I was in Harrods one day, just looking around, when I stumbled upon Dior’s Dune perfume. It smelled amazing–captivatingly spicy, woody and floral–really different from other perfumes. But then I saw the $104 price tag. It really caught me off guard and got me thinking: why is Dune so expensive?
In this blog, I’m going to talk about just that. We’ll look at what goes into making Dune and why it costs so much. From the ingredients to the Dior brand, we’ll uncover the reasons behind the high price. So, if you’re curious like I was, keep reading to find out more.
Why Dune Is Expensive
Dune perfume is expensive because Christian Dior perfumes carry a premium due to the brand’s reputation and the exclusivity associated with designer fragrances. The craftsmanship, development, and innovation involved in creating Dune also contribute to its higher price point compared to non-designer perfumes.
Another major factor is that Dior is renowned for using only the best and high-quality ingredients in their fragrances, such as jasmine and roses, which are cultivated in large fields in the south of France.
For instance, it takes seven million jasmine flowers to make one kilogram of absolute, an essential component in perfume making. To make things more complex and expensive, these flowers can only be picked between 8am and midday, as this is when their scent is the strongest. This means that it takes 1,400 man hours to complete a harvest of the flowers.
These high-quality ingredients contribute to the elevated cost of Dune perfume.
Ultimately, the combination of superior ingredients, brand prestige, and craftsmanship justifies the higher price of the Dune perfume.
Why Are Designer Perfumes So Expensive?
In my experience, designer perfumes are often more expensive than mass-market perfumes because they use rare and high-quality ingredients that contribute significantly to the elevated cost.
Whenever I check mass-market fragrances ingredients, they’re often based largely on synthetic ingredients. In comparison, my designer perfumes contain more natural ingredients, including some like jasmine and rose which are difficult to harvest on a large scale, and thereby more expensive.
On top of other costs like bottle design, another substantial portion of the post goes on marketing and advertising. I’ve never seen an advert for a mass-market perfume from Zara, but have seen plenty from the likes of luxury brands like Dior, Prada, and Gucci.
Big-name brands invest heavily in promoting their products, with luxury fragrance brands spending as much as $800 million on marketing alone. The brand prestige and exclusivity associated with designer fragrances also contribute to their higher price point.
What Type Of Perfume Is Dune?
Dune perfume by Christian Dior is as an amber, woody fragrance for women, although I know a few male perfume addicts that also wear it because of its slightly masculine side.
The scent profile is as follows:
- Top notes: Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange, Peony and Bergamot. To my nose, the Bergamot really comes through.
- Heart notes: Lily, Ylang-Ylang, Wallflower, Jasmine, and Rose. In other words, the heart is so elegant and floral.
- Base notes: Sandalwood, Amber, Benzoin, Oakmoss, Vanilla, Patchouli, and Musk. Dune is known for its long-lasting nature and decent sillage, making it suitable for all times of the day.
It has a really decent sillage, and lasted around 6-7 hours when I tested it, which is pretty reasonable.
I tend to classify it as a cold weather scent – it evokes just the right warm, spicy, evening-around-the-fire vibe I like to wear in the darker months.
While it is difficult to associate Dune with sand or the beach, it is considered a fragrance that embodies a wide open space, a state of being outdoors, and breathing freedom. The scent is often characterized as dry, sharp, and almost masculine, with a clean, complex warmth and a long-lasting nature. Overall, Dune is recognized for its rich, fusty, and one-dimensional scent, which may not be universally appealing but is appreciated for its complexity and high-quality composition.
How Old Is Dune Perfume?
Dune perfume is roughly 32 years old, launching in 1991. It was designed by perfumers Jean-Louis Sieuzac and Maurice Roger for Christian Dior.
Despite its age, Dune continues to be appreciated for its unique and timeless fragrance, with a resurgence in popularity in recent years.
What Perfume Smells Similar To Dune?
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to Dune by Christian Dior, I recommend trying:
- Samsara by Guerlain: To me, Samsara is Dune-adjacent. It’s is in the same family and shares a soft sandalwood dry down, although it the floral notes smell more sweet to me. I think of it as a lighter version of Dune.
- Ankara: I did a blind smell test recently with co-founder and fellow perfume addict Kierran, and he couldn’t tell Dune apart from Ankara. Given that they share many of the same ingredients like Bergamot and Aldehydes, I won’t judge him too harshly.
- Mandarava by Parfum Prissana: I have to admit, I’ve personally never tested Mandarava. However, I’ve heard good things. The general consensus is that it’s a great alternative to Dune, with a lovely amber accord.
