How to Shop Duty-Free Perfume like a Pro

Without Losing Your Mind (or sense of smell!)

For many fragrance lovers (myself very much included) browsing the Duty-Free perfume counters is one of the true highlights of travel. Oh my! The glittering shelves, the promise of exclusives, and the pulse-pulsating thrill of discovering a new perfume love can make my heart race – sometimes rather too much. If you have ever left a Duty-Free shop with a handful of mystery blotters, a slightly dizzy head, and a sense of missed opportunity, please know that you’re not alone.

But don’t fret, I’ve figured it out. After a mere fifteen years of writing about fragrance and becoming a fragrance expert, I know what I’m doing now, and I’m going to share with you my top tips and failsafe ways to ensure you perfume shop at Duty-Free like a flippin’ pro.

It's taken me many years and a great deal of self-restraint, but I’ve finally cracked the fragrant formula of being able to efficiently browse a Duty-Free area in double-quick time. I like to imagine myself as some sort of olfactory Robocop scanning the shelves, eliminating the no-ways and zooming in on the must-sniffs; but yes – still feeling that thrill of finding a new love or brilliant bargain.

Because that’s important, too. We want (I DEMAND) that joyful bag-swinging moment!

So, here are my top tips to help you navigate the world of airport scents, allowing you can enjoy every moment – and molecule – without ever becoming overwhelmed.

[PLUS, in my next Substack post, I’m going to list and review some of my all-time favourite classics, which you can pretty much always find in airport shops, though often relegated to dusty far corners or neglected bottom shelves. So do consider signing up to subscribe if you’d fancy having a read of that...]

Okay, let’s say we’ve made it through the buttock-clenching hell of the security queue, our bags are checked, and we can finally race toward the beguiling scent of perfumed possibilities while waving wads of our hard-saved cash. But stop!

Before you douse yourself in the nearest bling-ed out bottle or NEW NEW NEW signposted scent, recognise that airports are one of those weird ‘liminal spaces’ where the rules of everyday life fly out the window (and all common sense can similarly leave our head).

Suddenly, cash feels like Monopoly money, and ooooh yes why not have that glass of wine (or four) at 7am, then eat an over-priced, ill-judged meal choice and spritz yourself head to foot in something you’ve never smelled before, then get locked in an air-tight container for several hours with hundreds of strangers?

Well, there are several reasons to avoid all those things, as I’m sure you will agree if you’ve ever done any of them (I have. All the above) or had the misfortune to discover your travelling companion is, when freed from the shackles of work or home-life, a disturbingly loose cannon.

Bridesmaids movie: “Help me, I’m poor!”

Oh, blimey this all sounds rather boner-killing so far, and I don’t mean it to. As I say, I still want you to have that piggy-bank-breaking rush of adrenaline. Just that following these tips will help guide that moment to very best fragrance for you...

Do Your Research Before You Fly

• Check for Exclusives: Airports often carry Duty-Free exclusives or special edition fragrances you won’t find elsewhere. Before my trip, I take a few minutes to search online for the airport’s perfume offerings, lest I become bedazzled when faced with rows of temptations and not enough time. Many airport websites list their current brands and exclusive deals.

• Compare Prices: Sometimes, Duty-Free isn’t always the cheapest option. A quick Google search on my phone before I step inside can help me spot the best deals and avoid impulse buys I might regret.

Bring Your Own Blotters

• Be Prepared: It’s surprisingly common for busy Duty-Free shops to run out of blotters (the little white test strips for spraying perfume). I highly recommend buying a small pack of blotters online and keeping them in my travel bag.

• Stay Organised: When I spray a scent on a blotter, I TRY to immediately write the name of the perfume, the brand, and the price on the strip. Trust me – after a flurry of sampling, all those anonymous scent strips will blur together, and you will never, ever remember which one was the showstopper. (Seriously. I have lost count of the times this has happened to me, not only in Duty-Free, but large department stores, too. These are always the best-smelling scents which haunt your dreams for eternity, and you will drive yourself demented attempting to track them down again. Just BLOODY WELL BRING A PEN. And USE it!)

Sample Smartly: Less is More

• Start with Blotters: I always begin by spraying fragrances on blotters. I take my time, and don’t rush. Once I’ve narrowed it down, I choose no more than four fragrances to try on my skin.

• One Spray Only: I resist the urge to douse myself! I apply just one spray of each scent to a different patch of skin. Remember, what smells divine at first may change dramatically after a few hours (and you, plus your fellow passengers, will thank me for not overdoing it just before a long flight).

Avoid ‘Nose Blindness’

• Reset Your Senses: If your nose starts to feel overwhelmed, don’t tempted by those dusty little dishes of coffee beans. Contrary to popular myth, sniffing coffee beans does not ‘reset’ your nose – it just adds another strong scent to the mix. Instead, I use the perfumer’s trick: sniff my own jacket, scarf, or sleeve (provided it’s not already perfumed). The neutral scent helps your nose recover.

Step Away and Let Scents Develop

• Take a Break: After sampling, I step out of the Duty-Free area if I can. The air in those shops is thick with fragrance, which can confuse my senses. I find a quiet spot – perhaps a coffee shop or lounge – and give my chosen scents at least half an hour to settle and develop on my skin.

• Revisit Thoughtfully: I smell each fragrance again, one at a time. I often find my nose keeps returning to one above the others – that’s my winner.

Don’t Feel Pressured to Buy Immediately

• Check Availability: If I fall in love with a scent, I don’t feel I must buy it right then and there. It may be available at my destination airport or even online. I take a photo of the bottle and my blotter for reference.

• Consider Sets: If I’m still craving a Duty-Free treat, I consider a bottle of a beloved fragrant fave, or a set of matching body products. Airports often stock exclusive gift sets that are hard to find elsewhere, making for a ‘safe’ yet still-special purchase.

Rediscover Old Favourites

• Give Classics a Chance: I never overlook the classics that sometimes get lost among the latest launches. If a fragrance has stood the test of time, chances are there’s a good reason. Our tastes change over the years, so you might just fall in love with a scent you once passed by. [More on this anon…]

Travelling and fragrance shopping should be a joy, not a headache. With a little preparation and some (okay, a lot of) patience, you can turn Duty-Free into a perfumed playground – one that leaves you with happy memories (and perhaps a new signature scent for that holiday – and beyond) rather than a muddle of mystery strips and the always longest-lasting whiff of regret.

Until next time and Part Two (when I shall return with my must-sniff guide to fragrances you can find in pretty much every airport, but are hidden gems at often super-thrifty prices) I wish you happy sniffing and safe travels!

Love Suzy x