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Olfactif Review

Sunday, February 9th

2025 Perfume Subscription Reviews

Olfactif Review 4.5 Star Rating

Olfactif

4.5 Star Rating
  • Designed for the adventurous and fragrance-curious
  • Focuses on indie, luxury, and niche brands from around the world
  • Every month's scents are centered around a theme
  • $22 for three different 2mL fragrances (men's or women's)
  • $40 for six different 2mL fragrances (three men's and three women's)
  • Save 2%-5% when you prepay for 3, 6, or 12 months
  • Free shipping within the US
  • Members always save 20% on full-size bottles of featured scents, 10% on all other full-size bottles, and 10% on a la carte samples
  • "A+” rated by the BBB
  • In business since 2013

Olfactif has a question for you: "Why smell like everyone else?” Why, indeed. This perfume subscription isn't for the faint of heart (or nose?) or for anyone who loves buying everyday fragrances from the drugstore shelves. Instead, Olfactif focuses on indie, niche, and luxury scents from around the world, never including the same fragrance twice so that you can always be learning and experimenting. Some of their scents could help you "feel tranquil on a Sunday morning”, while others could "build up your swagger for an important meeting”. If you're adventurous, curious, and open to new experiences, Olfactif will be the perfect perfume subscription.

Curated selection of 3-6 themed monthly scents

When you set up your subscription at Olfactif, you really don't have to make too many decisions: this isn't the kind of perfume plan that makes you guess at what you'll like (or take a profile quiz), rearranging your queue all the time, and hoping you pick a winner. In fact, Olfactif knows that sometimes what they send you will be an absolute "no way” to your nose - and that's part of the experience. What this company does to perfection is scenter-ing (see what we did there?) every month's fragrances around a theme, often seasonal, so you might get citrusy bliss in the summer and woodsy, smoky musk in the late fall. If you've ever done any kind of tasting party - wine, chocolate, cheese, you name it - you'll be familiar with how Olfactif leads you on a journey, complete with cards describing each fragrance and a place for you to take notes on what you notice, like, or dislike. (Those cards also have a place for you to spray just a bit, so you can smell each one independently from the next - instead of trying to keep them separate on your forearms.)

Choose between men's and women's fragrances

So, the only input that Olfactif needs from you is whether you want three 2mL fragrances that are more traditionally for women, three for men, or the deluxe package that comes with all six monthly samples. We noticed that Olfactif regularly includes scents that are more unisex, both in the women's selections and the men's, so you really can't go wrong either way. (But we recommend the deluxe, from our own personal experience.)

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$22 to $40 per month

And price? It's $22 for either of the 3-vial collections, and $40 for the combination set. Shipping is included in the price, but you'll need to add the extra Route Shipping Protection if you want more options if something is broken when it arrives or there's another delivery problem. We're not the biggest fans of that structure, but we're seeing it pop up all over the place, especially with smaller businesses who need to help manage their costs too.

Frequent discounts on offer

Over the years we've been customers of Olfactif, we've seen tons of opportunities to save. Usually around major holidays (like Christmas, Hanukkah, Mother's Day, and even Amazon Prime Days), you'll see offers for discounts - sometimes on full-size bottles of your latest Olfactif favorites, sometimes on samplers, and even occasionally on subscriptions. At the time of our most recent visit to the website, Olfactif was discounting literally everything, including subscriptions, by 25%. And, when you're a subscription member at Olfactif, there's an ongoing discount of 20% on any of the featured monthly scents and 10% on ones from previous months, so you can always save a bit on the perfumes and colognes that make people keep telling you how amazing you smell. Or, if you want to give someone their own sample to try, you can add the small vials a la carte at a 10% discount as well.

Prepay and save

Another way to save is by prepaying for 3, 6, or 12 months. You'll get a discount ranging from 2%-5% that way. However, we'd suggest trying this perfume subscription for a month or two (maybe with a juicy seasonal promo discount) before taking the full plunge: these scents are super-niche and will provide a very different experience from sampling the Burberrys and Bvlgaris at the department store counter.

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Subscribers love this perfume plan

Olfactif has earned the respect of the Better Business Bureau, demonstrated by the "A+” rating there. Better yet, there hasn't been a single complaint filed with the BBB. You can also see lots of happy reviews scattered throughout the Olfactif site, and none of the negative ones are filtered out - but we're happy to say that even so, this perfume subscription still earns an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars, as verified by Yotpo. While we didn't find a ton of reviews for Olfactif on third-party sites, their social media channels are full of posts with mentions and likes. And, during the course of our subscription, we had zero issues with any aspect of this perfume membership: everything was well-packaged and delivered on time, and it was no problem to pause, skip, or cancel whenever we needed. If it weren't for the fact that we needed to use our "fun money” on other things for a while, we would have stayed subscribed to Olfactif indefinitely.

Full bottles will be spendy

If we had to pick any kind of downside for Olfactif, it's this: you're going to fall in love with some really top-shelf scents here, and you might flinch when you see that they're often $100 to $200 for a full-size bottle. This is where we discovered Ego Stratis by Juliette Has a Gun ($150), Fruits of the Tree of Knowledge by 4160 Tuesdays ($110), and Honey Aoud by Montale ($180), and it was a good little while before we could afford to put those into our regular rotation.

Top perfume subscription for the adventurous

When you're ready to "graduate” from basic, boring perfumes that everyone wears and move into something a little more risky (and rewarding), Olfactif is ready to take you to the next fragrance level. We can't say enough good things about this perfume subscription, especially as a gift for adventurous types (like foodies, travelers, you know who we're talking about).

Which Perfume Subscription is the Best?

Perfumes have been an integral part of human culture for centuries, with scents carefully crafted from flowers, herbs, and exotic spices. From ancient Egypt to modern-day fashion houses, wearing perfume has always been a way to express identity, mood, and even status. Fast forward to today, and the art of choosing a fragrance has evolved.

Perfume is no longer just about sniffing your way through the options at the department store counter - perfumes can capture emotions in a bottle, or even become as distinctive as your signature. But here's the thing: perfume shopping in traditional stores can be overwhelming.

The Best Perfume Subscriptions Compare Perfume Subscriptions Compare Perfume Subscription Reviews What are the best Perfume Subscriptions Best Perfume Subscription Reviews

Perfume Subscription FAQ

A perfume subscription is a membership that delivers new fragrances to your mailbox every month. Think of it as a "scent club”: just like foodies can get hot sauces and fashionistas can get accessories, fragrance fans get to try out something new with each delivery.
As long as you get your subscription from a reputable retailer, yes. You'll often see the word "decant” used in reference to these services and to other discount perfume shops: it just means that they buy the original, authentic fragrances in bulk and transfer them to smaller containers.
Yes! Perfume subscriptions eliminate the "blind buy” expense of getting a full bottle of a fragrance you hope that you'll love... but wind up hating. Maybe you already have a Jimmy Choo or Marc Jacobs scent in your regular rotation and you want to see if you like their newest release. Or you're going way out of your comfort zone and trying something with notes and a profile totally new to you. That's the beauty of perfume memberships: all the fun for much less money.
That depends on the one you select. Most clubs' monthly deliveries feature a small glass bottle with approximately 8 mL (or 0.27 oz) in an atomizer case. Some retailers expect you to swap out the tube in the case with every new perfume that comes, while others include a new case every time. Also, some perfume subscriptions include more than one fragrance per month. And, most memberships give you rewards points and/or discounts that can be used to get full bottles of any perfume you wind up wanting to add to your permanent collection.
Niche fragrances typically come from independent, lesser-known perfumers. They're not your well-known brands like Bvlgari or Calvin Klein. Some perfume memberships stick strictly to designer brands, others focus solely on niche brands - and a few let you choose freely from a catalog that includes both. If you love the idea of wearing a perfume that's cutting-edge or that no one else has, niche scents are the way to go.
Not at all: you'll get about 30 days of scent for the price of a couple of lattes. Most perfume subscriptions are priced between $15-$20 per month, and some memberships give you the first month at a big discount.
Unfortunately, most perfume memberships have a strict "no refunds” policy - but it's much more affordable to try a $14 sample size and find out you don't like it than to buy the whole bottle. However, our #1 perfume subscription lets you exchange anything you get that isn't a good match, up to five times every twelve months.
Yes! Why should women get all the fun? While some perfume subscriptions focus just on more traditionally feminine scents, most plans have options for cologne too. If you want to get both cologne and perfume, be sure to choose a retailer that offers that kind of flexibility. One of our top rate perfume subscriptions lets you get two scents (or more) in every delivery, and another gives you three masculine/unisex and three feminine niche fragrances each month.
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Continued from above...

The options seem endless, and after sampling just a few, your nose might struggle to differentiate between scents. Add the high price tags for full-sized bottles, and you might feel hesitant to commit to a single perfume without fully experiencing it. Enter perfume subscriptions, the modern solution to all your fragrance woes.

Perfume subscriptions are all about convenience and discovery. For a monthly fee, you receive sample-size perfumes from a wide range of brands. It's the perfect way to try new fragrances before buying the full bottle, which can save you money and prevent any buyer's remorse. Plus, it's a way to break out of your usual scent preferences and experiment with something new - whether that's a light, breezy scent for spring or a deep, sultry fragrance for fall.

Another perk? Perfume subscriptions often partner with both luxury and niche brands, giving you access to a curated selection that you might not find at your local department store. And, since most subscription services come in handy travel-friendly sizes, you can carry them wherever you go - ideal for someone who's always on the move or who needs to freshen up after work and before drinks.

Additionally, these subscriptions sometimes come with personalized recommendations, often after giving you a quiz to see which scents match your style and favorite notes. With fresh perfumes arriving every month, it feels like a little just-for-you luxury delivered straight to your door.

With so many options available, it's super-easy to find the right perfume subscription for your "scent style”. Here are some criteria to consider when deciding where to get started:

  • Brand variety. Some subscription services focus on well-known luxury brands, while others offer a mix of niche or indie fragrances. If you're someone who loves the classics, look for a subscription that includes iconic names. If you enjoy discovering up-and-coming perfumers, a service that focuses on smaller, boutique brands might be a better fit.
  • Customization. Look into whether the subscription allows you to choose the scents you want to try or if it's more of a mystery each month. Some people enjoy the surprise, while others prefer more control over what they receive. Also, check if there's an option to swap fragrances if you get one you don't love.
  • Pricing and flexibility. Prices for perfume subscriptions can vary, so choose one that fits your budget. Look into whether they offer monthly, quarterly, or annual plans, and whether you can pause or cancel your subscription easily.
  • Value. The vials that come in perfume subscriptions sizes can range from tiny vials to larger travel atomizers that last for nearly 150 sprays. If you're someone who likes to really wear a fragrance before deciding, opt for a service that offers more generous samples.
  • Additional perks. Some subscriptions offer added bonuses, such as discounts on full-sized bottles, access to exclusive perfumes, or fun packaging. If you're someone who loves those little extra touches, these perks could make one subscription stand out from the rest.
  • Reputation. Perfume subscriptions can look really similar on the surface, so check out what members are saying about the overall experience. Does the company deliver what it promises, on time, with no drama if something goes wrong? What does the Better Business Bureau have to say?

Ready to smell fantastic? The fragrance fans at Top Consumer Reviews have put some of today's most popular perfume subscriptions to the sniff test and ranked them from first to worst. Whether you're new to perfumes or a seasoned collector, there's a subscription for you, so prepare to experiment a bit and find your next favorite scent - without breaking the bank.

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