Surviving a Fragrance No-Buy
Since the beginning of the year, I've focused my energy on testing fragrances for free (rather than buying samples/bottles). Not everyone needs, or wants, to complete a fragrance no-buy - but it can be empowering to set goals and flex those disciplinary muscles, so I thought I'd lay out what's kept me on track!
I recognize the methods mentioned here aren't as feasible everywhere/for everyone, so I share my limited perspective as someone in the US - and hope to hear others' tips from different areas of the world, too.
Knowing your "why" can influence the no-buy
If you're considering a no-buy, self-reflection on spending habits can contribute towards a more solid plan. Understanding motives, and potential triggers, will increase the likelihood of no-buy success!
There are many reasons for buying fragrance: creative expression, personal enjoyment, marketing influence, hyper-fixation, boredom, etc. Maybe you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, or need to get your hands on every flanker possible (shoutout to @Smirky for teaching me, in the comments of this post, that there are about 80 flankers of 
Cool Water Eau de Toilette alone!).
Sometimes the reasons are more delicate - like byproducts of loneliness, grief, trauma, addiction, certain mental health conditions, or even as a side effect of medication. Fragrance exploration, and scent spending, can be a means of escapism.
But let's be clear: regular spending on fragrance doesn't automatically equate to a problem. It can be a reasonable part of financing a hobby, or a way to indulge - just like the money normally spent on any other interest.
Humans are complex, so the reason behind consumption is different for everyone. It isn't morally "right" or "wrong" to follow any one motive for collecting fragrance, and no shame is needed - but keeping your personal "why" in mind, and adjusting your plan to fit those needs, can lead to better outcomes in a no-buy period.
Slowing down by making lists
So if we know our individual "why", what's the next step? I personally find list-making to be a powerful tool while sticking to a no-buy. To plan my own fragrance testing more thoughtfully, I keep 4 lists:
- Not Sure: fragrances I'm intrigued by, but need to research further. I revisit this list when I have more time to examine fragrance pyramids (do notes line up with what I normally love/avoid?), read/watch reviews about them, etc.
- The Queue: once I've sifted through #1 further, fragrances either get deleted or move to "the queue" - i.e. scents I'm now confident in wanting to test. I add any I can to my "in-person" list - and if in-person testing isn't possible, they sit in "the queue" until my no-buy lifts.
- Thank You, Next: unused during a no-buy, but this list keeps track of what's already ordered and en-route to me - to not forget where money has already been spent (and encourage patience 😅).
- In-Person: fragrances I plan to test in-person. I Google each fragrance to see which store carries it, then check their website to verify whether the location near me has it in stock. This is helpful at any time, but especially during a no-buy - since it's always free to use tester bottles!
Shoutout to @Nielsinho, who suggested I try using Top Picks instead of Shelves for organizing my test list!
Using other free resources
Even if I turn to my "in-person" list most during a no-buy, there are plenty of other ways to still enjoy fragrances for free:
1. "Shopping" your own collection:
In the rush of trying new fragrances, it can be easy to forget what you already have. I love using Parfumo's "Assistant" feature for suggestions of what to wear from my collection - tailored to a specific time of day/season, a certain occasion, and even reminding me how long it's been since I've worn each option. Very helpful for remembering the fragrances I love, but often overlook!
2. Coupon mailer lists:
Although not everyone enjoys Bath & Body Works or has this store nearby, signing up for their coupon list means you'll be regularly mailed a voucher for a free travel-sized fragrance (I get one every 3-4 months). I recently snagged a free bottle of 
Belle (a buttery-custardy tearose) this way!
3. Store gift cards:
If you're like me, I sometimes forget about store gift cards I already have. Re-discovering a couple of these has helped me stick to my resolve of not spending any cash/money on fragrance - but still enjoying a bottle of something new!
4. Free samples from fragrance brands:
You don't have to be an "influencer" to get scent samples! Fragrance brands will regularly run ads to offer free samples, which I've taken advantage of many times. A few tips to find these:
- Fragrance communities (here, groups on Facebook, Reddit) will often share when a specific fragrance brand is running ads for free samples.
- Once you hear about an ad running for a specific brand, the following will increase the chance of this ad showing on your Facebook/Instagram feeds:
- search for the fragrance brand on FB/IG multiple times in a row
- interact with their posts (like, comment, tap to view, etc.)
- search for the brand on Google
- It can take a few days for the ads to show up, so pay attention to your feed!
- The more you click on these ads/sign up for them, the more likely you are to receive additional ads for free fragrance samples from other brands too.
*Note: make sure the free sample ads are coming from the official brand pages; you will never need to pay for shipping or enter your payment info anywhere, as they are always free of cost.
5. Fragrance friends:
Swapping samples can be a great way to save money, and even make way for new friendships. One example: I connected with @Emilyforest on a different fragrance platform. We realized we share some similar scent tastes, which led to mailing samples/making decants for each other from our collections over the years. She is the reason I came over to Parfumo - and I feel so lucky to have her as my friend not just in fragrance, but also in life. Swapping fragrances might be fun, but our friendship is the part I'll always be grateful for most - thank you, @Emilyforest! 🙏💖
Gourmandgrl
However, I've been ruminating on this subject for days.
I know it's a different approach than everyone else's, but I think it's a good idea for me to abandon vanity in my “fragrance no-buy” practice. Don't you think you have an advantage over someone by virtue of knowing this perfume? Don't you mistakenly think that by believing in this brand, you can have authority? Are you also reacting only to marketing and losing sight of the essence...?
Do you that what you like is the logo of the high brand on the bottle?
When choosing a perfume sample, I also look inside to see if these feelings are not the main reason for my choice.
And I think it's a healthier approach to try (and as much as possible for free) when it feels like an “investment” rather than a consumption. Easier said than done, right? LOL!
I like hearing the questions you ask yourself on what influences you to purchase, or even what draws you to a brand - you're clearly practicing being more self-aware!
And yes, definitely easier said than done 😅 so I appreciate hearing your thoughts, and thank you as always for your support and commenting; it really means a lot to me! 💖
Also, made some really nice friends in Europe who I enjoy swapping samples with. All in all, I have no regrets, this is a great hobby.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, appreciate hearing your experience! And I'm with you - no regrets in this hobby! 🤗
You're right that mindful spending can feel really fulfilling - if you end up starting another blind buy, I am wishing you the best of luck & a rewarding outcome! 🙏💪
Love the idea of layering things even that have nothing in common! And I'm light handed with my spraying too - drenching yourself for a different sensory experience is a great way to "treat yourself".
Do you have a favorite layering combo you've discovered this way so far?
So impressed at your efforts with doing a no-buy for clothes, and how you've been applying the "shop your closet" principle elsewhere/to other hobbies as well! Wishing you all the success in these efforts this year too 🙌
Great article! I think one of the main things I've been doing is avoiding the temptation to check discount sites... I know if I do then I'll see something I want or something that's been discontinued pop up at a steal. Better just to not know what I might be missing out on lol.
That's such a great idea to avoid checking any discount sites - the FOMO of bargain discounted pop-ups can be hard to resist, so you're smart to avoid it altogether lol!
Thank you so much commenting, for sharing your own tips with me, and your support! 🥰
I had no idea about the B&BW mailing list! I'll be signing up soon. Also saving gift cards for fragrances is genius. I never know what to get with those, hahah
Totally with you, love hitting up the mall to test out fragrances in person too - and even better if you can go with friends!
What are some of your favorite stores to test fragrances in at the mall?
I hear you about crowded malls in the summer though, especially in warm-weather locations (where everybody wants to stay inside/AC 😅)!
Hope BBW sends you coupons soon 🤞 and yes, it's nice to finally find a use for those gift cards hahaha!
So even in such a period I visit shops to smell their testers. But somehow it feels like the right thing to do to buy stuff then.
Keeping lists is also a very good suggestion. But I think the best thing to do is not to get involved with anything perfume related at all. No youtube, no insta, no….. parfumo. No that’s blasphemy 😛
Thanks for another brilliant blog post, great to know we’re not alone with our struggles some.
I'm with you in wanting to discover new stuff all the time, and I know this isn't as possible to do on a no-buy if there aren't an abundance of stores nearby with fragrances; so it's very dependent on my location (and having fragrance friends to swap via mail).
Hahaha giving up Parfumo is definitely blasphemy, no way! 😂
Thank you for taking the time to comment, always appreciate your support and getting to hear your thoughts! 🙏
but even on low buy, the biggest thing for me has been recognizing what I have. as a person that favors summer scents, I have a big abundance of them. this means I really don't need more. my silly ADHD brain will want more. and I did end up buying some SDJ mists not too long ago. >_>;; but that is THAT. I am working on actively using what I've already got. that's important to me!
when it comes to favored notes, or note combos I already have, that's another thing to think about. like, I have many appley fragrances. I don't need to acquire more. etc. it helps a lot! I've also learned to be ok with not having everything I like. my mind can change, but I think particularly of B&BW, where I've bought an abundance of scents... that I ended up decluttering. I'm happy I've slowed down with the mists from B&BW/VS. it's easy to take advantage of sales... and regret later lol
ahaha, I just donate things or give them to people. I've never sold a fragrance, online selling is a bit overwhelming for me. I don't mind not selling, I think it'd end up a hassle for me personally.
Do you enjoy using Parfumo's Assistant feature, to lean in more to what you already own?
I understand getting caught up in a sale purchase lol, and it's okay if you regret some of those since it's never too late to resell them later!
Thanks so much for commenting - always appreciate hearing from you!
on top of that, both B&BW and VS have really been way less interesting, especially B&BW, for a while. there's been a big gap of me not buying anything from them... I gave in for the blue raspberry one tho. but that was the first in many, many months. and it was only one! I am interested in smelling the returning stuff that'll be at SAS but if nothing's a love or fills a niche I'd like to be filled, forget it.
Totally understand the preference to buy full bottles, especially when you learn over time which notes you enjoy most. Nothing wrong with that approach too!
So sorry to hear about your asthma, and that's wise to be careful about not triggering it - testing on paper strips is a good idea, to keep you safe. That's most important!
I applaud your self-awareness and solution-seeking 🙌 and appreciate you sharing!
I admire your desire to be more deliberate in the full bottle purchases/blind-buys. Has anything helped, as you've started to do this?
Thank you for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate it! 🤗