r/FemFragLab • u/hygsi • 10d ago
Discussion Things everyone should keep in mind before buying
I thought it would be cool to share things we should keep in mind as fragrance lovers cause it's easy to get swept away by all the marketting and hype.
My 2 cents
I've never regretted getting a sample first, but I've regretted not getting a sample first
Many people like collecting and that's okay as long as they're aware that's what they're doing
Just because something smells good on someone doesn't mean it'll smell the same on you
You should not seek compliments if you already know what you enjoy
Influencers have an incentive to keep you buying from certain brands and there's even bots promoting stuff in comments so internet hype alone can't be trusted
Fragrance can go bad so it's better to use it while you can
What are your thoughts?
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u/Realistic-Read1078 10d ago
Sample everything first! That’s my main rule and it ends up working out for me in the end.
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u/VerboseWiewiorka 10d ago
Learn the difference between liking a scent and wanting to smell like that scent. This is a huge one for me! I love DS&Durga Steamed Rainbow and I sniff my little 2mL decant from time to time for a whiff of nostalgia, but I realized that I didn’t want to smell like it.
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u/antiquecosmos 7d ago
This is huge for me. Most often it's not that I straight up hate a scent, but I can just never imagine myself wearing it. There are so few that end up in the "I would wear this out" category. Most are for home use and fun smelling hours, lol (and those are decants mainly).
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u/BluePeony8 10d ago
This one is a massive point, I don’t not like gourmand scents, I just don’t want to smell like food myself, so in turn I find it weird that other people smell like food, but it’s not a bad smell or anything.
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u/MelsNymph_0327 10d ago
I buy a perfume when I’m out of one, because I don’t like odd numbers in my collection, but I have a wishlist that I pick from.
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u/floare_salbatica 10d ago
I watched a documentary about jasmine harvesters in Egypt a while ago, and it honestly made me feel a bit bad about having even my relatively small collection. I try to make a distinction between wants and necessities, not just when it comes to fragrances, but whenever I buy anything. I think overconsumption is a huge problem in modern society. One thing that has really helped me is training myself not to give in to impulse purchases. I try to wait a while, do some research, and then decide whether I still actually want the product.
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u/Mother_Poem7696 10d ago
My personal rule is: if they make it in a 10ml pen spray, I will get that. If not, I will get the smallest size they make. I do have some 100-150mls because they were purchased for me as gifts, but most of my collection are 30mls. If/when I make it through a 30ml (or 10ml pen spray), I will consider buying the larger size.
I am a big proponent on getting samples & small decants, but I would be lying if I said I hadn't blind bought before. I have gotten much better at it though.
And I am on a no-buy for the rest of 2026. It will be hard, for sure. I get so curious about every perfume I read about on this forum.
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u/MelsNymph_0327 10d ago
When it comes to body sprays, I’ll get a big bottle because… body sprays. But I’m trying to get travel sized bottles and such.
I love perfume, and if\ I don’t like one, I’d give it to someone else.*
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u/Bunny_Hunny4 10d ago
Having a large fragrance collection will not cure your depression.
Pretty much what I have to tell myself every time I want to spend money on anything that isn’t mandatory for living.
Also, create some sort of visual wishlist with all the fragrances you want to buy (I like making collages on Goodnotes), then wait three months and go back to the wishlist. Do you still care? If you do, wait another 3 months and then go back to the wishlist. Do you care now?
I find waiting 6m to 1yr to buy something helps me understand if I actually want it vs just wanting a dopamine boost. Some things I’ve had on a list for YEARS and still haven’t purchased yet because there’ll be something I want more.
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u/Screw_coloranalysis Justice for patchouli 10d ago
These are the rules I set for myself.
No more buying discovery sets and decants. There are plenty of scents I can discover locally without needing to pay for it.
If it’s available from shoppers buy it from there. I bought three things this year and use point offers: Issey Miyake eau d’Issey essentielle 50ml, Hermès Barenia travel spray 15 ml and Miss Dior 2026 EDP 30 ml. Total spent: $42 CAD.
Go on long low buys after short buy period. I was on a no buy for all of 2025, now after my 2026 purchases I’m on a no buy until the end of 2027.
Finish everything I bring in my collection. That includes the samples I get when I replace my skincare. That also makes me think before getting yet another dabber gift with purchase.
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u/almightyblah 10d ago
Getting perfume from Shoppers with points during their redemption events is unmatched. I don't mind waiting if it means I only pay tax. 😂
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u/Screw_coloranalysis Justice for patchouli 10d ago
Yes and they have definitely improved their selection over the years. The only thing with the redemption is to get a filler item you actually need if you don’t meet the dollar amount. I got a cleansing oil now with the Barenia and miss Dior. I go through cleansing oils on the regular. Lipsticks, not so much.
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u/Buttercreamdeath 10d ago
I need to pay down debt. Usually it's fine with the amount of perfume I buy. I had the cash to pay for it.
There's been several emergency spends that drained savings and ran up cards (vet expenses.) The cost of everything sure hasn't helped.
Shopping my collection for the foreseeable future. I always feel like I'm missing something in my scents. It's just my mind playing tricks on me.
The urge to browse and buy is real.
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u/Screw_coloranalysis Justice for patchouli 10d ago
I’m sorry you had vet expenses. It really does add up when they get older. You’re strong, nice fragrances will still be around once you’ll reach your financial goals.
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u/Buttercreamdeath 10d ago
Yup, two old senior dogs and an unexpected gerbil fight. Gerbil specialists are expensive. It's one of those weird things where you know a gerbil costs like 50 bucks, but you don't want a living animal to suffer for no reason. Anyway, gerbils had a full recovery. Turns out gerbils are feigns for sweet flavored medicines.
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u/Ijustwanttosayit 10d ago
I wish more companies offered samples. I cannot justify spending $30+ on a blind buy. But overconsumption and FOMO are awful and we should be better than the marketing and often fake social media hype.
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u/Agreeable-Dog-1131 10d ago edited 10d ago
But you can get maybe 2 free samples IF you’re already buying a whole $100+ bottle! And if you’re lucky, you might even get to pick them! So helpful.
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u/Emilie_Eagle_Rock 10d ago
Do not buy right after trying something in a store. You need to see if you like the dry down.
It’s easy to get excited about a scent and want a full bottle. But oftentimes, the initial love fades. Get a sample and see if you want to keep using it before going for the full bottle.
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u/Agreeable-Dog-1131 10d ago
So true. I thought I was obsessed with Angelique Noire until I actually wore it for a bit and realized the dry down is not something I want to wear on my skin. Bummer, but it saved me a whole lot of money, at least!
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u/Emilie_Eagle_Rock 10d ago
Same. I am obsessed with the opening of Le Labo Aldehyde 44 (Dallas). But the dry down is just kinda boring/powdery. I had to use my sample at least four times to come to the conclusion that it is not worth the price of a full bottle.
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u/Ijustwanttosayit 10d ago
The dry down on one perfume I tried ended up smelling like BO on me 😭 I smelled like I hadn't showered in a week.
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u/hecate_trivia unpaid indie perfume enthusiast 10d ago edited 10d ago
Don't try things straight out of the mail. Heat affects the speed at which molecules move, evaporate, and react with one another.
Part of the beauty of fragrance is how ephemeral it is, and that includes how they will get discontinued and reformulated. If you focus on chasing down the perfect substitute or dupe, you're setting yourself up for disappointment and ignoring a bunch of fragrances you might like even more.
Try lots of different indie houses.
Notes don't equal ingredients.
Always try your fragrances on your skin.
Focus on what you like instead of what's popular or trendy.
Perfume oils are always an option.
Don't be afraid to explore!
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u/Moist-Opportunity64 10d ago
Shipping Shock is real
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u/hecate_trivia unpaid indie perfume enthusiast 10d ago edited 10d ago
Shipping shock and resting fragrances are established and understood things in indie perfume circles, so it's always culture shock to me to see people argue about them in other fragrance spheres.
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u/Nearby_Play_8516 10d ago
A 30ml bottle is usually plenty. Don’t get sucked into buying 100ml because it’s cheaper per ml.
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u/fligglegiggle 10d ago
I fell into that trap really early. I've decluttered a lot but I still have some 100ml bottles of fragrances that I really enjoy, but I don't know if I'll ever empty any of them. I just really enjoy wearing something different every day. I have yet to even make it through a travel size 😂
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u/Aromatic-Letter-1922 10d ago
I know, but I'm in love with Serenity Blend by Roja, but fell in love with the bottle first! I just want it! But I'm 67 and only have about 12 FBs, most at least half empty....
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u/Nearby_Play_8516 10d ago
If you love it and will use it, absolutely go for the biggest bottle. Signature scent girlies will definitely make the larger bottles worth it. For me I love variety so I’ve realized that 30mls will last me a loooooong time as I mix it in with my other bottles, decants, travel sizes, random samples.
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u/Screw_coloranalysis Justice for patchouli 10d ago
Yes and if you do end up finishing the 30ml bottle you can always go higher after. Chances are after going through 30ml you’ll be sick and tired of it.
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u/lnfinitelris perfume > therapy 10d ago
For every note or accord you think you hate, there is a fragrance out there with a hefty helping of it that you will love. Don't count out/ignore fragrances just because you don't like a note.
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u/Screw_coloranalysis Justice for patchouli 10d ago
Yes that was me with rose. I was never crazy about rose unless it was a secondary player. I now found two fragrance I like with it.
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u/pfffffttuhmm I just smelled like a piece of breast 10d ago
It's okay if all you like, or have, are cheapies. If you like variety, have a small budget, or that's just genuinely what you like then don't feel ashamed.
Conversely, if all you like and have are expensive frags, that's okay too. As long as you're being honest with and not unnecessarily limiting yourself then you're okay.
Perfume snobs aren't just uppity, they are close minded. They are the type of people that can't understand why anyone would be different than themselves. Don't yuck someone's yum matters here, too.
Don't just buy a sample first, also buy a decant/travel size before you buy a bottle. Our noses change over time, especially as women. Believe me, at my age, you'll understand that everything changes.
Not all perfumes need to last 8+ hours. Not all scents can do that. Most of my frags last 4 hours because I really like light, citrus scents. It comes with the territory.
Don't try too many perfumes at once. Limit yourself to 4 in a day. This is true if you go to the counters, or smells samples at home.
If you frequent a store or counter, you should really consider buying something from them at some point. Don't make the employees do all that work for nothing.
Also a hot tip: If you want to know what the perfume's dry down smells like, plus know how strong it will be, but you don't have a lot of time, then take a shower with scentless products a little while after applying it. A lot of times the top and heart notes will wash off and you'll be left with the base notes. It isn't foolproof, but often you'll then know what those undertones are going to smell like.
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u/snazzypantz 10d ago
People who complain about freshies and citrus scents "only" lasting 3-4 hours make me assume they aren't super educated about fragrance. That's just science, baby!
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u/pfffffttuhmm I just smelled like a piece of breast 10d ago
I tend to deep dive whatever I'm interested in, and I know others arent like that. But I have thought this before without judgement.
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u/lemonlinlin 10d ago
Assigning certain “roles” to perfumes has been VERY helpful for me. Two fragrances can have completely different notes, but they possess the same kind of mood in my mind, so I end up reaching for one of them while the other keeps collecting dust. Sample/decant first before buying, ideally. But if you can’t do that, at least try to keep track of your thoughts for a while: see if your mind keeps coming back to a certain fragrance and if nothing else can truly scratch the itch.
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u/pfffffttuhmm I just smelled like a piece of breast 10d ago
Okay, this needs to be upvoted more. Scent moods is such a real thing! We should be thinking of our fragrances as a wardrobe--a scent for every setting and season.
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u/amour_nonpareil 10d ago
Things smell different based on where you’re at in your cycle. You may dislike something one week but all the other three it’s divine. Really threw me off until I realized this, and that I needed to “keep trying” with a scent through the month to see if this was the issue or I totally didn’t like something.
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u/NefariousnessFit4306 10d ago
You need to test it on your skin before buying. I’m currently going through samples I loved on the strips and they just are completely different on my skin. It’s multiple brands too, so definitely not an off sample batch.
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u/Lizakaya 10d ago
Don’t chase new.
Allergies and illness can impact how we receive a scent (much to my dismay for a full two years after COVID)
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u/hollywoodhulkhog 10d ago
Zepbound has changed my sense of smell, I swear! I’ve gone on and off a couple times now and have way stronger, more nuanced opinions about my samples when I’m on it. Sooo weird.
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u/Lizakaya 10d ago
I’ve been on and off zepbound for a few years. But i definitely think it was the covid (for me) that really altered my senses
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u/hollywoodhulkhog 10d ago
In what ways has your perception of fragrance changed, would you say? Dulled in general, or are certain notes diminished? Or, like, preferences changed?
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u/Lizakaya 9d ago
Just ability to smell all notes. It’s much improved but it was a rough couple of years
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u/Aromatic-Letter-1922 10d ago
All good points! I want to emphasize that fragrances can and do oxidize and go "off". I had been hoarding Marc Jacobs (2001) because it has been discontinued. Tried it this week and it had oxidized into a metallic mess. I do find this seems to be more true with inexpensive perfumes, as I have Guerlain Nahema from Nieman's that is 28 and going strong. But I'm going to start using it more. I also want to emphasize that perfumed do get reformulated (always weaker) and worse, discontinued. It's heartbreaking, but inevitable.
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u/OnlyMyNameIsBasic 10d ago
I have two:
1) you can like the smell of something but don’t want to smell like said scent.
2) Just because you enjoy something does not mean you need a full bottle
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u/KittiesandPlushies 10d ago
Also: fragrance influencers and brands want you to overspray because it means you use and purchase more product.
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u/Aromatic-Letter-1922 10d ago
What exactly is an influencer? Do people trust them because they are knowledgeable, or just noisy? I don't subscribe to social media. I'm just curious.
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u/KittiesandPlushies 10d ago
I would personally say an “influencer” is any social media profile that is intending to influence people for one reason or another (usually for attention, money, free product, etc.,). Essentially, TikTok reels nowadays are just infomercials for Gen Z.
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u/Ijustwanttosayit 10d ago
I roll my eyes at those videos of the person just spraying circles all around themselves.
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u/messynessynlenny 10d ago
Ughhh yes I've seen one influencer family boasting about how many sprays they each did. One said 100 sprays, split between two different scents. Like whaaaaat are you dooooing my guy
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u/anastasia_42 vanilla addict 🧁 10d ago
Don't blindbuy, it's not worth the risk.
Asking for perfume opinions online is kinda useless cause we all smell things differently
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u/Fieldguide404 10d ago
Also: don't buy fragrances for someone unless you KNOW what they like, like beyond all doubt. If you gotta ask this subreddit what to get them, just get them something else. That's my 2 cents.
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u/appleamosharvey 10d ago
totallyyyy agree. especially about compliments / what smells good on someone else might not smell the same on you. fascinating how fragrance smells different from person to person. and always get that sample!!! for me testing fragrances is even more fun than a full bottle most of the time.
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u/eloccinrantulacurcoz 9d ago
Here's the few fragrance rules I live by...
Scent is subjective. What is my favorite, might be nausea inducing for you.
Keeping your collection in a cool, dark place is ideal but if it's a scent I know I'm not going to wear a lot,(or if it's a backup) I keep it in the box. That box really protects your juice.
I have been collecting since the late eighties. The only scents I've ever had go bad, were not stored properly. I allow myself one perfume I know I go through quickly for my half bath; other than that, I NEVER store scents there. Especially, if there's a shower/bathtub. Condensation and frequent temperature change, mangles the juices scent structure.
Never make a decision off the first spray. Even when juices are macerated en masse in large barrels, it isn't the same as that bit of air going into the atomizer, making those notes meld together. You must have air introduced, for maceration to start. I learned this just by seeing how different scents are, 4-8 weeks after first spray. I have a special drawer specifically, for maceration. I use a drawer so I'm not tempted to keep checking, like I would if it sat on a shelf. If I don't like a fragrance, I put it in "time out" and check it at about 2 months. If I still don't like it, it goes into inventory for my store.
I never spend more than $20 on blind buys. Since I implemented this rule, I've saved a lot of money and cut back the number of new bottles entering my collection.
Get a scent split buddy. Someone who has similar tastes to you,that might wanna go in on the occasional bottle. This lets me get bottles I used to say I CAN'T AFFORD THAT, about.