The Perfume Shoppe

Naz is awesome and will happily help you choose something unique and dazzling. Lots of samples and she carries such an awesome selection of niche brands. Much better than typical department store array, and more interesting and exclusive than Holt’s. Always go a couple times a year to find something unique and signature. Can’t recommend enough.

A little while ago I stumbled upon the coolest little store in Vancouver. There are a lot of cool stores in Vancouver, but in my opinion this one takes the cake.
You won’t find any drug store or department store fragrances here, only high end stuff, most of which I’d never heard of before. Naz, the lady who runs the shop is awesome. She sits you down and talks to you, asks you what you like, then selects a few fragrances that she thinks would suit you. You smell them, then take a sniff of the coffee beans, then try another until you’ve found what you’re looking for. I just wanted to smell everything!
No pressure tactics, or pushing whatever happens to be new, just an old fashioned fragrance boutique run by somebody who knows the business.
Cool!

It a great store and I like a lot because same perfumes I did not see before and the prices were cheaper than other stores

Omg, this is the most amazing customer service ever, my husband place an online order for the wrong item so I called right away and what a delightful lady on the phone, I am guessing it was the owner, she was extremely nice and so polite on the phone, she changed the order with no problem and explained the difference on the two items. So sweet. I will keep buying from this shop.

Naz has A Nose.
Oh, boy, does she have A Nose! And I’m not talking about the physical protuburance on her face – although she obviously has one of those, as well. No, I’m talking about her ability to parse out the intricate elements of complex fragrances, selecting just the right perfumers and mixes that will suit not only your personal chemistry, but also your personality and your life.
Having spent a few days in Vancouver and tiring of smelling like hotel soap, I spent close to an hour in The Perfume Shoppe, sniffing, sampling, discussing, and drilling down to a few winners that were just, well, ME!
True, it’s not a place to go if you’re looking for a bargain. But it absolutely IS a place to go if you’re looking for something that is so original, it smells as if it must have been bespoke… as if the perfumer made the scent just for you. Plus, the fragrances are so chockful of oils that just a tiny spritz will last all day… and your purchase will last for ages.
The shop is about a 5-​minute walk from the convention center, and maybe a 3-​minute walk from the cruise ship docks. It’s tucked into a somewhat deserted-​seeming shopping alcove, in a building that spans between Hastings and Cordova streets (you can enter from either street). If you’re in town for either business or pleasure and you’re looking for a little pick-​me-​up that will last long after your passport stamp has faded, hie thee to Naz’s and prepare to be olfactorily stunned. One of the most delightful finds in all of Vancouver, to be sure!

Very tempting 5 star… after my experience here with the owner Naz, I may not shop at those Bay counters other than for work lol.
here, it is all no name brands from a designer perspective so no Versace but from a Master Perfumist – now that’s a profession in Europe – , they’re quite well known.
using the best ingredients… Now I’m really scared with the collection I have at home, all those chemicals…
so afterwards, when not busy, she sprayed about 5 samples, so classy on two fronts:
–wrote the name of each cologne
–and coffee beams in a cognac glass — sweet!
Knows you are being looked after when she askes what I liked. At Sephora, probably been asked that only once as staff there will push what they like.
but in all seriousness, she’s the one that has to like the smell lol
amex good.

I made an account just so I could write a review on Unilocal.
Nazrine — whose name I only found after reading other reviews — was truly helpful and understanding. I went in with the intention of wanting to get my mother a birthday present, but no idea of what exactly I wanted; immediately, Nazrine said that she could help me by picking out scents based off of a description of my mother’s personality and picture. Between that, she also helped me find a few, myself; and after purchasing one for my mother, offered a sample for her to test out first, so if she didn’t like it, she could always return it. It was incredibly thoughtful of her, really.
Also, I had a huge problem with trying to use my debit card; ranging from a declined transaction to even a failure to withdraw cash from the nearby ATM! The whole ordeal took an embarrassingly long time, including a phone to TD that did not help at all. In the end, we managed to work our way around it, and she was extremely amiable about it throughout.
I definitely recommend checking The Perfume Shoppe out — Nazrine is absolutely wonderful to work with, and definitely knows what she’s doing.

So, did you know that American’s can’t ship perfume to Canadians? I didn’t! But fear not because there is an AWESOME place in Canada that ships!
I wanted to get my friend an assortment of perfume testers. She’s had an unreasonable obsession with one type of perfume for ever. She claims, most perfumes on her, after about 20 minutes, smell like pickles (you can’t make this up).
So, I decided, I would buy 3, 5-​bottle samplers for her from The Perfume Shoppe. I don’t know much about perfume, other than I like how it smells! So, I put in my order, and I tell them my story and said if you have stuff that might be closer to her favorite brand, feel free to substitute out my choices.
I get a great e-​mail saying, «Hey! Rather than just send 15 random sprayers, I put in some items that I think are close to the brand she likes.»
*Awesome*
Her text to me today, «You are a present buying GENIUS.» «Like, every one of these is extremely lovely, and so far, not a single pickle in the batch.»
Thank you Perfume Shoppe, Naz, you’re amazing.

Naz was amazing. I would return to the store purely because i loved her that much.
I was brought to the store to help a friend find a cologne, as i don’t usually wear perfume. However, it was impossible not to get in on the fun once Naz began choosing scents she thought would suit our needs… And man does she do it well!
I would recommend the perfume shoppe to perfume/​cologne lovers and especially to those who have yet to dip their toes in the perfume pool.

a perfume boutique that carries niche brands where you can get sampler at affordable price instead of being stuck on buying a whole bottle which you may or may not like.
the good thing is its one of the few that is canadian based so shipping/​delivery is fast and not having to pay custom/​duty which makes it better for your wallet!
if only they’d open a boutique in montreal, i’d never leave the place!
highly recommended for perfume lovers and those who are looking at a signature scent that would be uniquely them

In my eyes, the only «real», dedicated perfume store in Vancouver. The rest are all either perfume counters at department stores or discount outlets selling mass-​market scents.
A number of excellent perfume lines are sold here, hard to find in Canada: Serge Lutens, Amouage, Parfumerie Generale, Comme des Garcons, Parfum d’Empire, etc. It’s definitely a perfume store for people into perfume.
As a tip: if you can’t find something, ask. Naz, who runs the place, is very friendly and helpful and may have it hidden away somewhere or be able to suggest a good and/​or better alternative.

Wow!
My mother and I are Vancouver on vacation, and being a perfume lover, I looked online and followed the reviews to The Perfume Shoppe – what a wonderful experience! The lady who runs the shop, Nazrine, clearly loves what she does, which is matching perfumes to people. None of what she chose for me were scents I would chose for myself, but they were all gorgeous. She matches skin tone, the general feeling she gets from the person, and the scents they gravitate towards and chooses a selection for the person to sniff, then as the scents get narrowed down, she has you try them on and sees how they do with your skin. She gives you time to sit with each scent, so there is no pressure to choose rapidly. I could see coming up here just for this shop. It is also nice that she gives her honest opinions about what she thinks will work for you – she isn’t just trying to please you by choosing what you think you like, but something that really fits, going «outside of your comfort zone» as she kept saying to me about the fragrances she was selecting. Highly recommended!

I went with my sister to get some nice fragrances. The owners we’re smart and concerned enough to give us the time to check out lots of the perfumes they had in store. After a while I gave up trying to pick a fragrance for my gf, but the owner didn’t. He finally gave me the perfect one matching my description of what she liked, using his «fragrance palette». Awesome service and care. They have a great variety of oil based perfumes, as opposed to the designer ones which are chemical based most of the times, as we were explained. I got my stuff and learned in the way. Couldn’t have done that at The Bay.

I just had the most wonderful experience! Naz spent afew minutes getting to know me and then went to work! Within minutes she had identified several perfume options for me. She was able to find the perfect notes that I was unable to describe but SHE JUST KNEW what would work on me. Perfume #1 was the winner and I am thouroughly delighted with my purchase. I love the fragrance I am now wearing and can’t believe it was so easy. But Naz made it easy as she is a true professional and truly loves what she does. This shop is an absolute treasure!

Completely agree with all other 5-​star reviews here. The fragrances Naz brings in are unique and beautiful, and Naz herself is the soul of graciousness. If you’re looking for typical, over-​the-​counter, famous-​name fragrances, then don’t go to the Perfume Shoppe — this store is far more interesting than that. I just bought a lovely little selection of fragrances from her from Mona Di Orio (to add to the collection of about 5 other fragrances, all from Montale, I have via Naz at home — just what I need, more fragrance!!) An interesting little side note: Naz grew up in Zanzibar, where her father ran some kind of gift/​fragrance shop. As a little girl, Naz remembers remember Arabs coming into the store to bring her father their oils from Saudi Arabia. (This has always struck me as very romantic.)

After dealing with a particularly bad perfume store in Seattle, I had to review The Perfume Shoppe to point out what a gem we have here in Vancouver. I’ve bought some expensive bottles from Nazrin over the years, but have never regretted it. She takes the time to learn what you like — what notes, not what brands — and recommends a fair number of scents to sniff, first on paper, then on your arm if you think it’s a possibility. She lets you browse, and take your time — it’s not a high-​pressure sale. She has a lot of good niche brands — more selective than what you’ll find at Holt’s, and more focused on quality than a flashy brand. She has good sense and a great nose. And you always work with her — I’ve never seen anyone else working in the store. Yes, I’ve come out having spent more than I intended going in, but I’ve never had buyer’s remorse. If only I could say the same for the store in Seattle, which strangely has a proprietor with the same name (different spelling).

My son and his fiancée travelled to Europe a few years ago, including Paris in their trip. They returned after several weeks in France and Spain, bringing me a lovely gift of Pierre Montale perfume from Paris. As I’ve used this lovely scent and had to purchase more, I recently found a location closer than Paris for me… The Perfume Shoppe right here in Vancouver!
Just a few weeks ago, I gave myself the gift of visiting The Perfume Shoppe to select another Montale perfume that I’d sampled and loved. I was certain I knew just what I wanted, but after reading Sam’s review, I decided to ask Naz to pick out a scent for me. We spoke for awhile, smelled numerous samples, and tried several scents on my skin. I eventually purchased Montale’s Aoud Damask, a lovely scent that has me walking on cloud nine each time I wear it.
I visited the shop again last week and was lucky enough to buy the Montale scent I’d originally wanted… after all, my sample was almost used up and it is superb! I also purchased two gift certificates to give as a wedding gift to a lovely young couple who just got married last Saturday. They’re both excited (she more than he…) about meeting Naz and sharing the experience of a selecting a new scent to see them into the early chapters of wedded bliss.
As you see, I highly recommend the entire experience I’ve enjoyed at The Perfume Shoppe… a wonderful place with a wonderful woman who knows her scents!

This is the ONLY place to purchase your next fragrance.
Naz, the delightful owner takes great care and pleasure in hunting down the perfect scent to suit your skin and your character.
She carries only the most unique and boutique-​y brands/​houses/​noses?
If you feel non-​plussed by the plethora of mass-​produced scents on the market then take a moment to stop into the Perfume Shoppe in Sinclair Centre. You’ll likely find a scent that makes you want to sniff and whiff yourself until your next shower.