Deciding if you like a fragrance can be really subjective. Therefore, it might be better to try out some small samples, but where do you get those? I decided to find out.
What is the best place to get fragrance samples? There is a great number of sites that sell fragrance samples. You probably have to look around on them to see if they have the fragrance sample you want to try, but in general, almost every fragrance is available as a sample. You can also check out big department stores, where they usually have a big number of fragrances on the shelves for you to test.
So there are multiple ways to check out a fragrance before you buy the real, big bottle. But what would be the best way to approach this?
Best And Easiest Place To Start
Back in the day, fragrance companies used to give out a whole bunch of samples. They still make samples, but they give them out way less. Because it can be a bit harder to find them, it might be easier to do something else first.
In my opinion, the easiest way to start is to go to a big department store. Those big stores that have a huge selection of fragrances. You probably know which ones I’m talking about.
When you go there, there usually is a huge section dedicated to fragrances, ranging from the cheaper options to the more expensive options. This should be the first place you go to to try a new fragrance. Especially when it is a more well-known fragrance. Some more niche fragrances could be harder to find in these department stores.
When you’re in one of these department stores, don’t be shy to try a whole bunch of them. If you’re looking for a nice winter fragrance, and you’re going there with the intent of buying Valentino Uomo, don’t just try that one. Have a look around, try some others. Maybe you’ll decide that Viktor And Rolf Spicebomb suits you much better, or Carolina Herrera CH Men Prive. There are a lot of options in these stores, so make sure to try a lot.
The way to try these fragrances is very simple. In the fragrance section, you’ll find a lot of these (usually white) testing papers. You can spray a fragrance on there, wave it around a bit and smell it. What’s great about this is that if you’re stuck between two fragrances, you can compare them by just smelling the paper tester. You can also ask the opinion of others this way without having them smell you. This usually gives you a much more honest answer, as they won’t insult you if they don’t like the fragrance.
Now, this isn’t really a way to get samples, but it is a way to test out a fragrance prior to buying it.
How Do You Get Free Samples
Since I just discussed how to test fragrances in department stores, I’ll stick with them a little longer. That is because when you make a purchase in a department store, you can always ask for a free sample. Most department stores are more than happy to give you some. This is because they want you to come back and purchase more stuff from them.
Some stores might not give you anything, but most probably will. Sephora and Nordstrom are two amazing options to go to for free samples. So whenever you purchase something, remember to ask for free fragrance samples, even if the item you purchased is completely unrelated to fragrances. Most stores are more than happy to give you some.
There is a change, however, that they don’t have any samples of a certain fragrance. Quite often they’ll fill up an empty vial for you with the fragrance you want to sample. But, there is a good chance that they don’t have empty vial around. Therefore, it might be a good idea to bring some empty vials of your own. Ask them if they want to fill up your vial, which they most likely will do. You now have a sample of your fragrance.
You can, however, also get samples online. So if you don’t want to leave your house, you can try these methods.
Online is an amazing place for almost anything, including fragrance samples. One way you can get a hold of free fragrance samples is to visit the website of manufacturers. They might be giving out free samples, which you’ll probably find on their homepage. If nothing is on the homepage, you can always look for tabs on the menu that is related to paid or free samples.
If not, you can try asking the manufacturer directly. You can look up their email address, or even better, their company address. These are most often found on the bottom of their website. If you found an email address, send them a mail, where you politely ask them for some free samples.
An even better way is to send them a letter. Write a letter in which you, again, politely ask them for some free samples. A letter is much more personal and more likely to be seen and responded to. Nowadays, companies receive thousands of emails a day, but actual letters are becoming more and rarer. So sending a written letter will make you stand out, and more likely to be responded to.
Whatever you decide to go with, a letter or a mail, please make sure to polite. If you send them a mail basically demanding samples, there is a good chance you won’t get any. Make sure to tell them why you want some samples, and compliment them for all the work they already have done. Compliments can get you a long way.
What About Paid Samples
Getting your hand on free samples requires some work, and won’t always give you the actual samples. Therefore, paying a small amount of money for some samples could be the easier option.
Buying your fragrance samples online is very easy. There are so many sites, companies, and individuals who sell samples. You can go to eBay of example, where people sell samples. Or you can check out fragrance companies and see if they sell samples of their fragrance. Most of the times they do, especially niche boutiques. Niche fragrance manufacturers almost always have their samples available for purchase, and more often than not, they give you some free stuff along with it as well.
There could also be an option to sign up for the sample program of a certain company. This way, they’ll send you a sample whenever they put a new fragrance on the market.
There are also a whole bunch of trading sites out there. Sites on which you can trade samples with each other. Each site has their own rules though, so make sure to live up to them.
Lastly, there are a few companies who only sell fragrance samples. Some have a monthly subscription package, where you get sent a new fragrance sample every so often. I personally really like these kinds of programs, as you’ll receive so many different fragrances you can try out.
Related Questions
How often should you get fragrance samples? You should get samples of a fragrance when you are interested in purchasing that fragrance. With a sample, you can try out the fragrance for a few days and see if it is actually worth it. So you generally should only purchase fragrance samples when you are interested in getting it, but it is also a way to have a whole bunch of fragrances at your disposal without having to pay the full price for each different bottle.
Is purchasing fragrance samples necessary? No, it is not necessary to purchase fragrance samples, as you can always go to department stores and try a whole bunch out. This is a free option to see if you like a fragrance. Another option is to simply ask manufacturers or fragrance companies for free samples.