But seriously, what makes this beauty product cost so much?
You know those moments when you brush past a stranger on the street or you kiss someone goodbye only to be left with the subtle and mysterious fragrance of their perfume… It is a lasting scent, one that intrigues your senses and has you feeling the person’s presence even after they are gone.
Moments like this are kind of a magical experience. They leave you mystified and often ignite in you a quest for your own perfume or cologne to do just the same — leave an impression. However, once you start looking at all of the available options, you notice that most high-quality designer perfumes are three to four times more expensive than non-designer brands.
When we first got into the perfume game we too wondered, “But why? There have to be some solid reasons why some perfumes cost so much more than others”– guess what? There are!
Most people chalk the perfume “price jump” up to the ingredients — but the secret is… premium ingredients are not the reason why luxury brand perfumes are so expensive.
Let’s break it down.
First, let’s get one thing straight: when it comes to perfume, the ingredients used are what matters the most. To achieve an irresistible scent, that has people wondering what you’re wearing, the manufacturers of the perfume can not skimp on quality ingredients. Without quality ingredients perfumes will not last as long and they will definitely not smell as nice. So, naturally, quality perfumes will cost more than cheaply made perfumes.
When a scent is made with expert skill and with top-quality flowers, spices, musks, etc. you can tell the difference in aroma and lasting power. Speaking of top quality, it’s important to note where most premium quality fragrance manufacturers are located and why this is a sign of a good perfume.
Where perfume ingredients come from is a great way to tell the quality of a perfume.
Growing conditions for the flowers and herbs used to make the essential oils must be perfect, while the team in charge of mixing those natural ingredients to create the scents must be highly skilled and knowledgeable in their trade. That’s why we, as well as many of the world’s best brands, only source fragrances from places like the world’s fragrance capital Grasse, France.
Since the 17th century, the old medieval city, which began dabbling in fragrance in order to mask the unpleasant odor of its leather goods industry, has been considered the “perfume capital of the world”, as the blogger One Hundred Ml explains. Its highly prized may rose and jasmine are bottled up in the iconic Chanel No 5. Other luxury fragrance houses like Dior, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton also source their ingredients from Grasse, as well as major fragrance companies like Robertet and IFF, who are behind some of the world’s most memorable scents, which also call Grasse their home.
But, truth be told, where quality ingredients are sorted does not affect the price of a well-made perfume either!
Are you shocked? We thought you might be. Yes, the quality of what goes into making the perfume causes price differences, but it’s not exactly the reason why a certain bottle is more expensive than say a bottle from Dossier which only costs between $29 and $59. After all, our ingredients come from the same place as many luxury perfume manufacturers!
Actually, the liquid in a bottle of a premium Eau de Parfum typically costs less than $2!
So, where does the over $100 price tag of luxury perfumes come from then? Well, it’s simple and not so simple. It’s a result of a combination of factors like:
- Retailer Markups
- Fancy packaging and bottles
- Expensive marketing
- Celebrity brand representatives
All of the above cost brands tons of money. For example, let’s take a look at Boadicea The Victorious’ “Blue Sapphire-Pure” bottle. Although the perfume’s price tag is over $800, its ingredients cost no more than $3 or $4!
It may come as a surprise, but one of the main culprits for these major mark ups is none other than: the bottle. Perfume bottles are typically created specifically for each new fragrance, with very long development times, which cause the investment on custom materials cost even more!
Obviously, we think this is outrageous! Increasing prices to stand out and to make a name or to sell more bottles is the reason why many consumers stay away from some of the perfumes they love. And it is understandable to question, is it worth it? That’s right, in general, the packaging is more expensive than its contents.
Paying for the bottle and for marketing isn’t part of the Dossier brand ethos.
At Dossier, we source only high-quality ingredients from France and manufacture our perfumes just the same way as many luxury brands do. Besides using the best oils to produce the best product, we also work hard to create similar scents to the iconic ones you love and long-lasting aromas that will turn heads when you walk down the street or meet someone new.
However, there are a few things that we do not do in order to keep our prices at an accessible $29. To make sure our customers get to actually enjoy the perfume, we cut unnecessary costs. Here’s how:
- No retailers
- Direct to consumers selling
- Minimalist bottle
- No fancy packaging
- No icons
- No cinema ads
Dossier is simply pure, top quality, good fragrance that stays true to perfume tradition and is made with YOU in mind.
Offering a variety of scents developed to portray similar notes as your favorite expensive luxury brand perfumes, we hope to offer you a more friendly price tag without compromising quality or delightful aroma. Yes, you can enjoy the luxury of the best perfume without paying insane prices.
Shop Dossier’s selection of premium perfumes here.
