I think we can all agree that the process of discovering a new perfume can be time-consuming. Standing at the fragrance aisle feeling slightly overwhelmed by the array of glass bottles of different shapes, sizes and colours. Normally I find myself freezing and staring blankly at the shelves – where do you even begin? Luckily, Parfumado is here to help you discover your new signature scent from the comfort of your home!
Parfumado
Parfumado is a subscription service where you receive a new scent to try each month. The process is fairly simple – you undertake a quiz that asks a series of questions about your scent preferences and then provided recommendations based on your answers. Each perfume is labelled with different fragrance families such as floral and aquatic. From this, you can determine which fragrance sample you are wanting to try for each corresponding month.
Parfumado Giftcard & Perfume in Travel Case
After being successful in the Netherlands, Parfumado is now available in the UK. Set up by a brother and sister team, Martijn and Floor van Rooy, Parfumado believes that “Scents stir up desire, summon emotions and bring memories to life.” They feel that shopping for perfume should be a fun, easy, a personal experience, and be accessible for all.
Sounds straightforward, right? I put Parfumado to the test to see what it was like using the service…
But first… the deets
- 350+ perfumes to choose from
- The monthly perfume size is 8ml which is enough for 30 days (3 sprays a day)
- Costs £12.95 per month
- Compact size for travelling and on-the-go
- Pause any time you like – non-fixed subscription
My Experience
When I first hopped onto the website, navigating myself around all seemed quite new to me. However, after sussing things out, I was well on the way to completing my scent quiz. The sorts of questions asked included if I was open to a unisex perfume, my perfume brand preferences – including sustainable and/ or vegan – and selecting my all-time favourite perfume/s from a drop-down menu. However, my two previous favourites were not to be seen on the list, so I was a bit stuck… Instead, I had to choose a perfume I had fortunately smelt before and quite liked. Maybe more options will be added to the list?… As I wasn’t familiar with a lot of them, but this could be due to my lack of perfume knowledge.
After undertaking the quiz, it said my ‘Fragrance Profile’ was floral, oriental, and fresh. I was also recommended a series of perfumes that other people had enjoyed based on the same preferences as mine. From this, I chose Prada Infusion d’Iris for my first month, and then Elie Saab Le Parfum for my second. After a few clicks, my little perfume bottles were all set to be delivered to my door – eek exciting! I then received a follow-up email when my perfume for June had been shipped.
June Perfume: Prada Infusion d’Iris
Travel Case & Prada Infusion d’Idris
I was very excited when my neat little package arrived. It contained a travel case for the perfume bottle, which you twisted to reveal the spray when slotted in – nifty hey!
So, what did I think of Prada Infusion d’Idris? Being honest, it wouldn’t be something I’d normally pick up. My first thoughts were that it was a lot more mature than the usual scents I have had – a lot more on the richer floral side. Although, I believe this was one of those perfumes where the scent is nicer when left to sink into your skin. It did grow on me, which goes to show that giving a new perfume some time to decide if you like it is better than writing it off after a few sprays on a tester strip – thanks Parfumado!
July Perfume: Elie Saab Le Parfum
Travel Case & Elie Saab Le Parfum
This time round I received a glass bottle of perfume wrapped in a cardboard cylinder protector. I love that you slot the bottle of perfume you want to take with you in the travel case – what I like to call ‘the nifty black tube’. It makes things so practical, slick and keeps the perfume safe!
Well then, this perfume has certainly become one of my all-time favourites – I am thrilled! If it wasn’t for Parfumado, I probably would have never discovered Elie Saab Le Parfum and instantly gone back to one of my old favourites. This goes to show a great positive I have gained from the personalised process!
Parfumado Pros & Cons
Pros
- A friendly, easy and direct approach
- High-quality brand feel
- Gives you the chance to try out a small bottle of perfume before committing to the full-size
- Affordable way of trying out high-end perfume
- Small-sized bottle and travel case are perfect for travelling
- Allows you to have a collection of perfumes without spending lots
- Fun and personalised system to tell you what perfumes are right for you
- Perfect for someone who likes to switch up their scent frequently – maybe seasonally?
- Gift cards available – great alternative present idea for someone instead of getting it wrong!
Cons
I was struggling to find many faults with Parfumado. It seems that the areas which you would maybe find any flaws had been covered. The only thing I thought about was being unable to test the smell of a selected perfume before you purchase. I suppose this was a concern I had with the perfumes I selected, but undertaking the quiz, seeing the different fragrance families and reading the reviews gave me enough reassurance that I would be satisfied with my choices – which I was!
Student-friendly?
I would definitely agree that Parfumado is student-friendly. At only £12.95 a month on a non-comital basis, it gives students the chance to collect an array of luxurious perfumes without a steep price tag! And if you are like me and unsure of where to even begin when finding a new scent, Parfumado is there to do the discovery work for you.
Would I recommend? Absolutely!
Find Parfumado here: uk.parfumado.com
