Perfume or fragrance is a mixture of essential oils or aromatic compounds, fragrance fixatives, and solvents, usually in liquid form. It helps create a pleasant scent for the body as well as clothing, providing a comfortable and attractive feeling or simply masking body odor.
The market is flooded with counterfeit perfumes. These “fake” products not only lack in fragrance but can also cause allergies, headaches, and other health issues. Therefore, distinguishing genuine perfumes from “fake” ones is a concern for consumers, especially when counterfeit products are becoming increasingly sophisticated and can closely resemble genuine ones.
Distinguishing genuine perfumes from “fake” ones
To avoid purchasing fake perfumes, you need to consider factors such as packaging, labels, price, and the color of the perfume. However, it is important to note that even if a perfume bottle does not exhibit the listed signs of being fake, it may still not be genuine, as counterfeit perfumes can closely resemble the real ones. Unscrupulous individuals can replicate almost everything except for the fragrance itself.
Observe the appearance of the perfume bottle
Regarding packaging, genuine high-end perfume bottles are wrapped in a thick, glossy paper with neat folds and tightly adhered to the surface of the box. On the other hand, with fake perfumes, the glossy paper is often wrinkled, thin, and not tightly adhered to the box’s surface.
The perfume bottle itself is also a work of art, made of high-quality materials, with a precise and well-defined shape, giving it an elegant appearance. In contrast, counterfeit products cannot invest in such sophisticated packaging, so the perfume bottle looks “cheap” when placed next to a genuine product.
Perfume cap: High-end perfume brands often design their bottle caps with great precision and intricacy. If the perfume bottle cap appears poorly crafted, crooked, or asymmetrical when closed, it means you have purchased a counterfeit product.
In order to distinguish genuine perfumes from “fake” ones, you need to observe the packaging, bottle, and bottle cap. (Image: Hermes)
Check the serial number and label
Comparing the label, serial number, and purchase policies is also an effective way to distinguish genuine perfumes from “fake” ones. Nowadays, most high-end perfume brands have their own unique security labels printed on the bottle or box. You can check the bottom of the bottle or the bottom of the box to ensure that your perfume bottle is genuine.
If you purchase a genuine perfume, you will be entitled to purchase policies, discounts, and specific warranty terms.
In contrast, with counterfeit perfume bottles, the labels and serial numbers are often poorly made, and you will not be entitled to any purchase policies or warranties.
Differentiate based on price
Genuine perfume bottles are usually priced at millions or even tens of millions of Vietnamese dong, and they rarely offer discounts. If there are any discounts, they are minimal to preserve the brand’s value. Promotional programs usually only occur on special occasions, and instead of offering discounts, brands may offer complimentary gifts (such as mini perfume bottles, body lotions, etc.) or bundle several products into a gift set sold at a somewhat lower price than individual items.
If you come across advertisements for “genuine perfumes with discounts of up to 60 – 70%,” then it is definitely a trick to sell counterfeit products by taking advantage of customers’ desire for cheap prices.
Based on the color of the perfume
Genuine perfumes have clear, beautiful, and transparent colors, while fake perfumes may appear darker, contain sediments, or lack transparency. This difference is due to renowned perfume brands using fewer color additives, resulting in a relatively faint color for the perfume, whereas counterfeit perfumes often have a darker color due to imprecise control of color additives.
Differentiate based on scent and longevity
Scent and longevity are important factors for distinguishing genuine perfumes from “fake” ones. To determine the scent of a perfume, users need to smell through the three main fragrance layers of the product.
Scent and longevity are important factors for distinguishing genuine perfumes from “fake” ones. (Image: Gear Patrol)
“Super fake” perfumes can initially produce a scent similar to that of genuine perfumes. Therefore, if you only smell the top fragrance layer, it is difficult to differentiate unless you are highly skilled. The third fragrance layer is where the most noticeable difference lies.
If it is a genuine perfume, even after a few minutes of spraying, you will still perceive a delicate and pleasant scent. However, for fake products, although the top fragrance layer may resemble the genuine fragrance, the subsequent layers will reveal their authenticity issues and may even cause discomfort and headaches.
Based on the point of sale
If you purchase perfume from official stores or authorized distributors, you can have peace of mind. If you choose to buy imported perfumes, you may become a victim of many shops selling counterfeit goods before finding a reputable store.
As mentioned earlier, distinguishing genuine perfumes from “fake” ones based on external signs is relatively subjective due to increasingly sophisticated counterfeit technology. Therefore, the most reliable way to purchase genuine products is to visit official showrooms.
Source: VTC News