It’s the season of giving and buying. This time of year, finding a good gift set can not only make shopping more convenient, but also potentially cheaper. Finding a good bargain on an even better gift set can be the best feeling this holiday season, but it’s not as easy as picking up the first set you see in a store. There are many factors to consider when deciding if a gift set is “worth it.”
A great holiday gift are fragrance gift sets, and each year Sephora and Ulta Beauty release a signature set.
Every year, Sephora releases a Sephora Favorites Perfume Sampler Set. In this set, there are 10 sample size perfumes ranging in scent profile. In addition, the set includes a “scent certificate” to redeem your favorite perfume in a full size bottle at no additional cost. This set costs $85, which is something to keep in mind while evaluating this set.
Here are the sizes of each sample, what the sample is worth and what the full-size bottle costs if you chose to use the gift certificate on that perfume.
- A .05 ounce sample of Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau de Toilette is worth $2.85. The full size bottle costs $92.
- A .05 ounce sample of Ellis Brooklyn Bee Eau de Parfum is worth $5. The full size bottle is worth only $5.70.
- A .057 oz sample of Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume Eau de Parfum is worth $2.43. The full size bottle costs $145.
- A .04 sample of Maison Margiela Replica On A Date Eau De Toilette is worth $3.40. The full size bottle is worth $85.
- A .04 ounce sample of Marc Jacobs Fragrances Perfect Eau De Toilette is worth $3.04. The full size bottle costs $76.
- A .04 ounce sample of Mugler Alien Goddess is worth $3.56. The full size bottle is worth $89.
- A .05 ounce sample of Paco Rabanne Fame Eau de Parfum is worth $3.35. The full size bottle costs $114.
- A .06 ounce sample of PHLUR Somebody Wood Eau de Parfum is worth $3.39. The full size bottle is worth approximately $56.
- A .06 ounce sample of The 7 Virtues Santal de Parfum is worth $3.40. The full size bottle costs $88.
- A .04 ounce sample of Valentino Donna BIR Coral Fantasy is worth $3.40. The full size bottle costs $85.
With a whopping ten perfumes and a code to redeem a full size bottle, this set seems to be worth the investment. The ten sample size perfumes total approximately .5 fluid ounces and tally up to being worth just over $33. Coupling that with a certificate to redeem a bottle, it would be easy to cash in over the $85 Sephora is charging for this gift set.
To optimize this gift set’s value, the Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume Eau de Parfum or the Paco Rabanne Fame Eau de Parfum are the best choices for redeeming full size bottles. However, I would recommend avoiding using the gift certificate on the Ellis Brooklyn Bee Eau de Parfum as the full size is not much larger than the sample size, making them less valuable.
Like Sephora, Ulta Beauty also releases a fragrance gift set during the holiday season. Ulta’s Dazzling Scents of the Season certainly rivals Sephora’s Favorites, including 14 sample size fragrances, an atomizer (an empty bottle you can fill with your favorite perfume) and a $15 certificate that can be redeemed off any $50 or more fragrance purchase of the featured brands in this box. This set retails for only $35.
Here are the sizes of each sample and what the sample is worth.
- A .04 ounce sample of Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Lumiere Eau de Toilette is worth $3.04.
- A .04 ounce sample of Armani Acqua di Gioia Eau de Parfum is worth $2.72.
- A .05 ounce sample of Eilish Eau de Parfum from Billie Eilish is worth $2.60.
- A .05 ounce sample of Q by Dolce&Gabbana Eau de Parfum is worth $4.25.
- A .05 ounce sample of God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande Eau de Parfum is worth $2.25.
- A .04 ounce sample of Valentino Donna Born In Roma Coral Fantasy Eau de Parfum is worth $3.40.
- A .05 ounce sample of Good Girl Eau de Parfum by Carolina Hererra is worth $4.15.
- A .07 ounce sample of Charli D’Amelio Born Dreamer Eau de Toilette is worth $1.98
- A .04 ounce sample of Paradoxe by Prada Eau de Parfum is worth $3.80.
- A .06 ounce sample of Viva La Juicy Sucré by Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum is worth $3.28.
- A .04 ounce bottle of Ralph Lauren Romance Eau de Parfum is worth $2.52.
- A .05 ounce sample of Clinique Happy Eau de Parfum Spray is worth $2.70.
- A .06 ounce sample of I Want Choo by Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum is worth $3.46.
- The final perfume is a .05 ounce sample of Gucci Guilty Pour Femme Eau de Toilette is worth $5.
With 17 perfumes, a $15 gift certificate and a travel size bottle, this gift set seems easily worth its price of $35. All together, the set included .69 ounces of fragrance, being worth just over $45. For the samples alone, this set is monetarily worth the price tag.
However, if a person is going to use the gift certificate included, there is a minimum $35 purchase involved, which is certainly an important consideration to consider when gifting this set.
This gift set is a great option and offers a plethora of samples at an affordable price. While the samples may be from less luxurious brands, Ulta’s gift set offers the chance to sample new and exciting brands, like from Billie Eilish and Charlie D’Amelio. With such a large selection, there is sure to be at least one favorable sample for any perfume lover.
So, is Sephora Favorites or Ulta’s Dazzling Scents the better gift set?
With Sephora’s set, you spend $85 up front, receive $33 in perfume samples and have the opportunity to redeem a full size bottle of perfume ranging from $5 to $145. Further, this gift set certainly contains more prestige brands, giving the gift of luxury this holiday season.
With Ulta’s set, you spend $35 up front, receive $45 worth of perfume, but to cash in on the gift certificate, someone must spend at least another $35 dollars. In total, this would equate to spending $70.
Ultimately, which one you pick comes down to preference. Are you buying this set to sample as many new perfumes as possible, or is this gift set being used as a way to redeem a perfume? If you are looking for more samples, the Ulta Dazzling Scents is the more valuable way to go as you receive more samples that equate to being worth more. If the purpose of this set is to gift someone an experience of sampling, I recommend buying from Ulta. On the other hand, if you are using this gift set to provide access to a full size bottle of perfume, Sephora’s Favorites is the better choice. While there are fewer samples, Sephora’s set offers a better deal for redeeming a new perfume.
Both of these sets are worthy gift options, especially considering the fact they are constantly selling out. If you are one of the lucky ones who can get your hands on either one, you have found the perfect gift.