When buying an expensive perfume, it is much better to check that it is the original one. Imitations of perfumes, in fact, are easy to make, but the quality and fragrance they have are very different from those of authentic products, so it would not be worth wasting your money on a fake. Knowing how to spot a counterfeit perfume can help you make an informed choice.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Purchase a Perfume
Step 1. Contact a well-known seller
To avoid buying a fake, go to a reputable seller. There are many places where you can buy perfumes and it is important to understand what advantages you can have and what dangers you can run into by purchasing each of them.
- Department stores are always the safest places to buy perfumes. Here you have the advantage of being able to carefully examine the bottle in its packaging and speak to the shop staff, who you can contact if you suspect it is a fake, and can also return it if it is not the authentic one.
- Pay close attention to flea markets or bartering fairs, where vendors can easily cheat you without you being able to do anything about them. Always check the perfume carefully before buying it and, if possible, ask for the seller's contact information, to contact him if you discover that it is a poor product.
- Don't hesitate to ask the purchasing manager specific questions based on the information you find in this article. For example "Can you tell me the lot number?", Or "Can I see a photo of the text on the back of the box?".
- When shopping online, on eBay or Amazon, it's important that you check product reviews and seller feedback. Make sure they have a verified PayPal account (a sign that they had to provide contact information) and that they have a return policy. If you don't have one, still insist that you accept the return. Also be aware of any spelling and grammatical errors in the ad.
Step 2. Pay attention to the price
While the cost is not always a sign of the quality of a perfume, if you see that it has a much lower price than the typical ones of the brand it sports, then it is probably too good to be true and it is not the original perfume. Apart from exceptions (for example in the case of liquidation sales due to cessation of business), in general the price gives a good indication of the authenticity of the product.
Step 3. Research the perfume first
Check the manufacturer's website for sufficient information regarding the packaging, bottle and location of the barcode. To see how authentic perfume is made, you could take a tour of the shops in the malls and take a look at both the bottle and the cellophane that wraps the package. This way you will get an idea of what to expect.
Part 2 of 3: Recognizing the Signs of Authenticity
Step 1. Check the outer casing
Original perfume boxes are usually carefully wrapped in cellophane film, so check that the box has been wrapped well and that the wrapper is not so loose that it can go around it. Improperly wrapped cellophane is a clear indication of counterfeit perfume.
Step 2. Examine the box carefully
You can often recognize the authenticity of a perfume simply by checking the right parts of the box. Examine it carefully before extracting the perfume for any signs that suggest unprofessional design and packaging.
- Look carefully at the text on the back of the package and see if you find grammatical or spelling errors, if the information given is few, etc. In theory, the texts on the original perfume packaging should be grammatically correct, so the presence of such errors can be a sign that the product is counterfeit.
- The original packages are made using a high quality card stock. Often, however, thin and fragile materials are used for the fake boxes.
- Look for the barcode on the package. It must be on the bottom, not on the sides.
- See if you notice any tape or glue residue. In original perfumes there should be no trace of it, neither inside nor outside the box.
Step 3. Verify Control Number, Lot Number, and Serial Number
All these numbers appear on the original perfume packaging, so you can use them to verify the authenticity of the product you want to buy yourself. See if they match the manufacturer's numbering.
Step 4. Tap the bottle
Keep in mind that brands treat the bottle as part of the perfume experience, so it must be excellently crafted. The one of the original perfumes has a smooth surface while that of the imitations is often a little rough, generally of poor quality and, at times, is made of plastic. In addition, the cap of the bottles of fine perfumes is hermetically closed, to avoid leaks.
Part 3 of 3: Sniffing the Difference
Step 1. Learn about the intricacies of the original perfume
The fragrance of the original perfumes is complex and very elaborate, so it can be difficult to recognize their authenticity from the smell. Often, however, those who know the fragrance of a perfume are able to smell a fake.
Step 2. Learn to recognize the olfactory notes
In authentic perfumes, the fragrance is characterized by three olfactory notes (top notes, heart notes and base notes) which are revealed with the passage of time from application. This complexity guarantees a composite and multidimensional fragrance that allows it to be different from the moment of application until it is completely absorbed by the skin. Conversely, the fragrance of imitations will often have an olfactory note with a single dimension and will fade shortly after application.
Step 3. Try to distinguish synthetic ingredients from natural ones
The creation of the different notes that characterize the original perfumes involves an enormous work on the part of the producers, who combine fragrances derived from natural products with others derived from synthetic products. Cheap perfumes tend to be completely synthetic and, as a result, lack the sophisticated olfactory notes that characterize more expensive perfumes, made with natural ingredients.
Step 4. Pay attention to the duration of the perfume
Imitations of perfumes will initially smell similar to originals, but you will find that the originals usually last longer and are more effective - which, in the long run, makes them more affordable. Bottles of authentic perfumes once opened should retain the fragrance for 6-18 months (citrus fragrances typically begin to deteriorate around 6 months, while floral ones should last up to 18 months). The bottles of cheap perfumes, on the other hand, once opened will lose their fragrance within a few weeks or a couple of months at the most.
Step 5. Find out what kind of notes the perfume should have
When doing your research on the perfume you are planning to buy, it is important that you know if the fragrance it needs to have is complex or single-note. Single note perfumes contain only the top notes, so the absence of heart and base notes is not always a sign of a fake. When you check a single note perfume for authenticity, try to figure out if the fragrance smells odd and if it matches the description on the manufacturer's website.
Step 6. Try it
You should only try the perfume after examining the packaging and analyzing the fragrance. Be careful because counterfeit perfumes can often cause allergic reactions or cause annoying rashes. Once you have scrupulously checked every aspect of the perfume, apply it on the skin, paying attention to the smell it will emanate during the day. If it is an original perfume with a complex fragrance, as the top notes fade you should perceive the heart notes and then the base notes. A counterfeit perfume, on the other hand, will at most keep the top notes for a few hours.
Advice
- Unless you are allergic to pollen-based fragrances, original perfumes are unlikely to trigger allergic reactions. Counterfeit ones, on the other hand, can contain any type of chemical substance that has not been checked or tested and can cause respiratory reactions or skin allergies.
- Check the transparency. An authentic perfume is always clear, free of strange deposits or stains.
- If you have a friend or relative who bought a full-priced branded perfume, try comparing the smell of the cheap perfume you just bought to the original. You should be able to recognize the distinct difference between the two. Often this test is enough to keep you away from the cheapest perfume! (Alternatively, pop into a department store and compare your perfume to one of the testers on display.)
Warnings
- Be wary of online retailers. These scammers take advantage of the victim's familiarity with a highly prized perfume, but have no idea what its real fragrance is.
- Combining "street sellers" and "low prices" will not result in an "original product". In fact, by buying a cheap perfume from these people, you will not get an authentic perfume.
