Published on October 14th, 2016 | by The Perfume Expert
Scentbird Perfume Subscription Review
One of the latest trends in the beauty industry are monthly beauty box subscriptions and the newest subscription service on the block are perfume subscriptions!
Not only are these services a cost effective way to try out new scents, but I believe that these subscription services are the future of the beauty industry!
Now there are those who have worn the same fragrance since high school, but there are those of us who change scents like we change our hairstyle! Or those who collect perfumes like shoes, cluttering our vanities with countless glass bottles. THESE are the people who want….bettter yet…NEED a perfume subscription service.
I recently had the privaledge of trying out the Scentbird Perfume Subscription service. What makes this service stand out above the rest is that they allow YOU to choose which scents you want to try! This is MAJOR bonus when it comes to subscription services, as it prevents the experience of opening up your monthly package to find products you aren’t even interested in!
Not only does this genius service help you build your repetoir of scents, or help you to pick a signature scent, but it allows you to try before you buy! In other words…..Scentbird allows you to “date” your perfume before you “marry” it!
The choice is almost endless with over 450 different perfumes to choose from! ALL 100% Authentic
At $14.95 per month, you get one delux 8ml sample of either a fragrance of your choice, or a fragrance recommended to you buy taking a “scent style” survey. This 8ml sample comes in a reusable purse spray container that makes it super convenient for travel or on the go. I love the design of this aromatizer. It is not only sleek and stylish but super easy to use with one hand and zero spills!
Also, unlike other subscriptions where you get tiny 2ml vials, this 8ml allows you to use the fragrance for a whole month! This is really important when testing a new scent as it allows you to see how it smells on your skin in different environments and conditions.
The biggest plus, is that the price point of $14,95 it is a huge savings when it comes to some more niche or high-end scents, as some would cost a lot more retail or to purchase elsewhere online or from decant services. For example, Tom Ford’s Black Orchid usually retails at about $26 for 8ml! So you’re saving almost $10 by using Scentbird!
And if you find something you like, most of the scents are available in a full-sized bottle and be purchased directly from the Scentbird website. Better yet, they’ll give you $15 off the full-sized bottle, making the cost of trying the scent FREE!
And for all you fragrance newbies out there, no need to worry, the Scentbird website lays everything out so clearly, it’s a cinch to get started!
I liked the simplicity of the website layout and how easy it was to get started, take the survey, browse scents, etc. But I especially liked the detailed descriptions of each scent. I found those to be extremely well thought-out and researched.
No convoluted or flouncy fragrance descriptions here! The descriptions are in plain language, clear enough for anyone to understand, while including a lot of detail.
Most perfume sites describe scents in such a pretentious and artistic way that it’s hard to understand what they’re trying to say or how the fragrance will smell! I remember one site describing a scent as a being similar to a long ride on a hot leather saddle……I mean…..come on…seriously!
In fact, Scentbird has some THE BEST fragrance descriptions online!
Not only do they give you the individual notes in the scent, but they describe the general mood of the scent in a few words, they give a detailed description and categorize it in terms of Scent Type, Personality, Occasion, and Season to wear it in. There are also a list of reviews and other scent recommendations.
See below for an example of Black Opium.
Another thing that I really appreciated about Scentbird is the selection of niche/independent brands. Yes, there are your tried & true mainstream brands on the site, from DKNY, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Prada, etc. but there are also lesser known brands such as Commodity, Harajuku Lovers, (Malin + Goetz), etc. and I feel this is a very important addition.
It’s important to broaden the market and allow people who may not have access to high-end perfumeries to try new and unique scents.
It’s a plus for the user and a plus for these growing independent brands.
My first months fragrance was a fragrance called Romantina from one of these niche brands, Juliette Has a Gun. It is a brand that I have not yet explored and so I was excited to try one of their scents and I’m sure glad I did! Romantina is a feminine Patchouli and Musk scent that’s powdery yet fresh!
One of the scents that was recommended to me after taking the Scent Quiz was one called Reisa, by Truly Yours Parfums, another brand that I have not heard of and some I’m eager to try that one next!
Now, I did have a minor suggestion for improvement, one being that they include more niche/independent brands in the future.
It’s fairly easy for anyone to go and try Burberry Brit at a drug store, or get a sample of Estee Lauder’s Modern Muse at their local department store, but it is a very rare opportunity to visit a niche fragrance house or live in a big enough city to go to have a high-end perfumery.
Even as a perfume expert myself, it is difficult to find/try independent brands. So I believe that the future of the fragrance industry lies in the hands of services like this who can help these brands gain exposure and broaden the scope of how every-day people are wearing scent.
So although I think there could always be MORE exposure to new brands, there are certainly enough new and exciting perfumes on Scentbird to keep you going for a while at least! And at only $14.95 a month, I think this is a great service for fragrance newbies AND collectors alike!
Exclusive Offer:
To help you get started, take advantage of this exclusive offer where you’ll get 25% OFF your first months subscription by mentioning the code TPE25 when you sign up at Scentbird.com
[Products reviewed in this article were Press Samples courtesy of Scentbird; however all opinions are those solely of the author]