Have you ever wondered why some perfumes smell the same? Today, we roll up our sleeves and tackle a tricky subject: copying in perfumery. Because behind the scenes, things are much less clear than on the shelves... Keep your eyes open and follow the guide to become an expert on the subject! On the programme:

• Learn the difference between a countertype (also called generic perfume or equivalent) and a counterfeit in perfumery
• Become an expert at telling an original perfume from a fake one
• And discover the benefits of buying an original perfume!

The false friend: the countertype or generic

What is a countertype? In short, it is almost like a generic in a pharmacy. The emphasis is on "almost" because generic flavours are not fully subject to the same regulations as generic drugs. Simply put:

• Generic medicines are subject to very strict rules: same active ingredient, same dosage and same method of administration. A generic drug must be exactly the same as the original drug it is based on. Only the presentation and excipients may differ!

• The countertype or generic in perfumery is the equivalent of an existing fragrance, often from a major luxury brand. Its smell is quite similar to the original, but its bottle and packaging are different. Moreover, its composition differs subtly from the original fragrance: the law requires that the molecular structure of a countertype varies by at least 2% from that of the original fragrance (yes, it is regulated!). So while the idea is to create a near-perfect copy, the two fragrances are actually fraternal twins.

Today, counter-types are very common in perfumery. Because, contrary to popular belief, it is not so complicated to copy a perfume...

How to copy a perfume?

There are two main techniques for copying a perfume:

Option 1: the old-fashioned way. Some people who are called "odour experts" or "perfect noses" (the equivalent of the absolute ear in music) have the ability to identify and recognise thousands of scents. Thanks to their super-nose, they are able to find a large part of the olfactory components of a perfume and reproduce it in the laboratory.

Option 2.0: More technological, some use a device called a chromatograph. This technology is capable of analysing the essential composition of a perfume - up to 90% of its formula - thus allowing it to be copied. Beware, some ingredients escape the chromatograph's radar - these include the famous "captive ingredients", molecules often from the research and development programmes of the major perfume groups, whose formulas are jealously guarded internally.

Generally speaking, recognising a copy is not easy: in 1999, a French court dealing with the subject had to cross-check 4 methods of analysis - including consumer tests, analysis by an "electronic nose", a professional nose, and a chromatographic test - to affirm that a perfume was indeed a copy of another.

Is copying a perfume prohibited?

Unfortunately not. If copying is so common today, it's simply becauseno olfactory creation is protected by jurisprudence. In fact, under French law, fragrances are not considered works of the mind, in the same way as a song or a painting, for example. Only the bottles, packaging and name of the perfume are protected! Which of course opens up the debate as to whether the perfumer is an artist, or a "mere technician", executing a formula rather than being the true author. At Bastille, we have our own thoughts on the matter, given the talent, passion and years of experience required to create a beautiful perfume!

" The perfume of secrecy fades with each nose that sniffs it " - Robert Blondin, writer

In short: if you are lucky enough to have a "perfect" nose or a good chromatography machine, you can discover and reproduce the secrets of a perfume and its olfactory composition, without the risk of being sued for counterfeiting.

This is how, in 2020, a discount retailer managed to reproduce Coco Mademoiselle, Chloé eau de parfum and Dior's J'adore perfumes almost identically. A scandal guaranteed in the land of noses!

But make no mistake: this does not only concern supermarkets. The practice is common, between large luxury groups as well as between niche brands: a successful perfume will almost systematically be declined by competing brands. And there's more...

The sworn enemy: counterfeiting

If you buy a generic or an original you are legal, it becomes more complicated when you buy a fake.

So what is the difference between counterfeit perfume and countertype? Very simply: a counterfeit is generally the illegal copying of a bottle, a smell and a packaging of an existing perfume. These practices are also very common in the textile and leather goods industry for example. These fake perfumes are not subject to any legal registration (the famous "cosmetic file" mandatory for any product put on the market), to any testing before their sale, and in general blithely bypass the IFRA regulation which governs the composition of perfumes.

And if you thought you had to go to China to buy counterfeit perfumes, think again: some are actually from here, as shown by the seizure by customs of 245,000 counterfeit perfumes in Seine-Saint-Denis in 2019. The products were manufactured on site before being resold, particularly on the Internet.

But then, between the countless number of perfumes that exist on the market, the originals, the generics and the counterfeits... How can you tell the real from the fake?

Here are our 4 tips to help you make sense of it:

1. You will smell it. Even if at first sight the smell seems identical thanks to a well imitated start, wait 30 minutes. The smell may evolve very differently from the original, because the heart and base notes will generally be much less qualitative.
2. You will be wary of its price. A derisory price for a great perfume: nothing shocks you? We know that the perfume industry is used to promotions, but still...
3. Its packaging you will observe. And then open your eyes wide. Pay attention to the packaging, the bottle and the label. The materials used are often of poor quality and the ingredients are usually not detailed on the label. Also, the legal information (name and address of the brand's headquarters) is often missing.
4. The place where it's sold. Buying a perfume on the street or at a market stall is generally a very bad sign. At Bastille, our 80 points of sale are carefully selected: there's no reason to come across us anywhere else!

The importance of choosing an original perfume

"Why buy the real thing if it smells pretty much the same as a countertype or fake?" The question is totally legitimate, especially when you see the soaring prices of certain fragrances that aren't accessible to most budgets. At Bastille, we have several convictions on the subject:

• Firstly, it never smells exactly the same

Subtleties and nuances are missing, especially when you take the time to soak up the fragrance. You may therefore be disappointed by your purchase, even at the minimum price.

• Secondly, the ingredients are not of the same quality

Knowing that the cost of a kilo of Centifolia rose absolute (a famous flower in perfumery, grown in particular around Grasse) amounts for example to 10,000 euros, it is difficult to propose a very cheap perfume with a qualitative rose. Counterfeit or fake perfumes are most often made from synthetic raw materials of much lower quality than their natural counterparts... If you are wondering how to differentiate between natural and synthetic ingredients, follow this article and you will become an expert in the field.

• Some perfumes are even toxic!

They can be manufactured anywhere, and of course put on the market without control and without laboratory testing. Marketing a perfume is a regulated process - fortunately! The ingredients are controlled so that they are not harmful to health, and many tests are carried out to limit the risk of allergies. If you've fallen for the copies, you may have just found the reason for the red patches on your neck :)

• Finally, the performance is generally not the same because the concentration of a counterfeit or countertype is generally much lower than the original perfumes

On average, an original eau de parfum is composed of 10 to 15% of concentrate, it is often much less for a countertype or a counterfeit. Our hard discounter and its countertype for less than 5€ has not escaped criticism on the subject of hold, no wonder!

• And morally: would you like your work to be copied?

Of course not! To produce an original, high-quality perfume, many hours of work, research, trials, tests and controls are necessary before it is marketed. Copying means skipping all the steps without any effortby taking advantage of work done by others. As a result, we can't help but think that buying a copy is also an endorsement of this system...

So what do you think? Have you ever tested any copies - convincing or disappointing? Tell us about it, we're curious 🙂

----------

Photos: Unknown