Trouvaille SF

 One Perfume Is Not The Same As The Other

We already know that not all perfumes are made the same. 

Counterfeiters mislead consumers by creating products that are confusingly similar to the real commodity. Upon first glance you see the name brand packaging, both box and perfume bottle have colors resembling those of the genuine products. Oftentimes the perfumes state they are manufactured in France to emphasize a more luxurious product, but upon closer look, they are actually made in China. (CBP.gov)

Fragrance is absorbed by the body; therefore, consumers need to be aware that wearing counterfeit perfume could expose them to potentially hazardous chemicals. Counterfeit fragrances are usually marked by extremely cheap prices from what the actual retail price is when you compare it to the prices of the big department stores (i.e Macy’s, Dillards). Of course discount stores such as Walmart and Target can sell it cheaper as they buy in extreme bulk, vs smaller companies such as Trouvaille-sf, therefore, like Costco, the more you buy in bulk, the cheaper it is for you. 

With an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price of over $48 million, pharmaceuticals and personal care products represented six percent of the total goods seized by CBP in fiscal year 2019. In 2019 approximately $ 1.5 billion worth of counterfeit goods originating overseas were seized by CBP. China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey and Canada were the top five countries of origin for counterfeit goods seized by CBP.

So how can you figure out who is real and who is fake? The main culprit would be the price. If you see something that usually sells for 100 and it’s on sale on E-bay for 30 dollars, that should tell you that something is definitely wrong here. Not all products you buy online are legit. Just because there’s a seller on amazon or ebay doesn’t mean what they’re selling is legit. In fact, they themselves might not know since they’re not the ones who have the actual product. It could be the vendors they use. If it says made in China, then you’ll know, it’s fake. Did you buy it on Craig’s List? If you have to meet the person to make an exchange, check this site to see how you can spot a fake: Spot a fake

The smell is another thing. Most counterfeits don’t last long. Fragrances are made of fragrance oils, called perfume essence, dissolved in alcohol with water. There are different types of fragrances, depending on the concentration of perfume essence.

The difference of concentrations in fragrance oils is as follows:

– Parfum extract: 15% to 40%

– Eau de Parfum (EDP): 10% to 20% 

– Eau de Toilette (EDT): 5% to 15% 

– Eau de Cologne (EDC): 2% to 4%

The higher concentration of perfume essence makes a perfume last longer, which is why EDP has a longevity of about 6 to 7 hours, as opposed to EDT, which usually lasts between 2 to 4 hours, or an EDC, which is up to 2 hours.

If your fragrance lasts only 10 minutes, you might have a counterfeit, but  hold on! Your skin type might also be an issue. Dry skin will not absorb the scent as does a moisturised one. We had spoken last time about MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex). Well actually we didn’t, I just provided a link that someone else spoke about but it’s all good, right? You can go back to that story at your leisure if you missed it. Basically in a nut shell MHC is your pheromones. It’s what attracts you to someone else. If you’re a science geek, like me, then you can read more about this here: Pheromones With that being said, one perfume/cologne may work for you but another may not. 

Here are some tips, even if you decide that you just prefer the cheaper price of the perfume to apply on yourself: Cosmopolitan's tricks to keeping yourself smelling nice

In the end, it really comes down to you and your budget. People are always looking for a bargain, that’s why they shop for deals, but the hidden dangers are there when it comes to getting the real or the knock off. Just be sure to know the risks. Happy shopping.