Perfume discovery sets — which one to choose

A discovery set is a box of several two-millilitre decants. The point isn't the saving — at five percent it's small — but that instead of one decision you get three, four or eight tries. If you don't know what you want, choosing one fragrance is a blind decision; with a set you decide based on what you've actually worn. We offer twenty, in three types. Nine are built around a theme — oud, winter, summer, floral, gourmand and woody. Seven are by brand, so you get several scents from the same perfume house at once. Four are wardrobe sets: they don't follow one theme but cover occasions — day, evening, summer, winter — separately for men and for women. The smaller sets have three or four decants and 5% off, the larger ones eight and 10%. You apply the discount with a code at checkout; which one is listed on each set's page.

Wardrobe for him D5 — if you have nothing yet: Louis Vuitton Imagination, Xerjoff Naxos, Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade and Dior Bois d'Argent Esprit de Parfum for €63.49. The only set that starts from occasions rather than a theme: day, evening, impression and formal. For someone starting from scratch, that's more useful than four ouds.
Winter D5 — the cheapest way in: Four warm decants for €42.28: Boss Bottled Absolu, Essential Parfums Divine Vanille, Parfums de Marly Haltane and Matière Première Vanilla Powder. One of the cheapest sets we offer. From leather and incense to two very different vanillas.
Gourmand D5 — sweet profiles: Toskovat Last Birthday Cake, Xerjoff Naxos, Sospiro Il Padrino and French Avenue Liquid Brun for €42.28. From smoky cake to honeyed tobacco — if you don't know sweet fragrances yet, this set shows you where your limit is.
Summer D5 — for the heat: Xerjoff Erba Pura, Chanel Bleu de Chanel, Louis Vuitton Imagination and Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman for €44.17. Four different takes on freshness — fruity, citrus-woody, green and musky.
Floral D5 — as a gift: Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique, Parfums De Marly Delina, Louis Vuitton Fleur du Désert and Electimuss Imperium for €51.78. The most giftable of all: four well-known names, none overly demanding, and the recipient decides for themselves.
Louis Vuitton D5 — the whole brand at once: Ombre Nomade, Les Sables Roses, Fleur du Désert and Imagination for €59.37. Full bottles of these four cost €1,425, the decants €62.49 — that ratio is why sets exist at all.
Oud D5 — an expensive category, cheaply: MFK Oud Satin Mood Extrait, Parfums de Marly Haltane, Bond No. 9 NoMad and Fugazzi Pomegranoudh for €59.85. Three from the top price bracket and one more affordable niche oud; individually these four decants would cost you €63.
Xerjoff D10 — the most for those who know: Eight Xerjoffs for €107.10, with 10% off. From Erba Pura and Naxos to 40 Knots and Alexandria II. If you're seriously interested in the brand, this is the cheapest way to find out which one is yours.

How to choose a set: (1) By theme or by brand? A theme set tells you which family suits you — take the one you don't know yet, not the one you already wear. A brand set is for a different question: you know the brand from one fragrance and want to see what else it can do. (2) Smaller or larger? Three or four decants are enough to answer "does this direction suit me", eight to answer "which one exactly". The larger sets get 10% instead of 5%, which on a hundred euros is about ten euros. (3) Two millilitres last four to six wears — enough to get to know a fragrance, too little to get tired of it. That's exactly the point. (4) For a gift, choose a set rather than a fragrance. With a fragrance you're guessing someone else's taste; with a set you give them a choice — and if three of four don't suit them, the fourth saves the gift. (5) Compare the price with full bottles, not with decants. Four full bottles from the Louis Vuitton set cost €1,425, the same four decants €59.37.

How do I apply the set discount?

With a coupon code at checkout. Each set's page shows which one — DISCOVERY5 for sets with 5% off and DISCOVERY10 for those with 10%. The code only applies to sets and doesn't affect anything else in your bag.

How much do I actually save with a set?

Five percent on smaller sets and ten on larger ones, calculated from the price of the individual decants. With Oud D5 that's €63 versus €59.85. So the saving isn't the main reason to buy — the main reason is that for the price of one larger decant you try four fragrances.

What's the difference between a theme set and a brand set?

A theme set gathers fragrances from different brands around one direction — oud, gourmand, floral. It tells you which direction suits you. A brand set gathers several scents from the same perfume house and answers a different question: whether that house's handwriting suits you.

How many wears do I get from two millilitres?

Four to six at two sprays. That's enough to wear the fragrance all day and test it in different situations, but not enough for it to become familiar — for that, five millilitres of the one that suited you best makes sense.

Which set is best for beginners?

Winter D5 or Summer D5, depending on the season. Both have four fragrances from different families and none that needs an experienced nose. Leave the oud set for later — it's the most specific of all.

Is a set a good gift?

For someone whose taste you don't know, it's better than any bottle. Instead of guessing, you give them a choice; sets are also gift-wrapped, which individual decants aren't.

What do I do when one of the four really suits me?

Order five or ten millilitres of that fragrance and wear it for a month. Only if you still enjoy it after a month does a full bottle make sense — at niche prices that's the difference between €25 and €300.

Are the sets real fragrances or samples?

Real fragrances, hand-filled from original bottles into two-millilitre vials. The content is the same as in the bottle on the shelf; the only difference is the quantity and the packaging.