Is the fragrance you are about to purchase genuine?
1. The color should match the color of the tester bottle in department stores or boutiques, be a consistent color and without residue on the inside. The fragrance should also not be overly oily and when sprayed on paper at a 6 inch distance it will not run, if authentic.
2. Ensure that the seller guarantees the fragrance is 100% original and has a return policy.
3. Fragrance that has a smell that is bitter, sour or lemon-like may have been exposed to extreme temperatures, old or just a plain cooked up in someones kitchen.
4. Third parties almost never know of the previous conditions, or worse, do not know how that particular product should be treated originally. This is why third parties are brought in, plausible deniability.
5. Skin reactions are always a sign of mishandled/factice product, it should not make your skin itchy or create rashes.
6. Generally a person will get what they pay for in the cosmetic industry. If you are prepared to pay a fraction of the cost be prepared for mishandled or even fake product, otherwise they would be selling for full retail.
7. Inspect the packaging, clear cello shows signs of tampering quite easily along with the cardboard of the box should be good quality. Also check the printing, it should have the correct information, including spelling, logo and style.
8. Factice bottles are often poorly made, no air bubbles should be present in the glass and the moulding marks should be even.
9. Factice bottles print the information onto the glass with a paint-like ink. If you can scrape the ink off with a fingernail, it is likely to be faked.
10. Look for a bubble in the spray tube, the bubble indicates if it has never been sprayed.