Sometimes when we look at the price of a particular perfume, we go into a state of shock or may be overwhelmed and wonder why they cost so much. But many people assume higher pricing is because of how posh or luxurious the brand is. However, this is not precisely the case. The pricing of a perfume is fixed on multiple factors, and the significant contribution to the higher pricing is primarily because of the ingredients added to these perfumes. Unlike budget-friendly perfumes, these perfumes give a whole new sensation of experience to the wearer that is long-lasting and let them enjoy all the ingredients in the top, heart, and base notes.
So, What makes these perfume ingredients so expensive?
No big theory defines why perfume ingredients are so expensive; it's a simple rule. The rarer the ingredients become, the higher their price will be. Let's take a look at floral scents, for example. To extract a small amount of perfume oil from a flower, we need masses and masses of flowers to start with. And in some cases, these seasonal flowers may bloom once a year, making them rare to acquire. In such cases, if that particular floral note is in your perfume, obviously, the pricing will also be a bit expensive. When you see a pricey tag on a perfume next time, you can check on the ingredients to easily understand why they are priced in such a way.
In this blog, you will learn about the seven most expensive ingredients in the world that have been used in the world of perfumery.
7 Most Expensive Perfume Ingredients and Why They're Worth It
1. Jasmine: The Queen of Flowers
Did you know that about 7.5 million jasmine flowers are collected to produce only one kilogram of essential perfume oil? No wonder they are expensive! Imagine how labor-intensive it can be to collect just one kilogram of essential oil. Intense, right?
Also, yet another factor that contributes to the expensiveness of jasmine is that it is challenging to capture the potency of jasmine based on one variety. Several species of the jasmine scrub capture the blossomy note in a perfume. The most popular expensive jasmine variety is royal jasmine, also known as Catalonian or Spanish jasmine and jasmine absolute.
2. Bulgarian Rose: The Perfume of Royalty
Roses are considered one of the most beautiful flowers in the world and have been an integral part of many cultures, stories, myths, and legacies. With its incomparable fragrance, rose is a widely used ingredient in perfumery. Bulgarian rose is a unique variety we popularly see on luxury floral perfumes. The reason behind its popularity and high price is due to the unique rich chemical composition and deep multi-layered fragrance it offers. These highest quality roses come from the Rose Valley, south of the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. Nicknamed Liquid Gold, Bulgarian Rose Oil requires approximately 1,500,000 rose blossoms per kilogram and is labor-intensive, just like jasmine, making it one of perfumery's most expensive ingredients.
3. Oud: The Liquid Gold of Perfumery
Oud perfumes are one of the world's famous perfume ingredients, and they are expensive too. The expense of this popular ingredient comes due to high demand; as a result, every species of the agarwood tree is on the verge of extinction. It takes years and years for the infection process, which is about only 2% of trees getting infected, making oud an expensive perfume ingredient worldwide.
4. Tonka bean - The sweet essence of luxury
These beans are scarce and difficult to find. The Tonka Bean is a long wrinkly brown bean and is solely grown in South America. They grow only in the Amazon rainforest, and they are close to impossible to obtain, considering the current harvest situation. They are rich and have a multifaceted range of scents, such as vanilla, tobacco, gourmand, almond, and woody, with aromas of gingerbread and pistachio. Both men and women adore these fragrance notes.
5. Musk: The Sensual Scent
An ingredient that feels incredibly versatile and has an alluring scent on the skin is musk. Though very popular among perfume enthusiasts, this ingredient is sporadic and controversial as it is originally derived from a sex gland secretion from a specific species of deer, the Tibetan musk deer, which was on the verge of extinction but later happily protected by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Also, don't panic when you see musk as an ingredient in your favorite perfume because the vast majority of musk produced and used in perfumery is synthetic.
6. Ambergris: The Treasure of the Sea
Though it may not sound so good, ambergris, also known as whale vomit, is created by the bile duct of the sperm whale. For centuries, ambergris has been used in perfumes as well as for various medicinal purposes.
But what makes this ingredient so unique and expensive?
If the Bulgarian rose is nicknamed Liquid Gold, Ambergris is known as Floating Gold. They are also very rare to get and can cost between $ 70,000 USD and $ 120,000 USD per kilogram.
7. Orris root - The Root of Elegance
As far as orris root is concerned, it is extensively grown in North Africa, India, and different parts of southern Europe. The reason for orris root being so expensive is that only two kilograms of perfume oil are produced from one ton of orris roots. Absolute oil is costly due to the labor-intensive process and the time it takes to produce a good quality oil.
About Us
Unleashed Perfumes provides high-end, luxury body works, skincare and fragrances made and designed in-house by our perfume experts and inspired by world-famous luxury brands. Our vision is to create high-quality products inspired by your favourite scents at an affordable price, made entirely of all-natural, non-toxic, and cruelty-free ingredients, ensuring an immersive experience.
More posts from Roman Freiter
About The Author: Roman Freiter (Co-Founder and Chief Perfumer at Unleashed Perfumes)
Meet Roman Freiter, the co-founder of Unleashed Perfumes, a maestro in the realm of fragrance with an insatiable passion for all things scented. Within the fragrance industry, Roman is celebrated for his ability to infuse his love for scents into every drop of his inspired perfumes. Join Roman on our blog as he takes you on a fragrant journey, revealing the artistry and magic that goes into creating each unforgettable scent, and learn how he seamlessly incorporates his passion into every bottle.
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