How to Test a Perfume Before You Buy It

To test a perfume properly, smell it first on a paper strip to decide whether it is worth trying, then apply it to clean skin — one fragrance per wrist or inner arm, two at most — and wear it for several hours, smelling it at intervals. Don’t rub it in, don’t judge it in the first few minutes, and if possible wear it on a second day before buying. The opening is designed to be appealing; the perfume you will actually live with arrives an hour or more later.

Before you start

Arrive with clean, unscented skin. No other perfume, and ideally no scented lotion.
Know roughly what you are looking for. A family, a mood or a perfume you already like narrows the field. See How to Choose a Perfume.
Allow time. You will not finish testing in the shop; the shop is where you shortlist.

Step 1: Shortlist on paper

Smelling strips — the narrow paper blotters at perfume counters — are good for one thing: comparing openings quickly without putting anything on your skin.

Spray once onto the strip, from a short distance.
Wait a few seconds for the alcohol to evaporate; smelling it wet mostly gives you alcohol.
Hold the strip a little below your nose and breathe normally.
Write the name on the strip, so you know which is which later.

Keep only the ones you want to know more about. Take the strips with you — smelling them again an hour later tells you something about how each develops.

Step 2: Decide on skin

Paper is inert; skin is warm and has its own chemistry, so a perfume can behave quite differently on it. See Why Skin Changes a Perfume.

Apply one spray per fragrance, to the inner wrist or inner forearm.
Test two at most — one on each arm, well apart. More, and they drift into each other.
Don’t rub. Let each settle on its own.

Step 3: Wait, and smell again

Smell each test spot:

at once — the opening, bright and loud;
after 20–30 minutes — the heart arriving;
after two to three hours — the main character;
at the end of the day — the dry down.

Notice not only whether you like it, but what it reminds you of and whether you would be happy to smell like it in the late afternoon. Our guide to Top, Heart and Base explains why it changes.

Test the perfume you will wear at four o’clock, not the one you met at the counter.

Step 4: Wear it again

A single wearing can mislead. Weather, mood, tiredness and what else you have applied all change both the perfume and your perception of it. If you can, wear a sample for a few days, including on an ordinary day in your usual places. See Perfume Samples and Decants.

Step 5: Ask someone

Your nose adapts quickly to a familiar smell, so you are a poor judge of how your own perfume projects. Ask someone you trust whether they can smell it, and from how far. See Why Can’t I Smell My Own Perfume?.

Common mistakes

Testing too many. After four or five perfumes, most noses tire. Stop, step outside, and come back another day.
Relying on coffee beans. Shops often offer them to "reset" the nose. Evidence that they help is thin; fresh air, a pause, or briefly smelling unscented skin (the inside of your elbow) is at least as useful.
Judging from someone else. A perfume on a friend is a perfume on their skin.
Spraying several times. One spray per test spot is enough; more exaggerates the opening.
Deciding at the counter. The best answer to a persuasive opening is "I’ll come back".

Testing at home

Samples make testing much easier: you can wear a fragrance in your own life rather than in a shop. Apply as you would normally — the neck, the chest, the inner arms — and live with it for a day. Note what you notice and when. If you are comparing two, wear them on different days rather than together.

Comparing two perfumes fairly

Test both at the same time, one on each arm, so the conditions match.
Use the same number of sprays.
Smell each at the same intervals, alternating which you smell first.
Swap arms on a second day; one side can smell different because of what you touch or how you sit.

Common questions

How long should I wait before deciding?

At least two or three hours, ideally a full day.

Should I test perfume on my wrist or my neck?

Wrists and inner arms are easiest to smell during testing. For wearing, the neck and chest are often better. See Wearing Perfume With Intention.

Can I test perfume online?

Not really. Descriptions and reviews help you shortlist; samples let you test. See Blind Buying Perfume.