The 18 Best Sites for Online Perfume Shopping (2023)

A few things to keeps in mind: It’s helpful to know what types of scents you gravitate towards (florals, woody, oriental, etc.) since many sites do—very helpfully—categorize their olfactory offerings according to those. Also, be sure to check on the return policy, since you want to know what your options are in case you don’t love what you end up with.

Nordstrom

Of all the online department store options, this is one of our faves. Yes, the amazingly flexible Nordstrom return policy applies to fragrance too, and you can even order online and pick up in-store if you’re really in a rush. They also offer a ton of store-exclusive perfumes and scents, not to mention that there’s always that iconic Nordstrom anniversary sale every year.

Fragrancenet

Those who love a good deal will appreciate the notably discounted prices and the plethora of coupons always available, making this a great pick for more affordable perfume shopping. Shipping is free, too, and there’s a good selection of samples that you can also buy.

FragranceX

Ever finally find a signature scent that you’re obsessed with, only to find out it’s been discontinued when you go re-stock? Yeah, us too. Search for in on this site, since they have many discontinued fragrances available. They also have a loyalty program, always an added benefit in our book.

Sephora

The in-store fragrance shopping experience at Sephora is quite good, but so is the online version. There’s a helpful quiz that can help you figure out what kind of fragrance you might like (great for those who just aren’t quite sure as to what they’re looking for) and plenty of brands and sizes available. You can also return anything you don’t like as long as it’s only ‘gently used.’

Scentbird

The tagline of this site is "date perfumes before you marry them." We can get into that. The subscription service lets you choose from over 500 designer and niche fragrances; for 15 dollars a month you get one, 8mlspray (about a month’s worth of daily spritzing). You can also change the frequency of your subscription if monthly is too often for you.

Ulta

The offerings on their site are helpfully and simply split up by scent families—like floral, fresh, and warm and spicy—on the fragrance landing page, making this a great pick for those who know what types of perfumes they like. They have a great loyalty program, lots of gifts with purchase which are always fun, and you can return anything you don’t like (even without a receipt, as long as you paid with a credit card and/or are part of the loyalty program).

Neiman Marcus

Neiman Marcus is a quiet luxury retailer known for its elegant, high-quality designer offerings—and the perfume offerings are no exception. The robust selection includes best-sellers from Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Tom Ford, Jo Malone, Givenchy, and Hermès—to name just a few. In addition to full-size bottles fit for your vanity, you can get travel-friendly rollerballs, gift sets, and even fragrance sample collections if you want to try out a few scents before committing to one.

Bloomingdale’s

With options to search the many offerings according to price, fragrance type, and notes, this is one of the easier sites to navigate and find your fave. The offerings for men’s cologne are also very extensive, FYI.

Credo

Clean beauty is nothing new, but this now applies more and more so to fragrances, too. With very rigorous standards as to what ingredients they do and don’t allow in the products they carry, you can feel confident knowing that any of the fragrances here are completely clean. The added benefit? This is a great spot to find all kinds of smaller, indie brands that you may not yet have heard of.

Net-a-Porter

Just like the fashion offerings on this site, expect an ultra-chic, curated collection of sophisticated scents that are sure to both smell good and look great on your vanity. It’s a great spot for sourcing gifts (be they for someone else or for you, we won’t judge). Just keep in mind that all fragrance sales are final.

Macy’s

Remember how you used to go to the Macy’s at the mall as a teen to stock-up on Tommy Girl perfume? No? Just us? Anyway, their site is the place to shop now, with ah-mazing sales pretty much all the time, as well as plenty of sets, and a nice selection of travel-friendly rollerballs, too.

Luckyscent

We appreciate that the wide variety of brands offered on this site range from the big-name mainstream options, to smaller, niche companies. There’s a never-ending amount of choices for men, women, and home scents, too. If samples are your thing, you’ll be into the extensive array they offer. Oh, and if you spend over 150 dollars, you get three free samples with your purchase. Also helpful: The glossary, which breaks down the most commonly used fragrance terms. Because really, does anyone know the difference between an eau de toilette and an eau de parfum?

Perfumania

The offerings are broken down by super helpful categories here—by price, what’s trending, deals of the month, and more. You get free shipping over 59 dollars, and returns can either be sent back or brought back to one of their retail stores throughout the country (though they do have to be unopened, FYI).

Scent Beauty

This newcomer on the scene is not only a shopping site, but a company launching its own fragrance brands. These range from everything from celeb and influencer fragrances to clean options like natural brand Esscentials. In other words, the goods you find here you won’t find anywhere else. Either way, the description of all the fragrances are clear, concise, and very helpful, making it easy to get a sense of what the perfume you’re considering actually smells like.

Luxury Scent Box

Those who prefer a hands-off approach will appreciate that this month-to-month subscription service offers an option where you simply get a new ‘fragrance of the month’ each month. You can also fill out a survey about your preferences and let them choose for you, or pick your own. Thirty dollars per month will get you two, 9ml spritzers.

Walmart

Walmart used to carry only drugstore brands, but the big-box retailer is now an online destination for many high-end beauty brands. In terms of fragrance, this means you can buy premium perfume by Juicy Couture, Calvin Klein, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, and Gucci—often at a sweet discount. There are lots of mid-price-range options, too, like Elizabeth Arden, Montblanc, Ariana Grande, and Dossier.

Amazon

Amazon has just about everything, so it should come as no surprise that it's a go-to destination for perfume shopping. The online mega-retailer carries women's fragrances at various price points, including full-size bottles, travel-friendly spritzers, and gift sets. We like that you can read buyer reviews and take advantage of fast (often free) shipping and easy returns with a Prime membership.

Bluemercury

In addition to skincare, makeup, and haircare, Bluemercury offers an impressive selection of fragrances, including perfume, eu de toilettes, and cologne from brands like Lake & Skye, Oribe, Diptyque, Tocca, Jo Malone, and Vilhelm Parfumerie.

Final Verdict

When it comes to buying fragrance online, our best overall pick is Nordstrom, which features an amazing variety of fragrances, including many exclusive offerings, as well as samples for you to test out a scent before committing to it. We also love their generous and flexible return policy. Consider trying Scentbird, a subscription service that takes sampling to the next level.

FAQ

• How do you buy perfume without smelling it first?

  Read the descriptions with an understanding of top, middle, and base notes. Fragrance blogs can also be helpful when it comes to reviews of scents. Remember, however, that fragrance is subjective so it's more important to look for objective claims like what notes make up a fragrance, as opposed to whether or not someone likes or dislikes it.

• What are common fragrance notes?

  Typical top notes, your first impressions, are usually light and alluring. They tend to be made up of citrus like orange and lemon, as well as herbal essences like lavender, basil, or sage.

  Typical heart notes, making up your fragrance foundation, are usually warm and full-bodied like rose, neroli, and cinnamon.

  Typical base notes, long-lasting notes that make up the dry-down are vanilla, musk, and sandalwood.

The 22 Best Perfumes for Women of 2023 (And All Time)

Updated byJill Di Donato