What is a generic and an equivalent fragrance?
Definition of generic fragrance
A generic perfume also called equivalent, is a fragrance whose composition differs from the original. By opting for a generic perfume, you will have a very attractive price, but rarely a faithfulness to the original note.
Origin of generic fragrance
Generic medicines are subject to serious rules, the active ingredient is either equivalent or identical. Only the presentation, the form of administration (e.g. only oral) and the excipients are different.
Generic medicines benefit from the expiry of a patent that was put in place at the time of the launch of the medicine and then fell into the public domain after a certain period of time.
Generic perfumes should not be equated with generic medicines, the latter heals and perfumes give pleasure and comfort.
Perfumes are not subject to patents, even though they are seriously and rigorously regulated by IFRA standards. The perfume dossier for an original brand is filed with the anti-poison centre, unlike equivalent or generic perfumes. Original perfumes are subject to very rigorous dermatological tests which are quite expensive.
Differences between original and generic perfumes
Generic perfumes can have other names such as copies, fakes, imitations, counterfeits. They target well-known or fashionable brands with a wide audience. A confidential or niche perfume is rarely copied.
They are often of poor quality and, above all, do not provide any guarantee of allergy reactions because they are rarely if ever tested in a dermatology laboratory. You are more likely to experience skin reactions or severe allergies.
A dermatological test is very expensive for the original perfume brand.
What process can be used to create a generic fragrance?
It is important to know that any perfume launched on the market can be analysed by a very sophisticated device called the gas chromatograph which can reveal 80% to 90% of the perfume formula.
But the 10% to 20% of the formula that is not detectable by this device can really change the aesthetics of the fragrance. Indeed, this device cannot detect the subtlety and origin of the beautiful natural raw materials of perfumery.
Any copy or imitation is a kind of property theft, in this case it is a formula theft.
The perfume companies or perfumers who developed the formulas invest a lot of money at different levels: perfumers, evaluators, raw material buyers, laboratory workers, consultants, etc.
These same companies also spend a lot of money on renting or buying premises, on salaries and also on dermatological tests. They invest in time, as it takes one to two years to develop a perfume.
These perfumes sometimes copy well the top notes, so they can give you the illusion of finding the notes of the original perfume, but you will certainly be very disappointed by the scent on the skin in its evolution.
Different approaches to generic perfume
The packaging can look very similar to the original one, same colour, box, similar logo, similar brand name (Rada instead of Prada, for example), but different fragrance name: Fusion d'Aroma instead of Infusion de Mandarine.
The general look can be similar but with a different, smaller format that does not exist in the original brand, such as the perfumes that can be found at flea markets in Paris or on Amazon.
Equivalent perfumes with correspondences by numbers for example N°1 corresponding to the perfume Shalimar, N° 10 corresponding, for example, to Guerlain's Little Black Dress, Equivalenza in Bilbao.
The Divain brand clearly displays on the packaging X equivalence to, for example, La Vie Est Belle by Lancôme.
And also different names proposed by the Avon company. For example J'adore by Dior, equivalent to Incandescence.
P.S.: the list of copying companies is of course not exhaustive.
Conclusion on generic perfumes
Generic perfumes are about well-known perfumes, legendary perfumes (Chanel N°5) or best-selling perfumes, and less about author's or confidential fragrances.
Generic perfumes or their equivalents will not bring you the pleasure and quality of an original perfume. This approach is not ethical.
Sylvaine Delacourte fragrances
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