• December 16, 2011

While stars like Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and, of course, Elizabeth Taylor have all had hit fragrances (not to mention Derek Jeter, Antonio Banderas and Usher), a new study from Total Beauty Media Group shows that trial and sampling may have a greater impact on sales than celebrity cachet.

The company, a digital publisher of beauty and health content, says that 59% of respondents say that scent samples and in-store trials were the most influential factors in their buying decisions. 

Also notable: Lower-income women earning less than $25,000 per year were most likely to view fragrance as an affordable indulgence, and 40% in that category has spent upwards of $150 on fragrance in the past year.