Why do they make different "versions" of perfumes?

[MuttonWasAGoose]

I'm not talking about reformulating fragrances because certain ingredients need to be replaced. I mean when they make a scent that is different but is in a similar bottle and shares the name of the original. Like Coco Mademoiselle or Black Opium.

Why do they do this?! It just causes confusion.

My husband knew that I love Opium and my bottle was nearly empty. So he went to the department store to buy some for my birthday. Asked for Opium and the sales lady assured him that he needed to buy the pretty sparkly bottle of Black Opium.

It's nice enough, if you like black currants, but it smells NOTHING LIKE OPIUM. There's no similarity beyond the shape of the bottle.

I don't know why they do this. Surely mine is not the only well-meaning husband to go to a lot of bother to pay a lot of money for a perfume I'd never want.

Um, so they can sell more. Like when they brought out 12 inch singles so people 'had' to buy different versions of the same thing.

Can he take it back? Perhaps with the packaging of the one you want as a reference?

Marketing :) it's easier to use a known brand name with a different scent than try and launch a whole new brand name

Yes, I gave up trying to explain to DH which variety of DKNY Be Delicious I wanted for Christmas a few years ago, went for something else in the end.

I'm with ya, op. I used to like Dior miss Cherie but there are so many versions plus I reckon the original was reformulated so I've given up now.

Why not?

Same base notes, often with different additions. Essentially different versions of the same thing. Saves launching a whole new perfume and just rides on the success of another.

They've done this with Dior poison as well! The original one (the one I love) is in a purple bottle, but there are at least 2 others, one of which my DH picked out lovingly for me last Christmas.

It's annoying

Yep. It's all about the money.

Anyway, you,ve got to keep all those people - designers, fragrancers, marketing people, production in business, no?

I honestly cannot spot any similarity between the original and Black Opium. (by the way, this is actually a new edition of B.O.... The EDT, which has different notes from the first (EDP?) B. O.... cue further confusion!)

I opened it and have used it so it can't be returned.

Funnily enough, someone else did the exact same thing a week later. This bottle I haven't opened. I don't have a receipt for it but I can sell it, regift it, or swap it. I'm thinking of seeing if anyone in Mrs Gloss & The Goss wants to swap for something. Anything I don't already have would be great.

It's like Marc Jacobs Daisy
I have the original and I just can't keep up with all the different ones now
And they all smell really similar but not similar enough for me to buy one as a replacement for the original

Branding and marketing. If you liked that, you'll surely love this. The same reason why Hollywood churns out sequels. It started a long time ago with summer and sports versions of fragrances - they are called flankers.

Put it on Mrs Gloss. I'm sure someone said they loved it the other day.

Ah! They have a name! Thanks for that. I Googled and read a bit about them. Apparently some are awesome and really deliberately made to explore the original. Others are just marketing gimmicks.

It's a popular fragrance, I'm sure you'll be able to swap it! Otherwise put it on ebay. I really like it but you're right that it's nothing like Opium (which I also love).

Some flankers add something to the original, some don't. Take Shalimar for instance - there are a bunch of flankers exploring different types of vanilla in Shalimar, which are interesting and lovely additions. Shalimar L'Initial (literally My First Shalimar!) is nice enough but doesn't really deserve the Shalimar name. I'm bloody annoyed most Boots sell it instead of actual Shalimar!

Also yes it is reasonably common for notes to differ between EDC/EDT/EDP - eg Elie Saab EDT is more grapefruity and Elie Saab EDP is more honey, but both are on an orange blossom base. Traditionally EDP is a heavier perfume so it can be given heavier notes.

I think it all depends on how much artistry is put into the perfume.

So they can sell more obviously

To be honest the flanker thing is getting ridiculous now. Opium is a case in point. Black Opium sounds like it will be an even stronger Oriental, but in fact its coffee and candy. If I were your husband I would take it back and say he had been misled into buying something you didn't want.

Givenchy have made about 21 flankers for Irresistible and SEVEN of them are rose flankers. There's just no point!

Miss Dior has confised so many people that they have probably lost many customers. The sales adage is that if you confuse a customer you've lost them.

Miss Dior used to be a green chypre, but they call that Miss Dior Originale now. Miss Dior then became Miss Dior Cherie and I've lost track of which Miss Dior is the one now!

You probably already found this article. Some flankers are beautiful - The cult classic Feminite de Bois has a trio of really good flankers in the Lutens line (Bois de Violette etc), each of them balance the basic theme differently, smelling them is great fun. Some flankers are a million miles off the original but still great, think Poison and Hypnotic poison. Sometimes the flanker can even be nicer than the original - I like Allure Sensuelle more than Allure, and I think Coco Mademoiselle far outsold Coco.

I agree with everything Frugal says. Whilst some flanker.age goes off the scale, all the ones she names ate fab. hypnotic Poison is a deep liquor like vanilla and addictive, yet is not remotely related to the original. bois de Violette is wonderful yet the original smelled like dirty knickers on me.

Apologies for poor punctuation. I'm on my phone.