What Is a Perfume Tester?

From the desk of Sarah Cunningham

A perfume tester is a fragrance without bells and whistles. That is, it comes without fancy packaging and - if the it is costly to manufacture - without a fancy stopper. Apart from that it is exactly the same as the retail product. Companies produce and sell them to promote their products, cutting down their production costs by delivering them without the frills.

Common Misconceptions

There are quite a few misconceptions about testers. For instance, very often people believe that they are already partly used (by people that tried the fragrance) and hence contain a lesser amount of perfume. This is not the case at all. They contain exactly the same amount as a retail bottle. Also it is not true that they contain a lesser quality of the product. In fact, it is exactly the same product as you will find in a flask you would buy in a store. The product is absolutely authentic. People also tend to believe that they are not meant to be sold, that they are only meant for evaluation of the product, or even that it is illegal to buy or sell them. This is not true at all. It is completely legal to sell, purchase and own perfume testers.

Should I Buy Them?

Testers are usually cheaper by a fair margin. If you consider that they contain exactly the same amount and quality of fragrance as a regular retail bottle, it is definitely worth looking around if you can find one of the brand of your choice. However, you need to be aware that not all brands are available as perfume testers.