The problem with falling hopelessly in love with a perfume – as with any other great love – is you run the risk of being heartbroken. In the world of fragrance, the word that captures this particular form of heartache is “DISCONTINUED”. What’s even worse is that you probably make this discovery after you’ve emptied your last bottle or are very close to it and you are in the unfortunate position of having to go cold turkey.
You never saw the break-up coming and you never even entertained the idea that the relationship would end, right?
I’ve been there and I feel your pain. It’s one of the few breakups that people don’t talk about unless you are a perfumista and we all get it. Anne Klein II (which launched in 1985 and I was convinced would always stick around) was my first love lost. Not only was I a huge fan but I was responsible for introducing it to my sister-in-law who had become hopelessly hooked.
The good news is that there are ways to find that exact same scent that you thought you would never hold in your possession again.
So why do perfume companies discontinue scents that may have been hugely popular and, at least for you, the holy grail of perfume? There are a few theories on this: 1) Internal politics within the company. Someone at the company was there when it was first created and is no longer there. They may worry that he’s left and stole the formula. 2) Perfume companies don’t care about making money (haha) and feel their clients want/deserve something fresh and new. 3) Perfume companies know that the average consumer is going to buy the “latest and greatest” and want to increase their profits. It’s all about the $$ and not the juice.
I go with #3.
The perfumers who create the masterpieces that we fall in love with are not the ones who make these decisions, at least not at the large houses. I’m sure they feel an even greater devastation that we do. Imagine spending so many hours and often years to create the perfect scent and to find out that it had been tossed aside.
I recently contacted a company who’s fragrance I’d fallen hard for only to find out it had been discontinued. Their response was:
Please note that ___ is no longer in production as we are always looking for new combinations of scents that the market has not explored yet. For this reason we encourage you to visit one of the fragrances available and choose the right one.
No surprise there, but it just confirms my #3 theory. Needless to say their cheerful response really pissed me off. Surely they could have kept a few bottles around for die-hard fans like me who would happily have paid extra for it or at least pointed me in the direction of how to locate it elsewhere.
No such luck.
So what to do when the object of your affections seems nowhere to be found?
- Check with the manufacturer to see if the perfume is still being manufactured anywhere in your country of residence. Sometimes a fragrance that has been discontinued in one country is widely available in another.
- Check out all of the perfume shops and department stores in your area as well as Duty-Free shops at airports. It’s always possible that they may have a few bottles left.
- Check on eBay. Ebay is a great site for discontinued perfumes but be prepared to pay top dollar especially if your perfume was really popular.
- Join Facebook fragrance groups like Totally Fragrance Raffle$ where fragrances are auctioned off to the highest bidder. The seller will specify if they are open to a swap or just sale as well as if it’s a full bottle or the percentage left, such as 80% full. Another FB group is Fragrant Nostalgia Sales where the seller lists the price and amount left in bottle as well as whether or not the price reflects shipping.
- Check out the perfumes offered for sale at Surrender To Chance. While they don’t sell full bottles of perfume, they have a good selection of samples and decants, including vintage and hard to find scents.
- See if it’s being sold on Perfume Network, which specializes in clearance and discontinued fragrances at steep discounts.
- Remind yourself that “tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”(Alfred Lord Tennyson).
If you have a beloved fragrances that has been discontinued and need help tracking it down, feel free to send me a message. I’d love to suggest some stand in fragrances if I can’t locate the actual perfume for you.
Until the next time,
Yes, but don’t all fragrance disintegrate after a couple or few years smelling awful. I’ve had the experience having a bottle of whatever pushed the back of cupboard for years and smells rank. I’ve also taken a chance and bought long discontinued perfumes on EBay and been disapointed by how much scent had changed for the worst.
Hi Chevally,
If stored properly, meaning no exposure to sunlight or heat (the two most common ways perfume can go bad), perfume can last longer than a few years. I have perfumes 10+ years who are still going strong. The thing about perfume is that unless you make it yourself there is no guarantee that these transgressions haven’t happened prior to your purchase. Ebay can be a great way to buy hard-to-find scents but make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller.
Thanks for dropping in!
Erica
I found a great source for my discontinued fragrances at Thefragrancefactory.com and cheaper than eBay. They are a reputable source and read about them in Seattle Times paper – title search Perfume Lady’s business Sense Carries Worldwide. Very happy with my purchases.😀
Hi JJ,
Thanks for the heads up. I’ve heard about The Fragrance Factory in Walla Walla, WA but don’t know anyone who’s personally had any experience with them or buying from their website. Great to know and I’ll investigate further!
Erica
I had no idea that there were Facebook groups just for selling discontinued perfumes. That’s such a great idea!
I’ve been at that place where your long loved fragrance all of a sudden is no more available. It was with Dolce Gabbana Red, but I’m not sure if it was discontinued by the manufacturer or if it was just withdrawn from the Brazilian market.
Now I can try to find it using your tips.
Thanks!
Hello there Eliane,
I’m not familiar with the D & G fragrances currently sold in Brazil. The original D & G fragrance from the 90’s which was a huge hit in US was discontinued and people here were being steered by sales associates to buy the Red. I’ve not tried either but I recommend you check out the Facebook groups I mentioned . Good luck in your search:)
Erica
What you are saying in your blog is so true. My wife had an experience that made her mad. She had her favorite perfume that she loved for many years that was discontinued. She searched and searched for a replacement, but could not find one. Wow. It was so frustrating to her.
What is your advice about finding a replacement?
Hi Jerry,
I suggest that you show your wife this post and let her try finding it in the ways I’ve listed here. Many discontinued perfumes can still be purchased on eBay but she’ll probably pay a premium for it.
Thanks for stopping by:)
Erica
While I am not a perfume guy, my girlfriend is all over it!
It is kind of funny because she is also always trying to find Anne Klein II, which is one of her favorites!
She is going to love your site and this article in particular, so I will pass it along to her.
Thanks you are going to make me look like a hero today!
Cheers,
Brendon
Hey Brendon,
There was quite an uproar when AKII was discontinued. We’re all wishing we’d snapped up more of it when we had the chance. It fetches a pretty penny these days IF you can find it. Magie Noir by Lancome is a possible option for her. It’s been around forever and bears some resemblance.
Cheers,
Erica