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Fragrance is deeply personal, and with so many scents on the market these days, discovering ones that make you smell and feel amazing can be just as taxing as building the perfect skincare routine. Sure, you could spend hours spritzing on a slew of vanilla and patchouli perfumes at your local Sephora, only to be left with a headache, a tiny take-home sample, or perhaps a pricey full-sized bottle you later realize isn’t quite your speed. Instead, consider trying a perfume subscription box that can save you precious time and money.
These services allow you to sample scents from a variety of brands, including under-the-radar to designer labels for as low as $15 a month. You can browse scents organized in carefully curated sections, and some sites even offer quizzes to match you with a fragrance based on your preferences. The bottles you’ll receive are also often large enough to last you at least four sprays per day, so you can thoroughly test them out before committing to just one. Perhaps the best part, you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your couch to find your favorites.
Whether you’ve been struggling to discover your new staple scent or want a guilt-free way to switch up your fragrance for different occasions, a perfume subscription box has you covered. Ahead, we pored over customer reviews and analyzed a range of services on factors like price, perks, and variety offered to bring you the very best perfume subscription boxes available.
Scentbird was one of the first perfume subscription boxes when it launched in 2013, and it’s still one of the most popular options today. For $16.99 per month, you’ll receive an 8 mL bottle of fragrance, which holds about 120 sprays to tide you over until your next shipment. If you want more choices, you can upgrade your plan to get up to three bottles for $37 per month. Scentbird has a vast library of over 700 scents, including popular brands like Ariana Grande, Dolce & Gabbana, and Acqua Di Parma, plus full-size skincare and makeup products you can access with your subscription. You can browse themed sections like clean scents and TikTok-viral fragrances to select your favorite or take a quiz to get paired with one.
Scentbird will then send you suggestions based on your past samples, and you’ll be able to add new (or tried-and-true) perfumes to your queue each subscription cycle. You can choose to have your scents shipped monthly, every two months, or every three months, and every first order comes with a sleek atomizer case to dress up your vials.
A few things to note: Limited run, luxe perfumes labeled “Scentbird select” will tack on $10 to your order. Still, you can cancel at any time and have the option to purchase full-size perfumes if you fall in love with a particular scent.
Price: $8.47 for your first month, $16.95 per month thereafter
What’s included: 8 mL bottle of fragrance; free atomizer case on your first order
A Scentbird reviewer says: “I’m enjoying gradually finding my favorite scents. Scentbird makes it easy to find what I’m looking for and they make great suggestions based on my profile they helped me create. The prices are fair and I appreciate that I can cancel anytime...no contracts or fees. They even make suggestions based on my quiz responses.”
Not to be confused with Scentbird, Scentbox came onto the scene a few years later and offers a similar subscription model. The base rate for subscriptions starts at $16.95, plus you can cancel anytime, enjoy free shipping, and opt to receive up to three 8 mL vials per month or choose from a variety of full-size fragrance products. A key difference, though: Scentbox offers three tiered plans to choose from depending on your budget and preferences. The Standard plan goes for the base rate and gives you access to 600+ perfumes from niche and designer brands. Meanwhile, the Premium and Platinum plans, starting at $22 per month, give you access to at least 850 perfumes and the site’s most luxurious offerings. While this tiered system does give you more variety, note that some of the most covetable perfumes may be locked behind the higher tiers, so you may get FOMO unless you’re willing to splurge.
Another unique aspect of Scentbox is that you get a new metallic atomizer case with every order, which includes the name of the scent on the bottom for easy viewing. You also have the option to exchange a scent for free if it ends up not being your thing.
What’s included: One to three 8 mL bottles and a new atomizer case every month
A Scentbox reviewer says: “My experience with Scentbox has been exceptional. I love having the name of the fragrance on the bottom, unlike others where you need to remove the vial! I also really appreciate getting a new case with each scent so I don’t need to keep switching.”
As its name suggests, LUXSB specializes in fine fragrances—including some that are exclusive to the site. You can sample over 800 designer and niche scents from brands such as Prada, YSL, Gucci, and Tom Ford with subscriptions starting at $15.95. Unlike most other perfume subscription services, you also get a larger 9 mL bottle with every order. To get started, you can filter by categories like brand, occasion, scent family, and cruelty-free options or take a quiz to receive tailored recommendations. From there, you can build out your scent calendar with perfumes you’d like to receive every month. Each quarter, you’ll also get a seasonally-themed atomizer case to deck out your bottle.
Keep in mind that perfumes labeled “ultra-premium,” “gold premium” and “platinum premium”—whose full-size bottles retail for up to $500—will cost you an extra $10 to $30.
Price: $10.37 for your first month, $15.95 for every box thereafter
What’s included: One 9 ml bottle every month; a free atomizer case every quarter
A Luxury Scent Box reviewer says: “I have tried other perfume subscription services, but I liked the best Luxury Scent Box. It’s the largest size and they have a fantastic collection of niche fragrances to choose from.”
Clean beauty fiends and those with sensitive skin will be obsessed with the Tiktok-viral fragrance brand Skylar. Each of the label’s perfumes is made without the use of 36 fragrance allergens, animal byproducts, sulfates, artificial dyes, and more than 1,300 ingredients banned by the EU to ensure they’re entirely hypoallergenic, vegan, and cruelty-free.
For $20 a month, you’ll receive one of the brand’s rollerballs valued at $30. You can either select any rollerball from the site, opt into the brand’s monthly limited-edition scent, or take a quiz to get matched with one. You also have the option to skip, swap, or add to your box each month. Each new rollerball added to your box will cost you $20, but as a Scent Club member, you’ll earn points toward future purchases. What’s more, members enjoy perks like 20 percent off all other Skylar products. Boxes ship on a monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly basis, and although shipping will cost you at least $4.95 to start, shipping is free on boxes over $50.
Even better, each rollerball is fully recyclable, and Skylar donates a portion of proceeds from every box to a different charity each month.
What’s included: One 10 mL rollerball
Shipping: Discounted rate of $4.95 for your first month, free shipping on boxes over $50
A Skylar reviewer says: “I am really enjoying Skylar. So glad I gave it a try. Now I don’t have to avoid fragrance and there are so many great options. The scent club is a great way to try new scents. Also customer support is quick to respond for any help needed. I highly recommend!”
Seeking designer fragrances at a major discount? Perfume.com has full-size bottles for up to 70 percent off their original retail price, not to mention an equally budget-friendly subscription plan if you’re into sampling. You can sign up for as low as $7.47 a month, and every box thereafter will cost $14.95. Each order comes with an 8 mL atomizer.
Perfume.com carries scents from over 500 premium brands, including Cartier, Versace, and Burberry, and you can either choose your preferred scent or let the site’s experts select one for you from their collection of bestsellers. Plus, you get free shipping.
For anyone who wants to tailor their subscription frequency or receive multiple options to their doorstep, just note that this service only ships one bottle monthly.
Price: $7.47 for your first month, $14.95 thereafter
What’s included: 8 mL vial and atomizer
A Perfume.com reviewer says: “OMG this is the Netflix of perfume! I love the sprayers, I just added so many to my queue. Thank you!”
Whether or not you’ve heard of Margot Elena—whose indie labels like Lollia, TokyoMilk, and Archive have graced the shelves of Anthropologie—you’re in for a real treat. Loved by editors and Oprah alike, this under-the-radar company carries a range of luxurious perfumes and beauty products that you can score in a sweet seasonal bundle for $59.99. While this box isn’t the most affordable pick, you’re still getting a good deal, as you’ll receive a selection of mini or full-sized perfumes, bath, and skincare products valued at $200. Also, every item is gorgeously packaged, making this box ideal for any aesthete looking to take their #shelfies up a notch.
Each box ships quarterly, with the upcoming Winter box shipping out in December. However, if you sign up now, you may still be able to grab the Fall box, featuring items like a hand cream, lippies, and even a candle, while supplies last. Not quite ready to commit yet, or know just the friend who will adore this gift? You can also make a one-time purchase for $79.99.
Price: $59.99 subscription or $79.99 for a one-time purchase
What’s included: Up to nine perfume, bath, and beauty products in full or mini size
Shipping: $6.95 per box to the contiguous United States
A Margot Elena reviewer says: “I just want to say thank you to the people at Margot Elena for creating such an amazing subscription box. I have always thought the products are beautiful but couldn’t always afford full price. So glad I signed up for this subscription box! It is such a treat and well worth the money every time. I’ve discovered so many different Margot Elena fragrances that I plan to continue buying in the future. Having something to look forward to every three months makes this the perfect gift that keeps giving all year. I love all the light, floral, and feminine scents and darker fragrances.”
Receiving Wicked Good Perfume’s subscription box is like opening gifts on Christmas morning. You get a little bit of what you’ve had your eye on, plus a few surprises you can’t wait to rip open. Every box comes with a full-sized perfume and travel-friendly roller in one of the brand’s limited-edition scents—both of which are designed to be layered. Plus, you get two mystery fragrances, such as a bath bomb, body butter, scrub, or candle. These scents are handcrafted in small batches in Chicago, helping to reduce their carbon footprint, and are also made with sustainably sourced botanicals and essential oils. Additionally, they’re free of harmful additives like phthalates, parabens, and petroleum and are vegan and cruelty-free.
Price: $33 per box for one or three months subscriptions, $29.83 for a six-month subscription
What’s included: Full-sized perfume and travel-friendly roller, as well as two surprise items
Shipping: Free U.S. shipping, Canada $15, worldwide $25
Deal: Get your first shipment on a 6 or 12-month prepay free with code 1STBOXFREE, get 50 percent off your first box with a 3+ month subscription using code HALFOFF
A Wicked Good Perfume reviewer says: “The scents are so lovely, varied, and unique. Being part of the subscription also gives you 15 percent off products on their website, which has endless amounts of scents. When I run out of some of my favorites, I’ll definitely swing back and grab more.”
Sam Peters is a Senior Commerce Editor at Hearst covering fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Her writing has appeared in WWD, Footwear News, Real Simple, PopSugar and Bridal Guide, among others. She enjoys unpacking the latest trends and testing and reviewing some of the most innovative, emerging products on the market.
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