Scenting Opportunity
Indian consumers dont have to turn their noses up at perfume shopping anymore. The days are waning when dubious brands like Charlene or less refined attar alternatives were the only options available locally. Today, joint ventures and marketing agreements are bringing an increasing number of internationally renowned perfumes to the Indian market.
At the lower end of the organised perfume market, you have recognised brands like Lakme-Levers Wild Orchid and Modi-Revlons Charlie for women. For men, you have fragrances like Yardleys Classic Gold, or One Man Show from Jacques Bogart. These usually range from Rs 150 to Rs 600 for 50 ml or 75 ml bottles. The raw materials are imported from abroad and assembled in India to cut import duties by eighteen per cent a useful option for those who dont have the luxury of foreign travel or duty free shops. Sticklers for purity, however, feel that local assembly compromises on quality because of a different water content and different factory temperatures than Europe. They suggest these perfumes for more functional daily wear, rather than for special occasions.
The lower price range generally implies that the fragrance has a lower concentration of natural ingredients and a higher concentration of alcohol content. As the alcohol content increases, the rate of evaporation is greater and the perfume lingers less thus the lower value. Not all brands mark the alcohol concentration; but those that do will have it as a percentage marking either on the packaging or the bottle. Eau de colognes tend to be at the lower price end, with an alcohol concentration (a.c.) of over 85 per cent. Moving up the price scale, you have eau de toilettes, with an a.c. of about 80 per cent. Then come eau de parfums, with an a.c. of about 70 to 80 per cent; and finally, the most pure perfumes are simply called parfum they have an a.c. of under 70 per cent. Save these for special occasions, advise perfume experts, since their smell is quite distracting to those around you!
Those with budgets of Rs 1,000 upwards can avail of more premium perfumes like Nina Ricci and Balenciaga for women, or Jacques Bogart and Chevignon for men. These are marketed by an Indian company called Baccarose that assembles them locally. If youre looking for European originals at such prices in India, you can try Benettons new Hot and Cold perfumes this trendy fragrance duo is meant for both men and women and is imported straight from Italy. These products are not tested on animals, for those of you who are conscientious about this. The prices are Rs 1,400 for 50 ml and Rs 1,700 for 100 ml. Rami Anand, a perfume trainer in the Middle East has some useful advice: Many brands allow you to save up to 50 per cent on the unit costs of a perfume by buying a bigger bottle. The only catch is that you have to like the perfume enough to buy so much!
Besides more concentrated fragrances, theres a greater variety of natural ingredients as you move up the price scale. Rather than simple floral scents, premium brands have more complex compositions too supposed to inspire distinct moods in the wearer. Floral blends like lilies, jasmines, irises and lavender are considered to have a mellowing effect Nina Riccis LAir du Temps or Cacharels Anais Anais are good examples. More fruity, citric compositions like mandarin, lemon or bergamot are meant to be invigorating; they are recommended during exercise or outdoor activities. This category includes Lancomes Trophee and Jean Patous Joy. Woody ingredients like sandalwood, cedar or oak are crisp and bracing like Benettons Hot and Ralph Laurens Polo. There are also perfumes with spices like coriander, thyme or cinnamon, which are more provocative take Benettons Cold for instance.
The smell of a perfume changes over the time span that it lingers, because of the differing rate of evaporation for various ingredients. The first hour gives a top note, where lighter ingredients like fruit or herb extracts are more prominent; this is because they evaporate first. The next two to four hours give a heart note, where the floral or spicy ingredients become noticeable. The final few hours give a base note, where the woody smells predominate. More expensive perfumes try to combine the different types of ingredients, so that the fragrance remains distinct even as the last drop evaporates.
Sadly, major brands like Christian Dior, Chanel, Estee Lauder, Calvin Klein, Givenchy, and Yves Saint Laurent are yet to enter India. The hefty 63 per cent duty on perfume imports and the many licences required have hampered investment in specialised perfume outlets here. Of course, smuggled brands are available at chemists and gift stores, but theres no guarantee that they are genuine. Your best bet for international brands are duty free shops however, payment is exclusively in foreign currency. For womens perfumes, the price range is roughly $20 to $95, depending on brand and concentration; for mens fragrances, it is about $20 to $60 since these come in lower scent concentrations.
Today the organised Indian market for perfumes is estimated to be a sizeable Rs 100 crore with a growth rate of about 15 per cent every year. The range of perfumes available should definitely keep expanding, assuring the Indian consumer that the smell of success can grow even more enticing in the future.