Explore Fragrances: Sample Scents At Home

There are many ways to get fragrance samples delivered to your home. Some companies, like Sephora, offer free fragrance samples when you make an online purchase. Other companies, like The Body Shop, L'Oreal, and Lancome, offer free fragrance samples with or without a purchase. You can also sign up for a subscription service, like Scentbird or ScentBox, which delivers samples to your door monthly. If you're looking for a specific fragrance, you can try contacting the customer service department of the perfume brand directly. They often have samples available for potential customers. Finally, you can try searching for hashtags on social media to see if anyone is giving away free samples.

Online retailers that offer free samples

There are several online retailers that offer free fragrance samples. Some of the most popular options include:

Sephora

Sephora offers free fragrance samples when you check out during your online purchase. You can also visit a Sephora store to request a sample vial.

Ulta

Sign up for an account at Ulta and opt for mailings. Each month, you'll receive a catalog with several free perfume samples.

Nordstrom

Nordstrom is known for offering free fragrance samples, especially during Scent Events when you can receive deluxe-sized scents to try.

Macy's

Macy's has a program where they send out boxes of fragrance samples every few months. They also offer a discovery kit with traditional boxed cologne samples.

The Perfume Shop

The Perfume Shop offers free perfume samples for selected new products so you can try them before opening the full bottle.

Diptyque

Diptyque offers deluxe fragrance samples with the purchase of a candle.

The Body Shop, L'Oreal, and Lancome

These companies often provide free fragrance samples with or without an online purchase.

Beauty Subscription Boxes

You can sign up for beauty subscription boxes, such as Scentbox or Scentbird, which deliver fragrance samples to your doorstep each month.

Social Media and Influencer Platforms

Follow your favourite perfume brands and influencers on social media. They often offer exclusive samples to their followers or through sponsored ads. You can also grow your own social media following and apply to receive free samples as an influencer.

Product Review Sites and Sample Aggregators

Platforms like PinchMe, Sampler.io, Daily Goodie Box, Home Tester Club, Poshly, TryIt sampling community, and BzzAgent offer free perfume samples, often in exchange for your feedback or product reviews.

Magazine Subscriptions

Perfume or beauty/fashion-related magazines sometimes include free perfume samples. While you may have to purchase the magazine, it can be worth it if it contains a fragrance you're interested in.

Department stores

When visiting department stores, it's worth being friendly and chatting with the sales associates. Let them know that you're interested in a particular fragrance but would like to try a sample before committing to a purchase. You can also ask for a sales associate's business card and let them know that you're considering a purchase, which may increase the chances of them providing you with a sample.

Some department stores have sample bottles on display, allowing you to spray the fragrance on yourself. You can also ask a sales associate to spray a sample on a paper strip, which you can take with you and try at home.

It's worth noting that some department stores, such as Macy's, Ulta, and Sephora, may be less likely to provide samples, especially if you don't make a purchase. However, this can vary depending on the individual store and sales associate, so it's always worth asking politely.

Perfume subscription services

There are several perfume subscription services that can deliver fragrance samples to your home. These services are ideal if you want to try new scents regularly without committing to full bottles. They also provide a cost-effective way to explore high-end and niche fragrances. Here are some of the top perfume subscription services:

Scentbird

Scentbird is a popular perfume subscription service that offers a flexible subscription with a wide range of high-end perfumes to choose from. For $16.95 per month, you will receive an 8 mL bottle of fragrance, which is about 120 sprays. You can also upgrade your plan to receive up to three bottles for $37 per month. Scentbird has a vast library of over 700 scents, including brands like Ariana Grande, Dolce & Gabbana, and Parfums de Marly. You can choose to have your scents shipped monthly, every two months, or every three months.

Scentbox

Scentbox is similar to Scentbird but offers three-tiered plans to choose from: Standard, Premium, and Platinum. The base rate for subscriptions is $16.95, and you can cancel anytime, enjoy free shipping, and opt to receive up to three 8 mL vials per month or choose from a variety of full-size fragrance products. The Standard plan gives you access to 600+ perfumes from niche and designer brands, while the Premium and Platinum plans give you access to at least 850 perfumes and the site's most luxurious offerings.

Olfactif

Olfactif is a monthly niche perfume subscription box that curates a collection of fragrances from around the world. You can choose between the Women's collection (for women and adventurous men) or the Men's collection (traditionally masculine and unisex scents). Each spray vial contains 2 mL, which is enough for 15-20 wearings. Olfactif offers discounts on full bottles of featured scents and à la carte samples.

Skylar

Skylar is a clean beauty and hypoallergenic fragrance brand that offers a subscription service for $20 a month. You will receive one of the brand's rollerballs (valued at $30) in each box. You can select any rollerball from the site, opt for the brand's monthly limited-edition scent, or take a quiz to get matched with one. Skylar is known for its commitment to sustainability and donates a portion of its proceeds to charity.

The Fragrance Club

The Fragrance Club offers both monthly and bi-monthly subscriptions. Each box features a 10 mL bottle, one of the largest sizes offered by subscription services. You can schedule up to three months' worth of deliveries in advance and switch up your queue whenever you like. The site boasts a variety of designer and high-end perfumes and colognes from brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Vince Camuto.

Purpl Lux

Purpl Lux is a subscription service by FragranceNet.com that delivers samples of scents from luxury brands like Prada, Gucci, and Burberry, as well as fan favorites like Juicy Couture and Ariana Grande. Subscriptions start at $9.95 a month, and you will receive an 8 mL bottle plus a free colorful atomizer case with every purchase. Certain "premium" scents will cost an extra $5 to $20.

Perfume brand websites

Visiting the official websites of perfume brands can be a great way to get your hands on some samples. Many perfume brand websites offer free samples or have special promotions where you can receive samples with your purchase.

For example, Luckyscent, a niche perfume store, offers a sampling service where you can test drive virtually any scent they offer before committing to a full bottle. They spend a lot of time creating and cataloguing samples so that customers can try out their collection, even if they are far away from their physical store in Los Angeles.

My Fragrance Samples is another online store that offers a similar service. They offer smaller quantities of perfumes, colognes, and aftershaves, allowing customers to purchase samples at affordable prices before investing in a full-sized bottle.

By taking advantage of perfume brand websites and their sampling services, you can explore new fragrances, avoid costly mistakes, and make informed purchases.

Niche and specialty perfume boutiques

For example, Luckyscent and Aedes de Venustas are known for their extensive collections of niche perfumes and generous sample policies. Similarly, Scent Split offers an unparalleled collection of high-end, niche, and hard-to-find fragrances. They provide hand-decanted samples of various sizes, allowing customers to explore different scents without committing to a full bottle.

Another option is Fragrances Line, which specializes in niche perfume samples and decants. They offer a wide range of authentic fragrances from different brands, allowing customers to explore and find their signature scent.

These boutiques understand that choosing the right fragrance is a personal journey, and by providing samples, they enable customers to discover new scents, avoid costly mistakes, and make informed purchases.

Frequently asked questions