We continue our series of articles on the preconceived ideas that often paralyze the world of perfumery in some absurd beliefs. After having seen that a perfume can be kept for more than 3 years, it is now on the price of fragrances that we are looking at. Who said that cheap perfume was necessarily of bad quality? We explain how we can offer you beautiful olfactory creations… Without breaking the bank!
What we hear about cheap perfumes
Human beings are quite paradoxical, don’t you think? Most of us spend a good part of our time looking for the best quality/price ratio for everyday products or more exceptional purchases, even if it means comparing, hesitating, and finally taking the plunge. Moreover, this phenomenon is even more true in a situation of general price increase. But when it comes to perfume, the process is far from being the same. Curious, isn’t it?
Indeed, the essences seem to escape this system of judgment. We tend to think that the higher the price, the better the quality. So, as with good wines, we often rely on the great houses that have proven themselves over the decades. And when our eyes and nose have the audacity to look at brands unknown to the shelves of the big perfume stores, it is our brain that sends us a warning signal: low price = bad product. Low-end, copied scents or suspect ingredients…. It’s as if the amount on the label is warning us of a danger to be avoided. And yet…
A cheap perfume AND quality: we say yes, yes and yes again!
Price: a psychological factor
Unconsciously, we expect to pay a rather large sum of money when it comes to buying a perfume. Why do we do this? Because this product is anchored in our mass consumption culture as a luxury item that conveys a very particular image. That’s why when we buy a perfume, it’s actually more the image of the brand and what it represents that we are looking to acquire, rather than the smell itself. And the more prestigious the name on the bottle, the higher the price. The pattern in our subconscious is thus well established. A high price is synonymous with prestige, and prestige guarantees quality.
Big houses VS confidential brands
So when it comes to finding your new perfumed companion, you tend to gravitate towards fragrances developed by the big perfume or couture houses. It’s hard not to succumb to these ultra-successful advertising campaigns, glossy pages in magazines or renowned partnerships with celebrities. And to hold this little piece of heaven in your hands (and spray a few drops on your skin), you’re even willing to pay a high price! But if you compare a bottle from these big brands with a cheaper perfume created by a lesser known house, you quickly realize that the difference is not in the cost of manufacturing the perfume itself… But rather in the marketing campaign, the remuneration of the muse, or the choice of a distribution network.
Also, it is important to know that it is often the same perfumers who create fragrances for the “big” brands and for the “small” ones. Indeed, these noses are generally part of composition companies that answer to the briefs of clients of all sizes. The price difference between several bottles is not a guarantee of good or bad quality. It refers more to all the costs that make the bottle more attractive from a marketing point of view.
Is price a matter of ingredients?
When dealing with a cheap perfume, the quality of its composition is often questioned. And for good reason, it is true that the cost of the raw materials used in a formula can change considerably depending on the ingredients. In the natural world, some of them are even worth more than gold! This is the case, for example, with Padilla iris, straight from Florence. Hence the growing interest in synthesis to democratize certain scents that are almost beyond the reach of our noses (and our wallets). But beware, the price of some synthetic raw materials can also soar. A cheap perfume does not mean that it will not contain any natural ingredients.
To control costs while creating a fragrance rich in nuances and beautiful quality, the nose can play on the alliance of various ingredients… More or less rare, more or less valuable, but always as fragrant!
At Carrément Belle, quality comes at a very soft price
We often repeat it to you, but at Carrément Belle, our philosophy is to make beautiful perfumery accessible to all noses. Moreover, you often tell us about your surprise regarding the quality of our fragrances, considering the prices we charge. By browsing the e-shop or in the stores of our super-retailers, you can offer yourself a fragrance created in Grasse and bottled by hand, from 35€.
We have chosen to focus on the quality of the juice, and not to put all our budget (and yours as well) on communication or complex and convoluted packaging. Because what matters most to us for your little noses is what is inside the bottle, not what surrounds it. By opting for sobriety, the emphasis is placed on the choice of beautiful raw materials, both natural and synthetic. This ones are assembled in a collection of scents that you will not smell at every corner.
So, have you changed your mind about cheap perfume?
Discover our fragrances
