Testers, minis and gift sets explained

What is a tester?

A tester is a bottle a brand gives to perfume shops so customers can try the scent in store. It normally holds the same fragrance as the regular bottle. Only the packaging differs: a plain white or brown box, sometimes no box, often no cap. It usually says "tester" or "not for sale".

Testers generally aren't meant to be resold, yet you still see them online. If you buy one, you get no gift packaging and you know less about where the bottle came from and how it was stored.

Eaulie doesn't list testers. We only compare regular bottles that we identify by their EAN code. That way you know you're comparing the same bottle in the same size at every shop.

Samples, vials and discovery sets

Samples and vials

A sample or vial is a small tube of 1 to 2 ml, with a tiny spray or a wand for dabbing. You often get them free with an order or in a shop. It's enough to wear a scent on your own skin for a few days, which tells you far more than a paper strip. How to go about that is in how to choose a perfume.

Discovery sets

A discovery set bundles a few small bottles from one brand or line. The Frederic Malle The Eclectic Discovery Set holds six vials of 1.2 ml, the Rabanne Discovery Gift Set For Her three bottles of 4 ml. Especially with niche brands, it's a calm way to get to know a house.

Minis and travel sprays

Deluxe minis

A mini is a small version of the real bottle, usually 5 to 15 ml: same scent, same design. Some minis have no spray but a stopper for dabbing.

Travel sprays

A travel spray is a bottle of about 10 to 20 ml with a proper atomiser, made for carrying. Think of the Acqua di Giò Eau de Parfum Travel from Armani or the Bleu de Chanel Twist and Spray, a refillable spray with two 20 ml refills. Many airports still apply a 100 ml limit per container in hand luggage; check your airport's rules.

When is a mini the smart buy?

• Blind buying. If you only know a scent from descriptions, a mini is a safe first step.
• Travel and your bag. Your big bottle stays at home, cool and dark. See storing perfume.
• Trying a strength. Torn between eau de toilette, eau de parfum or parfum? A mini lets you actually wear the difference. More in EDT or EDP.

Per 100 ml, a mini is almost always more expensive than a big bottle. You pay for the small format.

Gift sets

A gift set is a bottle in a gift box, usually with extras in the same scent: a body lotion or shower gel, a mini or travel spray, and in men's sets sometimes a deodorant or aftershave balm.

A few examples: the Paco Rabanne 1 Million gift set with eau de toilette, deodorant and a 10 ml spray, the Black Opium Giftset with eau de parfum and a small spray, and the Coco Mademoiselle set with a 50 ml bottle and four 7.5 ml sprays.

Sets mostly come out around December and Mother's Day, often also around Father's Day, and disappear again afterwards. On Eaulie they have their own category, gift sets, with a selection in our gift sets. Looking for a present? Also see gifts for her, gifts for him and giving perfume as a gift.

Comparing a set with the single bottle

A set is sometimes better value than the bottle alone, and sometimes not. Here's how to compare fairly:

1. Count only the fragrance. A 100 ml bottle plus a 10 ml spray is 110 ml of eau de toilette. Lotion, shower gel and deodorant don't count.
2. Match the concentration. Compare a set with eau de toilette against the eau de toilette on its own.
3. Work it out per 100 ml. Put the price per 100 ml of fragrance next to the single bottle, such as the regular 1 Million Eau de Toilette or Black Opium Eau de Parfum. On Eaulie you can compare sizes per 100 ml.
4. Only then weigh the extras. If the set comes out the same or lower, the extras really are a bonus. If it comes out higher, you're paying for the extras, which only pays off if you use them.

Compare like with like on size too: a set with the Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum in 50 ml goes next to the single 50 ml bottle, because a small bottle usually costs more per 100 ml than a big one.

Refills

More and more brands make refillable bottles. A refill is then fragrance without a spray that you use to top up your own bottle: by pouring, by unscrewing the bottle, or with a system like Twist and Spray from Chanel.

A refill only fits the refillable bottle of the same scent and line. The one for Bad Boy Eau de Toilette won't simply work in another bottle. A refill can be cheaper per 100 ml than a new bottle, but that varies by brand; compare per 100 ml here too.

Side by side

Common mistakes

• Buying a tester as a present. Without a box and sometimes without a cap, it's not much of a gift.
• Counting the lotion. A "200 ml" set may hold only 100 ml of perfume.
• Mixing up EDT and EDP. The same name exists in different concentrations.
• Assuming a set is always cheaper. Sometimes the single bottle is simply better value.
• Buying a refill without a refillable bottle. Check first that your bottle belongs to that system.
• Judging a sample too fast. Wear a scent for a few days; how long it lasts only shows after a full day (see making perfume last longer).