Do you buy fragrance at The Perfume Shop? Be honest, do you really explore fragrance there or do you just nip in and out to pick up a gift set or a repeat purchase of a fragrance that you know and love? I have to admit that that The Perfume Shop was not my first stop for perfum. Why? Because I felt like the staff did not have sufficient knowledge to talk to me about notes and fragrances. An experience from about three years ago sums up what I thought The Perfume Shop was all about.
I went into a south London store and asked for a tuberose fragrance. The woman looked at me liked I had asked for directions to Hornsey (in north London). Rabbit caught in the headlights. She just did not know what tuberose was let alone which fragrances featured that note. I left the store disappointed
Fast forward to now and there have been a lot of changes at The Perfume Shop. In honor of their 25th anniversary, here are 25 facts about The Perfume Shop.
- The Perfume Shop is 25 years old – the first store opened in 1992.
- There are 260 stores across the UK.
- Superdrug has been home some The Perfume Shop concessions since 2010.
- It’s not all celebrity and high street fragrances. They sell Cartier, Ellie Saab Tom Ford and Hermes online and in stores.
- The 25th Anniversary Fragrance for Women is Ghost Whitelight Diamond Dust which is exclusive to The Perfume Shop.
Ghost Gold Dust - The Perfume Shop are working exclusively with internationally renowned nose Michael Edwards. Why is that a big deal? Michael Edwards is he author of ‘Fragrances around the World’ the retailers ‘bible’ of fragrance.
- Each The Perfume Shop store has access to Ipads which are loaded with information about perfumes, the notes they contain and fragrances that you may like based on their notes.
- The Perfume Shop also works with the Fragrance Foundation who train their staff
Michael Edwards Fragrance Finder - Each The Perfume Shop has at least one member of staff who has worked with a master perfumer and is qualified to Master’s level in fragrance.
- As well as perfumes, they also sell candles and reed diffusers (best to look online).
- You can get your perfume bottle engraved (online only) from £5.99.
- They also sell deodorants – mainly men’s buy if you are looking to create a grooming hamper for your man, it is good to know.
- The first The Perfume Shop store was in the Bullring in Birmingham.
- They also sell skincare, B (Superdrug’s flagship range, I also saw Elemis – Papaya Enzyme Peel, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum and Face Cream as well as Clinique, Elizabeth Arden and Cow Shed, none of which are available in Superdrug.
- The most expensive perfume that they sell (currently) is £168.00.
- They also sell cosmetics – there was some NARS and Smashbox on special offer when I went online as well as W7 which I have seen instore as well as online.
- An online search will bring up zero fragrances for tuberose despite the fact that they sell Estee Lauder Beautiful and Michael by Michael Kors both of which feature tuberose strongly.
- They also sell nail varnish – Butter London and Nails Inc neither of which are sold in Superdrug stores.
- The Perfume Shop sells over 200 different fragrance brands.
- The Loyalty Card gives you a point per pound spent… so if you buy a candle some skincare and makeup you will have built up a tidy amount of points.
Loyalty Card - With The Perfume Shop’s Click and Collect Service, you can order an item in your lunch hour and pick it up on your way home from work – they have a two hour turn around (on most fragrances).
- The online Fragrance Finder can help you navigate fragrance notes before you go to the store or make and online order.
- The Perfume Shop has a giftwrapping service. Very handy!
- Fresh fragrances are the most popular in the UK.
- Perfume trend to look out for ‘gender free’ or ‘gender neutral’ fragrances like CKOne and lateist iteration CKAll – both available at The Perfume Shop.
Fresh Fragrances – CKAll and Armani Code
The Perfume Shop has changed and very much for the better. I’m impressed by both the range of fragrances and the increased knowledge of the staff. If like me you have dismissed this retailer previously they are worth a second look..
Read more of my fragrance reviews here and here. Follow me on Instagram for more beaauty news and reviews.