Perfume guides
Straight answers to the questions we hear most, from what a decant is to how to choose a scent you have never smelled.
Decants and sizes
What is a perfume decant?
A decant is original perfume moved from its bottle into a smaller one. How 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decants work, and why wearing one first beats a blind buy.
Decant or full bottle? The price per ml, worked out
What a perfume decant costs per ml next to a full bottle, worked out from the 10ML catalogue, and when each one is the better buy.
Travel perfume guide
Flying with perfume? The 100 ml cabin rule, what goes in checked bags, and why 10ml and 30ml decants are the easy way to travel with your scent.
Choosing a perfume
How to choose a perfume without smelling it
Buying perfume online? Read the notes, know your scent family, pick the moment, then wear a small size first. A practical guide from 10ML.
The best niche perfumes to try as a decant
Niche perfumes worth wearing before you buy the bottle, picked from the 10ML bestseller list, in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decants.
How to find your signature scent in three steps
Find your style with three small decants, live with two finalists for a few weeks, then keep the one you miss when it is gone. A shortlist of twelve to start from.
Chypre perfume and the other fragrance families, explained
What a chypre perfume is, how a fougère differs, and what the seven fragrance families mean, with one or two perfumes from each family to wear before you choose.
Safe blind buy perfumes: easy styles to wear before you buy the bottle
The safest blind buy perfume is one you wear first. Twelve easy-to-wear perfumes grouped by style, from fresh to warm, and how to try each one before a full bottle.
Niche vs designer perfume: what is the difference?
Designer fragrances come from fashion houses; niche fragrances come from houses that only make perfume. Here is what that changes in the bottle, where the lines blur, and how to compare the two fairly.
Fragrance notes
The best vanilla perfumes, by the kind of vanilla you like
Vanilla is not one smell. Sixteen vanilla perfumes grouped by style, boozy, ambery, gourmand, creamy, powdery and fresh, and how to find the vanilla that suits you.
What is oud, and what does it smell like? A gentle way in
Oud is the dark resin that forms inside agarwood, and it smells woody, smoky and resinous. What it is, what it smells like, and a ladder of oud perfumes from soft to dark.
White musk perfume: what musk smells like, and which to wear first
White musk smells clean, soft and close to the skin. What musk really smells like, the three kinds you will meet, and thirteen musk perfumes grouped by style.
The best rose perfumes, grouped by the note that sits beside the rose
Rose changes character with its partner. Fourteen rose perfumes grouped by that partner, from oud and fruit to musk, vanilla and spice, and how to wear yours before buying a bottle.
What does amber smell like? Amber in perfume, explained
Amber in perfume is a warm, sweet, resinous accord, not a single ingredient. What it is made of, what it smells like, and twelve perfumes from sheer to dense.
What does patchouli smell like? Earthy, sweet or dark
Patchouli smells earthy, woody and faintly sweet, and it hides in far more perfumes than you think. Twelve that show its sides, from sugary to fresh.
What does bergamot smell like, and why is it in almost every perfume?
Bergamot smells like a softer, more floral lemon with a faint tea-like edge. Here is how it reads in a cologne, a fougère and a gourmand, and why the part you smell first is the part that leaves first.
What does sandalwood smell like? Creamy, milky and dry woods explained
Sandalwood smells soft, creamy and gently sweet, with a dry woody edge. What surrounds it decides the rest. Twelve perfumes, grouped by the kind of sandalwood they show.
What does vetiver smell like? Earthy, green and smoky
Vetiver smells earthy, green and dry, with a woody edge and sometimes smoke. What the note is, why fresh scents rely on it, and twelve perfumes that show it from clean to smoky.
What is tonka bean, and what does it smell like in perfume?
Tonka bean is the warm, sweet note of vanilla, almond and hay behind many men's scents. What it is, how it smells, and twelve perfumes where it leads.
What is ambergris? Ambergris vs ambroxan, and the perfumes built on each
Ambergris comes from the sea, ambroxan from a laboratory. What each one is, what each smells like, how to read them on a notes list, and twelve perfumes that use one or both.
What does iris smell like? Iris perfume, from powder to earth
Iris smells powdery, buttery and cool, with an earthy root underneath. What orris is, why some people call it lipstick, and twelve iris perfumes grouped by style.
The best gourmand perfumes, from caramel to coffee
Fourteen gourmand perfumes grouped by the sweetness they are built on, caramel, coffee, praline or fruit and honey, and how to find your level of sweet before you buy a bottle.
Clean perfumes: citrus, soapy, floral and skin-close scents to try
Clean is not one smell. Nine clean perfumes grouped into four styles, citrus, soapy, floral and white musk, and how to find the one your nose calls clean.
What does Lost Cherry smell like? Note by note, plus nine more cherry perfumes
Lost Cherry smells of dark, boozy cherry and bitter almond over a warm, spiced base. The full walk-through, and nine more cherry perfumes grouped by how sweet they are.
Perfumes similar to Black Opium, and what Black Opium smells like
Black Opium is coffee and vanilla over jasmine and orange blossom. What it does from first spray to dry-down, and nine perfumes that share its coffee-vanilla idea.
What does Santal 33 smell like? The notes, and perfumes like it that share them
Santal 33 smells of dry, creamy woods, from cardamom and violet through cedar and papyrus to sandalwood, leather and amber. The note-by-note guide, and nine perfumes that share its notes.
What does La Vie Est Belle smell like? The notes, and nine perfumes that share them
La Vie Est Belle is iris wrapped in praline, over vanilla, tonka bean and patchouli. How it moves from first spray to dry-down, and nine perfumes that share its notes, from sweeter to drier to lighter.
What does Ombre Nomade smell like? A dense oud, and how to try it first
Ombre Nomade is smoky oud with raspberry, rose and saffron over frankincense and benzoin. What it does on skin, who it suits, and softer oud perfumes to wear beside it.
Perfumes like Libre: lavender and orange blossom, done other ways
What Libre is made of, then its two siblings and seven perfumes that share its orange blossom, lavender or vanilla, grouped by how they differ.
Pistachio perfumes: eight to try, from green to gourmand
Pistachio can smell green and airy or sweet and creamy. Eight pistachio perfumes grouped by style, and why a 3ml is the smart first step with a note this new.
The best tobacco perfumes by style: sweet, smoky and dry
Tobacco in perfume smells of the dried leaf, honeyed and warm, not of an ashtray. Twelve tobacco perfumes in three styles, sweet, smoky and dry, and how to wear one before you buy the bottle.
The best coconut perfumes: creamy, tropical or gourmand
Coconut in perfume goes far beyond sun cream. Twelve coconut perfumes grouped by style, green, tropical, creamy floral, gourmand and boozy, and how to wear yours before you buy the bottle.
The best jasmine perfumes: sambac, fresh, sweet and dark
Jasmine can be green and bright, warm and nutty, sugary or smoky. Twelve jasmine perfumes grouped by how the flower shows up, and how sambac differs from jasmine in a blend.
Wearing perfume
How to make perfume last longer: 11 tips that work
If your perfume disappears by lunchtime, the fix is usually in how you apply and store it, not in buying a stronger bottle. Eleven habits that make a real difference.
Eau de parfum vs eau de toilette: what changes, and which strength to try
Eau de parfum carries more perfume oil than eau de toilette, but the same name on two strengths often hides two different formulas. What the labels mean, and how to wear both before you choose.
Long-lasting perfumes for women, by what the community votes
Fourteen long-lasting perfumes for women, grouped by style, with each one's community longevity vote stated plainly, and how to see the staying power on your own skin before you buy a bottle.
Does perfume expire? Shelf life, signs it has turned, and how to store it
Perfume has no hard use-by date, but heat, light and air slowly change it. How to tell a bottle has turned, how to store it, and why a small bottle never gets old.
Where to spray perfume, and how many sprays to use
Warm skin at the throat, neck, chest and inner wrists, then fewer sprays than you think. Where to put perfume, how many sprays suit its strength and the day ahead, and what that means for each size.
How long does a 10ml bottle of perfume last?
About 200 sprays, which is roughly two months at three sprays a day. Here is the maths for every routine, and what decides how long the scent itself stays on your skin.
The best long-lasting perfumes for men, and how to test them first
Ten men's and shared fragrances with real staying power, from Aventus to Oud Wood, and why a week with a 10ml decant tells you more about longevity than anything you read online.
Perfume layering: a simple guide, with pairings to try
Layering two fragrances can give you a scent nobody else wears. These are the rules that make it work, the mistakes that make it muddy, and five pairings built from real notes.
Perfumes side by side
Baccarat Rouge 540 vs Extrait: two note lists under one name
Baccarat Rouge 540 leans on sugar, fir resin and amberwood; the Extrait swaps them for bitter almond, musk and cashmeran. Both pyramids compared, and how to choose on your own skin.
Sauvage vs Sauvage Elixir: how they differ, plus Eau Forte and Extrait
Sauvage is bright pepper and bergamot over ambroxan; the Elixir is warm spice, licorice and sandalwood. Here are both, the two other Sauvages, and a simple way to choose with two decants.
What does Aventus smell like? Aventus vs Absolu Aventus and Aventus Cologne
Aventus is dark fruit over smoky birch, Absolu Aventus adds warm spice, and Aventus Cologne turns to mandarin and mint. How the three Creed scents differ, and how to choose before you buy a bottle.
What does Oud Wood smell like? Oud Wood vs Tobacco Vanille, note by note
Oud Wood is dry wood and soft spice; Tobacco Vanille is tobacco leaf wrapped in vanilla and cacao. Here is how the two Tom Ford scents differ, and how to settle it with two small decants.
Stronger With You Intensely vs Absolutely, plus the Parfum and two more
Intensely is toffee, cinnamon and suede; Absolutely is rum, davana and chestnut. Five Stronger With You perfumes compared note by note, and which two to wear side by side.
Eros vs Eros Flame (and Dylan Blue): how the Versace scents differ, by their notes
Eros is mint over vanilla, Eros Flame is citrus and pepper over warm wood, and Dylan Blue is watery and clean. How the three Versace scents differ, and how to choose one without smelling it first.
Ombre Leather vs Tuscan Leather: the soft one and the loud one
Two Tom Ford leathers, a decade apart. Ombre Leather is the smoother, quieter one; Tuscan Leather is rawer, fruitier and louder. Here is how they differ and how to choose.
Guidance vs Guidance 46: how the two Amouage perfumes differ
Guidance and Guidance 46 share a pear, hazelnut and osmanthus core. The later one adds bitter almond, rose water and a drier woody base. Here is how to choose between them without smelling either.
What does Delina smell like? Delina vs Valaya and Delina Exclusif, by their notes
Delina is rose and litchi, Delina Exclusif adds oud and amber, and Valaya is white musk and peach. How the three Parfums de Marly scents differ, and how to choose before you buy a bottle.
Perfume houses
The best Jo Malone perfumes to start with, and how to combine them
Eleven Jo Malone London scents grouped by style, from salty and fresh to dark and spiced, plus the pairings worth trying and how to wear two small decants before you buy a bottle.
The best Diptyque perfumes, and a first three to try
Nine Diptyque perfumes grouped by style, from green fig and bright orange to rose, soft musk and warm sandalwood, with a first three to wear before you buy a bottle.
The best Louis Vuitton perfumes, and which to try first
Twelve Louis Vuitton perfumes grouped by style, from citrus and sea to rose and dark oud, with a first three to wear in a small size before you buy a full bottle.
The best Creed perfumes beyond Aventus, grouped by style
Twelve Creed perfumes grouped by style, from bright citrus and sea to green classics, warm woods and evening florals, and how to wear them before you buy a bottle.
The best Tom Ford perfumes, and which Private Blend to try first
Twelve Tom Ford perfumes across the signature line and Private Blend, grouped by style, with a first three to wear from small bottles before you commit to a full one.
The best Byredo perfumes by style, and how to wear them before you buy
Byredo makes quiet, abstract scents that say little on a paper strip. Twelve Byredo perfumes grouped by style, and how to wear a shortlist before you choose a bottle.
The best Kilian perfumes: boozy, dark, sweet and floral, grouped by style
Twelve Kilian perfumes grouped into boozy, dark and gourmand, sweet and powdery, and white floral, with how each one moves from first spray to dry-down and how to wear it before a full bottle.
The best Guerlain perfumes: warm classics and the Aqua Allegoria line
Twelve Guerlain perfumes grouped by style, from ambery evening classics such as Shalimar to the light Aqua Allegoria line, and how to wear your shortlist before you buy a full bottle.
The best Parfums de Marly perfumes, grouped by style
Twelve Parfums de Marly perfumes grouped by style, from bright citrus for the office to fruity roses and dark evening woods, and how to wear one before you commit.
The best Xerjoff perfumes by style, and which three to try first
Twelve Xerjoff perfumes sorted by style, from Erba Pura and Torino21 to Naxos and Alexandria II, plus the three to wear first before you choose a bottle.
Occasions, seasons and gifts
Perfume gift guide
Perfume gift ideas by personality, picked from the 10ML bestseller list: classics, niche, date night and summer scents in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml.
The best perfumes for women: a shortlist by style, from fresh to amber
Eighteen women's perfumes worth wearing, grouped by style, fresh, floral, fruity, gourmand, musky and amber, and a simple way to find yours before buying a bottle.
The best perfumes for men: a shortlist by style, from fresh to warm
Eighteen men's perfumes worth wearing, grouped by style, from bright citrus to warm spice and quiet woods, and a simple way to find yours before buying a bottle.
Unisex perfumes worth sharing: scents that sit well on both of you
Fourteen unisex perfumes a couple can share, grouped from fresh and green to warm and dark, and how to wear one together before anyone buys a full bottle.
Winter perfumes for women: rich scents to wear close
Fourteen winter perfumes for women, grouped by style from resin and incense to praline, dark fruit and warm white flowers, chosen by community season votes, with how to wear a rich scent without overdoing it.
The best winter fragrance for men: warm scents for the office and the evening
Fourteen men's winter fragrances chosen by community season votes, split into warm scents for the office and richer ones for the evening, and how to wear one before you buy the bottle.
Christmas perfume gifts: give three to try, not one guessed bottle
A full bottle is a guess when you cannot smell it first. How to read someone's taste from what they already wear, and sixteen perfumes to build a gift of three small bottles.
Perfume for older women: classic and modern scents, grouped by style
There is no age limit on any scent. Twelve perfumes for older women, from soft and clean to warm and sweet, and how to try them on skin before choosing a bottle.
The best wedding perfume: how to choose it, and wear it first
The right wedding perfume suits the season, the hour and a day of hugs. Twelve perfumes grouped by the kind of wedding they fit, and how to wear your shortlist before the day.
The best summer fragrances: fresh scents that hold up in the heat
Heat changes how a perfume behaves. Twelve fresh fragrances that stay pleasant on hot days, from salty and green to citrus and fig, and how to wear them well.
Shop decants by occasion
Perfume decants: the original perfume in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml
Original designer and niche perfume, decanted from the bottle into 3ml, 10ml and 30ml travel sprays. Delivered across the EU with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Summer perfumes
Summer perfumes from the 10ML catalogue: the bestsellers wearers vote for hot days, in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decants, so you can wear one before you buy a bottle.
Autumn perfumes
Autumn perfumes from the 10ML catalogue: the bestsellers wearers vote for cool days, in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decants, so you can wear one before a bottle.
Winter perfumes
Winter perfumes from the 10ML catalogue: the bestsellers wearers vote for cold days, in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decants, so you can wear one before you buy a bottle.
Spring perfumes
Spring perfumes from the 10ML catalogue: the bestsellers wearers vote for mild days, in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decants, so you can wear one before you buy a bottle.
Daytime perfumes
Daytime perfumes from the 10ML catalogue: the bestsellers wearers vote for the day and the office, in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decants, to try before a bottle.
Night perfumes
Night perfumes from the 10ML catalogue: the bestsellers wearers vote for evenings and nights out, in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml decants, to try before a bottle.
Comparisons, data and how we work
About our decants: original perfume, filled by hand
How 10ML decants are filled by hand from original bottles, sealed and labelled, shipped across the EU, and covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Perfume price per ml index
What a perfume decant costs per ml at 10ML, by size and by designer or niche house, computed live from the catalogue, with a free CSV download of every price.
Perfume decant shops in Europe, compared
Sizes, prices and free-delivery thresholds of perfume decant shops that sell in Europe, side by side, with a source and check date for every fact.
10ML vs Scentbird: one-off decants or a monthly vial
10ML and Scentbird compared on sizes, price per ml, commitment and delivery, with sources: one-off decants in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml, or a monthly 8ml vial.
10ML vs Surrender to Chance
10ML and Surrender to Chance compared on decant sizes, prices, sets and where each ships from, with a source and check date for every fact.
Comparing your options
An alternative to a perfume subscription
Want to try new perfumes without a monthly plan? How buying decants one order at a time compares with a perfume subscription, and when each suits you.
An alternative to a perfume discovery set
Discovery sets are great for one house. To try perfumes across houses in sizes you pick, decants are the flexible alternative. Here is how they compare.
An alternative to blind buying a perfume
Thinking of buying a full perfume bottle unsmelled? Wear a 3ml or 10ml decant first. What the step in between costs, and when a blind buy makes sense.
10ML is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the perfume houses whose fragrances we sell.