A fragrance decant is a smaller bottle of the same perfume that you can purchase for less money. Fragrance decants don’t require much packaging, so it’s cheaper to produce and sell them than other perfumes. They are often sold at drugstores or kiosks near malls where people buy cheap clothes and shoes in bulk as well as beauty products like shampoo, soap, conditioner and more.
The “is decanting perfume legal” is a question that has been asked many times, and the answer is yes. Fragrance decants are legal in all 50 states.
Consider the following situation. You’ve been wearing the same scent for years and want to switch things up. You come across an expensive brand that everyone is talking about on the internet. It’s rather costly, but you order it on the spur of the moment. It appears, and you despise it! Argghhhh! You should have started with a decant!
What are scent decants, and what do they do? A scent decant is a little vial that contains a small sample of a certain perfume. You can get a decant of almost any fragrance online for a fraction of the cost of a full-sized, sealed bottle from the manufacturer. However, as described below, there are a few considerations to keep in mind while using any perfume decants.
Decants are made in a variety of ways.
Manufacturers seldom sell perfume or any other form of aroma decants. They’re usually purchased from private sellers who just decant from the biggest sized bottles of scent since they’re the most cost-effective. When a customer requests a decant from a vendor, the seller pours the needed quantity into a decant bottle and sells it for a profit.
Sizes of decanters
There are various Sizes of decanters and their prices depend on the price of the fragrance itself.
Decants of 1 mL
These are the tiniest and most affordable scent decants available. One of this size will produce 2 to 3 applications depending on how freely you spray it. To give you an idea of how much you’ll get, a typical teaspoon carries 5ml of liquids, so you’ll only get a quarter of a teaspoon! Just a smidgeon.
It’s tough to anticipate how much you’ll spend since the price of the scent you pick varies, but here’s an example:
- A 1ml decant of Dior Sauvage will set you back about $3.00. A 60ml (3.4oz) bottle costs about $100.
This decant will most likely be a plastic or glass vial, which is just a small tube with a plastic stopper as a cover.
Decants of 1.5 mL
1.5ml decants are available in glass, plastic, or mini-spray vials.
This is the lowest size that some merchants provide, and it’s about a quarter of a teaspoon. A vial will give you 3 to 5 applications, whilst a mini-spray will give you up to 18 applications, which should be enough to let you decide whether you enjoy the scent enough to purchase a full bottle.
- A 1.5 ml decant of Dior Sauvage retails for about $4.50 in a vial and $5.25 as a spray.
Decants (2.5 mL)
A glass or plastic spray bottle is commonly used as a 2.5 ml decant. Each light spray contains a modest quantity, and 2.5 ml may provide up to 30 applications.
- Dior Sauvage is available as a spray in a 2.5 ml spray decant for about $9.00.
Decant 3 mL
The difference between a 2.5ml and 3ml decant is minimal. Some firms only sell one size, while others only offer the other. 3 mL may be used for up to 36 applications.
- Dior Sauvage is available as a 3 ml spray decant for about $11.00 as a spray.
Decants of 5 mL (1/6 oz)
One teaspoon is equal to a 5ml decant. This may not seem like much, but it may result in up to 60 applications.
- Dior Sauvage is available as a spray in a 5 ml decant for about $15.00.
Decants: 8 mL (1/4 ounce)
An 8 ml decant is the equal of a quarter ounce and may provide 96 applications.
- Dior Sauvage is available as a spray in an 8 ml decant for about $22.00.
Decants of 15 mL (1/2 oz)
A 15 ml decant is the equal of half an ounce and may be used 180 times.
- Dior Sauvage costs about $43.00 for a 15 ml spray decant.
Decants (30 ml/1 ounce)
A 30 ml decant is the equal of an ounce and may be used 360 times.
- Dior Sauvage costs about $80.00 for a 30 ml spray decant. In this case, I’d save up another $20 and get a 60 ml (3.4 oz) manufacturer’s sealed bottle.
Table of common Sizes of decanters and applications from each
| Size (ml) | a vial (max applications) | squirt (max applications) |
| 1 | 3 | n/a |
| 1.5 | 5 | n/a |
| 2.5 | 8 | 30 |
| 3 | 10 | 36 |
| 5 | n/a | 60 |
| 8 | n/a | 96 |
| 15 | n/a | 180 |
| 30 | n/a | 360 |
When should you purchase decants and when should you avoid them?
It’s a good idea to get a decant of a really costly niche fragrance before purchasing it to make sure you enjoy the way it smells on your skin.
For example, 50 ml of Creed Aventus costs $325, which is a lot of money to spend on a scent you may not like.
A 5 ml decant of Aventus, on the other hand, costs about $55. This may seem to be a large sum of money, but you will gain access to 60 apps. It will last a month if you use it twice a day, and it will cost you less than a cup of coffee every day.
When it comes to lower-cost scents, you may discover that a complete sealed bottle costs less than a decant. Always compare the price of a decant to the price of a tiny bottle per milliliter.
Choosing a vendor of fragrance decant
Decants may be purchased in a variety of methods on the internet. The primary three are as follows:
Amazon’s decanters
Amazon has a plethora of aroma decants for sale. Examine their reviews before making a purchase. Also, compare the one you’ve picked to others to be sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
The benefit of purchasing via Amazon is that you are protected if you have any actual issues with the seller or product quality.
Decants purchased on eBay
On ebay, there are a plethora of decants to choose from. Some come from internet stores, while others are sold privately. Again, don’t make a hasty decision. Examine the seller’s feedback and compare pricing.
If you have any problems, eBay is excellent at settling disputes and tends to favor the buyer.
Online retailers’ decanters
The greatest place to find the cheapest decants is on the internet. They have the ability to purchase the biggest bottles at the greatest costs, thus their decants should be the best value. Of course, this isn’t always the case, so search around for the greatest deal and read user reviews whenever possible.
Decants aren’t simply for sniffing perfumes.
Decants are more than simply an opportunity to try out a new scent. They also provide a less costly alternative to purchasing an expensive scent. If you can’t buy the full bottle, a decant is a good compromise. They aren’t always the most cost-effective option.
Decants are a great way to get a variety of various smells without spending a lot of money. The added benefit is that you won’t have to worry about perfumes going bad before you’ve used them all.
Decants allow you to wear a different scent every month, or even every week if you so want.
You may make your own perfumes by decanting them.
You may purchase a scent, decant some for yourself, and then sell the remainder as decants if you enjoy it but can’t afford the full bottle.
If you choose the appropriate size, you may be able to possess a substantial quantity for free!
Here’s an illustration of how the cost of a scent drops when you purchase more bottles. I chose Creed Aventus and utilized their website’s current pricing. Of course, these are subject to change.
| Size of the bottle (ml) | Price | Price per ten milliliters |
| 50 | $325 | $65.00 |
| 100 | $435 | $43.50 |
| 250 | $670 | $26.80 |
| 500 | $1055 | $21.10 |
| 1000 | $1600 | $16.00 |
If you thought you’d have to pay $1600 up front, here’s how you can keep 250 mL for yourself and sell the rest to recuperate your investment.
- Pour 200 mL into a clean screw-top bottle.
- To recuperate your $1600, split the remaining 800 ml into 8 bottles of 100 ml and sell for $200 plus postage and packing.
On Amazon, you may get a variety of empty bottles to decant fragrance into. These glass spray atomizers with a capacity of 100 mL are suitable.
You might opt to decant little amounts, but this is clearly more difficult to market.
Any scent will work with the approach above; just be sure to check how well it sells when decanted first.
What Are Fragrance Decants and How Do They Work? – Final thoughts
Decants are much more than simply a technique for retailers to give out perfume samples. You may purchase them if you can’t afford a whole bottle, take little quantities of your favorite scent everywhere you go or on vacation, and even split a bottle of cologne with pals.
Fragrance decants are small, often clear glass jars that have been filled with the fragrance of a perfume. They come in many sizes and can be purchased at department stores or online. Reference: perfume decant business.
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