Hello Everyone!
I have decided for the first blog post, to make a list of online shops (that will be updated as according to new finds and with time) for getting perfumes to Singapore.
Now we know that it's getting increasingly harder to ship perfumes from the US and the UK because they are categorized as "flammable". Trying to get around that restriction by using a 3rd party/courier is getting more difficult as many 3rd parties are not permitting perfumes to be shipped either.
Next, I don't know how many of you have also noticed that shipping prices on Ebay are getting astronomical! I'm referring to the US website, where insured shipping costs are hitting the 40USD mark in many cases I've seen.
Shipping from smaller commercial websites from Europe is still possible.Many of these smaller websites carry the harder to find niche brands and may be your only avenue to get them.
So here's a list of places that I have successfully ordered from or have heard good reviews about from trustworthy sources (other perfume-heads naturally). Note that this list is not exhaustive and will be continually updated as my bread and butter job allows. It is also most definitely not ranked in any way:
1) perfumestoresg
I chanced upon this Singapore based website somewhere in the middle to 3rd quarter of 2012. They offer free delivery within Singapore, or you can choose to arrange a pick-up( one place being Queenstown MRT station) if you can't wait for your goodies to be delivered to you. They are expanding their online store quite quickly with many new lines added on a regular basis. Offering from mainstream to some more well-known niche brands such as Bond No. 9, Creed, JHAG, the prices are definitely competitive to buying off the shelves in town.
Their customer service is excellent I must say and have always received prompt replies to each query.
They can help you source for items that are not shown on their website (whether due to a lag in updating their goods I wouldn't know), within their means i.e if their suppliers have the said item you are looking for.
They have on occasion, older formulations of perfumes, so it's good to check with them if you are looking for a previous formulation.
Although cheaper than buying in a shop on this island city, compared to other international websites, the prices are still relatively higher.
2) strawberrynet
One of the more established online stores for perfumes and other beauty items, this Hong Kong based company offers free shipping worldwide and cheaper prices than retail. It also features brands ranging from mainstream to some niche brands.
Lots of goodies for one to trawl through, you never know when you'll chance upon a bargain in the pages of offers that strawberrynet always has.
They have daily flash deals that are hard to beat.
As with perfumestoresg, I find that although the prices are cheaper than retail in Singapore, many brands are still much more expensive than on comparable US websites.
Although not from personal experience, some of my online friends have reported a lengthy time waiting for their orders to arrive. From my own experience, it's always taken less than a week to get to Singapore.
3) Luckyscent
Lots of niche brands available on this website, pricing is comparable to other websites and sometimes, much cheaper.
Customer service is great, they are prompt at responding to queries and they send out parcels quickly.
They have a sample program, where you can buy small (about 0.7ml which is sufficient for at least 2 wears-note that the samples are dab-ons not sprays) samples for about 3-4 USD each, to give you an idea about a particular perfume you've only read about, as opposed to blind buying something and making an expensive mistake!samples@ luckyscent
Shipping to Singapore isn't cheap, the last I checked it was 40 USD for 2 bottles and it goes higher with more bottles added.
4) theperfumeshoppe
This website's signature is comforting: We Specialize in building your Fragrance wardrobe.
With the impressive brands that it features (mostly niche brands from well-known to the less known but still wonderful), I am confident that they live up to what they say.
Besides offering perfumes in full bottles for sale, they like luckscent offer a sample program (also dab-on vials in <1ml sizes). If you want something in between a full bottle and a sample, they also offer travelos filled with the scent of your choice, 5ml or the equivalent of 65 sprays as offered on their website. under Travel and Trial Size Perfume.
One service that I have not taken advantage of but looks very promising is the Perfume Profile, where a perfume specialist selects some fragrances according to your personality and lifestyle. Its' very simple, just tick off a row of boxes and away the form goes to the perfume fairy and you get your list of recommended perfumes-if only all life's choices were so simple and wonderful smelling!
Reliable and reasonable international shipping costs, once again it takes about 2 weeks to arrive to this island city.
I love the idea of their Travel and Trial Size Perfume, it takes the costs out of buying a full bottle when there are so many perfumes that one wishes to have and to hold.
5) fragrancex
I would have to admit that this is where I have gotten most of my perfumes (mainstream ones and a few niche brands like Serge Lutens and L'artisan being some of those that pop up on the website). A US based website that offers fragrances at inexpensive prices and free international shipping (when you spend above 69 USD) is my idea of a godsend.
Pros: as with strawberrynet, I like to while away time by going through the entire website for treasures. From minis to testers to full, unopened bottles, this website is a treasure trove for bargain hunters. On occasion, I've even had the good luck of finding discontinued or hard to find fragrances.
Cons: Not from personal experience but some of my online friends have grouched that the customer service is cranky and unhelpful when it comes to tracking missing packages. Luckily, I haven't had any such contact with them and would like to keep it that way.
6) First in Fragrance
Otherwise known as Ausliebezumduft, there's a ton of niche available here, the only exceptions being Hilde Soliani and Profumum Roma(well those that I am interested in), It's tax free so the prices get adjusted when you change the shipping country to Singapore (duh) but the shipping fee is about 25 Euro so make it worthwhile. They sell samples but none too cheaply and allow up to a maximum of 10 samples per order. The good news is you get up to 3 free samples with each order of a full bottle of perfume.
7) Parfumaria
Shipping to Singapore is stated as 55 Euro on the website but according to an email from the company, it's actually 45 Euro, still not cheap though. They however have great service and communication which is a good sales point. They too carry harder to find niche brands including Hilde Soliani and Mazzolari. I notice that they update the new perfumes faster than some of the online perfume forums. They sell samples that are slightly cheaper than FiF (5 samples for 15 Euro) .
They have a sale section with good deals for perfumes undergoing bottle changes etc, so go trawl that area!
8) Premiere avenue
Shipping to Singapore is 43 Euros, they don't charge VAT so the prices are adjusted when you check out your cart. PA carries the Profumum Roma line as well as harder to find niches such as Naomi Goodsir and Isabey. They sell 5ml samples which is a great way of trying a fragrance you are unsure about having a full bottle of.
9) Escentual
A UK website but the shipments seem to come from within Europe. Nevertheless the shipping charge is fantastically low for us perfumeheads, less than 10 pounds (seriously can't be beaten by the other websites). They carry mainstream as well as niche brands, including CB I hate perfume, Jovoy and Miller Harris.
10) Indiescents
If you are into indie niche, this is a great website for samples as well as full bottles and reasonable shipping charges. The site states WW shipping of 12 USD for unlimited number of samples and bottles from 25 USD. They also have an Indie-Cents Rewards systems that lets you earn points for future discounts.
11) Zahras
If you like to dabble in Arabian oils, this is a great website with a lot of choice. The trouble is you can't click on a perfume and add to cart. You have to go through the entire brand's listings, jot down the ones you want and email them for the total including shipping (which was decent for Singapore, if I recall correctly I bought two oils that came in massive boxes, for about 25 USD).
12) Universal perfumes and cosmetics
Located in Kuwait and with an ebay store, they carry mainstream, niche as well as arabian oils. The fantastic perk is they have a stash of discontinued/hard to find scents so if you are looking for your long lost love, you might find it here. According to the website, shipping is flat rate at 6.99 USD for the first item and 1.75 USD for the second. I haven't bought from them myself but fragrance-heads that I know are pleased with their service, the only small grouches being about messy packaging and slightly long delivery time (bear in mind where they are based and where you are!).
13) Luscious Cargo
An aptly named store that carries a whole lot of niche from A-T, including People of the Labyrinth, Fifi Chachnil and Rich Hippie to name but a few. According to the website, you get free samples when you spend a minimum of 30 USD, They do sell a sample pack of 7 samples but currently do not offer international shipping for sample-only orders. I simulated a purchase and shipping to Singapore would cost 45 USD.
14) Perfume Raffy
They carry mainstream as well as niche and offer samples for sale too. As per their website, international shipping appears to be a reasonable 16.95 USD. They offer custom tailored perfumes as well, something exciting to check out if you are looking to make your personal scent.
15) Beauty Bridge
If you are searching for Les Couvent des Minimes at a very decent price, look no further. They carry some mainstream as well as niche brands too, I found Fekkai and Hayari here. Shipping charges are reasonable. A great website for cosmetics too!
16) Essenza Nobile
Sample only orders have a shipping charge of 5 Euro. For full bottle purchases, it starts at 24 Euro for purchases under a 100 Euro and above 250 Euro, shipping is free, as per the website. I know of happy customers who were looking for harder to find niche brands but personally I find the prices a little on the high side. Still if one is desperately hunting an elusive brand...
Perfume Samples only
1) theperfumedcourt
A US based company that ships internationally, offering decants of almost any and every perfume under the sun, from vintages to the most recent releases, the common and popular to the rare and discontinued.
TPC offers decants of 1ml and above, from dab-ons to roll-ons and sprays. The decants can be bought in singles or as part of a "group" i.e if one were wishing to venture into the beginner/intermediate/advance level of "chypre" for instance, TPC offers sample packages to cater for olfactory pleasure and education. Besides samples, also for sale are manufacturer's carded samples, minis, various beauty products, decanting supplies, empty/partial/full bottles etc.
TPC also has a buyer rewards program, with discount at increasing percentages according to how much you spend. To take advantage of the program, just sign up for their monthly newsletter which contains the codes for the month.
2) surrendertochance
A breakaway website from TPC, they also offer single decants and sets for sale. Besides decants, STC sells various accompanying lotions and creams, soaps and artisan jewellery. For those wishing to start decanting to share with friends or to sell, pipettes and other decanting supplies are available for sale on the website. STC also offers minature sized perfumes, carded samples and full bottles on occasion.
STC has a Daily Chance special offer program, where as they put it, everyday, sometimes several times a day for varying periods of time, chosen samples are put on offer at a markedly discounted price.
3) The Posh Peasant
Such a cool name for a website isn't it? Like STC and TPC, this is another decant/sample website where you can get samples for mainstream as well as niche lines.
Other noteworthy places and tips for samples, bits and bobs:
- Best buy
Singapore based website that offers official carded samples, minis as well as full bottles at discounted prices. They have good deals for cosmetics and skin care too.
- I'm learning that the cheaper way to sample is to do a split with other perfumistas. Becoming a member and making friends on the various perfume forums online is a good option for buying into a split of a bottle. Some members online sell used/partial bottles and decants from their own collection, at no or little profit.
- Ebay has some good deals now and again for samples, just be mindful of the shipping costs.
* Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated to any of the above websites and/or stores. I am merely a happy and sometimes repeat customer who wishes to share her good luck with the rest of the world! Good things and news should always be shared!
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