Perfume differs from its scent cousin, cologne, in the ratio of its fragrance extracts to alcohol, which is the filler ingredient in both products. Fragrance extracts account for about 8 to 16 percent of perfume’s volume. Cologne has about half that amount of fragrance extract; the rest is alcohol. The perfume scent lingers longer on the body because less alcohol evaporates from the skin. Discounted cheap perfume from well-known companies can be a bargain since a bottle of the perfume lasts longer than a bottle of cologne.
Less well-known fragrances from niche companies or newly developed scents are another source of cheap perfume. These types of scents haven’t yet been discovered by the general perfume-wearing public, and can’t be found at the typical department store perfume counter. They instead can be purchased through specialty online beauty websites. A woman or man who wears a niche or newly developed fragrance becomes associated with that scent among his or her friends and colleagues. The scent becomes a woman’s own signature before the rest of the people in her circle of friends discover it.
It’s never a good idea to buy a cheap perfume, or any perfume for that matter, based solely on the listed ingredients. Testing the perfume on the skin is essential, since body chemistry plays such an important role in how the fragrance smells on each individual. A name-brand perfume can be tested at a department store by sniffing then applying the perfume to the wrist. It’s recommended that several perfumes be sniffed, then narrowed down to just a few choices. Then those choices can be tested on the skin. It’s best, if possible, to wait 24 hours between each skin test.
A brand-name perfume sold online can be tested easily at a department store counter before it’s purchased. While testing a niche or hard-to-find fragrance may seem impossible, it can be done. A website that offers samples or decants of both niche and classic perfumes for just a few dollars is an excellent option. It’s possible too that a well-known fragrance could have a scent similar to a niche perfume, which would allow another option for testing desired fragrances. Since the niche perfumes often are less expensive, it’s possible to buy different scents to find the preferred fragrance.