Jennifer Allen
Many of us have a favorite scent or fragrance to wear on a regular basis, but what about if you want to switch to something new or experiment? These fragrance subscription boxes are a great way of discovering new favorite perfumes at a low price.
Like other subscription boxes, the following fragrance collections allow you to pay a monthly sum in exchange for a selection of great smells and fragrances. It’s an inexpensive way of trying out some big name brands, as well as a way to discover more niche names that you might not usually consider. Plus, there’s the bonus of feeling like you’re receiving a great gift in the mail each month.
Here’s our pick of the best fragrance and perfume subscription boxes out there.
Best Overall: Scent Box ($14.95 per month)
Scent Box lets you choose from an impressive array of over 850 designer fragrances and then receive a 30 day supply of the scent. It’s contained in a small atomizer bottle again, so you can easily place it in your bag to keep with you throughout the day.
So what makes Scent Box stand out even more so? Well, it offers free exchanges. If you don’t like what you’ve received, you can easily swap it for something else, entirely free. That’s a big advantage when you’re still experimenting and trying out what works for you. Sure, it might be something you only end up using a couple of times a year but when you’re paying special for something, it’s nice to have that extra level of control.
Best if You’re Unsure: Scentbird ($14.95 per month)
On the surface, Scent Bird looks very similar to Scent Box. Each month, you get to pick from over 450 designer and niche fragrances before receiving a 30 day supply of it that month. On the first order, you also get a free case for storing future fragrances in. The sprays are travel-friendly so you can easily toss them into your bag, saving you the need to make space for a bulky full bottle of perfume.
Brands include Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry, Prada, Michael Kors, and many other much-loved favorites. If you’re not sure what you might like, the site has a recommendation engine that determines what your dream scent match should be, as well as offers ideas for specific occasions. You’re not tied into a contract, so you can always change the frequency in which you receive fragrances or the number you receive.
It’s easy enough to skip or cancel so this works well as a fun treat rather than a commitment. It’s a no-hassle introduction to the fragrance subscription box world.
Best Niche Choices: Olfactif ($20 per month)
Olfactif is a little different from the others and proud of it. It focuses on providing niche perfumes and fragrances via its subscription box service. That means perfume that’s hard to find unless you live in a major city. We’re talking creative and original scents that just won’t smell like anything else you can buy in a regular store.
For many, that’s going to be super appealing. It’s good to be different, right? For $20 per month, you get a curated collection of 3 fragrances from around the world. Each spray vial contains more than 40 sprays. If you like what you’ve tried, you can buy a full bottle for between 10% and 20% off the full price. It’s all wrapped up in one of the most charming subscription boxes out there, with handwritten notes telling you all about the scents you’ve acquired. It’s a classy box for people that want to be a little different from the masses.
Best For A Treat: Perfume Surprise ($24.99 per month)
Perfume Surprise isn’t the cheapest fragrance subscription box out there, but it is like a gift to yourself each month. For $24.99 per month, you get 5 designer perfume samples and the addition of a piece of jewelry too. The bottles are 2.5ml in size so there are dozens of sprays there, and you get a neat jewelry gift like a charm bracelet or even a watch.
The perfume samples come from some of the biggest names in the business, including Versace, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth Arden, and Stella McCartney. Each month is themed so expect a neatly balanced selection of scents, with the jewelry also inspired by the idea. It’s like a little present to yourself to congratulate you on a good mood (or for when you need cheering up).
Best For Trying Before You Buy: Scent Trunk ($16 per month)
Many fragrance subscription services rely on you either knowing what fragrances you already like, or by coming up with suggestions via recommendation engines. Scent Trunk uses a more logical method. You start out with a Scent Palette for $8 which allows you to sniff six fragrance families to discover what you love.
Once you know that, you tell the lab which families of ingredients to use or avoid, then for $16 per month, the lab does the rest of the hard work for you. It might cost a little more at the start, but it’s worth it because you get scents that genuinely match your tastes. It’s a great way of finding out if floral perfume or more earthy chypre based scents are for you. The site’s less glossy than its competition but that simply highlights its more simplistic, naturalistic approach to things. It’s worth giving it a whirl.
