Short answer: Akbari does not sell samples or a discovery set at the moment, but you have three working alternatives. You can test every fragrance on skin in our five shops, start with NIMPH, our smallest bottle at 15 ml for 28 EUR, or use the second-bottle-at-half-price rule to compare two scents at home for less. This guide explains why a sample matters, how to test a perfume properly, what a tester actually is versus a sample vial, and how to choose online even without a sample at hand.
Why a Sample Matters When Choosing a Perfume
A perfume never smells the same on paper, in the bottle and on your skin. Skin chemistry, meaning its pH, temperature and natural oils, changes exactly how the notes unfold. That is why a real test has three stages: top notes in the first minutes, heart after about 20 to 30 minutes, and base, which you only feel fully after 1 to 3 hours. The base carries the character and the lasting power of a fragrance, and neither shows up in an online description nor in the first spray. If you decide from the first impression on paper alone, you risk buying a scent whose base you do not actually like. That is why Akbari always recommends testing on skin, not only on a paper strip, before you decide.
How to Test a Perfume Properly
Start with a paper strip: it gives you a quick read of the top notes without involving your skin. If you like it, spray it on your wrist or the crook of your elbow, never behind the ears on a first test, and wait. Do not rub your wrists together: the friction warms the skin and breaks down the top layer of notes before it has unfolded. Test no more than three fragrances in one visit, because your nose tires quickly and after the third you stop telling the difference. Smell it right away, then after 15 to 20 minutes, and finally after an hour or more, once the heart has moved into the base. If you can, step outside for a few minutes between two scents: fresh air restores your nose's ability to tell nuances apart.
Tester and Sample: Two Different Things in Perfumery
In the trade, a tester is the bottle used for trying a fragrance in the shop, the same concentration as the bottle sold, without retail packaging, meant to be used by many customers on the spot. A sample is different: a small vial, usually 1 to 2 ml, that a customer takes home to test the scent at different times and conditions. Right now Akbari does not offer take-home samples, nor a discovery set of several small vials to try. What we do have is a tester of every fragrance in all five shops, and the smallest full bottle in the catalogue to start with at home.
How to Choose a Perfume Online Without a Sample at Hand
When you order without testing first, the safest guide is the notes pyramid on every product page: top, heart and base. Read it from the bottom up, because the base determines what you will notice after the first hour. Start from a family you already like: if you enjoy citrus notes, stay with fresh, fruity fragrances, and if you like vanilla and amber, look at the orientals. Our notes guide explains what each note means in practice. It also helps to know the concentration of the fragrance you are comparing: we explain the difference between perfume oil, extract and classic perfume in a separate guide. If you are still unsure, the safest starting point is Akbari's bestsellers, fragrances most customers have already liked and bought again.
‘Do You Have Perfume Samples?’ Akbari's Honest Answer
No, we do not currently have take-home samples, nor a discovery set of small vials. That is the honest answer, and we would rather say it plainly than promise something we do not offer. Instead of a sample you have three real options. First, a tester of every fragrance in our five shops: Paradise Center, Serdika Center and The Mall in Sofia, the shop at 53 Bulgaria Blvd in Sofia, and Plovdiv Plaza in Plovdiv, with addresses on our contact page. Second, NIMPH, our smallest bottle, 15 ml for 28 EUR, enough to experience a fragrance at home without committing to a full 80 ml bottle. Third, the second 50 or 80 ml bottle in your cart is 50% off, which makes trying a second scent the cheapest way to compare two choices at home.
Why You Cannot Return an Opened Bottle, and Why Testing Matters
Online orders at Akbari can be returned within 30 days, but only with the packaging intact. In practice this means an opened and used bottle cannot be returned, because the packaging is no longer whole. That is exactly why testing before you buy matters, it is not a formality. If you have tried the fragrance on skin in one of our shops and are sure of your choice, ordering online is a safe next step. If you are not sure, it is better to choose NIMPH in the smaller 15 ml size or visit a shop, rather than rely only on a description and a photo. This honesty saves us returns, and it saves you the disappointment of a fragrance that is not what you expected.
The Safest First Choice by Fragrance Family
If you are choosing for the first time and want a safe bet, start from Akbari's bestsellers in each family. Among the woody scents, AMBER MARINE and BALUCHI WOOD are easy to wear, with amber, musk and cedar in the base, while SANTE adds freshness with bergamot and sea notes. Among the fruity scents, AQUA DI DUBAI pairs neroli and lime with amber and leather in the base, while GEYSHA is a sweeter choice with pear and musk. Among the orientals, BADAWI is a gourmand with vanilla orchid and brown sugar, while ALWAYS YOU adds chocolate and caramel over amber. For a sweeter, richer taste, BLERTA and POKER FACE are a safe choice among the bestsellers. Our guide to choosing an oriental perfume covers this most searched category in more detail.
Questions and answers
- Does Akbari sell perfume samples?
- No, Akbari does not currently offer take-home samples or a discovery set. You can test every fragrance on skin in our five shops, and the smallest full bottle is NIMPH, 15 ml for 28 EUR.
- What is a discovery set, and does Akbari offer one?
- A discovery set is a kit of small vials with different fragrances to try at home. Akbari does not offer one at the moment. The alternative is testing on skin in a shop or starting with the smaller NIMPH, 15 ml.
- Where can I test perfume testers before I buy?
- In all five Akbari shops: Paradise Center, Serdika Center and The Mall in Sofia, 53 Bulgaria Blvd in Sofia, and Plovdiv Plaza in Plovdiv. Addresses are on our contact page.
- Can I return a perfume I do not like on my skin?
- Yes, within 30 days, but only with the packaging fully intact. An opened and used bottle cannot be returned, so we recommend testing on skin in a shop or trying the small NIMPH bottle before ordering full size.