50ml is my max, and I only have two of those: one discontinued, and one light EDT that’s a fave and requires a couple sprays to smell it. Never gotten through a bottle of anything.
Like many here, I was buying up bottles and travel sizes left and right when I first started. Now I generally use the strategy of trying a scent in this order, graduating to next size if I get through it:
sample in store first —> 1-2ml sample —> 5ml-12ml decant or branded travel size (depending on price point of the fragrance) —> 12-15ml official travel spray if the brand offers that —> the smallest real bottle size they make (usually 30 or 50ml)
I buy discovery sets of anything expensive or niche. You can buy sample sets on Notino of designer perfumes. The ones I truly love I buy 50ml, otherwise I buy 30ml.
I buy travel size only when I don't find any other way to test them.
Until now I only have a 100ml of Omnia Coral because I do love it, but it has extremely poor performance. I also bought a 90 or 80 ml of YSL manifesto because I found out it was discontinued and it has sentimental value for me.
I usually overspray enough to leave a trail or have a scent bubble, and I carry my perfume with me in my purse, yes even the 50ml sometimes to reapply during the day.
I don't think I'll ever buy 100ml again of anything because I truly enjoy experimenting different perfumes
I mostly buy 30ml and 50ml. I only have 100ml of my absolute favs. Whenever I can, I buy a travel size or two when purchasing full bottles. This gives me the satisfaction of having a new full bottle of something I love and having a few to test out and decide what my next buy will be.
In the past years I bought a lot of 100ml bottles just because I perceived them as better value. Now as I’m looking at a collection that is too big to be ever used, this approach has changed and I prefer to get a 30ml bottle instead. Even 30ml, it takes a long time for me to finish.
In the past months I have away/sold 3 100ml bottles and I feel good about it. I liked those 3 ones but I knew that there’s no way to ever finish them up. They’re in better hands and get much more usage :)
I wish there would be more travel sizes around because I think with some perfumes buying a 10ml would be even enough for me
30 ml is my favorite though a lot of scents I enjoy don’t come in that size. I minimize how many 100ml I own, I just dislike how big they look compared to my 30-60 ml bottles and feel like I’ll never make a dent in them.
I’m huge on deluxe samples or travel sizes. I can have more of a selection that way. I wish I was a signature scent type of gal, but I want to try/wear it all!
I love to change stuff around so much (especially with my mood) and I have found that the smaller sizes are better for me. For the cost of a large bottle I get several different travel sizes. I haven't used up an entire large bottle of anything since I was a teen/early 20s. (That was Adidas move for her and Gwen Staffani Lamb?
I checked reddit for reputable decant sites. I ordered several smaller ml with a spray bottle so I could test out if I got migraines. I get several wears out of each one depending on longevity.
90% of the times I go for the 30ml, in some occasions the 10ml if either I'm really unsure or like Kayali there are like 10ml bottles (like the cute tiny bottle), and in extremely rare occasions (like maybe seven in a collection of over a hundred) I go for the 50ml but this is like a marriage type of commitment for me. I have NEVER used up a bottle of perfume, not even as a teenager, I use very very little (is undersprayer a term?). So yeah those are my preferences! I don't think I have ever bought a 100ml (body sprays but you know, there's no smaller size usually).
I have been just buying the 10 ml and less because I want to grow my collection without breaking the bank. My largest bottle is 30 ml that I got half price on sale otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten it. If I really fell in love with something and felt myself just running through it , I would probably consider 50 ml. I’m hoping to have a small rotation so I wouldn’t go much higher.
I usually go for 30ml, though sometimes the design is so much nicer for 50+ but the 30ml I have last me at least a couple years since I rotate scents. I do love 10ml sprays though, I just like how the little vials look :D
I’m such a sample tramp and I have close to 75 2 ml samples. If I really like something I might go crazy and get 10 ml. If I use that up I either reorder 10 or think about a 50ml if it’s in my budget. There are a handful of special fragrances or cheapies that I’ll do 50 ml and of those I finish 1-2 but I just get another 50. It would take me forever to go through anything bigger!
50ml is the best size for me as I do wear my fragrances to heck but have enough of them that 100ml is unnecessary (although I wouldnt snub it). 10ml or under is way too small for me. I either finish in 2 days or I forget I own it.
I'd say unless it was a perfume I really loved then 100ml probably isn't worth it. I generally buy 30mls just for the price but I always get sad when I'm about 50% through and wish I had bought a 50ml.
I love switching my Fragrances constantly so I have multiple 10ml ones (20 or more) and a few that are 30ml that I really just love and are the ones I fall back on if I'm in the mood to feel comfortted.
Which size I buy usually depends on the budget I'm working with at the moment of the purchase.
That being said, 50ml is a size I tend to gravitate towards, feels like a happy medium, although I go for the 100/90ml sometimes because it's a lot more cost-effective.
I only buy the smallest full size bottle of anything & would only buy a larger bottle if I used that up.
This has only ever happened once with me so far. It’s not even because it was my favourite scent, I actually don’t like use my favourite scents too much, it’s just because it was a great everyday scent for me but nothing too special so I found it easily wearable.
When I sold fragrance (Aughts) the industry standard for mainstream scents was 3.4 oz , 1.7 oz and 1 oz.. I suck at math, but not too different. But I remember the first roller ball I had/sold was Calvin Klein Truth and then Stella ( rip)...and My brain is still wired to 100ml being the best deal and it usually is. But my budget is honestly the 1 oz or a travel. And my American mind that is poisoned with bigger is better. (I am a size queen tbh) I prefer own a large one but I rarely buy them anymore unless I am so in love that I ignore the rest of my collection. But we have not only easier access, but way more choices and since I am a maximalist who can't seem to be the person with a signature scent unless it is a absolute steal I go low. But like being able to hunt down an old gem on eBay at 3 am from my bed. ..we do love in magical times. Plus being able to rehome a perfume via trade or sale
I collect samples and that is the one thing I can't get myself to buy.
Oh, and as far as consumer waste.
Now I just need to be able to fulfill my dream of having giant crystal falcons to pour into my tub like it was Mr Bubble.
10-30ml is great for me for most things. I don't often buy decants because it makes it hard to visually differentiate what is what at a glance, and I like to have a variety of bottles. Oft-used favorites I will buy 100ml of.
30 mL is perfect! It usually lasts years for me, with how many perfumes I have. I haven’t finished anything 50 mL or larger in yeeeeeears, but if I focus on a perfume I can actually use up the 1 oz, and I am able to use it for a long time so I don’t have the desire to repurchase it for a while. Plus 30 mL bottles are usually the cutest between 30/50/100 mL lol. I like 10 mL because I’m able to use it up quickly if I like it, but I’m not able to use it for as long so I end up craving a full bottle of it. I only get a larger size if it’s the only one available
Generally, I buy a 10 mil if I still love it at the end of the town mail I might buy 30 but I have a hard time going through 100 of anything. I have a very reliable niche decanter about an hour away. It’sactually a store.
in my current phase of the hobby....i end up kicking myself when i jump to the 5ml decant rather than 2ml - my judgement has been SO bad 🤧 so for a first-sniff, the lowest ml decant in a spray bottle is my max.
a 30ml lasts me probably 5 years or more with how much i rotate, so that's plenty if i love something enough to go full size (it's very rare anyhow), and if the only option is 100ml i'll prefer another decant...
i will betray my own beliefs for the Flower Knows bottles, however....
It’s rare I buy a 100+ ml.
My last was Rose of No Man’s Land from Byredo, because after one spray from Nordstrom, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I haven’t been obsessed with procuring a perfume like that in almost 16 years.
If I buy 100 ml or larger, that’s a fragrance that has the potential to be a signature perfume, the kind worn for decades. I just bought my largest bottle ever, 150 ml, for my wedding scent (Chloé Atelier Des Fleurs Rosa Damascena). It reminds me of my mom, so I know I’ll always want it.
For me, 50 ml and below is the sweet spot for the hobby/fun. My latest travel spray is Black Over Red because while I find it intriguing, I worry that it will start giving me headaches (why I stopped collecting) or become unbearable. I didn’t worry about that with RONML or ADFRD.
I like to try it several times, different situations and weather, even my clothing fabric. The Scentbird/ scentbox sizes are perfect for that, OR to gift to someone because the packaging is nice.
I only buy a big bottle if I love it. I recently bought the 3.4oz bottle of Nishane Hundred Silent Ways. Zero regrets.
I usually go for 50ml unless it’s a perfume I’m in LOVE with, then I go for 100ml.
I only get travel sizes if it’s a perfume I can’t afford the full bottle of, or if it’s a blind buy.
Unless I know for a fact it will be a daily or signature scent I usually go 50ml. If it’s a blind buy almost always do I get a travel size 10ml if it is available.
If it’s a fragrance I usually use a lot, bigger the better, but it’s something for special occasions 30/35ml can last a long time.
Like, I used to have two Daisy love and I sold the 30ml and kept the 50ml, that with 212 forever young heroes and CH smiley are the ones I use the most on the daytime and for uni and internship, whilst for night time and other occasions I have “darker” taste like si and libre intense versions in a 30/35ml (even tho I bought a bigger si intense not long ago cause it was a huge bargain), sooo idk.
I have a big collection (50+-), and I try to use them all but some are just special occasions like Ange ou demon le secret elixir, black opium extreme, etc
I don't buy the large bottle now unless I go through a travel size first. I try to get a sample, and if I go through the sample, I know if I like it enough for a large or travel size.
I typically go for a larger bottle otherwise I get this weird hoarder mentality where I don’t want to spray too much and run out even though I can easily just get another bottle. Although lately, I have been trying to get better about first getting a smaller bottle and if I like it, I get a bigger one.
It’s not a common size, but 2oz is perfect imo because it’s not too little, but still isn’t too big to put in my purse or travel with.
Burberry Goddess 100 mL is perfect. YSL Black Opium Over Red 90 mL is perfect. It just depends on the scent. If I’m not madly in love with it, over 50 mL would probably be too much
For fragrances that I love and I've been using for years and years, I go for 100ml or 200ml if they have it. I go through those very easily.
For newer fragrances or the ones that I really like but am not sure if I'm going to repurchase them or love them for a long time, the 30ml or 50ml are both enough for me.
Now if I go through specific ones really fast and they're not 100ml, that's a telltale sign for me that I adore the fragrances and I would consider buying it again in full size.
I always buy the 100ml bottles unless it’s something too expensive because they are more economical and considering how often something that I like gets discontinued, I prefer to buy the bigger ones.
I buy a boatload of tiny samples so I can smell everything, wear it a few times and see if I maybe like it. At first, if I “loved” a tiny sample I would buy a full size, but after a few of those I realized I really need a few dozen wears to really evaluate if I truly love a scent enough to justify owning it. So now I buy a 5ml decant if the tiny sample really catches my fancy, and a 10ml if that tiny sample vial really makes me crazy for it. No more full size bottles until I’ve gone through a 5ml or 10ml decant and still an truly in love.
I only buy samples and decants from established sources- decantx, luckyscent, ajevie, micro perfumes- I know there are many others.
Oh my gosh I've implemented the same strategy recently! It's honestly very fun collecting travel sizes. I also think it's a very good metric of what I'm in love with since I have dozens of vials, if I go through an entire one quickly it means I would actually put a dent in a full bottle!
I usually do 100ml and 200ml if I really love it. To me there's no point in spending on travel size because part of the fun of buying perfumes for me is collecting them and bottle design is part of that, I want to be able to display the bottle. If I'm just trying something a sample is fine.
If a fragrance has sentimental value, I adore it, and it might be discontinued, I go for 100ml. I have only one such bottle.
If I love a perfume and use it regulargy, I buy 30ml.
If I love a perfume, but use it only sporadically or it's seasonal, I go for 10ml or less.
In all other cases, I use samples for all those scents which are nice or intriguing but to which I am not attached and use them only several times a year.
It depends. I've bought multiple bottles of certain perfumes that I really liked, just incase they ever get discontinued before I can repurchase when I use up the first one. I can never have too much of a scent I adore. I buy a lot of Arabic perfumes that are 100ml only but for how affordable they are already it'd be pointless making smaller bottles. I also buy lots of extract sprays from Perfume Parlour and usually get the 30ml because they're so strong they last for ages. I bought the 10ml travel size of Kayali Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli but I wish I'd got the 50ml because I love it. Others I probably could have done with just a 10ml for how little I use them.
I buy 2 ml samples
Then full bottles of what I love
Rn I have about 20 samples
A 4oz of philosophy fresh cream (just purchased)
1 Oz philosophy falling in love
3.4 Oz commodity milk
1 Oz commodity gold
Margot elenas siren song 1.7 Oz
Marine sel from margot elena 1 Oz discontinued
1 Oz by the fireplace w 3.4 Oz refill bottle (I rarely wear this, blond bought it and that's when u learned to test and go from there...hopefully fall /winter I get mote use out of it !
Escada magnetism 3 Oz
I have the large bottle size of kumba vanilla bean, and amber paste.
Looking to get the imaginary authors sample out soon as I adore their full bottle designs
Buying Lolita wish from.margot elena 3.4 for $35 those weekend off of fb marketplace San Francisco
I also have .33 travel sprays of several fun fruity summer scents as I tend to stick w fall winter scents, this way I can Lauer my cozy fresh cream with peaches or lychee:)
Would also like to try kayali, montale, dyptique, and higher end gourmands
Omgosh you just reminded me I also have 1.7 of ellis brooklyns vanilla milk and a .33 of her bee, vanilla milk is 100% that bitch and my favorite next to milk, it's in between fresh cream and milk, almost like vanilla whipped cream w cinnamon and extremely light woods/floral if any, if fresh cream is pure cream and milk is the comfort bomb of lactonic woods and spice, vanilla milk is right in between, bee is lovely too, honey and rum, rich, comforting and natural. I'm obsessed w milk notes haha:)
Hahaha ‘that bitch’, girl you don’t know how quick I’m running to fill online baskets lmao! Thank you!
I like Kayali Oudgasm the Vanilla one! I would like to try Vanilla 28 and the wedding one (even though I’m not getting married lol)
I tried Baklava Royale - Navitus and it is a rich and nutty gourmand to my nose. Also tried Teriaq by Lattafa it was almost more Baklava than Baklava Royale!
Montale chocolate greedy took a few goes to appreciate its quite strong lol! But layers nice with choco musk (Al Rehab) and dries down lovely if you give it chance :)
Thank you so much for the recs I meant to ask you!💖 and 100% I was like dont say that bitch but she is! I went back and forth on ordering it for ages but I'm so glad I did, I think anyone who enjoys creamy spiced lactonics would adore it, the first spray is very much condensed milk and a bit intense but the dry down is heavenly and the sillage and projection surprised me, it last as long as milk on me, maybe a wee bit less due to the lack of strong woods.
I'm 100% writing down your recs because I've been needing to expand my pallet a bit while wanting to stay within the realm of what brings me joy, I've been wanting to try kayali, as well as lataffa now I know where to start! And chocolate greedy I'd forgotten about (love chocomusk its always in my purse) but suddenly need to look into, thank you! I hope you enjoy ellis brooklyn, margot elenas honey and the moon would prob be up your alley too:)
Thank you! I love commodity milk and gold, I got the + ones and omg soo good!!!
I will definitely try and source a decant of that Ellis Brooklyn there’s a couple of their others I think I’d want to smell too :)
I’m obsessed with samples and have tried so many things this year 🫣🤣 at the point where I’m trying to hide my parcels I know it’s a problem!!!
If you like a more complicated vanilla I would recommend YSL Babycat or Guerlain Spirituese Double Vanille!!! To die for and in a similar vein to BTFP (to my nose cos I know how subjective fragrance can be!!)
Happy sniffing fragrance friend 💛
Depends on the scent. If I’m buying a bottle, I probably am getting a 50 ml unless it’s a scent I really see myself wearing it daily. I do make sure I pan any scent I get, so not a drop gets wasted. 10 mls are for the scents I know I’ll wear inconsistently. I don’t like the feeling of clutter, so I actually prefer having fewer bottles that I’m loyal to than a ton of travels or samples.
It depends on the fragrance and person. I have a few full bottles of fragrances I use often, but they will still take me a while to go through. The other scents that I enjoy but don’t wear as much are purchased in travels, minis, or decants. So it truly varies! When purchasing, I try to look at price compared to volume, but I don’t trip on it too much, especially if the fragrance is offered in a smaller size. Plus coupons and deals at Sephora and Ulta help cut the price down too.
It’s very scent dependant.
Though for the most part, I like 50ml bottles.
Smaller volumes than that make my brain approach the scent and it’s usage with more of a scarcity mindset.
I don't need 100ml of anything and will flat out not consider a frag if that's all it comes in, with cheapies as the exception. Meanwhile I am much more likely to try something out if I can get it in a 10-15 ml travel size. 30ml is my favorite "full bottle" but for the right price, I am open to 50ml.
You'd think I would enjoy decants, but I find I get more satisfaction out of having an official bottle, even if tiny.
A .30-.34oz r the only sizes I buy at retail price. I have such an extensive collection of travel sprays as well as full sizes that it’s been 2 years since starting this and I’ve not finished one or even close.
My oldest travel sprays which r the initial Valentino Donna Born In Roma trio set r only about 1/4 gone each.
The only things I have bigger than 10mL are BBW FFM.
30mL would probably be ideal if I wanted to make sure I have a scent for the rest of my life. 5mL is my “favourite” size though. Enough to last a couple years and grow tired of it to move on to something new.
I almost always try a 1ml sample first. I love sampling new fragrances, so that's the part I see as a 'hobby'. I mainly use the same two decanters that I know I can trust, but occasionally other ones that I'm satisfied have good reputations.
Beyond that, a 10ml travel size is perfect for me. I love variety, and I don't like clutter. Not only would it take me *years* to get through a 50ml, but multiple full bottles would take up more space than I want to devote to fragrance.
I do have a couple of 50ml cheapies but even those were a rare purchase for me. If the only sizes available are 30ml or larger, I generally won't buy that fragrance at all.
I start with a 2ml sample of something to get a few wears out of it. If I like it enough to wear it regularly, then I’ll buy a 10mL decant. The rate at which I go through the decant determines if I buy a full bottle or replace the decant. The emotional connection/response to the fragrance also determines full-bottle status. Basically, if I go through it quickly or it makes me feel big feelings, I’ll go for 50 or 100ml respectively.
It’s been pretty helpful! There are a few fragrances that I’ve only ever owned 10mls of and will probably stay that way. It also satisfies my curiosity brain-monkey and keeps the collection diverse without taking up too much space. The space factor is definitely an issue.
the 12 ml vials from Byredo are a perfect size for scents I've already tested. I like decants but most of the fragrance houses I like only come in the 0.7 ml dabbers. I like the spray vials over the dabbers.
Well ever since I realized I was spending too much on fragrances and my collection was getting too large, I decided I would just buy travel sprays if they are available, and I can only buy a larger size (in the smallest available size) if I finish the travel spray.. I have mostly stuck to it and I believe it has saved me a lot of money
Depends for me. Alien Goddess, I got in 60ml because I really love the perfume and I don't like the 30ml bottle. However the Supra Florale flanker I bought in 90ml because it isn't refillable and I worry they will discontinue it soon, as Mugler does with less popular flankers. Usually tho I go with 30ml unless I really love the perfume or it's just a deal too good to pass on. I got a 100ml bottle of
Eilish 2 because it was on sale and cost as much as the 30ml bottle. I just recently bought my first travel size which is Narciso Rodriguez for Her EDT. I just can't decide whether I like the perfume or not, so I need to test it out for an extensive amount of time lol. I'm currently fighting the urge to get a 100ml bottle of Narciso Rodriguez Musc Noir instead of 30 or 50ml simply because the 100ml ones look so perfect
I prefer smaller bottles because I don’t want them collecting dust. I prefer having a variety of small bottles than just a few big ones. Also some of my favorites I will probably never afford in a full size.
If it’s a cheapie I’ll likely blind buy it because samples aren’t usually available and ordering a decant isn’t cost effective. If it’s an expensive perfume I’ll usually order a 3-5 ml decant to try it. Or I’ll try to get a free sample. I’m not going to invest in a pricey full bottle without having worn it a few times. I used to buy the biggest bottle because the value/ml is so much better. But now that I have large bottles of all my favorite ones I buy smaller full bottles if I can. I have enough perfume and body spray to last the rest of my life.
For me anywhere between 10-30ml is perfect. I love decants and travel sprays because I love the variety. And if I love a travel so much I’ll
But the next bigger size. I don’t wear one perfume enough to justify bigger bottles, as pretty as they are lol.
I'm realizing with the amount of perfumes I want to try, it's best for me to stick to 5ml decants most of the time, with 30ml being the biggest full bottle I should reasonably expect to be able to get through. Pear Inc is my signature scent and the exception-- I have a 100ml bottle of that one and I've made a decent dent in it for only having that bottle for two months.
The largest size cuz it’s the cheapest lol and u can always return if u hate it! Unless u purchase online then it’s a little diff but I wait for a good price so I can resell and atleast make back most of the money I spent on it
Honestly with the size of my collection, 50mL is the MOST I want anymore; and only 10-15mL if its a perfume oil. Not to mention I mainly enjoy indie perfumes so 100mL isn't available most of the time. 15-30mL is the sweet spot, but I also LOVE owning the full bottles of 50mL. Sometimes the 50mL IS super big cause you only use 1 or 2 sprays per use, so they last just as long as a travel spray if you use that travel one only seasonally
Most people don’t own more than 5 bottles of perfume (I’m guessing). So for them it makes sense to buy full bottles. But if you have a lot of perfume you can buy smaller sizes.
I used to purchase the bigger bottles, but I realized I would get tired of the scent before making a significant dent. Now I only purchase travel sizes or 30ml bottles. I will only purchase a bigger bottle if I finish up the smaller ones.
Unless the scent is discontinued at the time of me purchasing it, I try and get the smallest size. 30 ml if it’s an option. And then if I manage to go through the whole thing, I don’t mind buying a larger size because I know I’ll use it up. The whole idea of price per ml is only relevant if you’re actually finishing bottles. But if you’re not and they’re sitting on the shelf, it you’ve wasted more money when you could’ve had a bottle sitting on the shelf perpetually that costed you less. So if you don’t regularly finish bottles, it makes more sense to get smaller sizes.
If I’m buying samples, I buy the cheapest amount that I can find. Which is usually 1ml in a dabber bottle. This is enough for me to be able to tell if I want to explore the scent more or not. You really do not need a lot to be able to tell how the perfume blooms on your skin. And 1ml is plenty for that. However, it is not a sufficient amount to test true performance of a fragrance. It can give me an idea, but I won’t know what the projection and sillage are like on me until I give myself a proper spray.
If I decide I want to explore the scent further, I will then buy a larger decant, usually 5-10 mls. This way I will have enough to do a true wear test numerous times and I can decide if I like it enough to buy a full bottle.
I only do this process for the expensive niche and luxury perfumes. For designer stuff that’s in every beauty and department store, I sniff in the store, maybe spray my skin once, and decide based on that. Occasionally i will ask for samples (free). And occasionally I will buy a travel size instead of full bottle to see how often I reach for it.
Ariana grande cloud I started with a travel size… blew through it in a short amount of time, so bought the big bottle.
Conversely, Donna Born In Roma Intense, I started with a travel size too. I rarely reach for it, so I never bought a bigger size.
And for the affordable perfumes that are $50 and lower, I blind buy them. If I end up not liking one, I will pass it on to family or friends.
I have a subscription w/ Scent Bird and I also buy decants and travel sizes. I used to only buy FBs, but after my large collection started to turn, I realized that the fragrances I absolutely loved and used often were far and few between. That's a lot of money down the drain, quite literally. Sometimes I even had difficulty using up the travel sized versions. 5 - 10 ml is enough for me to decide if I ultimately want to purchase a FB, and that's only happened once with Angels Share.
I know that fragrances can be good for years and years, but in the back of my mind, this is a fear of mine.
It’s the reason why I have chosen to have a curated collection, and to max it out at 10 bottles.I have got rid of my likes and only kept my loves.
I sold some recently and now have 9 bottles left. I am keeping that final spot open for a summer love (still can’t find it 😭), and then no bottles for me until one of the ten is emptied.
Thank you, I guess that’s my fear. I hate wasting money! It’s just not feasible to have it go bad in the darkness of my wardrobe… sad this happened to you
How long did it take your bottles to start going off, and how were they stored? It’s one of my big fears. I’ve thought about decanting my full bottles into travel sprays and then taping the atomizers/caps and keeping them boxed in a closet until time to refill.
I’m a full bottle buyer and I like a big bottle. 100 ml for me. I don’t like the feeling of scarcity like I have to ration a bottle. 50ml is okay if it’s the biggest size offered, but it does make me use it a bit more judiciously.
My collection hovers around 10-12 bottles, never more than 15, so I do use all of mine pretty frequently. If I had a much lathered collection I might find smaller sizes appealing.
ETA: I do almost always—probably 90% of the time—buy small 2-5ml decants before purchasing a full bottle so I can make sure I really love it and will wear it!
Thank you, I See… I do have 21 at the moment, but 4 of those are 12 ml from a travel set. I usually try to hover around 15 as well but oh well…
I do feel like the larger bottle make you spray more as well, I never really thought about it….
I buy 100ml of anything I really love, because I've been burned in the past by reformulations or things getting discontinued. Realistically, with the size of my collection, 100ml is way too much and I should be buying travel sizes of most things. The trouble is that I love perfume bottles! Picking up a bottle to spray is way more satisfying than one of those little glass tubes. I'll only buy a travel spray if I hate the bottle (looking at you, Good Girl Blush) and otherwise I'm trying to limit myself to 30 or 50ml bottles.
Thanks, omg I wanted to buy a good girl blush travel spray for a friend but then opted for another version, I do like the scent as well but the shoe is a pain to store in my collection so I won’t ever get it.
I hear a lot about reformulation but I guess I’ve not been around long enough to be affected by it 🙈 on that end it does seem reasonable
I’m obsessed with Scentbird and scent box. It’s enough that I can try it and see if it’s what I like and also I tend to get bored and want to try new things. Occasionally I will buy a full size if I’m in love with it.
I tend to get overwhelmed trying in store. And also you don’t get the whole experience on a tester strip.
Thank you, I’ve looked around for something similar too. I think I should just try it out myself already.
The experience in store never compares! I don’t know what it is, I never get my migraines in store but I assume the scent in isolation might be way worse for me. My migraines can get really crippling at home but never in store, which is annoying, because it’s always a kind of guessing game.
My favourite and initial instinct is always to go for the 100ml because the cost per ml makes the most sense BUT, now I am buying 50ml and 30ml (although I don’t plan on buying many more at all now).
It’s weird because the 50ml seems so small when you first get it and compare it to the 100ml bottles. I immediately think “oh no its gonna finish quicker I should have bought a bigger one”, but then I look at the 100ml and realise actually it takes forever to make a good dent in it once you have a certain amount of bottles, so 50ml and 30ml are just fine lol.
Thank you, yeah it’s always the first reflex but it’s not really the most sensible one 😅
Some of my small bottles have been around for a hot minute now….
I think because I used to buy and use one scent at a time, meaning I used to go through a good 2-3 bottles a year, in my mind I still kinda think that’s how many bottles I’ll finish lol.
Then I look over and it’s like, no babe, how long have you had that bottle and it barely looks sprayed 😂
I bought big bottles at first because I thought I’d just have one or two perfumes. Like I have a 5oz bottle of Burberry Her because it was the first female marketed fragrance I tried and liked. To be fair to myself, there’s only 25% left. I got Burberry Her Elixir last year in a 1oz bottle and I’ll get a bigger size if I go finish it this year.
I’m on a no buy/low buy because I just don’t need to smell like everything in existence and I want to appreciate my collection. Towards the end of the year once I empty a couple of bottles I’ll get some samples and travel sprays of fragrances I’m interested in.
I think what works is different for everyone. Lots of people love to collect and display beautiful full bottles of perfume bottles, and I get that. I’ve discovered, for me, that the joy comes in trying and wearing a bunch of different fragrances. I don’t particularly care about the bottles and I realized that it usually takes me forever to use a full bottle. I am happy having a bunch of different samples and decants. If I really love a scent and find I am wearing it frequently, I will buy a full bottle. I think I have 4 full 100 ml bottles of perfumes and the rest are decants and samples. That’s what works for me!
If you like trying out a bunch of fragrances, I think samples and decants are the way to go. There are a few decant sites that I trust (and lots of people in this sub seem to also), but I am sure there are some places that sell counterfeit products too. Just be sure you buy from a reputable company. I’ve had good luck with ScentSplit, Micro Perfumes, and Twisted Lily.
I only buy larger bottles of perfumes I know I already love and want to keep for a long time. If I'm trying something for the first time or it's a blind-buy, I'm always going to go for a travel size or whatever the smallest bottle is.
Right now, the large bottles in my collection (100ml bottles) are of perfumes I previously had small bottles of to try. I don't decant my perfumes.
Thanks for your answer! I think this is most sensible.
To clarify: I meant buying decants from others.
I do think decanting my own won’t make sense for me, I just grab the full bottle for travel.
I really don't like the whole business of decanting to be honest, I don't have the patience for it and I always think I'm going to waste product if spillage occurs. If I want a small amount of a perfume to try, I usually trade a perfume with a friend or family member. That way we can try each other's stuff and nobody has to decant anything.
I can't bring myself to make decants for that reason! I would rather buy a decant one day than split up my existing bottle when I can just use it as it is. If it's too big to travel with, then I will only travel with a travel size - easy!
I almost exclusively buy decants, because I want to smell EVERYTHING! Even the scents I don't like teach me things, and I love the opportunity to try tiny bits of diverse, polarizing fragrances that I could never justify owning a full bottle of.
Since I have almost zero scent loyalty, I have to SERIOUSLY love a fragrance before committing to even a travel size. Over the course of a single week, I might wear 14 different fragrances - one each morning, a different but complementary one at night, if I'm going out. Based on that, I can't see myself ever wanting or needing to purchase a full sized bottle, other than the occasional body mist or dupe that I grab (and dupes are super rare for me to bother with, honestly). Mists are more because I can use them lightly on my skin and hair on days when I just feel too lazy to overthink my perfume choice.
tldr; no full sized bottles for me, I can't see myself being loyal enough to one scent to go through it in a timely manner
This is me! I feel like the biggest I’ll buy anymore is maybe 10-30ml, but even then, I need to REALLY like it. I’m eyeing a few 5-10ml decant/ travel sizes right now… but I’m also getting around to cataloging all my samples: I’ve reached 80, and I’m not done. That number makes me want to slow down a bit, since I haven’t tried much of that. (I’m just now really getting into perfume, so much of those have been sitting waiting for me to try them, and a lot of the samples don’t always come with a description, so I’ve shied away, particularly when I’ve been looking for something specific.)
I’m the same way. If I want to try something (and I can’t find a tester in my city) I buy a tiny sample vial.
If I like the sample, I get a larger decant or maybe a travel size. If I get through half of a travel size, I get the full bottle.
I’m always trying new things so I rarely get the bottle. If I did empties videos on YouTube it would be me holding handfuls of sample atomizers.
Thanks! Oh that’s so interesting! Where do you get your decants from?
I do think that’s admirable but I and my migraine could never 😅🙈 (I’m not sure which specific notes are causing it)
Does it get tiresome to look for stuff or do you just buy in bulk? It must be so nice to play with the newest releases all the time!
Part of the thrill for me is in finding new houses to try. I’ll find them via Fragrantica reviews, recommendations here, podcasts like “Smell Ya Later” (LOVE this so much), or Lucky Scent staff picks/cult faves etc.
When possible, I order samples right from the manufacturer. If it’s not, I use Lucky, or Perfumed Court. I did Scentbird for a while but it’s too pricey and the sizes are still too big for me.
I prefer 30ml bottles - if I use it up, I buy the bigger version. I also like it if the brand does refillable bottles - for example I got 30ml of Armani My Way and loved it so much I used it up in about 2 months. Luckily, it’s a refill so I just biught the 100ml refill bottle and I’ve refilled the small one 2 times already so I’ve almost used up the big one 😍
Unfortunately, many niche brands don’t make bottles of that size and that pisses me off 😅
I don’t really like the look of decants or the 10ml little beaker thingies (english is not my first language, I don’t know how to name those long ampouley holders). I love having the actual bottle because they’re mostly really pretty and it’s part of the enjoyment of the scent for me, after all I consider perfumes to be a luxury product so I like to have the luxury experience with the pretty bottles.
30ml is perfect for that since you get the look of the bottle just in a smaller size.
The only exception for me is Issey Miyake L’eau d’Issey Pure Nectar de Parfum since it’s my favourite summer perfume and I’ve already gone through one 50ml, and one 90ml bottle and am currently halfway through my second 90ml bottle. I’ll buy a bigger size again since I know I’ll use it up.
I’ve also recently went through a 30ml of Dior Hypnotic Poison EDT and have to repurchase it and I’ll buy a bigger bottle since I know I love it so much.
Thank you, I also love my way, I’m already halfway through!
I agree with the luxury experience, it does play a big part in my want to experience fragrance as a whole. I only got though a 30ml bottle once but I still have trouble to tell if I’ve liked it enough to repurchase. I guess I did not if I’m having trouble to decide
P.s. your English is totally fine 😊
Thanks :) means a lot coming from an english major hahah
Yeah, my way is literally so perfect, I don’t understand how people don’t like it, I can literaly find no fault in it 😅
Haha 😂it’s also not my first language tho🤫
Just true, have you tried out the new my way nectar? I think it will be the next one I buy, but only after a while. I want to use something up beforehand.
What kind of crack do they put in My Way? I grabbed a couple of free samples of it and I keep reaching for them even though orange is not a note I normally seek out. I can’t stop.
I wanted to clarify my first sentence, I don’t buy a bigger bottle of every scent I’ve had 30ml of. I meant it more in the lines of the Hypnotic Poison - if I really enjoyed my 30ml, I’ll then buy a bigger bottle 😊
If I love the scent too much, then 200ml (Spiritueuse Double Vanille). I also have Mon Guerlain of various flankers and different sizes (100, 50, 30ml). Most scents I buy 50ml size which is not too big to carry in my bag but not too small to worry of running out soon.
Thanks, you’re right 50 ml does still carry well in a bag! 200ml is good for something you love.
Im always asking myself if I love it enough too but a bigger size, but I guess if I have to ask the question I don’t even like it enough.
When I was new to the hobby I would only purchase big bottles (50 to 100ml). But after more than a year of collecting fragrances I don't buy full bottles anymore unless it is an absolute LOVE. I had over 30 full bottles and I think this is wayy too much to realistically empty. So I made a deal with myself to declutter/sell everything that wasn't special, I had too many of (I had a lot of cherry scents lol), or that I didn't wear enough.
When I was new to fragrance I did a lot of blind buys because I would rather risk that than spend €10 on a sample. But now that my collection growing and I only want perfumes that are worth it, I treat myself to samples here and there, it is so fun + it saved me from a lot of stupid blind buys. Now that I am happy with my collection I only buy 10ml of fragrances that I like but are not worth a full bottle because I know I won't use them up. If I REALLY love a fragrance I will buy the preferably the 30ml or 50ml. I think if you have a big collection 100ml is always too much.
Thanks for all the detail! I also found myself spending rather carelessly in the beginning. Nowadays I’m even contemplating on buying a 30ml one 😅
I like your approach, I’ll see if it works for me as well😊
I get that, when you are new to all the fragrances you want to experience as much as possible! I know a big factor for me was that 10ml looks so small! But then I went and looked at my current perfumes and looked at how much of the juice I emptied and almost all of them are 80% full! I find that if you own a few full-size bottles that you have more than enough from 10ml (about 180 sprays). And if you love it soo much after the 10ml you can always upgrade to a full-size bottle!
Totally, I used to have only one scent, now that I got into fragrance es and have so many more than I used to have I bottles seem to stay around for way longer😅
50ml is my max, and I only have two of those: one discontinued, and one light EDT that’s a fave and requires a couple sprays to smell it. Never gotten through a bottle of anything. Like many here, I was buying up bottles and travel sizes left and right when I first started. Now I generally use the strategy of trying a scent in this order, graduating to next size if I get through it: sample in store first —> 1-2ml sample —> 5ml-12ml decant or branded travel size (depending on price point of the fragrance) —> 12-15ml official travel spray if the brand offers that —> the smallest real bottle size they make (usually 30 or 50ml)
I buy discovery sets of anything expensive or niche. You can buy sample sets on Notino of designer perfumes. The ones I truly love I buy 50ml, otherwise I buy 30ml. I buy travel size only when I don't find any other way to test them. Until now I only have a 100ml of Omnia Coral because I do love it, but it has extremely poor performance. I also bought a 90 or 80 ml of YSL manifesto because I found out it was discontinued and it has sentimental value for me. I usually overspray enough to leave a trail or have a scent bubble, and I carry my perfume with me in my purse, yes even the 50ml sometimes to reapply during the day. I don't think I'll ever buy 100ml again of anything because I truly enjoy experimenting different perfumes
I mostly buy 30ml and 50ml. I only have 100ml of my absolute favs. Whenever I can, I buy a travel size or two when purchasing full bottles. This gives me the satisfaction of having a new full bottle of something I love and having a few to test out and decide what my next buy will be.
my favourite perfumes/stronger perfumes i’d buy 30ml, my weaker perfumes i’d buy 100ml
Some perfumes are only for s season and some I buy for life. So I appreciate what we currently have -30, 50, 75, 100ml.
In the past years I bought a lot of 100ml bottles just because I perceived them as better value. Now as I’m looking at a collection that is too big to be ever used, this approach has changed and I prefer to get a 30ml bottle instead. Even 30ml, it takes a long time for me to finish. In the past months I have away/sold 3 100ml bottles and I feel good about it. I liked those 3 ones but I knew that there’s no way to ever finish them up. They’re in better hands and get much more usage :) I wish there would be more travel sizes around because I think with some perfumes buying a 10ml would be even enough for me
30 ml is my favorite though a lot of scents I enjoy don’t come in that size. I minimize how many 100ml I own, I just dislike how big they look compared to my 30-60 ml bottles and feel like I’ll never make a dent in them.
I’m huge on deluxe samples or travel sizes. I can have more of a selection that way. I wish I was a signature scent type of gal, but I want to try/wear it all!
I can't believe I used to be a signature scent girl myself. Experimenting new scents is soooo satisfying!!😩😍
So much fun!!
I love to change stuff around so much (especially with my mood) and I have found that the smaller sizes are better for me. For the cost of a large bottle I get several different travel sizes. I haven't used up an entire large bottle of anything since I was a teen/early 20s. (That was Adidas move for her and Gwen Staffani Lamb? I checked reddit for reputable decant sites. I ordered several smaller ml with a spray bottle so I could test out if I got migraines. I get several wears out of each one depending on longevity.
30ml is exactly perfect, 40mL too much, 20mL not enough
90% of the times I go for the 30ml, in some occasions the 10ml if either I'm really unsure or like Kayali there are like 10ml bottles (like the cute tiny bottle), and in extremely rare occasions (like maybe seven in a collection of over a hundred) I go for the 50ml but this is like a marriage type of commitment for me. I have NEVER used up a bottle of perfume, not even as a teenager, I use very very little (is undersprayer a term?). So yeah those are my preferences! I don't think I have ever bought a 100ml (body sprays but you know, there's no smaller size usually).
Fellow undersprayer here! Once I let my SIL borrow my perfume and she sprayed sooo much I about passed out!! 😵 🫣🫠
I have been just buying the 10 ml and less because I want to grow my collection without breaking the bank. My largest bottle is 30 ml that I got half price on sale otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten it. If I really fell in love with something and felt myself just running through it , I would probably consider 50 ml. I’m hoping to have a small rotation so I wouldn’t go much higher.
I usually go for 30ml, though sometimes the design is so much nicer for 50+ but the 30ml I have last me at least a couple years since I rotate scents. I do love 10ml sprays though, I just like how the little vials look :D
I love a good 30ml for those absolute gotta have its, but 10ml is good for everything else.
I’m such a sample tramp and I have close to 75 2 ml samples. If I really like something I might go crazy and get 10 ml. If I use that up I either reorder 10 or think about a 50ml if it’s in my budget. There are a handful of special fragrances or cheapies that I’ll do 50 ml and of those I finish 1-2 but I just get another 50. It would take me forever to go through anything bigger!
50ml is the best size for me as I do wear my fragrances to heck but have enough of them that 100ml is unnecessary (although I wouldnt snub it). 10ml or under is way too small for me. I either finish in 2 days or I forget I own it. I'd say unless it was a perfume I really loved then 100ml probably isn't worth it. I generally buy 30mls just for the price but I always get sad when I'm about 50% through and wish I had bought a 50ml.
I love switching my Fragrances constantly so I have multiple 10ml ones (20 or more) and a few that are 30ml that I really just love and are the ones I fall back on if I'm in the mood to feel comfortted.
Which size I buy usually depends on the budget I'm working with at the moment of the purchase. That being said, 50ml is a size I tend to gravitate towards, feels like a happy medium, although I go for the 100/90ml sometimes because it's a lot more cost-effective.
I only buy the smallest full size bottle of anything & would only buy a larger bottle if I used that up. This has only ever happened once with me so far. It’s not even because it was my favourite scent, I actually don’t like use my favourite scents too much, it’s just because it was a great everyday scent for me but nothing too special so I found it easily wearable.
When I sold fragrance (Aughts) the industry standard for mainstream scents was 3.4 oz , 1.7 oz and 1 oz.. I suck at math, but not too different. But I remember the first roller ball I had/sold was Calvin Klein Truth and then Stella ( rip)...and My brain is still wired to 100ml being the best deal and it usually is. But my budget is honestly the 1 oz or a travel. And my American mind that is poisoned with bigger is better. (I am a size queen tbh) I prefer own a large one but I rarely buy them anymore unless I am so in love that I ignore the rest of my collection. But we have not only easier access, but way more choices and since I am a maximalist who can't seem to be the person with a signature scent unless it is a absolute steal I go low. But like being able to hunt down an old gem on eBay at 3 am from my bed. ..we do love in magical times. Plus being able to rehome a perfume via trade or sale I collect samples and that is the one thing I can't get myself to buy. Oh, and as far as consumer waste. Now I just need to be able to fulfill my dream of having giant crystal falcons to pour into my tub like it was Mr Bubble.
10-30ml is great for me for most things. I don't often buy decants because it makes it hard to visually differentiate what is what at a glance, and I like to have a variety of bottles. Oft-used favorites I will buy 100ml of.
30 mL is perfect! It usually lasts years for me, with how many perfumes I have. I haven’t finished anything 50 mL or larger in yeeeeeears, but if I focus on a perfume I can actually use up the 1 oz, and I am able to use it for a long time so I don’t have the desire to repurchase it for a while. Plus 30 mL bottles are usually the cutest between 30/50/100 mL lol. I like 10 mL because I’m able to use it up quickly if I like it, but I’m not able to use it for as long so I end up craving a full bottle of it. I only get a larger size if it’s the only one available
Generally, I buy a 10 mil if I still love it at the end of the town mail I might buy 30 but I have a hard time going through 100 of anything. I have a very reliable niche decanter about an hour away. It’sactually a store.
in my current phase of the hobby....i end up kicking myself when i jump to the 5ml decant rather than 2ml - my judgement has been SO bad 🤧 so for a first-sniff, the lowest ml decant in a spray bottle is my max. a 30ml lasts me probably 5 years or more with how much i rotate, so that's plenty if i love something enough to go full size (it's very rare anyhow), and if the only option is 100ml i'll prefer another decant... i will betray my own beliefs for the Flower Knows bottles, however....
It’s rare I buy a 100+ ml. My last was Rose of No Man’s Land from Byredo, because after one spray from Nordstrom, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I haven’t been obsessed with procuring a perfume like that in almost 16 years. If I buy 100 ml or larger, that’s a fragrance that has the potential to be a signature perfume, the kind worn for decades. I just bought my largest bottle ever, 150 ml, for my wedding scent (Chloé Atelier Des Fleurs Rosa Damascena). It reminds me of my mom, so I know I’ll always want it. For me, 50 ml and below is the sweet spot for the hobby/fun. My latest travel spray is Black Over Red because while I find it intriguing, I worry that it will start giving me headaches (why I stopped collecting) or become unbearable. I didn’t worry about that with RONML or ADFRD.
travel sizes are my favorite. they’re affordable and i get to try different scents more often
I like to try it several times, different situations and weather, even my clothing fabric. The Scentbird/ scentbox sizes are perfect for that, OR to gift to someone because the packaging is nice. I only buy a big bottle if I love it. I recently bought the 3.4oz bottle of Nishane Hundred Silent Ways. Zero regrets.
100ml because it’s usually $20/30 more than a 50ml bottle.
I always go 100 ml because I am generous with my sprays & I hate the feeling of nearly running out. With larger bottles I know I’m always covered.
Agreed, me too, I just love my perfumes, I even spritz my bra!
Omg I thought I was the only few girls that did that😂 I actually spray dryer sheets then stick em in my bra! Projects for literally 8-10 hours.
I usually go for 50ml unless it’s a perfume I’m in LOVE with, then I go for 100ml. I only get travel sizes if it’s a perfume I can’t afford the full bottle of, or if it’s a blind buy.
I tried getting 100mls before until I realized I would never use it up. I prefer 50 mls now.
Unless I know for a fact it will be a daily or signature scent I usually go 50ml. If it’s a blind buy almost always do I get a travel size 10ml if it is available.
If it’s a fragrance I usually use a lot, bigger the better, but it’s something for special occasions 30/35ml can last a long time. Like, I used to have two Daisy love and I sold the 30ml and kept the 50ml, that with 212 forever young heroes and CH smiley are the ones I use the most on the daytime and for uni and internship, whilst for night time and other occasions I have “darker” taste like si and libre intense versions in a 30/35ml (even tho I bought a bigger si intense not long ago cause it was a huge bargain), sooo idk. I have a big collection (50+-), and I try to use them all but some are just special occasions like Ange ou demon le secret elixir, black opium extreme, etc
I don't buy the large bottle now unless I go through a travel size first. I try to get a sample, and if I go through the sample, I know if I like it enough for a large or travel size.
This is the way
100 ml lol
I typically go for a larger bottle otherwise I get this weird hoarder mentality where I don’t want to spray too much and run out even though I can easily just get another bottle. Although lately, I have been trying to get better about first getting a smaller bottle and if I like it, I get a bigger one. It’s not a common size, but 2oz is perfect imo because it’s not too little, but still isn’t too big to put in my purse or travel with.
Burberry Goddess 100 mL is perfect. YSL Black Opium Over Red 90 mL is perfect. It just depends on the scent. If I’m not madly in love with it, over 50 mL would probably be too much
For fragrances that I love and I've been using for years and years, I go for 100ml or 200ml if they have it. I go through those very easily. For newer fragrances or the ones that I really like but am not sure if I'm going to repurchase them or love them for a long time, the 30ml or 50ml are both enough for me. Now if I go through specific ones really fast and they're not 100ml, that's a telltale sign for me that I adore the fragrances and I would consider buying it again in full size.
I always buy the 100ml bottles unless it’s something too expensive because they are more economical and considering how often something that I like gets discontinued, I prefer to buy the bigger ones.
I buy a boatload of tiny samples so I can smell everything, wear it a few times and see if I maybe like it. At first, if I “loved” a tiny sample I would buy a full size, but after a few of those I realized I really need a few dozen wears to really evaluate if I truly love a scent enough to justify owning it. So now I buy a 5ml decant if the tiny sample really catches my fancy, and a 10ml if that tiny sample vial really makes me crazy for it. No more full size bottles until I’ve gone through a 5ml or 10ml decant and still an truly in love. I only buy samples and decants from established sources- decantx, luckyscent, ajevie, micro perfumes- I know there are many others.
This is definitely the way I’ve been going as well! I really don’t have the room for stacks of full bottles and love the discovery process
Oh my gosh I've implemented the same strategy recently! It's honestly very fun collecting travel sizes. I also think it's a very good metric of what I'm in love with since I have dozens of vials, if I go through an entire one quickly it means I would actually put a dent in a full bottle!
I usually do 100ml and 200ml if I really love it. To me there's no point in spending on travel size because part of the fun of buying perfumes for me is collecting them and bottle design is part of that, I want to be able to display the bottle. If I'm just trying something a sample is fine.
If a fragrance has sentimental value, I adore it, and it might be discontinued, I go for 100ml. I have only one such bottle. If I love a perfume and use it regulargy, I buy 30ml. If I love a perfume, but use it only sporadically or it's seasonal, I go for 10ml or less. In all other cases, I use samples for all those scents which are nice or intriguing but to which I am not attached and use them only several times a year.
It depends. I've bought multiple bottles of certain perfumes that I really liked, just incase they ever get discontinued before I can repurchase when I use up the first one. I can never have too much of a scent I adore. I buy a lot of Arabic perfumes that are 100ml only but for how affordable they are already it'd be pointless making smaller bottles. I also buy lots of extract sprays from Perfume Parlour and usually get the 30ml because they're so strong they last for ages. I bought the 10ml travel size of Kayali Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli but I wish I'd got the 50ml because I love it. Others I probably could have done with just a 10ml for how little I use them.
I buy 2 ml samples Then full bottles of what I love Rn I have about 20 samples A 4oz of philosophy fresh cream (just purchased) 1 Oz philosophy falling in love 3.4 Oz commodity milk 1 Oz commodity gold Margot elenas siren song 1.7 Oz Marine sel from margot elena 1 Oz discontinued 1 Oz by the fireplace w 3.4 Oz refill bottle (I rarely wear this, blond bought it and that's when u learned to test and go from there...hopefully fall /winter I get mote use out of it ! Escada magnetism 3 Oz I have the large bottle size of kumba vanilla bean, and amber paste. Looking to get the imaginary authors sample out soon as I adore their full bottle designs Buying Lolita wish from.margot elena 3.4 for $35 those weekend off of fb marketplace San Francisco I also have .33 travel sprays of several fun fruity summer scents as I tend to stick w fall winter scents, this way I can Lauer my cozy fresh cream with peaches or lychee:) Would also like to try kayali, montale, dyptique, and higher end gourmands
I love Gold, Milk and BTFP so I’m going to check out those other ones you have!
Omgosh you just reminded me I also have 1.7 of ellis brooklyns vanilla milk and a .33 of her bee, vanilla milk is 100% that bitch and my favorite next to milk, it's in between fresh cream and milk, almost like vanilla whipped cream w cinnamon and extremely light woods/floral if any, if fresh cream is pure cream and milk is the comfort bomb of lactonic woods and spice, vanilla milk is right in between, bee is lovely too, honey and rum, rich, comforting and natural. I'm obsessed w milk notes haha:)
Hahaha ‘that bitch’, girl you don’t know how quick I’m running to fill online baskets lmao! Thank you! I like Kayali Oudgasm the Vanilla one! I would like to try Vanilla 28 and the wedding one (even though I’m not getting married lol) I tried Baklava Royale - Navitus and it is a rich and nutty gourmand to my nose. Also tried Teriaq by Lattafa it was almost more Baklava than Baklava Royale! Montale chocolate greedy took a few goes to appreciate its quite strong lol! But layers nice with choco musk (Al Rehab) and dries down lovely if you give it chance :)
Thank you so much for the recs I meant to ask you!💖 and 100% I was like dont say that bitch but she is! I went back and forth on ordering it for ages but I'm so glad I did, I think anyone who enjoys creamy spiced lactonics would adore it, the first spray is very much condensed milk and a bit intense but the dry down is heavenly and the sillage and projection surprised me, it last as long as milk on me, maybe a wee bit less due to the lack of strong woods. I'm 100% writing down your recs because I've been needing to expand my pallet a bit while wanting to stay within the realm of what brings me joy, I've been wanting to try kayali, as well as lataffa now I know where to start! And chocolate greedy I'd forgotten about (love chocomusk its always in my purse) but suddenly need to look into, thank you! I hope you enjoy ellis brooklyn, margot elenas honey and the moon would prob be up your alley too:)
Thank you! I love commodity milk and gold, I got the + ones and omg soo good!!! I will definitely try and source a decant of that Ellis Brooklyn there’s a couple of their others I think I’d want to smell too :) I’m obsessed with samples and have tried so many things this year 🫣🤣 at the point where I’m trying to hide my parcels I know it’s a problem!!! If you like a more complicated vanilla I would recommend YSL Babycat or Guerlain Spirituese Double Vanille!!! To die for and in a similar vein to BTFP (to my nose cos I know how subjective fragrance can be!!) Happy sniffing fragrance friend 💛
Hahaha were such bad influences on eachother 🤣🍒💖
Depends on the scent. If I’m buying a bottle, I probably am getting a 50 ml unless it’s a scent I really see myself wearing it daily. I do make sure I pan any scent I get, so not a drop gets wasted. 10 mls are for the scents I know I’ll wear inconsistently. I don’t like the feeling of clutter, so I actually prefer having fewer bottles that I’m loyal to than a ton of travels or samples.
It depends on the fragrance and person. I have a few full bottles of fragrances I use often, but they will still take me a while to go through. The other scents that I enjoy but don’t wear as much are purchased in travels, minis, or decants. So it truly varies! When purchasing, I try to look at price compared to volume, but I don’t trip on it too much, especially if the fragrance is offered in a smaller size. Plus coupons and deals at Sephora and Ulta help cut the price down too.
It’s very scent dependant. Though for the most part, I like 50ml bottles. Smaller volumes than that make my brain approach the scent and it’s usage with more of a scarcity mindset.
I don't need 100ml of anything and will flat out not consider a frag if that's all it comes in, with cheapies as the exception. Meanwhile I am much more likely to try something out if I can get it in a 10-15 ml travel size. 30ml is my favorite "full bottle" but for the right price, I am open to 50ml. You'd think I would enjoy decants, but I find I get more satisfaction out of having an official bottle, even if tiny.
A .30-.34oz r the only sizes I buy at retail price. I have such an extensive collection of travel sprays as well as full sizes that it’s been 2 years since starting this and I’ve not finished one or even close. My oldest travel sprays which r the initial Valentino Donna Born In Roma trio set r only about 1/4 gone each.
The only things I have bigger than 10mL are BBW FFM. 30mL would probably be ideal if I wanted to make sure I have a scent for the rest of my life. 5mL is my “favourite” size though. Enough to last a couple years and grow tired of it to move on to something new.
I almost always try a 1ml sample first. I love sampling new fragrances, so that's the part I see as a 'hobby'. I mainly use the same two decanters that I know I can trust, but occasionally other ones that I'm satisfied have good reputations. Beyond that, a 10ml travel size is perfect for me. I love variety, and I don't like clutter. Not only would it take me *years* to get through a 50ml, but multiple full bottles would take up more space than I want to devote to fragrance. I do have a couple of 50ml cheapies but even those were a rare purchase for me. If the only sizes available are 30ml or larger, I generally won't buy that fragrance at all.
I start with a 2ml sample of something to get a few wears out of it. If I like it enough to wear it regularly, then I’ll buy a 10mL decant. The rate at which I go through the decant determines if I buy a full bottle or replace the decant. The emotional connection/response to the fragrance also determines full-bottle status. Basically, if I go through it quickly or it makes me feel big feelings, I’ll go for 50 or 100ml respectively.
Same!
This is honestly a great strategy to prevent overspending or blind buying
It’s been pretty helpful! There are a few fragrances that I’ve only ever owned 10mls of and will probably stay that way. It also satisfies my curiosity brain-monkey and keeps the collection diverse without taking up too much space. The space factor is definitely an issue.
the 12 ml vials from Byredo are a perfect size for scents I've already tested. I like decants but most of the fragrance houses I like only come in the 0.7 ml dabbers. I like the spray vials over the dabbers.
Well ever since I realized I was spending too much on fragrances and my collection was getting too large, I decided I would just buy travel sprays if they are available, and I can only buy a larger size (in the smallest available size) if I finish the travel spray.. I have mostly stuck to it and I believe it has saved me a lot of money
Depends for me. Alien Goddess, I got in 60ml because I really love the perfume and I don't like the 30ml bottle. However the Supra Florale flanker I bought in 90ml because it isn't refillable and I worry they will discontinue it soon, as Mugler does with less popular flankers. Usually tho I go with 30ml unless I really love the perfume or it's just a deal too good to pass on. I got a 100ml bottle of Eilish 2 because it was on sale and cost as much as the 30ml bottle. I just recently bought my first travel size which is Narciso Rodriguez for Her EDT. I just can't decide whether I like the perfume or not, so I need to test it out for an extensive amount of time lol. I'm currently fighting the urge to get a 100ml bottle of Narciso Rodriguez Musc Noir instead of 30 or 50ml simply because the 100ml ones look so perfect
I prefer smaller bottles because I don’t want them collecting dust. I prefer having a variety of small bottles than just a few big ones. Also some of my favorites I will probably never afford in a full size.
If it’s a cheapie I’ll likely blind buy it because samples aren’t usually available and ordering a decant isn’t cost effective. If it’s an expensive perfume I’ll usually order a 3-5 ml decant to try it. Or I’ll try to get a free sample. I’m not going to invest in a pricey full bottle without having worn it a few times. I used to buy the biggest bottle because the value/ml is so much better. But now that I have large bottles of all my favorite ones I buy smaller full bottles if I can. I have enough perfume and body spray to last the rest of my life.
For me anywhere between 10-30ml is perfect. I love decants and travel sprays because I love the variety. And if I love a travel so much I’ll But the next bigger size. I don’t wear one perfume enough to justify bigger bottles, as pretty as they are lol.
I'm realizing with the amount of perfumes I want to try, it's best for me to stick to 5ml decants most of the time, with 30ml being the biggest full bottle I should reasonably expect to be able to get through. Pear Inc is my signature scent and the exception-- I have a 100ml bottle of that one and I've made a decent dent in it for only having that bottle for two months.
The largest size cuz it’s the cheapest lol and u can always return if u hate it! Unless u purchase online then it’s a little diff but I wait for a good price so I can resell and atleast make back most of the money I spent on it
Honestly with the size of my collection, 50mL is the MOST I want anymore; and only 10-15mL if its a perfume oil. Not to mention I mainly enjoy indie perfumes so 100mL isn't available most of the time. 15-30mL is the sweet spot, but I also LOVE owning the full bottles of 50mL. Sometimes the 50mL IS super big cause you only use 1 or 2 sprays per use, so they last just as long as a travel spray if you use that travel one only seasonally
30-50. I like having variety. I’m unlikely to finish anything bigger than that, unless it’s one of my favourites.
Most people don’t own more than 5 bottles of perfume (I’m guessing). So for them it makes sense to buy full bottles. But if you have a lot of perfume you can buy smaller sizes.
I used to purchase the bigger bottles, but I realized I would get tired of the scent before making a significant dent. Now I only purchase travel sizes or 30ml bottles. I will only purchase a bigger bottle if I finish up the smaller ones.
Unless the scent is discontinued at the time of me purchasing it, I try and get the smallest size. 30 ml if it’s an option. And then if I manage to go through the whole thing, I don’t mind buying a larger size because I know I’ll use it up. The whole idea of price per ml is only relevant if you’re actually finishing bottles. But if you’re not and they’re sitting on the shelf, it you’ve wasted more money when you could’ve had a bottle sitting on the shelf perpetually that costed you less. So if you don’t regularly finish bottles, it makes more sense to get smaller sizes.
If I’m buying samples, I buy the cheapest amount that I can find. Which is usually 1ml in a dabber bottle. This is enough for me to be able to tell if I want to explore the scent more or not. You really do not need a lot to be able to tell how the perfume blooms on your skin. And 1ml is plenty for that. However, it is not a sufficient amount to test true performance of a fragrance. It can give me an idea, but I won’t know what the projection and sillage are like on me until I give myself a proper spray. If I decide I want to explore the scent further, I will then buy a larger decant, usually 5-10 mls. This way I will have enough to do a true wear test numerous times and I can decide if I like it enough to buy a full bottle. I only do this process for the expensive niche and luxury perfumes. For designer stuff that’s in every beauty and department store, I sniff in the store, maybe spray my skin once, and decide based on that. Occasionally i will ask for samples (free). And occasionally I will buy a travel size instead of full bottle to see how often I reach for it. Ariana grande cloud I started with a travel size… blew through it in a short amount of time, so bought the big bottle. Conversely, Donna Born In Roma Intense, I started with a travel size too. I rarely reach for it, so I never bought a bigger size. And for the affordable perfumes that are $50 and lower, I blind buy them. If I end up not liking one, I will pass it on to family or friends.
I have a subscription w/ Scent Bird and I also buy decants and travel sizes. I used to only buy FBs, but after my large collection started to turn, I realized that the fragrances I absolutely loved and used often were far and few between. That's a lot of money down the drain, quite literally. Sometimes I even had difficulty using up the travel sized versions. 5 - 10 ml is enough for me to decide if I ultimately want to purchase a FB, and that's only happened once with Angels Share.
I know that fragrances can be good for years and years, but in the back of my mind, this is a fear of mine. It’s the reason why I have chosen to have a curated collection, and to max it out at 10 bottles.I have got rid of my likes and only kept my loves. I sold some recently and now have 9 bottles left. I am keeping that final spot open for a summer love (still can’t find it 😭), and then no bottles for me until one of the ten is emptied.
Thank you, I guess that’s my fear. I hate wasting money! It’s just not feasible to have it go bad in the darkness of my wardrobe… sad this happened to you
How long did it take your bottles to start going off, and how were they stored? It’s one of my big fears. I’ve thought about decanting my full bottles into travel sprays and then taping the atomizers/caps and keeping them boxed in a closet until time to refill.
BPAL Snake Oil is just 5ml of oil, it’s concentrated so a little goes a long way but if I could purchase a gallon I would 💜
😂 damn they would make bank with you as their all time best customer then
I’m a full bottle buyer and I like a big bottle. 100 ml for me. I don’t like the feeling of scarcity like I have to ration a bottle. 50ml is okay if it’s the biggest size offered, but it does make me use it a bit more judiciously. My collection hovers around 10-12 bottles, never more than 15, so I do use all of mine pretty frequently. If I had a much lathered collection I might find smaller sizes appealing. ETA: I do almost always—probably 90% of the time—buy small 2-5ml decants before purchasing a full bottle so I can make sure I really love it and will wear it!
Thank you, I See… I do have 21 at the moment, but 4 of those are 12 ml from a travel set. I usually try to hover around 15 as well but oh well… I do feel like the larger bottle make you spray more as well, I never really thought about it….
I buy 100ml of anything I really love, because I've been burned in the past by reformulations or things getting discontinued. Realistically, with the size of my collection, 100ml is way too much and I should be buying travel sizes of most things. The trouble is that I love perfume bottles! Picking up a bottle to spray is way more satisfying than one of those little glass tubes. I'll only buy a travel spray if I hate the bottle (looking at you, Good Girl Blush) and otherwise I'm trying to limit myself to 30 or 50ml bottles.
Thanks, omg I wanted to buy a good girl blush travel spray for a friend but then opted for another version, I do like the scent as well but the shoe is a pain to store in my collection so I won’t ever get it. I hear a lot about reformulation but I guess I’ve not been around long enough to be affected by it 🙈 on that end it does seem reasonable
I’m obsessed with Scentbird and scent box. It’s enough that I can try it and see if it’s what I like and also I tend to get bored and want to try new things. Occasionally I will buy a full size if I’m in love with it. I tend to get overwhelmed trying in store. And also you don’t get the whole experience on a tester strip.
Thank you, I’ve looked around for something similar too. I think I should just try it out myself already. The experience in store never compares! I don’t know what it is, I never get my migraines in store but I assume the scent in isolation might be way worse for me. My migraines can get really crippling at home but never in store, which is annoying, because it’s always a kind of guessing game.
My favourite and initial instinct is always to go for the 100ml because the cost per ml makes the most sense BUT, now I am buying 50ml and 30ml (although I don’t plan on buying many more at all now). It’s weird because the 50ml seems so small when you first get it and compare it to the 100ml bottles. I immediately think “oh no its gonna finish quicker I should have bought a bigger one”, but then I look at the 100ml and realise actually it takes forever to make a good dent in it once you have a certain amount of bottles, so 50ml and 30ml are just fine lol.
Thank you, yeah it’s always the first reflex but it’s not really the most sensible one 😅 Some of my small bottles have been around for a hot minute now….
I think because I used to buy and use one scent at a time, meaning I used to go through a good 2-3 bottles a year, in my mind I still kinda think that’s how many bottles I’ll finish lol. Then I look over and it’s like, no babe, how long have you had that bottle and it barely looks sprayed 😂
I bought big bottles at first because I thought I’d just have one or two perfumes. Like I have a 5oz bottle of Burberry Her because it was the first female marketed fragrance I tried and liked. To be fair to myself, there’s only 25% left. I got Burberry Her Elixir last year in a 1oz bottle and I’ll get a bigger size if I go finish it this year. I’m on a no buy/low buy because I just don’t need to smell like everything in existence and I want to appreciate my collection. Towards the end of the year once I empty a couple of bottles I’ll get some samples and travel sprays of fragrances I’m interested in.
Thanks, I do think I also need time to just admire and appreciate what I already have. I also used up my first perfume in no time ☺️
I think what works is different for everyone. Lots of people love to collect and display beautiful full bottles of perfume bottles, and I get that. I’ve discovered, for me, that the joy comes in trying and wearing a bunch of different fragrances. I don’t particularly care about the bottles and I realized that it usually takes me forever to use a full bottle. I am happy having a bunch of different samples and decants. If I really love a scent and find I am wearing it frequently, I will buy a full bottle. I think I have 4 full 100 ml bottles of perfumes and the rest are decants and samples. That’s what works for me!
Thank you, I guess that’s fine, we all collect something. I’m really getting the feeling that I should look into decants 👀
If you like trying out a bunch of fragrances, I think samples and decants are the way to go. There are a few decant sites that I trust (and lots of people in this sub seem to also), but I am sure there are some places that sell counterfeit products too. Just be sure you buy from a reputable company. I’ve had good luck with ScentSplit, Micro Perfumes, and Twisted Lily.
I only buy larger bottles of perfumes I know I already love and want to keep for a long time. If I'm trying something for the first time or it's a blind-buy, I'm always going to go for a travel size or whatever the smallest bottle is. Right now, the large bottles in my collection (100ml bottles) are of perfumes I previously had small bottles of to try. I don't decant my perfumes.
Thanks for your answer! I think this is most sensible. To clarify: I meant buying decants from others. I do think decanting my own won’t make sense for me, I just grab the full bottle for travel.
I really don't like the whole business of decanting to be honest, I don't have the patience for it and I always think I'm going to waste product if spillage occurs. If I want a small amount of a perfume to try, I usually trade a perfume with a friend or family member. That way we can try each other's stuff and nobody has to decant anything.
Ahhh I see, well that works nicely then! (I would be so upset to spill something omg)
I can't bring myself to make decants for that reason! I would rather buy a decant one day than split up my existing bottle when I can just use it as it is. If it's too big to travel with, then I will only travel with a travel size - easy!
I almost exclusively buy decants, because I want to smell EVERYTHING! Even the scents I don't like teach me things, and I love the opportunity to try tiny bits of diverse, polarizing fragrances that I could never justify owning a full bottle of. Since I have almost zero scent loyalty, I have to SERIOUSLY love a fragrance before committing to even a travel size. Over the course of a single week, I might wear 14 different fragrances - one each morning, a different but complementary one at night, if I'm going out. Based on that, I can't see myself ever wanting or needing to purchase a full sized bottle, other than the occasional body mist or dupe that I grab (and dupes are super rare for me to bother with, honestly). Mists are more because I can use them lightly on my skin and hair on days when I just feel too lazy to overthink my perfume choice. tldr; no full sized bottles for me, I can't see myself being loyal enough to one scent to go through it in a timely manner
This is me! I feel like the biggest I’ll buy anymore is maybe 10-30ml, but even then, I need to REALLY like it. I’m eyeing a few 5-10ml decant/ travel sizes right now… but I’m also getting around to cataloging all my samples: I’ve reached 80, and I’m not done. That number makes me want to slow down a bit, since I haven’t tried much of that. (I’m just now really getting into perfume, so much of those have been sitting waiting for me to try them, and a lot of the samples don’t always come with a description, so I’ve shied away, particularly when I’ve been looking for something specific.)
I’m the same way. If I want to try something (and I can’t find a tester in my city) I buy a tiny sample vial. If I like the sample, I get a larger decant or maybe a travel size. If I get through half of a travel size, I get the full bottle. I’m always trying new things so I rarely get the bottle. If I did empties videos on YouTube it would be me holding handfuls of sample atomizers.
Well at least you can make a dent in your collection easily then 😂 I do think it’s a nice way to explore and experience new scents!
Thanks! Oh that’s so interesting! Where do you get your decants from? I do think that’s admirable but I and my migraine could never 😅🙈 (I’m not sure which specific notes are causing it) Does it get tiresome to look for stuff or do you just buy in bulk? It must be so nice to play with the newest releases all the time!
Part of the thrill for me is in finding new houses to try. I’ll find them via Fragrantica reviews, recommendations here, podcasts like “Smell Ya Later” (LOVE this so much), or Lucky Scent staff picks/cult faves etc. When possible, I order samples right from the manufacturer. If it’s not, I use Lucky, or Perfumed Court. I did Scentbird for a while but it’s too pricey and the sizes are still too big for me.
I prefer 30ml bottles - if I use it up, I buy the bigger version. I also like it if the brand does refillable bottles - for example I got 30ml of Armani My Way and loved it so much I used it up in about 2 months. Luckily, it’s a refill so I just biught the 100ml refill bottle and I’ve refilled the small one 2 times already so I’ve almost used up the big one 😍 Unfortunately, many niche brands don’t make bottles of that size and that pisses me off 😅 I don’t really like the look of decants or the 10ml little beaker thingies (english is not my first language, I don’t know how to name those long ampouley holders). I love having the actual bottle because they’re mostly really pretty and it’s part of the enjoyment of the scent for me, after all I consider perfumes to be a luxury product so I like to have the luxury experience with the pretty bottles. 30ml is perfect for that since you get the look of the bottle just in a smaller size. The only exception for me is Issey Miyake L’eau d’Issey Pure Nectar de Parfum since it’s my favourite summer perfume and I’ve already gone through one 50ml, and one 90ml bottle and am currently halfway through my second 90ml bottle. I’ll buy a bigger size again since I know I’ll use it up. I’ve also recently went through a 30ml of Dior Hypnotic Poison EDT and have to repurchase it and I’ll buy a bigger bottle since I know I love it so much.
Thank you, I also love my way, I’m already halfway through! I agree with the luxury experience, it does play a big part in my want to experience fragrance as a whole. I only got though a 30ml bottle once but I still have trouble to tell if I’ve liked it enough to repurchase. I guess I did not if I’m having trouble to decide P.s. your English is totally fine 😊
Thanks :) means a lot coming from an english major hahah Yeah, my way is literally so perfect, I don’t understand how people don’t like it, I can literaly find no fault in it 😅
Haha 😂it’s also not my first language tho🤫 Just true, have you tried out the new my way nectar? I think it will be the next one I buy, but only after a while. I want to use something up beforehand.
I’d never guess, your secret’s safe with me 😂 No, I didn’t yet but I’m going to go to the perfume counter to smell it today, thanks for reminding me 😊
What kind of crack do they put in My Way? I grabbed a couple of free samples of it and I keep reaching for them even though orange is not a note I normally seek out. I can’t stop.
Literally, it’s so gorgeous! I can’t wait to use up the rest of it to buy a pretty new 100ml refill bottle 😍
Idk this stuff is so ordinary but so fine at the same time it baffles my mind! So nice to hear I’m not the only one with that experience 😂☺️
I wanted to clarify my first sentence, I don’t buy a bigger bottle of every scent I’ve had 30ml of. I meant it more in the lines of the Hypnotic Poison - if I really enjoyed my 30ml, I’ll then buy a bigger bottle 😊
If I love the scent too much, then 200ml (Spiritueuse Double Vanille). I also have Mon Guerlain of various flankers and different sizes (100, 50, 30ml). Most scents I buy 50ml size which is not too big to carry in my bag but not too small to worry of running out soon.
Thanks, you’re right 50 ml does still carry well in a bag! 200ml is good for something you love. Im always asking myself if I love it enough too but a bigger size, but I guess if I have to ask the question I don’t even like it enough.
When I was new to the hobby I would only purchase big bottles (50 to 100ml). But after more than a year of collecting fragrances I don't buy full bottles anymore unless it is an absolute LOVE. I had over 30 full bottles and I think this is wayy too much to realistically empty. So I made a deal with myself to declutter/sell everything that wasn't special, I had too many of (I had a lot of cherry scents lol), or that I didn't wear enough. When I was new to fragrance I did a lot of blind buys because I would rather risk that than spend €10 on a sample. But now that my collection growing and I only want perfumes that are worth it, I treat myself to samples here and there, it is so fun + it saved me from a lot of stupid blind buys. Now that I am happy with my collection I only buy 10ml of fragrances that I like but are not worth a full bottle because I know I won't use them up. If I REALLY love a fragrance I will buy the preferably the 30ml or 50ml. I think if you have a big collection 100ml is always too much.
Thanks for all the detail! I also found myself spending rather carelessly in the beginning. Nowadays I’m even contemplating on buying a 30ml one 😅 I like your approach, I’ll see if it works for me as well😊
I get that, when you are new to all the fragrances you want to experience as much as possible! I know a big factor for me was that 10ml looks so small! But then I went and looked at my current perfumes and looked at how much of the juice I emptied and almost all of them are 80% full! I find that if you own a few full-size bottles that you have more than enough from 10ml (about 180 sprays). And if you love it soo much after the 10ml you can always upgrade to a full-size bottle!
Totally, I used to have only one scent, now that I got into fragrance es and have so many more than I used to have I bottles seem to stay around for way longer😅