At last, you find a fragrance that you can’t wait to put on in the morning. It’s fresh but interesting, light but present. It smells like you and how you want to feel every day. One morning, you spritz the last from your bottle and hie to the store to buy a replacement, and….it isn’t there. The fragrance is no longer being made.
What now? Here are the steps I’d follow to get my hands on more of my Holy Grail.
1. Check for backstock. Just because a fragrance isn’t in production doesn’t mean there aren’t scores of bottles waiting to be sold. Department stores are generally good about checking other locations and having bottles shipped to you. This is great if your favorite perfume happens to be a mass market seasonal flanker. If you’ve fallen in love with a bottle of Fendi you found at an estate sale, this tactic won’t work without a time machine.
2. Try the perfume brand’s website. Maybe you can’t find your favorite perfume because the brand is having problems with distribution — more often a problem with niche fragrances than with the Diors and Chanels. Go straight to the source.
3. Try online perfume sellers. For fragrances from small perfume houses, perfume boutiques with online stores, such as Luckyscent, Aedes, Fumerie, Twisted Lily, Indigo, Beautyhabit, and others might still have stock. For larger perfume brands, check a big online retailer like Parfum1 for discontinued fragrances. (Note: some online perfume discounters are more reliable than others. You bear the chance of getting a “gray market” bottle that might not have been stored well — or worse.)
4. Look into Basenotes and Facebook groups. If the perfume you love is old enough to have vanished from the market — say, it’s Rochas Mystère or the Fendi I mentioned earlier — options narrow. You’ll have to get a bit more Nancy Drew about your search. Members of Basenotes sometimes sell bottles from their personal collections. Facebook hosts closed groups for perfumistas, and members might sell or trade bottles there, too.
5. Ebay. I’ve heard enough stories of scams and spoiled bottles from Ebay to scare me off, but you might be desperate enough to give it a try. Buyer beware.
6. Find something new. In the long run, this last option might turn out to be the best. The people who work at perfume boutiques want you to find a perfume you adore, and they’re good at sussing out a fragrance’s notes and vibe and pairing it with the right person. If you’re lucky enough to live near a good perfume boutique, take in your empty bottle and ask to find its sister scent. Who knows? You might find your new Holy Grail. If you don’t live in a town with a good perfume store, you’ll have to rely on phone calls or emails and purchasing samples. Sure, it might take time, but I can think of worse ways to spend it.
What routes have I missed to finding a discontinued fragrance? Do you have any happy stories of finding your own vanished Holy Grail?
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FAQs
In this case, you might be better simply starting afresh – put your discontinued scent to the back of your mind, have a sniff around and see what catches your attention. Checking to see if there are any brand-new scents available is a great way to keep yourself one step ahead of the crowd.
What happens when a fragrance is discontinued? ›
Another common reason for discontinued perfumes is that key ingredients have run out, or the manufacturing process is no longer viable. At this point many people will try and create replica fragrances, but the intricacies of the manufacturing processes tend to make this impossible. So, what can you do about it?
Why do popular perfumes get discontinued? ›
Ingredients that once defined a fragrance may become scarce or face regulatory restrictions, compelling perfume houses to discontinue certain creations. This can be attributed to environmental concerns, ethical sourcing practices, updates on allergens or changing regulations within the industry.
Why don't I like the smell of my perfume anymore? ›
In other words, if a scent is constantly wafting in the background—whether it's a personal fragrance on your body or something in the room around you—your brain will essentially become so accustomed to it that it won't register anymore.
How do you reset the smell of perfume? ›
Rabuchin confirms that the elbow method is a tried-and-true industry standard, and for good reason. “Perfumers will sniff the crook of their elbow to reset the system,” he says. “You are always performing olfactory habituation to your own smell, so it is a perfect baseline.”
How can I smell my perfume again? ›
If you can't smell your perfume anymore, you should take a break and change your fragrance. That way, your nose will be stimulated again, and your sensors will be as reactive as ever! You can also experiment with other perfuming techniques to play on olfactory perceptions.
What is the number one selling fragrance of all time? ›
So many fragrances, so many well known names. Time to drop what you think is the most popular perfume of all time and whether you like it or not? Chanel No 5 comes to mind no doubt.
Why old lady perfumes never go out of style? ›
Just because something was created decades ago does not mean it no longer has value. Just look at the fashion world, where vintage items are often the most desirable. Fragrance is deeply connected to memory and nostalgia, which may explain why so many women still mist on their beloved No. 5 or Shalimar.
Can I use old perfume? ›
Most fragrance manufacturers will recommend tossing your bottle after anywhere from one to three years (check your label), but since fragrance doesn't expire in the same sense that food does, it's sometimes okay to keep using a bottle for four, even five years.
Why can't I smell my expensive perfume? ›
After evaluating the molecular content of two breaths, the brain readies itself to decipher new smells. The smell of a familiar perfume no longer has the same effect on you or your sense of smell. In addition to adapting to a specific scent, the olfactory sense may become confused.
But there's nothing to be alarmed of, not smelling your own perfume it's, usually, our brains reflex. Smell sense is still a mystery in some ways and can be tricky sometimes. That's why when you stop smelling your fragrance you start wearing more quantity, hoping to smell it again.
Can I take perfume back to the fragrance shop? ›
You will need to provide proof of purchase (E-receipt) and return to us within 90 days of the original purchase. A return can only be processed using the original payment method. Please note we cannot offer a refund or a return on an item unless you retain the item and its original packaging.
Can you get a perfume replicated? ›
A resulting scent cannot be exactly duplicated, and reputable perfume companies make sure that their loyal customers understand that in the case of scent duplication, they are not buying the original fragrance but rather one that is nearly identical to the original, and satisfying the client and their customer base.
Why doesn't my perfume last on me anymore? ›
If you have dry or dehydrated skin, your perfume may not last as long as someone with oily skin. What is recommended is to moisturize your skin well before applying your perfume, using a moisturizer (ideally without perfume) because perfume usually lasts longer on an oily body.
