Many people have probably purchased a counterfeit product once in their lifetime – whether they know it or not (think eBay). I won’t judge whether buying counterfeit items is right or wrong, it depends wholly on the situation and the person making the decision. However, I would suggest against buying counterfeit perfumes, for yourself or for anyone else.

Authentic perfumes are made under regulations and tested before they are released to the public. Counterfeit perfumes are obviously not. Therefore, you won’t know what kind of icky ingredients the counterfeiters used to re-create the original scent. Counterfeit fragrance can cause nasty rashes or even burn your skin. Tests run on some fake perfumes revealed that urine was used as the stabilizer! Another test found pond water with a fragrance added. If you are already allergic to perfumes, counterfeit ones may send you straight to the emergency room!

Just recently, WWD reported that Price Right Perfumes and Watches in New York City was busted for selling counterfeit fragrances such as Armani, Chanel, and Ralph Lauren. The store’s retail inventory was calculated to be 36,000 USD. Again, the question here is not whether the floral note in your Chanel No. 5 is missing or that the scent will last no more than a few minutes, but rather, what kind of dangerous chemicals are in the counterfeit perfume.

These fake perfumes are put together under questionable conditions by people whose only interest is to rip you off at a cheaper price. Authentic perfume prices may seem like rip-off prices at times, but they’ve got regulation, testing and marketing expenses to cover. So I suppose we’re paying for safety measures, but the marketing mark-up still sucks. However, paying the higher price at least decreases the chance of health hazards, and the perfume will actually smell good!

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to tell the difference between the scent of a real or fake perfume unless you’ve tried it. Therefore, it is very important for you to purchase perfumes from reputable retailers. Be careful of fragrances with low-quality packaging, missing logo, misspelled words or a variation of an existing brand name.

Sometimes the packaging might look very similar to the real one, so you have to watch out for even the slightest differences (see picture above, image copyrighted to perfume.com.au). The bottles to the left are counterfeit versions.

Of course, the most tale-tell sign is the vendor. Perfumes are normally identified as high-end products and sold in large department stores or designer boutiques, so don’t believe the man on the street no matter how tempting the price is. Unlike purses, getting fake fragrances for yourself or for other people may cause health hazards. And it’s not worth it!

According to Martin Ruppmann of Germany’s cosmetic association, an open bottle of perfume lasts for approximately 36 months. After that, the color and scent of the perfume can change. In addition, perfume with higher alcohol concentration helps it last longer than those that do not contain any alcohol. For instance, some summer fragrances that contain no alcohol can only be kept for a year.

In one of my previous article, I recommended that perfumes should be tightly closed after usage and kept in the fridge for preservation. This helps extend the perfume’s life span. Unfortunately, I don’t know if this method will help the perfume last beyond the 3 years suggested by Ruppman. It is problem for me because I have enough perfume to last me a lifetime.

Therefore, if you only use perfume occasionally, it’s probably better to purchase them in smaller amounts.

Source: The Earth Times

According to Cosmetic Design,

“Perfume manufacturers are reaching out to women looking for more than an attractive scent with fragrances that promise to improve skin appearance and even spread happiness.”

Seeing how celebrity perfumes are banking big bucks, though personally not a fan (but that’s beside the point), cosmetic chemist are avidly brewing in their pots to ensure continuing sales growth.

So, what’s cookin’?

1. Euromonitor analyst Diana Dodson indicated that perfumes which also benefit the skin is in development among the cosmetic industry.

2. Procter & Gamble is working on perfumes with aromatherapy components, which will soon surface in the market.

3. House of Rose is producing alcohol-free perfumes that are supposedly good for the skin. In addition, their pink grapefruit fragrance is even linked to anti-ageing.

“The advertising literature refers perfume consumers to the work of Alan Hirsch from the US-based Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation.

In a study entitled “Effects of Odor on Perception of Age” he claimed the smell of pink grapefruit decreased the perceived age of women by as much as five years.”

4. Smiley by France-based Arthes is a perfume that acts as an anti-depressant. It’s currently in the works.

These are just a few among the many companies currently “exploiting skin enhancing perfume.” I’m sure we will be bombarded with advertisements of these new products in the very near future. Although skeptical about their actual skin enhancing abilities, I think I’m rather intrigued about the concept.

What do you think? Yay or Nay?

Source: Cosmetic Design

Unfortunately, guys, perfumes do not make women want to have sex. In fact, “the scent has a more dramatic effect upon men.” Even though perfume scents impacts women less than men, specific colognes worn by men have “produced a similar desire in women.” Researchers have established a connection between perfume scent and sexual desire, but there is still no explanation as to why some women wear perfume everyday.

A recent study showed that wearing too much perfume is a sign of depression. However, not every woman who uses perfume is depressed. In fact, I believe it makes women feel more confident and content. As Jin pointed out:

“It actually seems to be due to the simple feeling created by wearing any fragrance that one finds appealing. In fact, the feeling created by a woman wearing perfume is similar to that made by a candle used for aromatherapy. It is soothing, subtle, and slightly romantic but not really sexual in nature.

Of course, it does not really matter why precisely a woman loves wearing perfume. All that is truly important is that she does love to smell great and the attention she receives when wearing her favorite perfume. In time, the perfume and the scent of her own body will combine into a singular aroma that will literally become her own scent.”

Perhaps researches found a correlation between perfume and sexuality, but women and men’s love for perfume may just be plainly instinctual. Smelling good makes people happy, and therefore, puts people in a good mood. Who doesn’t like to smell nice?

Personally, I wear perfume because I simply love scents. It is true that not every fragrance out there appeals to me, but I wouldn’t hesitate to use the ones I pick out. I’m rarely depressed, so I cannot agree with the study connecting perfume usage to depression. It is possible that the research results do not apply to me as an individual. However, I do see more happy women who wear perfume in comparison to depressed ones. In addition, during the extremely rare occasions that I’m depressed, it never crosses my mind to put on any fragrances because I have more to worry about than smelling like a lilac in distress.

As for the hormonal factors, I cannot deduce how true it is since I have not experienced any sort of sexual desire from smelling perfumes or men’s colognes. However, it may be true for some women, and it is a noteworthy possibility.

1. Maintain its natural fragrance
2. Create a fuller and long-lasting scent

An example of layering perfume might start with a body wash or bath/shower gel, then put on matching body lotion/cream or body spray afterwards. At last, apply perfume or eau de parfum from the same set. Make sure scents from different product lines are not combined.

If you have fair and/or dry skin, you will need to reapply the perfume more often than those with dark and oily skin. Also note that perfume scent lasts longer when it’s hot, and less during cold weather. You should also vary the fragrance you use from time to time because it is medically proven that scents effects emotions. Perhaps you can try a new scent every season. Be sure to store your perfume in its original container and tightly sealed. It’s also a good idea to store it in the fridge between uses. It delays the oxidation process and helps to preserve the scent.

Top Notes – This is the initial burst of scent and your first impression of the fragrance when it contacts your skin. Therefore, the top notes are very important to the selling of perfume. Top notes are light, volatile, and evaporates very quickly. It is generally defined as fresh, bright, or sharp. Bright fruity and citrus scents are commonly used for top notes.

Middle Notes – Once the top notes evaporate, the middle notes emerges. Middles notes are richer, somewhat heavier and less volatile than the tops notes. It usually appears anywhere between two minutes to an hour after applying the perfume. Middle notes linger longer and are known as the ‘heart’ of the fragrance. Typical ingredients for middle notes are lavender and rose.

Base Notes – Base notes, in conjunction with the middle notes, gives the fragrance its signature. Musk, wood, and plant resin scents are often used in the base notes to bring depth to the fragrance. Base notes are comprised of ingredients that boosts and hold the top and middle notes. The notes emerge about thirty minutes after the application, and leave the longest traces of fragrance.

The five major families are: Floral, Oriental, Woody, Fougère, and Fresh. The first four families are considered to be more classic compared to the latter, which are citrus and oceanic fragrances that are brighter and cleaner. Each of the families are divided into subgroups and arranged around a wheel, with the exception of the Fougère family. The Fougère family is placed at the center of the wheel because it is comprised of scents from each of the other four families. The following is a picture of the Fragrance wheel, and the break-down of each of the individual families and their subclasses:

[Copyright © 1992-2004 Michael Edwards]

Floral – Floral, Soft Floral, Floral Oriental
Oriental – Soft Oriental, Oriental, Woody Oriental
Woody – Wood, Mossy Woods, Dry Woods
Fresh – Citrus, Green, Water
Foug̬re Рcombination of citrus (Fresh), oak moss and woods (Woods), coumarin and incense (Oriental), and lavender (Floral).

Edwards’ wheel is widely used in retail and in the fragrance industry for its clear classification. On a more personal level, the fragrance wheel can help you figure out your own preferred scent by looking up which family your favorite perfumes belong to.

Since you are reading this guide, I assume you are probably confused by all the different types of perfume available in the stores. Whether you are purchasing for yourself, significant other, parent, friend or dear pet, it is helpful to know the difference between the types of perfume in order to make the best decision.

Most perfumes are complex mixtures of natural ingredients, such as essential oils from plants, and synthetic compounds that help heighten the smell and its lasting effect. Perfume oil is generally diluted with a solvent because undiluted oils contain high concentrations of volatile elements that will very likely cause allergic reaction when applied to the skin. The most commonly used solvent is ethanol, or a mixture of ethanol and water. Hence, the different labels on perfume bottles refer to the percentage of perfume oil concentration. The concentration of percent and volume of perfume oil from highest to lowest is as follows:

Perfume (also referred to as Extrait or Extrait Perfume): 20%-40% (typical 25%) aromatic compounds. This is the purest form of scented product and therefore the most expensive.

Eau de Parfum (EdP): 10-30% (typical ~15%) aromatic compounds. This is the most popular form of perfume on the market. The fragrance is long-lasting and generally cost less than extract perfume.

Eau de Toilette (EdT): 5-20% (typical ~10%) aromatic compounds. This provides a light scent that normally lasts about four to six hours. Its fragrance is brighter and fresher than EdP, and consequently, less intense. It is originally intended to be a refreshing body splash.

Eau de Cologne (EdC): 2-5% aromatic compounds. This is originally a specific fragrance with citrus oil and weak in concentration created in Cologne, Germany. Outside of Germany, the term is generalized to refer to perfume with very low concentrate. A few perfumers today make a version of EdC known as eau fraiche.

Higher percentage of aromatic compounds means more intensity and longevity. However, different perfumeries assign different amounts of oils to their individual perfumes. As a result, the amount of oil concentration in two different brands of perfumes both labeled as eau de parfum may vary.

While the list above shows the main types of perfume, other products such as creams, lotions, powders, body splashes, soaps and cosmetics are often scented with variable amounts (usually very small) of perfume concentrates as well.


As mentioned above, different types of perfume contains varying amounts of oil concentration and therefore, the prices fluctuate accordingly. To have a better understanding of the actual price difference, let’s take a look at Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle. Below are the various versions of Coco Mademoiselle, amount of content, and its corresponding MSRP in USD (excluding EdC):

Without a doubt, parfum is the most expensive because it contains the highest percentage of perfume oil concentrate. Price variation between eau de parfum and eau de toilette normally ranges anywhere from 10 to 30 dollars, so the difference is less significant than that of parfum.

Hopefully the explanation of the different kinds of perfume is helpful to your endeavor of finding the perfect type of scent!