PerfumeBible Ltd
Last updated: [DATE]
These guidelines define the standards we hold the PerfumeBible community to. They apply to all content you post — reviews, wearing check-ins, list descriptions, profile text, comments, and any other contributions.
The goal is a community that is honest, knowledgeable, and respectful. Fragrance is a hobby built on personal taste and shared discovery; these guidelines exist to protect that.
Write what you actually experienced.
Reviews must reflect your genuine, personal experience with the fragrance. We take review integrity seriously.
Be specific.
Vague reviews ("smells nice", "love it!") add little to the community. The best reviews describe what you smell, when it changes, how it wears, and what it reminds you of. You don't need to be a professional critic — you need to be specific.
Disclose context that matters.
If you're reviewing a sample rather than a full bottle, say so. If you're reviewing a vintage batch, state the approximate year. If you work for or have a financial relationship with the house, disclose it.
Rate what you actually think.
Do not:
Criticism is welcome. Personal attacks are not.
You can say a fragrance is overpriced, overrated, or poorly reformulated — that is legitimate criticism. You cannot attack the character of perfumers, brand owners, or other community members.
Check-ins are personal and social. The standard is lower than formal reviews, but the same honesty principle applies: log what you're actually wearing. Don't manufacture check-ins to inflate wearing stats or appear more active than you are.
The following content is not permitted anywhere on the Platform:
Harassment and abuse
Personal attacks, threats, sustained targeted behaviour toward another user, or content designed to intimidate, demean, or exclude.
Hate speech
Content that attacks or degrades people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or other protected characteristics.
Spam
Repetitive posts, unsolicited commercial messages, or content posted primarily to drive traffic elsewhere.
Misinformation
Deliberate falsehoods about fragrances, brands, perfumers, or other community members. Opinion is welcome; fabricated claims are not.
Counterfeit promotion
Recommending, reviewing positively, or linking to counterfeit fragrances.
Off-platform solicitation
Using the community features to solicit marketplace transactions outside the PerfumeBible checkout. This voids Buyer Protection and is prohibited.
Private information
Posting personally identifying information about other users without their consent (doxxing).
Illegal content
Any content that is unlawful in England and Wales or the jurisdiction of the person it targets.
Brand affiliates and employees. If you work for, receive payment from, or have a material relationship with a fragrance brand, you must disclose this in any review of their products. Undisclosed paid promotion violates both our guidelines and UK Advertising Standards Authority rules (ASA CAP Code).
Sellers reviewing buyers. Sellers should not post public content that identifies or comments on specific Buyers in disputes. Use the dispute process.
Do not post content you do not have the right to post. This includes:
Use of publicly available factual information (note pyramids, launch years, perfumer credits) is generally acceptable and consistent with community database practice. Wholesale copying of another site's reviews or descriptions is not.
Usernames and display names must not:
Profile avatars and bios are subject to the same content standards as all other User Content.
Moderation approach. We aim for graduated enforcement proportionate to the violation. For minor first violations, we may issue a warning or remove the specific content. For serious or repeated violations, we may restrict your account, remove posting privileges, or terminate your account.
Reporting. You can report any content or user via the flag button on any post, or by emailing trust@perfumebible.com.
Appeals. If your content is removed or your account is restricted, you may appeal by emailing trust@perfumebible.com with the subject line "Moderation Appeal". We will review and respond within 5 business days.
No perfect enforcement. We are a small team and we moderate reactively. Reporting content that violates these guidelines is the most effective way to maintain community quality.
The perfume community is broadly excellent — knowledgeable, generous, and genuinely passionate about a strange and wonderful subject. These guidelines exist to protect that culture, not to police it. Use your judgment. If you're asking yourself whether something crosses a line, it probably does.
Questions: community@perfumebible.com