Why is Cologne SO Expensive? [Answered]

It’s no secret that cologne can be very expensive to purchase. Today we’re going to answer the question, and see – why is cologne so expensive? I’ve done plenty of research and found THREE main reasons why, so if you’re interested, let’s take a look and find out!


1. Design

The first reason cologne can be so expensive is attributed to the design and development of the fragrance itself.

Cologne brands engage a perfumer to design a fragrance based on several criteria. Subsequently, the brand will describe to the perfumer what kind of scent they are looking for.

Essentially, the perfumer will bring the brand’s vision for the scent to life.

The design process goes through several iterations. Additionally, the perfumer will amend the scent based on feedback from the brand. Commonly, the final product can vary from the first.

For example, master perfumer Alberto Morillas has created colognes for several brands – including the Acqua di Gio line for Giorgio Armani, and Gucci Guilty for Gucci.


2. Production

Why is cologne so expensive? Production is a contributing factor.

Sure, the production of the actual cologne bottle is one thing. However, the contents are a whole other ball game.

The contents are a mixture of alcohol and perfume oils with varying levels of concentration.

And the higher the concentration, the more perfume oil there is in the fragrance. I go over cologne concentrations in this article here.

For example, the cost for 1 litre of agarwood (oud) oil can cost up to a staggering $75,000. Not cheap!


3. Marketing

Surprisingly, the cost of marketing a cologne is recognised as the largest expense and contributing factor when it comes to the price of a scent.

Yeah, this surprised me too, before I did some more research.

Often, a designer or niche fragrance brand will engage a specialist marketing company to help them develop the campaign.

Furthermore, the marketing campaign encompasses several costs – creating and managing the brand, paying for advertisements, and promotional material (product website, social media, etc.)


From cheap to expensive, we’ve got you covered

At BestCologneForMen.com, we review all sorts of men’s cologne – from quality cheapies to opulent expensive scents.

Whilst not every cheap and expensive fragrance is good value for money, we take the guesswork out of the process and recommend those that are!


We want to hear from you! Do you have any thoughts on this topic? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments!

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