This Company Is Making Scent Shopping Cool

The most dreaded aspect of beauty browsing is, of course, the perfume-wielding sales associate who always seems hell-bent on ensuring that you emerge from your shopping experience fully coated in the eaux of the moment. Jason Fried, Sid Shah, and Anne McClain of indie-fragrance retailer Bergamot aren't exactly sure how searching for a signature scent became such an unpleasant experience, but they decided it was time to revolutionize the task and transform scent sampling back into the luxurious, transporting experience it was meant to be. After all, fragrance is intended to delight and inspire our senses — not knock us over the head and leave us with a giant migraine.

The problem here is twofold: It's difficult to sample multiple scents at once and truly experience the separate notes. Plus, commercial perfumes have become so complicated with chemical-y components that our noses just end up being overwhelmed. To address both of these issues, the founders of Bergamot came up with a fresh concept: Individuals can sign up to receive samples of three perfumes every month from three different independent fragrance houses. This, the founders explain, allows the customer to sample the trio of scents slowly and separately. If you love one of the perfumes, you can purchase the full size — and then Bergamot will provide your next month's sampling service free.

But, the folks behind Bergamot won't stop at simply delighting your senses. The company also has the goal of informing customers about the ingredients and inspiration behind the fragrances it features with its Journal, which includes interviews with perfumers alongside profiles on popular components. So, if you'd like a side of scent expertise along with your next signature fragrance, head on over and sign up — you'll be on your way to perfume mastery in no time.

Bergamot Fragrance Subscription Service, $20 per month, available at Bergamot.