Where to get free samples?

Welcome to BN! If you live in the US, go to your nearest Sephora. You can ask for 3 different fragrances to sample and the SA will fill the spray vials for you.

Nordstrom has a jar full of spray vials in their Men's frags as well. You can fill as many as you want, but do not forget to bring a sharpie so you can label your samples.

Good luck!



3022

Want to get serious......free samples


Isn't that like irony or something?

+ 1

Lol @hedonist222. The rest of us who pay for samples are just fooling around mostly.

Hope OP doesn't mind our dry warped humor. Welcome to Basenotes! And share your findings here.

DiamondFlame, yeah we're just teasing. kinda.

try contacting perfume houses and asking for samples.
I've read that some oblige.

Comme de Garcons will send you samples of CDG MAN 2, Wonderwood or Amazing Green if you type in your details. I takes a while but they get to you.

I remember writing to JF Trumper and they sent me a whole bunch of samples.

^The guys were having a bit of (gentle) fun with you, Whatsthis! Truth is free samples are a rarity; the exception, NOT the norm. Most of us obtain our samples by purchasing through a decanting site like Surrender to Chance or the Perfumed Court. If you want something specific, it's often the only way. But you can then turn around and swap those samples for new ones with other perfume lovers. A lot of us save ourselves tons of money that way. Yes, there are Sephora and Nordstrom but that's not much selection for you. And if you take advantage of their freebies too often, you may encounter some snideness from the staff. To really delve into perfumes, it's nearly impossible not to incur some cost. But it can be minimized, at least.

Also, read through this thread: http://www.basenotes.net/threads/206...-Companies-Now

Many years ago, retail establishments had no qualms about giving out samples even without a purchase. Times for the most part have changed.

I've never been denied samples at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, or Semphora. They are friendly people and I do make many purchases there.

Thought I would throw my hat in the ring as another new-ish fragrance enthusiast: aside from a handful of freebies from Sephora (either with purchase or from asking), I have paid for pretty much every sample I've gotten. Almost all samples worth having have to be paid for in my personal experience. Having said that, I don't have any worthwhile high-end boutiques in my area. If I did, I may have a different opinion. Aedes de Venustas and TPC are where I have purchased most of my samples, if that helps

I suggest you check out Aedes and The Perfume Shoppe if you want good prices on samples. I've never gone to actual stores to see if it works, so I can't really speak to that.

I knew about Sephora, but didn't know about Nordstrom. Gonna have to check them out. Thanks!

I bought something from Aedes, and they threw in 7 free samples of my choice. Whoa!

+1 Aedes. They have a sample package for just $20 (used to be $15) -- your choice of 7 frags, plus 2 substitutes in case they don't have one or two of your choices).




3052

That's the point though -- they are not really free.

If you buy a fragrance from Bond #9 they bombard you with samples in their little sweet wrappers -- up to 20 on one occasion.

Once I had bought about $1000 of fragrance at my local Holt-Renfrew, they started showering me with samples.

I agree with those who chimed in about Nordstrom - their sampling program is great! I go in there often and pick up samples, although some SAs are really into showering you with the perfume rather than giving the vial - do not let them do that! I once had an SA who wanted to put three or four different (very different) fragrances on me at once "test it on your skin." I did not want to waft so many scents at once on innocent bystanders!

I will have to try Sephora too.

If you have a perfume boutique nearby and plan on making a purchase, they usually add samples. I have one near me called Blackbird Apothecary in Seattle who gives a bunch of samples when I make a purchase - they also only charge $3 perf vial sample if you do not make a purchase. Very reasonable in my opinion. Also nearby me in Seattle is another niche perfume boutique called Essenza. They give free samples to interested customers (because they may make a purchase in the future).

Bottom line with this advice is to try asking. If a SA says "no" that's th e worst they can do. If they say yes, you will have free fragrance samples - awesome!

This Winter, I've been on major sample hunts in the US and in London, UK. I managed to get over 40 free samples in the last 2 months - here's what I did:

USA:-
The Scent Bar in LA will give you free samples if you go to the store.
As mentioned above, Nordstrom and Sephora will too.
Also in the US, if you walk into an actual Chanel shop and ask they should give you some as well the actual Tom Ford store (bring some empty vials) but not Tom Ford in a department store. Ditto with Hermes - managed to get a few 4ml vials.
Skins 6|2 at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas will give you free samples too - they have quite a lot of good niche brands, like LA's Scent Bar

USA and LONDON, UK:
If you can find a department store (perhaps Neiman Marcus??) which sells Dior Collection Privée (not the normal Dior perfume counter), they are v v generous with their samples -in both the US and also in Selfridges in London.

LONDON, UK:
Robert Piguet in Harvey Nichols in London will post you samples if you ring them (or give you them if you go into the store)
Annick Goutal store in Knightsbridge, London will give you some samples if they have them, otherwise you can bring a vial and they will decant for you.
Jo Malone stores in London, UK will give you samples if they have them.
Frederick Malle in Liberty in London, UK will give you samples if you have a "consultation" with them first.
Apparently Les Senteurs in London will give you free samples if you go into the store although I haven't actually done it yet.

I never cared for the scent bar in LA...EGH

Is it???? I must take this, loving fragrance.......Thanks!

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Hey hey hey...! Will i get this Nordstrom & sephora at my place i.e. NY...???

WHen I first started in fragrances, I too was looking for free samples...I quickly found that there were very few quality frags. that had "free" samples. Even dept. stores wouldn't give them out. At first I was furious...They want me to spend $$$$ to buy their stuff, and won't even give me some to try??? then I gave up and started buying niche samples. Screw the dept. stores, they didn't want my business. I quickly realized that Many samples I bought, I didn't like, so I collected a bunch, and sold them on EBAY...I don't end up spending much on them overall, and they have helped me pick out many quality full bottles. I have since Never bought from the dept. stores, and around my way, many of them have down-sized or done away with their fragrance counters altogether. It cost YSL $4 for the fragrance, $5 for the bottle and box, and they sell it for $80. Screw them then. Can't give a few samples to the fragrance counters in their retailers for serious shoppers??? I understand that many teens, and dead-beats looking for free with no intentions to buy are out there, but and Sales Associate with half a brain can tell a serious shopper. Big stores like Nordstrom's will hear me talking about Notes, Longevity, and Sillage, and pull out freebies, but stores like Macy's won't, and are not even given samples...at least in my neck of the woods.

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