Let’s face it, buying anything online can be a challenge at times, but perfume, especially niche perfume, is particularly tough. How are you supposed to know if that fragrance in your basket is something you’re going to like? And who is that brand anyway? Well, stress no more! Here’s our expert advice for taking the plunge into the wonderful world of niche fragrance
1. Be open minded - Fragrance is for everyone, so don’t let yourself be restricted from the off by a name, or by whether it looks feminine or masculine. Gender doesn’t matter when it comes to scent, and niche brands like to make their lines as accessible as possible
2. Think about what you’re buying it for – Are you looking for something to wear every day? Or perhaps you’re after an evening scent? Keep this in mind as you browse
3. Understand which notes you like/dislike – Have a think about what smells you enjoy to help narrow things down. If you love the smell of cut grass, maybe you’d like a green scent. Or if you love fresh flowers, a floral fragrance will be right up your street
4. Take clues from names, descriptions and bottle design – Scents with words like ‘sweet’ or ‘bouquet’ are pretty obvious, and you can usually tell from the bottle design what kind of scent it might be. Of course, there are some scents that will require a little more research, which leads us on to our next tip…
5. Research, research, research – One of the best ways to get to know niche brands is on social media. Pick up on their vibes, read their captions and scroll their content. If you find a brand you resonate with, dig a little deeper into what influencers, other publications and online stores are saying about them
6. Ignore the price – More expensive perfumes don’t necessarily mean they’ll be better, but if you’re doing your research right, you’ll soon learn that niche scents can be a little pricier. That’s because the quality of ingredients is high, and they’re often produced in limited quantities to maintain that exclusivity you don’t get with designer scents. It’s what makes them special
7. Shop by fragrance family – We’ve made this really easy on e-scents.co.uk. By now you hopefully have more of an idea of the scents that appeal to your nose. Shop by fragrance family and see all your ideal perfumes in one place
8. Trust in an online store like us – We hand-pick beautiful niche brands that we know are worth learning about and experiencing. We also select concepts and scents that are worth spending a little bit more money on, if it means getting that quality and the confidence that comes with it
9. Try a discovery set or sample before committing – Many, if not all, niche brands have samples available to purchase at super affordable prices. A lot of them also produce discovery sets because they understand it can be difficult to make that initial decision. It’s the perfect way to try before you, officially, buy. Click DISCOVER in our menu at the top of this page to find all our discovery sets and samples in one place
10. Get help from an expert – If you’d like a little more help, don’t be shy. Reach out to us and we’ll set you on the right fragrance path. On each of our product pages, you’ll find an ‘Ask a Question’ box or simply contact us on Instagram @escents_uk
Feeling ready to dive in? Click FRAGRANCE above and choose a scent family to get started.
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