Buying fragrances can be a tricky task, especially when trying to determine if you are purchasing an original, dupe or a fake perfume. With so many fakes on the market today, it is essential to know the proper steps for safely buying fragrances.
This article will provide you with the knowledge you need to make the best choice when purchasing perfumes, from doing your research on the item to being aware of the various price points.
To be sure you are getting the best bargain, quality, and authenticity, it is essential to understand how to distinguish between original, fakes and perfume dupes. With these simple steps, you will be able to confidently purchase fragrances that are worth your money.
And why buy inferior fake alien perfume when you can get the quality authentic version at discount prices online at parfumdreams and other retailers?
How can you tell the difference between original perfume and fake perfume?
An original perfume is the exact copy of a fragrance which has been created by the perfume company after purchasing the rights to sell it on the market. Perfume businesses are only allowed to produce their own or another original perfume.
However, fake perfume is mostly created from synthetic chemicals and hazardous materials like chloride which are bad for your skin and the environment. It had been formulated to reduce the costs but severely affects the quality of the perfume which would not have a similar fragrance to the original perfume.
There is also a duplicate perfume that is similar to an original perfume as it may contain more or fewer ingredients depending on who produces the fragrance. (e.g. perfume house or perfume company). Another difference between the duplicate and original perfume is the proportion of ingredients used to create it.
How are fake perfumes different from real perfumes?
Listed below are factors which differentiate counterfeit fragrances from real perfumes:
- Fake perfumes do not last very long, and the scent is not top quality.
- There will be a big price difference between real and fake perfumes as they would be sold at a fraction of the price. The cheap cost of these products is due to the synthetic materials that can lead to rashes on your skin, allergic reactions and headaches.
- Chemicals in synthetic perfume notes including linalool, coumarin and phthalates, can give users of fake perfumes headaches and skin rashes if they use it regularly for years. Some seized fake perfume in the UK was found to have contained harmful amounts of Methanol.
- Companies that produce real perfumes acquire the rights to produce their own or original perfume. Because perfume manufacturing is protected by laws like copyrights and trademarks, perfume companies are permitted to produce their fragrances. As a result, it is illegal for distributors or third-party retailers to sell designer fragrances without first obtaining permission from the perfume company/manufacturer who produced them.
- However, without the approval of the original perfume firm, third-party sellers can produce “duplicate” perfumes (also known as perfume clones, perfume lookalikes, or perfume dupes) and sell them both online and offline. For example, while online perfume sellers like Amazon and eBay might not be able to sell real perfumes, they might sell fragrance knockoffs or clones that have a similar scent but are far less expensive than an original perfume. Since the scents of these perfumes were produced synthetically to imitate the natural extracts used to manufacture genuine perfumes, they are also known as “fragrances.”
- Other than their perfume name, perfume bottle, and perfume notes, fake perfumes don’t resemble real perfumes at all. They were produced at a low cost and do not adhere to any kind of quality standard, thus they have no resemblance to actual perfume at all.
How can you tell if a perfume is counterfeit?
- When you open the perfume, search for the manufacturing code which should be printed on the bottom of the box or printed into the perfume cone located inside the box that looks like a number-engraved metallic plate. The numbers will be “untraceable” as they would be unique to each perfume box. If there are multiple boxes, then each perfume bottle has identical manufacturing codes.
- Read through the reviews from websites like eBay or Amazon and check whether there were any fake perfumes purchased.
- Check to see if the perfume smells similar to the original one by dabbing a paper strip inside the atomizer so that when you spray the perfume, some of its scents are still left on the paper strip. For example, if your spray the perfume in a room with no airflow, you may still be able to smell it. If this is the case, the perfume is likely not fake.
- The perfume is likely a knockoff or counterfeit if offered for less than its original retail price or even for free. For instance, perfume retailers typically discount their original scents by about 20% to encourage online fragrance sales. If you find a scent being offered for less than that discount by an online retailer, however, it’s likely to be a knockoff (duplicate) or counterfeit.
- Smell the perfume three to twelve hours after you apply it because true perfumes change the aroma as the notes develop. If a perfume still smells the same after several hours, it probably isn’t real.
- If you pay via a credit card, you have a better chance to get your money back if the perfume is fake. When you purchase perfume online and pay with a credit card, there is typically a cooling-off period during which you can request a refund from your bank if the perfume turns out to be fake or isn’t what was advertised. This helps to protect you since perfume providers will typically issue refunds straight away to avoid receiving negative feedback from customers who bought fake fragrances on their websites.
You should do your own research before purchasing your desired fragrance. Look for the location of the company and check to see if the retailers are authorised to sell the fragrance or brand you’re looking for.
The brand’s official website is always the safest place to purchase a scent. If not, continue with caution as there can be fake goods being offered by unlicensed sellers who don’t value the safety and well-being of their customers.
