I have worn more than a dozen designer perfumes and cheapies, and only a few niche perfumes, and not all of them have been my successful purchases. So, I wouldn’t say niche perfumes aren’t worth it.
Niche perfumes are often worth the money if you are looking for something exciting, something that is beyond ‘good smell’. They are also manufactured with high-quality ingredients, showcase creativity and are targeted towards a niche market. But if you love a particular niche perfume, and it works for you, then it’s definitely worth the money.
Let’s look at what is niche perfume and some of the common reasons why people buy niche perfumes despite their expensive prices so that you understand if they are worth your money.
What Are Niche Perfumes?
Niche perfumes are those that are produced and marketed by brands whose primary or sometimes only brand focus is fragrances. They are sometimes associated with candles, scented soaps, etc.
This is different from other brands like Gucci, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana which are commonly known in the perfumery world because these brands are also associated with luxury fashion apart from perfumes. Note that designer brands have also started launching their own niche collections now.
Some of the common features of niche perfumes are:
- Not always easy to find: You will have an easier time buying designer fragrances than niche ones because they are mass-produced. Niche perfumes on the other hand are produced in lower quantities. You will find them in speciality boutiques and sometimes online retailers. This is probably because they cater to a smaller market and include exclusive ingredients, or because they deliberately want to maintain their exclusivity. For example, some niche perfume brands like JAR Parfums are so exclusive that not many people have experienced it at all, let alone own it. It is also considered ridiculously inaccessible.
- They are often expensive: Niche perfumes don’t necessarily mean better, and doesn’t mean you will like it better than a designer one. They also aren’t necessarily longer lasting or expensive, in fact, you can find some niche brands that are cheaper than designer ones. But often, niche brands sell expensive perfumes and this is because they offer rare and exclusive raw materials.
- These brands are independently owned: Niche brands are often independently owned, they have no big corporates associated with their name. Sometimes niche brands are created and owned by only a few people. But the person who owns this brand or company doesn’t necessarily design the perfume.
How is it Different From Indie Perfume?
Now that we are talking about independently owned brands are niche brands, we get confused. Aren’t they are same as indie perfume then? Honestly, there is no fine line between indie and niche perfume. You can differentiate between them in aspects of ownership, pricing, exclusivity, and the size of the company, and I think it can also be a distinction based on creativity and the number of scents launched. People often talk about artistry and creativity of niche more than they do about indie perfume.
Why Do People Buy Niche Perfumes?
People often spend money on niche perfumes for the following reasons:
They offer an exclusive olfactory experience: This is probably not easy to understand unless you have actually experienced it yourself. Niche perfumes are known for their artistry and creativity, and also close to natural smell.
Like, if you are looking for a scent that smells like the ocean, you will have a better chance of coming closer to smelling oceanic with niche perfume than a designer perfume. In short, the notes are so strong and close to natural scent that you will experience a place just through the perfume.
They are looking to explore: It is very common for people to just own one perfume in their wardrobe. Just something to not smell bad, for the purpose of presentation. And then there are a whole new group of people who are exploring to either find their signature scent or just for the sake of exploring. They can guess what notes are in particular without seeing the list. And niche perfumes come next in their journey.
Niche perfumes are also often considered for a more mature nose – as in it is likely that you will not like niche perfumes immediately if you are a beginner to the perfumery world because they are not crafted for an average nose.
There’s something about wearing that’s secret: Average people are not buying niche perfumes. Even when someone is niche, and wants to smell good, they are not exploring perfumes passionately. They know they can afford expensive brands like Gucci and Armani, and that’s what they are wearing.
But the more passionate ones are on a journey of exploration. They are ready to go beyond just departmental stores or perfume outlets to buy something that nobody can recognize. They want it to be their secret.
Because they just smell heavenly: Some niche perfumes just smell great and can be appreciated by anyone, whether a beginner or advanced. Sometimes, you just want to pay for that heavy smell, and it doesn’t matter if they are a ripoff, designer, niche or cheapies.
Why Niche Perfumes Might Not Be Worth It
Are you considering buying niche perfumes and want to make an informed decision? Here are some of the scenarios that might say niche fragrances aren’t worth the money for you.
- If you are a beginner to the perfume journey: As a beginner, it might not be easy for everyone to enjoy or appreciate the intricate details of niche perfumes. You might not have the perfume speak a story to you that the perfumer intended. And you may end up saying, ‘What’s so great about it?’. It is only after you have learnt or have the nose for the nuances can you fully appreciate what you have paid for.
- If you just want a better performance: Many designer fragrance lines, especially high-end ones will give you long-projection, long-lasting and stronger sillage. You don’t necessarily need niche perfumes for that.
- If you are just looking for an expensive bottle: If you just want to own another expensive bottle in your wardrobe, niche perfumes aren’t for you. Again, you can find high-end designer perfumes to be more expensive than niche sometimes for this purpose.
How To Buy Niche Perfumes Without Ending Up Wasting Money?
Don’t want to spend money on niche perfumes and end up regretting? Don’t worry, there’s always the testing method.
You can contact local decant sellers for decants of a particular perfume you like. Decants are smaller quantities of perfume that you get from a local seller, who pours a small quantity of perfume for you in another bottle so that you can wear and test it for a few days. The smallest quantity I have bought is 2 ml, and the largest is 10 ml. But I know there are 30mls also.
You can also visit an outlet that sells niche perfumes, and test perfumes over there.
My Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, you are the best judge of how your money is spent. If you want to buy a niche perfume as your first-ever perfume, technically there’s nothing wrong. Don’t let anyone gatekeep you from buying or exploring niche perfume. You might end up liking the perfume more than anything, or you might end up hating perfumes in general. But we should never stop exploring.
