access designer fragrances, with a 10ml spray bottle delivered each month for just 50 cents a day. Your first month includes a free casing along with your selected fragrance, making it a great option if you're looking for a perfume for a special occasion.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are many ways to get free cologne samples in the mail. You can sign up for newsletters, follow brands on social media, enter online sweepstakes, or join a product testing community.
You can ask for a cologne sample at your local department store or beauty specialty store. High-end department stores like Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Nordstrom are usually accommodating when it comes to cologne samples.
You can contact the brand directly and express your interest in their products. You can also become a brand ambassador or an influencer to receive free samples.
Yes, there are several subscription services that offer cologne samples, such as ScentBird, The Fragrance Club, and Scent Box. These services allow you to try different fragrances at a low cost.
Yes, it's important to be aware of the shipping regulations for mailing cologne as it is considered a hazardous material due to its flammable content. There may be restrictions on the volume and size of bottles that can be shipped, especially for international shipments.