If you’re like me it can get tiring to spritz on the same perfume day after day. I have my signature scents but I need to mix it up every once in a awhile, give my favorite bottles a rest so that I can come back to them again and again. In order to keep my scent lineup fresh, I’ve become disciplined about how I go about acquiring my perfumes. I’d like to share my tips and methods with you all and hope to learn some new tricks from you!
How Much Can You Save?
I’ve saved up to 80% on some perfume purchases. If a bottle of perfume costs around $80 retail, you can generally find it for $35-$40.
Tip #1 Validate The Right Perfume For You Before You Buy
For those of you who are spontaneous buyers and buy on a whim~ listen up! Buying a bottle of perfume right there on the spot the first time trying the scent will lead to many bottles ending up ignored and left loney on your vanity table. Why? Because the first spritz and sniff can be very misleading. First off, the first time you smell something, it might please your senses but might not necessarily mean you want that scent around you/on you all the time. It’s the same way with fashion. Sometimes the first dress or handbag you spot and want is not the right one for you. Have patience!! We must practice patience if we want to make the right purchase.
Steps to Finding the Right Perfume for You…
1. When trying perfumes, spritz each scent you’re narrowed the wider selection down to on one part of your hand or arm. This means you can prob. test up to 6 or so scents at a time (outer hands, inner wrist, outer wrist, and outer forearm, inner forearm). Don’t get greedy.. 
2. Leave the store, don’t decide right there!
3. Let the scents absorb and imbue the skin for at least 4-6 hours. The scent will evolve and transform over time. The way the perfume smells on the skin at first contact will be different from the way it smells after it’s mixed with your hormones and farmone (I’m no scientist and just making that up, but it seems right!). The way each scent smells on each person varies widely too. I can spray one of my own perfumes on a friend and it will definately take on a life of it’s own. Very weird but true.
4. Sniff regularly. After you’ve had a chance to evaluate the scent over the span of the day, you’ll now know which one you really favor. Congratulations you’ve competed the validation process.
Tip #2 Get Take-Home Samples in Store or Order Samples Online
Another way to trully validate you’re going to love a scent is to take those mini perfume sample vials home with you and wear it for a week. In-store, just ask the sales lady counter for a sample — they may or may not have the particular perfume sample in stock, but it’s worth a shot.
To order samples online go to sites like Aedes De Venustas (7 for $15), Beauty Habit (6 for $11), and sites where samples are individually priced like Lucky Scents.com and ScentMonkey.com.
Read more on how to get samples at Now Smell This Blog: Perfumista tip: how to get fragrance samples, free or otherwise.
Tip #3 Buy Your Perfume for Less Online
So now that you’ve identified the perfume that you love and is compatible with your skin juices.. you’re ready to go out and pick up a bottle! Here I have to urge you to refrain from going back to the store you sampled the perfume at and get online. Too bad for the stores who are stocking all these perfumes but times are tough! Save money where you can.
Step 1. Look on EBAY. I’ve found that EBAY offers great deals on all kinds of perfumes from the designer brands to the drugstore brands.
Step 2. Check the discount perfume websites. If you can’t find the right deal on EBAY, you’ll find it on the massive perfume online retail sites.
Cheapest Online Perfume Retailers
Make sure to check the size of the bottle! Don’t only check price. I’ve been distracted by the lowest price on a webpage only to later realize the size of the bottle was much smaller.
Tip #4 Check For Deals at Your Local Discount Stores (e.g. Nordstrom Rack, ROSS, etc)
If you have a local Nordstrom Rack, Ross, or other discount retailer nearby, you can find great deals on perfume there. You’ll have to know what perfume you’re looking for though since most these places do not offer samples or tester bottles.
Tip #5 Swap Your Perfume
A new practice of “swapping” perfume with other people has emerged, individuals put perfume or any beauty product up for swap/trade online, and others respond and offer something to swap in return. Makeup Alley seems to be the leading provider of this service and offers a decent sized selection or products up for swap/trade. I have never tried this before but it seems like a great idea if you’re interested in trying new perfumes and have some older bottles you’re willing to part with.
The Now Smell This Blog has a greatly detailed write-up on how to get into the practice of swapping perfume and makeup if you’re really to try it.
