Lance Carson
There are many reasons why you may dislike a perfume, from blind buying to falling out of love with a fragrance. If you have perfumes that you no longer enjoy, there are several ways to repurpose them. You can try layering fragrances to create a new scent, adding sweetness with vanilla or tonka bean, or adding freshness with citrus notes. You can also use unwanted perfumes as air fresheners, scenting items such as scarves, lingerie drawers, or tissue paper for gift wrapping. Alternatively, you can give away, swap, or sell your unwanted perfumes to friends, family, or online.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Layer with other fragrances | Add sweetness with vanilla, tonka bean, ripe fruits, chocolate, or candy floss |
| Add power with patchouli, labdanum, vetiver, woods, or musk | |
| Add freshness with citrus notes like bergamot, neroli, lemon, or lime | |
| Spray on clothing or accessories | Spray on a scarf |
| Spray on wrapping paper and use it to line drawers | |
| Spray on note paper and envelopes | |
| Repurpose | Use as room freshener |
| Soak cotton balls in the perfume and place them in drawers or wardrobes | |
| Spritz bedsheets with the perfume | |
| Use as bathwater | |
| Give away | Give to friends or family |
| Donate to charity or women's shelters | |
| Sell | Post a swapping offer |
| Sell on eBay or other online platforms |
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What You'll Learn
Layer with other fragrances
Layering fragrances is a great way to create a unique scent and make your perfumes last longer. Here are some tips to help you get started with layering:
Choose complementary scents
When layering perfumes, select scents that complement each other. Choose fragrances with similar notes or those from the same family. For example, you can layer a vanilla scent with a woody fragrance to enhance the vanilla and woody notes. Alternatively, you can combine scents from different fragrance families, such as pairing a citrusy top note with a floral middle note and finishing with a woody base note.
Start with the strongest scent
Layering involves applying one fragrance before the other. Start with the strongest scent to allow the lighter fragrances to shine without being overpowered. If you're using perfumes with equal fragrance oil percentages, apply the one with the heavier scent first.
Experiment with different combinations
Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations to find your unique scent. Play with different ratios of scents to discover the best blend for you. You can also try layering perfumes with other scented products like lotions, body oils, and body sprays.
Layer on pulse points
Spray perfumes onto pulse points such as your wrists, neck, and behind your ears. You can also spritz the ends of your hair or your scarf—these areas catch the air and carry the fragrance beautifully.
Hydrate your skin
Moisturised skin is key to long-lasting fragrance. Perfume molecules cling to moisture, so well-hydrated skin provides the perfect canvas for your perfumes. Applying a scented lotion before your perfume can help lock in both the fragrance and moisture.
Avoid combining too many complex scents
While it's fine to mix and match different scent profiles, avoid combining too many complex perfumes. Layering two highly complex perfumes may result in a jarring combination. Instead, pair a complex scent with a simpler fragrance to reduce the margin for error.
By following these tips, you can create a unique and personalised fragrance experience with perfumes you may not have liked on their own.
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Freshen up a room
There are several ways to freshen up a room using perfume. One way is to use an empty diffuser bottle, mix equal parts perfume and distilled water, and put some reed diffusers in the bottle. You can also make a room spray by mixing 10ml of anhydrous ethanol, 50ml of distilled water, and a few drops of perfume in a mist bottle.
Another way to freshen up a room is to spray or apply perfume directly to a lightbulb. As the lightbulb heats up, it will diffuse the fragrance. Similarly, you can dab a few drops of perfume onto a lampshade, and the heat from the bulb will radiate and disperse the scent.
You can also use perfume to freshen up linens and fabrics. Spritzing perfume onto pillows, sheets, and covers can leave a calming scent. It is advisable to spray the perfume earlier in the day and let the bedding air out to avoid any sharp alcoholic notes. You can also add a few drops of perfume to an unscented moisturizer or lotion to create your own scented cream.
To freshen up small spaces like closets, drawers, or rooms, you can create scent-absorbing bags. Fill small cotton or linen drawstring bags with baking soda, which will absorb and neutralize odors. You can also place cotton balls soaked in perfume into these bags and place them in a bowl or sachet to freshen up small spaces.
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Gift to friends or family
Gifting perfume to friends or family is a great way to get rid of unwanted fragrances. However, it can be a tricky process. Perfume is a very personal gift, and if you get it wrong, the recipient might feel guilty about not liking it. This could result in the perfume being left to waste away on a shelf or being regifted, which brings its own set of problems.
To avoid this, it is important to know the recipient well. Study their existing fragrance collection, and see what they like. What kind of candles and room sprays do they have? What deodorant do they wear? Do they use essential oils or wax fragrance cubes? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you determine whether they will like the perfume you are giving them.
Another way to approach this is to give your friends or family members a sample pack of perfumes and then offer to buy them a full-size bottle of their favourite from the package. This way, you are giving them the gift of choosing their own fragrance.
If you are set on giving away a full-size bottle of perfume, make sure it is a fragrance that you know your friend or family member will like. If they have opined at length about what they like and dislike in a scent, this should be easy. If they are a perfume enthusiast, they might have shared their wish list or favourites with you, making your choice obvious.
Finally, if you have a lot of perfumes that you want to get rid of, you could host a swapping party with your friends. This way, you can get rid of unwanted fragrances while also getting the chance to try something new.
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Sell online
Selling unwanted perfume online can be a great way to recoup some of the money spent on a fragrance you don't like. Here are some tips for selling your perfume online:
Online Marketplaces
Consider selling your perfume on online marketplaces such as eBay, Mercari, Vinted, Craigslist, or Facebook groups. These platforms provide a convenient way to reach a wide audience of potential buyers. It is worth noting that some platforms, like Mercari, may have a higher resale value for your perfume, especially if you still have the original box.
Online Communities
Utilize online communities, such as r/fragrance on Reddit, which is a community for discussing retail perfumes and other scented products. You can post about your unwanted perfumes and connect with interested buyers. Another option is to use fragrance swap communities, such as r/fragranceswap, where you can offer your perfume for swap or sale.
Decanting and Portioning
Increase the accessibility of your perfume by decanting it into smaller bottles or atomizers. This allows you to sell smaller portions at a lower price point, making it more affordable for buyers who want to try a new fragrance without committing to a full-sized bottle.
Pricing
When setting a price for your perfume, consider offering it at a discount, around 20-40% of the original retail price. You can ask for a slightly higher price if the bottle is unopened. If you are selling through online communities or swap groups, you can offer your perfume in exchange for another fragrance you might prefer.
Presentation
To enhance the appeal of your listing, present your perfume in a visually appealing way. Ensure the bottle is clean and undamaged, and consider including the original box if available. Take clear and well-lit photos from different angles to showcase the product accurately.
By following these tips, you can effectively sell your unwanted perfume online, clear up space, and recoup some of the costs.
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Donate to charity
Donating your unwanted perfume to charity is a great way to ensure it doesn't go to waste. There are several charities that accept new or gently used perfumes, often alongside other toiletries and beauty products.
One such charity is Anglo Doorstep Collections, which offers a simple and hassle-free doorstep collection service for donating unwanted toiletries, perfumes, makeup, hair care, and more. They partner with charities in England, such as shelters, to provide hygiene essentials and beauty products to those in need. You can schedule a collection and choose a charity to support from their website's list.
Another option is Project Beauty Share, which accepts new, unopened, and unexpired cosmetics, hair and skin-care products, nail polish, perfume samples, and personal care items. You can ship donations to their address in Spokane, Washington, or coordinate a drop-off with local women's shelters and girls' programs in your area.
If you're based in New York, consider donating to The Rise of Broken Women, a nonprofit that provides necessities to women and families in homeless shelters. They accept unwanted makeup and beauty products and distribute them to local shelters throughout the state.
For those in the San Francisco area, St. Anthony's is an excellent option. They aim to feed, heal, shelter, and clothe those in need and accept various boutique items, including perfumes, colognes, makeup, and nail care products. Donations can be dropped off at their location seven days a week.
By donating your unwanted perfume to charity, you can help support those in need and promote sustainability by giving your pre-loved items a new purpose.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several things you can do with a perfume you don't like. You can try layering it with other fragrances to see if that improves the scent. You can also use it as an air freshener or to scent items like scarves, paper, or clothing in storage.
To layer your perfume, try adding more base notes like patchouli, labdanum, vetiver, woods, or musk to ramp up its intensity. You can also add freshness with citrus notes like bergamot, neroli, lemon, or lime.
You can spritz or spray perfume onto scarves, paper, or clothing stored in drawers or wardrobes. The scent will gradually transfer to these items, and you can enjoy the fragrance without applying it to your skin.
You have several options for dealing with unwanted perfume. You can give it away to friends or family, donate it to a charity or women's shelter, or sell it online. You can also try swapping it for another fragrance or using it for a different purpose, such as adding it to your bath or using it as an air freshener.
