Want to try that $300 perfume before you buy?

Not to date myself, but I remember when Manolo Blahniks cost less than $400—and back then even that was expensive for a pair of shoes. These days, the most coveted soles will set us back $1,000 or more, and we can all agree that this is NOT due to inflation. The same thing has happened with perfume, and I’m not even fazed by a $300+ price tag anymore. WTF?

Always one to (at least try to) find a work-around, there are a few ways to get your hands on super-expensive scents without breaking the bank. Option #1: Ask for samples at the store. (For the record, Tom Ford gives nice-sized samples you can transfer to an atomizer.) Option #2: Scent Split.

My bestie just sent me a link to this site, and I’m beyond impressed by the brands they offer. Featuring By Kilian, Byredo, Histoires de Parfums and the like, these are high-end fragrance houses with relatively limited distribution, so it can be hard to get a whiff unless you live in a major city. These perfumes are also very pricy, so plunking down the cash for a full-size can be a bitter pill to swallow—especially if you’re not 100% sure you’re going to love it for the long-term.

But with Scent Split, you can get 1 mL, 5 mL or 10 mL of any of their offerings—and the prices start at just $3.99. I can’t think of a better way to test-drive a scent for a while and get feedback from others before pulling the full-size trigger. My only problem is I want to try so many, it will probably add up to $300!