Hello, friends and customers, we have been receiving lots of questions on how to differentiate original designer perfumes from fake perfumes. As we already know, there are a lot of fake designer perfumes sold in the market. Of course, we can easily identify the cheap R10-R20 perfume as a fake or generic fragrance by the price itself. So on your next visit, if you come across a store selling designer perfume below R50, please don’t ask the seller ‘clever’ questions like “Is this original perfume?”. They will just smile at you or perhaps lie straight to your face saying “Yes its original”.
So what if the perfume has the same look, feel, and smell?
These days, a new level of fake designer perfume has entered the market. Normally called ‘GRed A or GRed AA’ perfume. These GRed AA perfumes have almost everything it takes to be called ‘Original perfume’. The packaging, bottle, and scent are almost very similar. But of course, if it falls under the “fake” category, it can never beat the long-lasting scent that original designer perfume has. I believe most perfume lovers can identify if the perfume they bought is original or fake. So the information that I’m about to share here is:
How we as consumers can identify whether the perfume sold is original or fake:
1. The Packaging
They misspelt the perfume name on the box. How can an exclusive designer perfume house accidentally misspell its own brand or product? Not A Chance! Remember, designer perfumes are luxury items; this kind of mistake will never happen.
The wrapping is not perfect! Original perfume should have its plastic cellophane wrapped neatly around the box.
What about My Perfume Shop’s Tester Perfume?
We import our tester perfumes in cost-effective packaging (plain white or brown boxes or without boxes and bundled as loose items – maybe no lid). We can save a lot on import duty by doing this. So if we manage to save on the duty, we can offer you a cheaper price to enjoy our perfumes. That’s up to 40% Below Retail Price for the exact same product. I bet you’re interested in that tester fragrance now!
FAQ’s on our tester perfumes:
Is it the exact same product?
Yes, it is the exact same product, as without testers designer houses cannot promote their products. Therefore, it is 100% guaranteed Authentic Perfume. It is sealed in our warehouse and unused.
Are they the same quality & smell?
Yes, they are completely the same and of the same concentration. Often a fragrance will only mature on your skin after 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Why do testers come in a brown/white box or unboxed?
It is generally the cheapest package to use, the product is not meant to be sold. Hence the design of the box and sticker displaying tester.
Can I buy testers from My Perfume Shop?
Yes, we have the biggest tester collection in Africa, often you will have saved up to 50% off the same perfume in a retail display box.
Is it legal to buy and sell perfume testers?
Yes, provided that the seller informs the buyer that it is a tester and sold as a tester.
2. The Bottles
You should always look at the country of origin at the bottom of the plastic stickers or beneath the bottles (eg: Made in France, Made in the USA). Note that most fake perfumes will not put the country of origin. But, you should still be very cautious, these guys get smarter by the day! I have seen some GRed AA perfumes also print the country of origin under the bottles. But don’t worry, there are still a few ways to check if the perfume is original. Continue reading…
The original perfume will have high-quality bottles, you can know this by the smooth and fine surface while fake perfume is a bit rough and contoured. The brand name printed on the bottle is normally embossed and can’t be erased easily.
The cap of the original perfume should fit snugly and stay in place if you flip the bottle upside down. Most of Fake’s perfume’s caps do not fit nicely onto its bottle. You will notice this by trying to open and close the bottle cap.
3. The Content
Some people will tell you to shake the bottle to see if the perfume is original. What should we actually see? OK, for the original perfume, the bubbles that appear when you shake the bottle should disappear in a span of approximately 10-15 seconds. However, fake perfume’s bubbles will immediately disappear after you shake it.
The color should be consistent. If you are a die-hard fan of a certain perfume, you should know its original color.
The color should be consistent. If you are a die-hard fan of a certain perfume, you should know its original color.
4. The scent
The original perfume will have 3 layers: Top notes, middle notes, and base notes. That’s why you can smell the perfume differently when you first pray it; later you will smell the middle notes and finally, you can smell the base notes. However, fake perfumes may smell familiar but have a flat, one-dimensional quality to them like they are missing an entire layer of notes.
Original perfume should last at least 2-3 hours or more when you wear it. Fakes will only last less than 1 hour.
Original perfume should last more than 24 hours when sprayed on paper (EDP), while EDT will last at least 24 hours.
Original perfume should last more than 24 hours when sprayed on paper (EDP), while EDT will last at least 24 hours.
Conclusion:
It’s becoming increasingly hard to differentiate between original and “fake” perfumes. Be sure to always double-check and stick to the guidelines in this article. I hope I have provided you with enough information for you to survive the great fake perfume battle.
Tip: You can always trust sellers who have a return policy. If they are selling original perfume, they should be confident in the fragrance they sell. Just imagine a fake perfume seller having a return policy… I think they will end up spending most of their time exchanging all the perfumes sold.
If you think the information is not enough or have any questions, you can always make use of our online chat, contact us, or search around on the internet to learn more. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up becoming a perfume expert one day, hehe…
Enjoy your perfumes!!
Regards,
My Perfume Shop
My Perfume Shop