Scentbird is a perfume subscription service that allows customers to sample designer fragrances each month. For $15 per month, subscribers receive a 30-day supply of a perfume in a special case. With over 600 scents to choose from, it can be an affordable way to try out high-end fragrances before committing to a full bottle. But some shoppers have questioned whether the perfumes offered by Scentbird are 100% authentic versions of the real thing. Here’s a look at the facts.
How Scentbird sources its fragrances
According to Scentbird, they purchase their perfume inventory directly from brand manufacturers. The company claims that the fragrances come straight from the brand name suppliers, ensuring authenticity. They also note that the products ship in the original manufacturer’s packaging.
Scentbird carries fragrances from hundreds of top designer brands including Versace, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Calvin Klein and more. They claim to have direct relationships with these major fragrance houses to source the scents. The company founder has said they purchase the same perfume juice that retailers sell.
The sample sprays Scentbird provides are technically decants. This means they take a small amount of perfume from the original full bottle and transfer it into the smaller Scentbird spray vials. According to the company, they use an automated system to precisely fill each vial. This decanting process allows them to offer the real perfumes in a more affordable sample size.
How Scentbird perfumes compare to the originals
The key question is whether the Scentbird versions smell like the original branded perfumes. After all, an authentic scent should provide the same fragrance experience as one purchased directly from a department store.
Based on Scentbird customer reviews, most feel the perfumes accurately mimic the real scents. When spraying and smelling the Scentbird version next to an original bottle, the majority of customers find the fragrances smell identical. The perfume notes, strength and longevity appear consistent.
Not all customer reviews are positive, however. Some reviewers have complained that the Scentbird version smells “off” or slightly different than the original. A few noticed the Scentbird perfume fading more quickly. But these types of complaints only represent a small fraction of user reviews.
Example customer review comparisons
Here are some examples of Scentbird users comparing the perfumes to original versions:
Scentbird Perfume | Customer Review |
---|---|
Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb | “Smells exactly the same as the original! Longevity is also great, I get whiffs of it all day.” |
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium | “I compared it side by side to my authentic bottle and honestly couldn’t tell a difference. Sillage and lasting power were identical too.” |
Giorgio Armani Si | “There’s no difference from the real bottle of Si that I already own. Packaging was secure and professional.” |
LancĂ´me La Vie Est Belle | “I was worried it would be diluted or fake but it smells exactly the same as the one I bought from Sephora!” |
Based on most reviews, the Scentbird vials provide an inexpensive way to enjoy the true essence of an expensive perfume.
Other signs Scentbird is authentic
Beyond the individual fragrance reviews, there are other signals that indicate Scentbird sells genuine perfumes:
Brand relationships
Major designer brands like Versace, Gucci and YSL would not allow a subscription service to use their name if they did not have an agreement in place. The fact that Scentbird has partnerships with so many top designers adds legitimacy.
Positive BBB rating
Scentbird has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. The BBB measures factors like transparent business practices and proper licensing. The high rating indicates Scentbird is operating ethically and legally.
Samples, not knockoffs
Scentbird does not create their own duplicate fragrances. They simply take real perfumes from the brand companies and put a portion in smaller vials. This is an important distinction versus selling imitation knockoff scents, which they do not do.
Good customer service
The company offers helpful customer service if any issues arise with an order. Their customer service team will quickly replace any perfumes that arrive damaged or that a customer is unhappy with. Responsible service indicates a legitimate business.
Are Scentbird perfumes watered down?
Some customers question if the Scentbird versions are watered down or diluted. However, most reviews indicate the perfume strength is accurate, with good longevity and sillage.
Scentbird addresses the dilution concern on their website. They explain that the vial filling process uses precise technology to distribute the correct amount of fragrance. The perfume concentration matches the original formula. There are automatic checks to ensure each vial has the appropriate perfume volume.
That said, some difference in strength or longevity could come down to the spray nozzle. The sample vial atomizer may distribute the perfume slightly differently than a department store bottle. But Scentbird ensures the actual formula is unaltered before filling the vials.
What about complaints of “fake” or expired perfumes?
While not common, there are some customer critiques claiming the Scentbird version seemed “fake,” diluted or expired. What could be the reason in these rare cases?
One possibility is that a small batch of perfumes slipped through quality control with issues. Mass manufacturing and filling hundreds of thousands of vials makes rare mistakes inevitable. Scentbird’s customer service team is very responsive to replace any bottles that arrive defective or smell off.
Storage conditions can also affect perfume quality before the vials ship out. If stored in extreme heat or cold, the fragrance composition can degrade. Properly storing and shipping the vials is crucial.
Finally, customer noses can sometimes misjudge if a perfume smells “off.” What is perceived as different could simply be that the sample size projects slightly differently than the department store bottle. Minor batch variation between different productions of the same perfume can also play a role. Without scientific chemical analysis, it’s hard for customers to definitively prove if a perfume sample is fake or expired.
Should you trust Scentbird perfumes?
Considering Scentbird’s operations, policies and generally positive customer reviews, there is no evidence they sell counterfeit or tampered with perfumes. The majority of critiques from unhappy customers appear to be mistakes or misperceptions, not issues with fake products.
Thousands of reviewers report the Scentbird fragrances smell authentic and identical to the real perfumes. And major luxury brands seem confident allowing their name usage. Overall, customers seem to agree that Scentbird provides a legitimate way to sample real designer fragrances.
The bottom line
Based on available information, there is no reason to believe Scentbird perfumes are not 100% authentic. While a very small percentage of customers feel the perfume smells “off,” this appears more quality control error than a counterfeit product issue. In general, Scentbird supplies a trusted way to enjoy affordable samples of genuine designer fragrances.