Fragrance

When you buy a fragrance, you’re paying for a lot more than the beautiful-smelling liquid. Here’s why the scents that you buy are a real investment, and how you can make them last.

1

The ingredients in designer perfumes are rare and often difficult to extract

The ingredient orris is a great example, which is found in Jo Malone Orris & Sandalwood Cologne Intense 100ml ( R1 850). It’s the scent of the iris root, and smells similar to that of violets. Extracting the oil, also known as orris butter, can take three to five years because the root needs to dry and age before any oil is produced. One kilogram of orris can cost approximately R43 890 – and that’s just one ingredient! To truly make a unique fragrance, perfumer Mandy Aftel explains: “I look all over the world for smells and the best ingredients that I can find. I like looking for things that are special, and they usually come at a cost.”

When your favourite fashion designers launch a scent, it’s a great way to incorporate their style into your wardrobe. To add to the luxuriousness, many of the campaigns are fronted by supermodels or celebs, and their A-list participation can make it even pricier.

2The marketing builds the fantasy 3

The packaging needs to be something you want to show off

Let’s face it, you want your bottle to look as pretty as it smells. Who can resist ladylike details, like the chic bag shape of Marc Jacobs Decadence or the crystal glass effects of the Versace Crystal bottles? Remember that such packaging can be really expensive to produce, which then pushes up the overall price of the perfume.