Sometimes our favourite fragrances become discontinued or just plain hard to find. Sadly, if a fragrance is discontinued there is the possibilty that you may never find another bottle. But let’s not let that stop us – If it’s not made anymore, then you are going to have to try that little bit harder to find it.
Is it actually discontinued?
Check out the Basenotes Perfume Directory. If we know a fragrance is discontinued, we mark it as such on the fragrances page. If it isn’t marked discontinued then you may still have a chance.
Get in touch with the fragrance manufacturer. They can tell you if it is still manufactured in your country and where it may be obtained. Often a fragrance discontinued in one country, is widely available in another.
Ask on the Basenotes Forum – we have members from all over the world, and maybe someone will know the status of the fragrance.
Why was the fragrance discontinued?
Why did [fragrance company] stop making [my favourite fragrance]? Is a question we often get. Well, the main reason in 99% of cases is – not enough people purchased the perfume for them to justify continuing to make the scent.
Other reasons are that the perfume was a limited editon to begin with, or that the fragrance contains ingredients that are no longer able to be used, and the sales aren’t big enough to justify the expense in reformulating the fragrance.
How to try and locate the discontinued perfume
Check out every Perfume Shop, Department Store, Chemist, Beauty Shop, Discount Stores and anywhere that has a slim possibility of carrying your cologne. Make it a number one priority when you visit a new town. We’re talking about the independent stores here really – most larger chains tend to have a high turnover.
Check out eBay and other internet auction sites. You can find many rare beasts on eBay, but be prepared to pay over the odds if it’s highly sought after. If the fragrance has been discontinued for many years, be aware that the fragrance may have grown weaker or changed totally
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