How Substitutions Work

A curated collection breathes. Fragrances rotate in and out, and now and then a scent you were looking forward to becomes unavailable before your box is packed. When that happens, we do not quietly ship you something random and we do not leave a gap. We substitute, carefully, and we bring you into the decision.

Why a substitution happens

Every Fragrance Box holds thirty fragrances, one for each day, drawn from a rotating collection of designer and niche scents. Because that collection moves, a specific bottle can sell through or leave the lineup between the moment you build your box and the moment we curate it. A substitution is how we keep your box full and on its way rather than holding the whole order for one title.

The most important thing to understand up front: a substitution is always a comparable scent, never a promise of the exact bottle you first chose. We match character, not a label. If a warm ambery gourmand becomes unavailable, we reach for another warm ambery gourmand, not a bright citrus. The goal is that the swap feels like a natural neighbor of what you wanted, in the same family and the same mood, at the same tier where possible.

How we choose the replacement

When a scent in your box cannot be fulfilled, you are asked first. We surface a like for like replacement and invite you to confirm it or pick a different direction. Nothing is finalized behind your back while you still have a say.

If you do not choose within a short window, we do not stall your box. The system auto assigns a comparable alternative in the same character so your order can be completed and shipped on time. The tier you ordered is honored: an EDP box stays EDP, and an Extrait box remains a curated mix of Extrait and EDP the way an Extrait box is always built. Anything price related is settled on the live order page, so for the current terms see checkout. If you want a refresher on what those tiers mean, see EDP and Extrait, the Two Tiers We Carry.

You have quiet control over how substitutions land, too. The fragrances you mark as favorites help us understand your taste, and your exclude list tells us which scents you never want included, substitution or not. Both live in your account, so keeping them current is the best way to steer any future swap toward something you will actually reach for. You can review and adjust them from your dashboard.

Seeing a substitution on your order

Once your box is curated, the fragrances chosen for you appear with your order, and any substitution is shown there rather than hidden. You can review the final lineup and each order's detail from your order history. If a scent in your shipped box turns out not to be for you, keep it, gift it, or tell us, and we will curate the next box around what you love. Credit and return terms vary, so see the current policy in Returns and Refunds.

A quick note on what a substitution is not. It is not a downgrade, and it is not a way to clear old stock. It is a same character replacement made so your box stays complete and authentic, thirty full strength fragrances, one for each day.

If something looks off

If a substitution does not sit right, or you are unsure why a scent was swapped, we would rather hear from you than have you wonder. Reach us at [email protected] with your order in hand, and we will walk through it and make it right. You can also browse the full collection any time to see what is currently in rotation before you build or adjust a box.