5 Ways To Tell If Your Perfume Is A Fake

There are many ‘fake’ beauty items we can get behind. Fake nails, tan, lashes and if you’re Chrissy Teigen, even fake brows! A fake perfume, however? We’ll give that a miss any day. Aside from being entirely illegal and morally wrong, fake perfumes are often formulated using questionable chemicals which aren’t approved for application to our skin. Plus, though they might seem like a bargain at the time, the scent often doesn’t last and is never the same as the real deal.

However, unfortunately sometimes we might unsuspectingly end up with a counterfeit fragrance. In which case, it’s important to understand how to distinguish between the real deal and fake.

What is a fake perfume?

Not to be confused with a ‘dupe’ (like the supermarket air freshener that went viral for smelling like a Tom Ford perfume), counterfeit fragrances aren’t affordable hidden gems that make an impressive alternative to that $400 bottle you’ve been spritzing on yourself at the airport for years. No, they’re actually illegal formulations that have been designed to ‘rip off’ the real thing.

How do I know if my perfume is real?

1. Do a colour comparison

At first, second or maybe even third glance, a counterfeit perfume may match the colour of the real version. Though, upon closer inspection (it helps if you’re able to hold the two side-by-side), you’ll be able to notice a difference in the colour. In saying that, if perfumes are old or have been left in a spot where they’re exposed to the sun, they do have the potential to change colour. So be sure you’re comparing two fresh bottles.

2. The bubble test

After shaking your perfume bottle, bubbles should appear for 10 to 15 seconds when the formula is an original. When counterfeit products are shaken, they typically produce bubbles that disappear immediately.

3. Use your nose

We’re not expecting you to rival a police dog walking around customs, though it is possible to detect an illegal substance if you know what you’re looking (or sniffing) for. As a general rule, perfumes have three layers: top, middle and base notes. The different scent layers are the reason that a spritz of perfume adapts and changes as it sits in the air or on your skin.

Though a fake perfume may initially smell familiar, you’ll find that the fragrance won’t have the same depth as it settles. In fact, it will remain smelling exactly as it did when it was first spritzed from the bottle. This is described as a flat, one-dimensional fragrance and is unique to counterfeit, low quality perfumes.

4. The paper test

If you spray an original Eau de Parfum onto a piece of paper, it will last for more than 24 hours, while an Eau de Toilette will last at least 24 hours. A fake perfume, however, will be impossible to detect within an hour, both on paper and on your skin. 

5. The bottle

Spelling errors, incorrect fonts and different packaging materials (keep a keen eye out for the lid in particular) are tell-tale signs of a fake fragrance. 

How to spot a fake perfume on eBay

Is it authentic? Outside of roadside markets overseas, eBay is rife with counterfeit perfumes and colognes. Before purchasing or placing a bid, check the listing for the word ‘authentic’. If you can’t see it, ask the seller if the product is an ‘authentic’ fragrance. If the answer is no, this means it isn’t an original fragrance.

Does the seller have positive feedback? As with any purchase online, it’s important to read comments left by previous sellers. If you spot feedback which says the perfume isn’t real. Do not purchase.

Have they only used stock imagery? If the seller can’t provide original, current close up images of the bottle and packaging, do not purchase.

Where to buy authentic perfume online?

For trusted fragrance retailers in Australia, we recommend: Chemist Warehouse, David Jones, Adore Beauty, MECCA, Myer, Priceline and Oz Hair And Beauty.

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Have you ever suspected a fragrance was fake? How could you tell?