Rare ingredients are the main factor that drives up the cost of perfumes. These ingredients can include rare flower petals, unusual root essences, and other components that are scarce or hard to come by. For example, a flower that blooms only one month a year can be incredibly valuable. In addition, expensive fragrances tend to have a fuller scent composed of top notes, heart notes, and base notes, which requires a multitude of ingredients and increases the cost.
Perfumes can range from a few dollars to hundreds or thousands of dollars per bottle. But why is there such a wide range in price? Some companies spend millions to market a perfume and get celebrities to endorse it. On the other hand, cheap perfumes may not smell as good or last as long as more expensive ones. The price of a perfume can also depend on its availability.
If it's widely available, you may encounter someone wearing the same scent as you. On the other hand, exclusive fragrances designed by master perfumers may be more expensive and only available to a select few. Common base notes in more expensive fragrances include patchouli, vanilla, sandalwood, or musk, which gives the perfume a lasting impression. The perfumer may even demand royalties for their creations, further increasing the cost of the bottle.
Imitation perfumes tend to be cheaper because they primarily replicate the top notes of a fragrance. However, more expensive scents often have several layers of fragrance that ensure it lasts longer. Tatiana Estevez, a former aromatherapist and perfumer, has explained that more expensive scents tend to have several layers of fragrance, while cheaper options have less. The concentration classifications in perfumery also play a role in price.
Cologne contains 2-4% of fragrance oil, eau de toilette 5-15%, eau de parfum 15-20%, and perfume 20-40%. The dispenser and lid of cheap perfumes are often plastic and poorly fitted, which means that the juice is exposed to air and will gradually change the fragrance. But that doesn't mean that all expensive perfumes have all three levels of notes or that perfumes with only high notes aren't worth buying. In conclusion, some perfumes are expensive because they contain rare ingredients or are endorsed by celebrities. They may also be exclusive fragrances designed by master perfumers or have several layers of fragrance that ensure it lasts longer.
The concentration classifications in perfumery also play a role in price as well as the dispenser and lid used for the perfume.
