FAQs

Discovery Set

Our bestseller Discovery Set is a sample kit featuring all of our current cruelty-free, unisex perfumes in miniature spray vials. It includes 5 premium vegan, unisex CO₂-neutral scents (one of each of our fragrances) crafted with up to 40% perfume oil for extra-long lasting power (12+ hours). This set lets you “discover your perfect scent” at home before committing to a full bottle. In fact, it’s our most popular product for new customers – a best-seller – because it offers an affordable way to try everything. The Discovery Set comes in a stylish box, making it a great introduction to Ascent’s collection.

Using the Discovery Set is easy and fun. Spray each sample on your skin (or a tester strip) one at a time to experience the full development of our finest fragrances sourced from Grasse, the perfume capital of the world. We recommend trying one scent per day so you can appreciate its 12+ hour evolution and note how it interacts with your skin chemistry. There’s no rush – take your time to revisit each vial and see which one you love most.

The Discovery Set includes 5 mini spray bottles, each containing approximately 2ml of perfume (one for each of our five organic ethanol based signature scents). You’ll receive one vial of Blue, Green, Orange, Red, and Purple, covering the full range from woody to fresh citrus to musky amber. This means you get to sample every fragrance we offer. Each vial comes with a spray top, providing a few applications of each scent so you can properly evaluate them.

No need – the Discovery Set is pre-curated to include all of our perfumes. In other words, you don’t have to choose the scents; we’ve already included every fragrance in the collection. Currently, that means five scents (Blue, Green, Orange, Red, Purple) are in the box. This way, you won’t miss out on any of our fragrances made from the highest quality ingredients. The idea is to give you the full experience of our range, so you can compare and find your favorite. As our lineup grows, the Discovery Set will be updated accordingly, but at present you get one of each available perfume by default.

Yes – the Discovery Set effectively pays for itself when you decide to buy a full-sized product. We offer 100% cashback on your Starter Pack after purchasing a Discovery Set. This means the €20 you spend on the sample kit will be deducted from the price of a Starter Pack (which includes a 20ml perfume + refillable case) when you order one. In practice, if you try the Discovery Set first and then go on to buy a Starter Pack, the Discovery Set becomes free. It’s our way of ensuring you don’t feel like you’re paying twice for the same perfume – the sample cost comes back to you as a credit on the real thing. (Make sure to use the same account and promo code we provide to redeem this credit.)

It’s possible you might fall in love with more than one scent – and that’s okay! If you truly can’t decide on a single favorite, remember that you don’t have to stick to just one perfume forever. Our system is designed so you can easily switch scents using the same refillable case. You can choose to switch your scents even when you get a subscription. Many customers start with one scent and later get additional refills to suit different moods or occasions. If you’re torn between two, you could pick one to start with (use your cashback credit on that Starter Pack), and later get a refill of the second scent to use in the same case. Also, feel free to reach out to our team for guidance – we can offer recommendations based on what you liked about each sample. The bottom line: take your time with the samples; often one will clearly stand out. But even if you remain undecided, our refillable case allows you to “switch scents to match your mood” anytime, so you won’t be stuck with the wrong choice.

When you purchase a Discovery Set, you receive a 100% cashback toward your first Starter Pack. You’ll receive a unique cashback code by email. Once you’ve tried the scents and chosen your favorite, simply add a Starter Pack to your cart and enter the code at checkout. The full cost of your Discovery Set will be deducted automatically, making it essentially free when you upgrade. The code is valid for 14 days, applies once per customer, and can only be used on your first Starter Pack purchase. Please note that cashback can’t be combined with other promotions or discounts.

The Discovery Set is the best way to try our perfumes at home – it comes with full credit toward a future purchase, essentially making it risk-free. the Discovery Set effectively pays for itself when you decide to buy a full-sized product. We offer 100% cashback on your Starter Pack after purchasing a Discovery Set. This means the €20 you spend on the sample kit will be deducted from the price of a Starter Pack (which includes a 20ml perfume + refillable case) when you order one. In practice, if you try the Discovery Set first and then go on to buy a Starter Pack, the Discovery Set becomes free.

Starter Pack

The Starter Pack is our introductory bundle that gives you everything you need to begin your Ascent journey. It includes a refillable perfume case + one 20ml perfume extract of your choice. The case is sleek, durable, made from aerospace-grade aluminum, designed to protect your fragrance and be reused indefinitely. Inside the Starter Pack, you’ll find the metal case and a 20ml glass vial pre-filled with the scent you selected when ordering. Essentially, it’s a portable luxury perfume + a reusable case. The case comes in different colors (you can pick one) and it’s engineered to last a lifetime. It is corrosion-resistant and shields the perfume from light and heat. In summary, the Starter Pack gives you your first perfume refill (20ml) and the refillable case to use it with, all in one package.

Our collection currently includes five extrait de parfum fragrances, each crafted with ingredients sourced from Grasse, the world’s perfume capital. All scents are vegan, cruelty-free, gender-free, and made with an organic ethanol base.

Blue – sensual and powdery, blending violet, fig, iris and sandalwood.
Green – dark and elegant, with earthy patchouli, spices and woods.
Orange – uplifting citrus meets warm woods and amber.
Red – bold and opulent, combining saffron, leather, vanilla and oud.
Purple – modern musky amber with a soft, slightly sweet nuance.

Each perfume is formulated as a high-concentration extract (up to 40% perfume oil), ensuring long-lasting scent on the skin. All are available as 20 ml refills and in the Discovery Set, so you can try the entire range at home before deciding on your favorite.

In the Starter Pack, you receive 20 milliliters of perfume (in the form of one refill vial). Our extrait de parfum formula is a high-concentration perfume extract (up to ~40% fragrance oil) – this potency means a little goes a long way. In fact, 20ml of our extrait is equivalent in usage to about a 100ml bottle of a typical Eau de Toilette in terms of how many applications you get.

Absolutely yes – the refillable case is designed to be universal for all Ascent perfume refills. You invest in one case and can then insert any of our 20ml refill vials into it, no matter which scent. This means you can build a collection of refills and swap them in and out of the case to the scent that matches your mood. The process of switching is quick and easy (just pull out the old vial and insert the new). Invest once, Refill endlessly.

While we recommend starting with the Starter Pack, it is technically possible to use a refill on its own – but with some caveats. The 20ml refill vials are small glass bottles that come with an optional spray cap if you buy them “with spray”. If you already have a case from a previous Starter Pack, you can buy refills without a new case (“without spray”) and just plug them into your existing case. If you don’t have a case yet and you purchase just a refill, you should select the option to include a spray nozzle on the vial so that you can apply it. You could then use that vial like a simple travel spray. However, the experience is much better with our aluminum case – the case protects the perfume, makes it more durable/portable, and has a superior grip. So, although you don’t absolutely need the case to physically spray the perfume, we highly encourage starting with the Starter Pack. The case is a one-time purchase and is key to our refill system’s convenience and longevity. (In short: first time, get the case. After that, you can buy refills alone.)

Parfum Refills

Yes, you can purchase perfume refills separately at any time. On our website, the refills (20ml parfum vials) are listed as standalone products – you have the option to buy one without a case. This is ideal for when you already own a case from your Starter Pack. When ordering a refill alone, you’ll be prompted to choose a cap option: “With spray” or “Without spray”. If you plan to use the refill in your Ascent case, you can opt for “without spray” (the case has its own spraying mechanism). If you want to use the refill independently (say, as a mini travel spray or if you haven’t gotten a case), then choose “with spray” and we’ll include a little spray nozzle on the vial so you can spritz it. We just recommend that first-time customers get a Starter Pack for the case, then subsequently feel free to buy refills by themselves.

Our collection currently includes five extrait de parfum fragrances, each crafted with ingredients sourced from Grasse, the world’s perfume capital. All scents are vegan, cruelty-free, gender-free, and made with an organic ethanol base.

Blue – sensual and powdery, blending violet, fig, iris and sandalwood.
Green – dark and elegant, with earthy patchouli, spices and woods.
Orange – uplifting citrus meets warm woods and amber.
Red – bold and opulent, combining saffron, leather, vanilla and oud.
Purple – modern musky amber with a soft, slightly sweet nuance.

A single 20ml refill’s longevity will depend on how often and how heavily you wear your perfume, but on average, it lasts several months for most users. For someone who wears fragrance daily (a few sprays every day), one refill tends to last around 2 months before running out. If you wear it more sparingly – say a few times a week or just 1 spray per day – it could last closer to 3-4 months. We actually based our subscription intervals on this: light use = refill every 4 months, regular use = every 3 months, daily use = every 2 months. Because our perfumes are extracts, you might also find you need fewer sprays compared to a typical perfume, which can extend the life. So roughly speaking, expect somewhere between 2 and 4 months of use per 20ml refill for one person’s normal usage.

Yes, one of the big advantages of our system is that refills are more affordable than traditional full bottles. By reusing your case and reducing fancy packaging, we cut out a lot of costs that typical luxury brands build into their bottle prices. For example, many prestige perfume brands spend tons on packaging and marketing (often only ~1% of the price you pay is for the actual fragrance juice inside). We do the opposite: by selling refills, we can invest much more in the quality of ingredients and still charge less than a comparable bottled perfume. Our refills cost €27.50 for 20ml, which is considerably cheaper per milliliter than buying a 50ml or 100ml luxury bottle in a store (especially given our extrait strength). So, after your initial case purchase, each refill is a cost-effective way to enjoy a high-end scent. You’re not repeatedly paying for new bottles and packaging, so yes, the refill model provides great value for the price.

Each Ascent perfume refill contains 20 ml of fragrance. The refills are standardized at this size across all our scents.

Our perfumes are quite stable and have a good shelf life, especially due to their high oil concentration and the protective case. In general, an unopened perfume can last many years. Once opened, most perfumes remain in top condition for at least 3 to 5 years, provided you store them properly. Over time, exposure to light, heat, or air can degrade a fragrance, which is why our aluminum case is helpful – it shields the vial from light and air to preserve your perfume. For best longevity, keep the refills (and case) in a cool, dark place when not in use.

Subscription

Ascent’s subscription is a flexible auto‑refill program for its refillable perfumes at a 15% discount. You start by buying an Ascent Starter Pack – a durable aerospace-grade aluminum case plus your first 20ml fragrance. During checkout, you choose a delivery interval (every 4 months for light use, every 3 months for regular use, or every 2 months for daily use). After the initial Starter Pack, Ascent will automatically ship you a new 20ml refill of the same scent on your scheduled delivery date, also at a 15% discount. You manage the subscription online: you can update your fragrance choice or delivery frequency at any time, reschedule shipments, or cancel altogether. In short, it’s a recurring delivery service – you “set it and forget it” but retain full control over timing and scent.

In case you already have a case, you can also start a subscription with a refill of your choice.

If you begin a subscription with a Starter Pack, your first order is the Starter Pack: a 20ml parfum extract in your chosen scent plus a refillable case. On subsequent subscriptions, you receive only the 20ml perfume refill (with your choice of spray or cap) of the scent you selected. Subscribers also enjoy a free tote bag with their order, as a perk of being on auto‑refill. In summary:

Starter Pack (initial purchase): 20ml fragrance + aluminum case.
Each refill shipment: one 20ml refill of your selected scent.
Extras: A complimentary Ascent tote bag (free with any subscription order).

Yes. Your subscription will, by default, send you the same scent you initially signed up with, but you can change it whenever you like. You simply log in to your Ascent account and go to your Orders. From there, you can Manage your Subscriptions. Choose the subscription you want to change the scent for, choose “Swap for a Different Product”, and select a different scent for future shipments. If you don’t change it, it will continue sending the original fragrance (the “default”) on schedule.

Yes. Your Ascent subscription is very flexible. In your account, you have full control – skip a delivery or cancel your subscription anytime. In other words, if you have enough fragrance and don’t want a refill this cycle, you can skip that shipment and it will automatically push the next refill out to the following interval. Likewise, you can pause or adjust the delivery frequency at any time via your subscription settings. You can find these settings when you log into your account and go to Orders. Choose “Manage My Subscription” option to make changes to your subscription.

No. There is no fixed commitment. You can cancel at any time with no penalty.

Ascent offers free shipping within the Netherlands and Belgium on all orders (one-time or subscription).

Once Ascent dispatches your refill, delivery is quite fast. For the Netherlands and Belgium, you can expect refills to arrive typically within 1-3 business days after dispatch. In case you have a subscription, the timing of each refill in your subscription is simply determined by the interval you selected (every 2, 3, or 4 months), but once shipped, it is delivered quickly thanks to Ascent’s fast fulfillment.

Yes, with a subscription, you get a discount of 15% on your Starter Pack or Refill (depending on what you start your subscription with) and on every subsequent refill in your subscription.

You change your scent by logging into your Ascent account and editing your subscription. Go to Orders -> My Subscriptions -> Manage Subscriptions. Choose the subscription you want to change the scent for, choose “Swap for a Different Product”, and select a different scent for future shipments. Changes take effect on the next shipment cycle. (If you’re unsure, you can always contact Ascent customer support to make adjustments.)

That depends on how often you wear perfume. Each refill contains 20 ml of extrait de parfum (up to 40% perfume oil), which lasts around 250+ sprays. For most people, that’s enough for 2–4 months of daily use.

If you spray just occasionally, every 4 months is usually perfect.
If you wear fragrance daily (2–3 sprays), every 3 months works well.
If you love a stronger signature scent and use it generously, choose every 2 months.

Remember, you’re never locked in – you can pause, skip, or change your frequency at any time through your account. Many customers start with 3 months and adjust once they see how quickly they go through a refill.

Cancellation is handled through your account as well. Go to Orders -> My Subscriptions -> Manage Subscriptions -> Cancel Subscription (If you’re unsure, you can always contact Ascent customer support to make adjustments).

Shipping and Delivery

We strive to get your order to you as quickly as possible. For the Netherlands, delivery is very fast – if you place your order by 17:00 on a weekday, we ship it out the same day via DHL, and typically it arrives within 1–2 business days (often the next day in NL). For neighboring countries like Belgium , you can usually expect about 1-3 business days for delivery.

We offer free shipping in the Netherlands and Belgium.

We ship to the Netherlands and Belgium.

Returns

We want you to be happy with your purchase. If for any reason you’re not satisfied, you can return any product within 14 days of receiving ascent-store.com for a refund. This applies to all products – including perfumes. We even allow returns of gently used perfumes (e.g. if you sprayed it a couple of times and realize it’s not for you) as long as they are in original condition and mostly full. The process is straightforward: contact our customer support team within 14 days, and they will initiate the return and provide instructions. Once we receive the returned item and verify it’s in good condition, we’ll issue you a refund to your original payment method. It’s important to note that products should be returned with their original packaging if possible, and you’ll need to ship them back to us. Our policy is quite flexible because we understand that fragrance is personal – we want you to have the chance to try it and still have the option to send it back if it’s not a match.

Yes, you can. We have a customer-friendly policy that allows you to return a perfume even after lightly trying it. We know you often can’t tell if you truly love a scent until you wear it on your skin. So if you’ve given it a test and found it’s not what you hoped, you’re not stuck with it. Make sure you keep it in as good condition as possible – basically, almost full, and with the original box and components – and initiate the return within the 14-day window. We’ll accept it back and refund you. No hard feelings at all! The only thing we don’t accept is returning an almost empty bottle (half used over weeks, for example) – “lightly used” means just a small amount missing is okay. We encourage you to use the Discovery Set to sample first, but even with that, we’ve got your back if a full bottle doesn’t work out. Your satisfaction is our priority.

We offer hassle-free returns, but not completely “free” returns in terms of shipping cost. What that means is: you can send back any eligible product within 14 days for a full product refund (we don’t charge restocking fees or any penalties). However, the customer is generally responsible for the return shipping postage.

How It Works

Our refillable system is all about reusing a durable case and swapping in new perfume refills, instead of buying a new bottle each time. Here’s how it works: When you start, you get a Starter Pack which includes a permanent aerospace-grade aluminum case and a 20ml vial of perfume. The case is designed to hold that vial securely and has the spray mechanism on it. When you finish the perfume, you don’t throw away a fancy bottle; you simply replace the small empty vial from the case with another refill of your choice. The same case is used over and over – you “invest once, and refill endlessly”. By rethinking packaging, we minimize waste and focus on the perfume itself.

You can also find a video guide on our home page.

The easiest way to begin is with our Discovery Set – a sample kit with all of our perfumes in mini sprays. This lets you try every scent at home before choosing your favorite. Once you’ve found the one you love, you can use the 100% credit from the Discovery Set toward your first Starter Pack.

Alternatively, if you already know which fragrance you want (say you’ve tested it in a store or just love the description), you can skip straight to purchasing a Starter Pack. The Starter Pack includes your reusable aerospace-grade aluminum case plus a 20ml extrait de parfum refill in your chosen scent.

From there, it’s simple: order refills whenever you need them, or make life even easier by joining our subscription program. Subscribers receive their refills automatically on the schedule that suits them best, with full flexibility to skip, change scents, or cancel anytime.

You can absolutely go straight to a Starter Pack if you’d like. The Discovery Set is completely optional – it’s there for people who want to smell all the perfumes before deciding on one. If you already have a good idea of which scent you want (or you’re feeling adventurous and just want to pick one), you can purchase a Starter Pack immediately without getting the samples kit. There is no requirement to do the Discovery Set first.

Yes, it’s designed to be very easy. Swapping out a refill in the case is a quick process taking just a few seconds. Here’s how you do it: 1) Twist the case to open it. 2) Take out the empty refill vial. 3) If you’re replacing it with the same scent, you can reuse the spray head – simply detach the spray top from the empty vial and attach it onto the new refill vial then insert the new vial into the case and twist closed. If you’re switching to a different scent, we recommend using a new spray head to avoid any mix of old scent residue – in that case, order your new refill “with spray” and insert that one (spray and all) into the case. You can find a video of how this works on our home page.

Ingredients and Quality

Yes – all of our perfumes are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. We do not use any animal-derived ingredients and we never test on animals. Ethical creation is important to us. In addition, our fragrances are free from microplastics and are made with an organic, plant-based alcohol solvent. So you can wear Ascent scents with the confidence that no animals were harmed in making them, and that they meet high clean beauty standards.

Our perfumes are formulated as high-strength perfume extracts (extraits). Each fragrance contains between about 35% to 40% pure perfume oils– which is far higher than a typical Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette. This means you’re getting a very rich concentration of aromatic compounds, resulting in long-lasting scent (12+ hours on the skin). We use premium ingredients sourced from Grasse, France (the world’s historical perfume capital) in our blends. These include both natural extracts and safe, high-quality aroma molecules, chosen to create unique niche-quality scents. The remainder of the formula is an organic alcohol base (ethanol) and a touch of water – we do not use unnecessary fillers. In essence, the “ingredients” list for each perfume includes the denatured alcohol, the fragrance oils (like essential oils, absolutes, and aroma molecules), and trace stabilizers.

We source our perfume ingredients from Grasse, France – known as the perfume capital of the world. Grasse has a long tradition of producing fine fragrance ingredients (like jasmine, tuberose, citrus oils, and many luxury aroma compounds), and we tap into that heritage and quality. By working with suppliers and perfumers in Grasse, we ensure we’re getting some of the best raw materials available for our scents. This is part of our philosophy: instead of spending money on flashy packaging, we spend it on the finest ingredients.

Cost and Value

Yes, the refill model is very cost-effective – both for you as the consumer and in terms of resource use. Here’s why: With traditional perfume brands, a huge part of what you pay is for the fancy bottle, the box, and the marketing. In fact, it’s noted that only about 1% of the retail price typically goes toward the fragrance ingredients in designer perfumes– the rest is overhead. We wanted to change that. By using a reusable case and simple refills, we eliminate the need to manufacture and ship a new heavy glass bottle and ornate packaging each time. That saves a lot of money, which we redirect into making a better perfume (we invest up to 15 times more in ingredients than the industry norm). For you, after the one-time purchase of the case, each refill is relatively inexpensive compared to buying a whole new bottle from another brand of similar quality. You’re not paying over and over for packaging. Additionally, because our scents are high concentration, you get more mileage out of each ml.

We don’t have a traditional points-based loyalty program at the moment, but we do offer some great built-in discounts and incentives for repeat customers. Firstly, our subscription option for refills comes with a 15% discount on each refill delivery. Subscribers automatically pay less than the one-time price, as a thank-you for your loyalty and for helping us plan our production. This is a significant savings if you plan to use our perfumes continuously. Secondly, as mentioned earlier, we have the Discovery Set cashback – that’s essentially a discount on your first full purchase (100% credit of the sample kit cost).

Gender and Usage

Yes – all Ascent fragrances are unisex (gender-neutral). We purposely formulate and market our scents to be worn and loved by everyone.

Our perfumes are long-lasting, thanks to their high concentration of oils. You can generally expect each fragrance to last 12 hours or more on your skin. Many of our users report still smelling the scent on themselves even the next day on clothing or faintly on skin. We use extrait de parfum level concentrations (up to 40% perfume oil) and quality fixatives, which means the fragrance has excellent persistence. Of course, longevity can vary slightly depending on your skin type, where you apply it (pulse points like neck and wrists are best), and environmental factors.

Sampling and Trying In-Store

Yes, we do have opportunities for you to smell and try our perfumes in person. Ascent partners with select physical retail locations where our products are available to test and purchase. We also participate in pop-up events, markets, or exhibitions from time to time – these are great chances to experience the scents and talk to us directly. If you check our site or subscribe to our newsletter, we announce any new retail partners or events.

We sure do – the main way to try our perfumes at home is through the Discovery Set. This set provides 5 x 2ml (approx) sample sprays of all our fragrances in one box. It’s essentially a do-it-yourself sampling kit that arrives at your door, so you can test each scent on your own time, in your own environment. The Discovery Set is €20 and comes with a full credit of €20 toward your first Starter Pack purchase, effectively making the sampling free when you decide to buy a full-size.