A fragrance wardrobe for beginners

The question isn't which fragrance is best. The question is how many you need so that no occasion catches you unprepared. The answer is smaller than you think: four cover a week, eight cover a year. A single fragrance is a trap. You wear it to work, on a date and at forty degrees in July — and in one of those three cases it's wrong. A wardrobe isn't collecting, it's a division of labour: something fresh for the day, something sweet or woody for the evening, something warm for winter, and something you put on when you need to dress up. The wardrobe sets are built exactly on this principle. Each decant holds 2 ml, enough for several wears — enough to get to know a fragrance on your own skin and not just on a test strip.

Wardrobe for him — 4 decants: Louis Vuitton Imagination for the day, Xerjoff Naxos for the evening, Louis Vuitton Ombre Nomade to make an impression and Dior Bois d'Argent Esprit de Parfum for occasions when you need to dress up. €63.49, or €60.32 with the coupon code. Each covers a different occasion; no two overlap.
Wardrobe for him — 8 decants: The four above plus Parfums de Marly Layton Exclusif, Kilian Paris Angels' Share Paradis, Amouage Outlands and Stephan Humbert Lucas Taklamakan. €134.48, or €121.03 with the code. The last four are niche and more expensive — in this set you try them before committing to a full bottle.
Wardrobe for her — 4 decants: Parfums de Marly Delina, Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique, Xerjoff Erba Pura and Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood Extrait. €60.00, or €57.00 with the code. The first two are among the most recognisable women's fragrances of the last decade, the third is fruity-citrus for the heat, the fourth an oud for winter evenings.
Wardrobe for her — 8 decants: Both Delinas and both Fleur Narcotiques, Matière Première Vanilla Powder, Xerjoff Levar del Sole, Xerjoff Alexandria II Anniversary, Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood Extrait and BDK Parfums Gris Charnel. €120.50, or €108.45 with the code. The set is designed so you can compare the base version and its upgrade side by side.

How to choose between the four sets: (1) Four or eight? Four decants cover day, evening, summer and winter — enough if you don't have anything of your own yet. Take eight when you know you'll be comparing and when you're interested in pricier niche brands. The price difference is roughly double, and so is the number of tries. (2) For him or for her? The split is a guide, not a rule. Both sets include fragrances worn by everyone — Imagination, Erba Pura and Gris Charnel are unisex. If you're buying a gift and aren't sure, the smaller set is the safer choice, because it's less money for the same amount of information. (3) What next? Once you know which of the four suits you, buy 10 ml of that fragrance, not a full bottle. Only when you've used that size up do you know you really wear it, and not just that you liked it the first week. (4) The discount. The smaller sets have five percent off, the larger ones ten. You apply it with a coupon code at checkout — DISCOVERY5 or DISCOVERY10 respectively. The price shown for a set is the sum of the individual decant prices; the code lowers it.

How many fragrances do I really need?

Four cover most of the week: one for the day, one for the evening, one for the heat and one for the cold. Eight only make sense once you know which families suit you and want to compare within them. More than eight is a collection, not a wardrobe.

How many wears do I get from a 2 ml decant?

It depends on the atomiser and how many sprays you apply. At the usual three to four sprays per wear, 2 ml is enough for several wears, which is enough to get to know the fragrance on your skin over a whole day — the key difference from a test strip in a shop.

Is a set cheaper than individual decants?

Yes, but the difference isn't the main reason. Five percent on the smaller sets and ten on the larger ones. For the eight-decant Wardrobe for her that's €120.50 against €108.45. The main reason for a set is curation: you get a range you probably wouldn't put together yourself, because you'd pick four similar fragrances.

What if I don't like any of the four?

That's a useful answer too. Knowing that sweet and woody don't suit you is worth more than continuing to guess — and it cost less than one wrong bottle. That's exactly the point of testing before buying.

Are the decants original fragrances?

Yes. All decants are hand-filled from original bottles. ScentCheck isn't affiliated with any of the brands and isn't their official retailer; names and trademarks belong to their owners.