Monday Musings: How Fragrance Became an Equalizer
Last week, as I was walking down the street, someone came down from a jeep smelling like Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge. That is a P36,000 bottle of perfume (P17,000 if you get the 70ml bottle), so my first thought was, why is someone who can afford a bottle like that riding a jeep of all things? Maybe they just like riding jeeps, I don’t know. But then I remembered that there are a lot of perfume dupe brands out in the market right now and you can get one that smells like MFK for P200 in Shopee.
And that’s when it really hit me: fragrance is a great equalizer. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rolling up to work in a luxury car or squeezing into a packed jeep during rush hour; you can smell expensive and powerful no matter your budget. The rise of the Philippine fragrance industry is making sure of that, and honestly? I think it’s interesting
For the longest time, perfume in the Philippines was a luxury, something reserved for pasalubong from relatives abroad or as a once-a-year splurge during a mall sale. You either went for mass-market body sprays or you saved up for a bottle of the real deal. But in the past few years, things have changed. The local fragrance market has been growing fast, with the market projected to grow by approximately 3.02% annually from 2025 to 2030, reaching a market volume of US$0.94 billion by 2030. More and more Filipinos are investing in scents post-pandemic.
What’s even more exciting is the explosion of indie perfume brands. These aren’t just generic “fresh” or “powdery” scents either. Local perfumers, some of whom have trained internationally, are experimenting with unique notes that go beyond the typical celebrity fragrances we used to see dominating store shelves. Brands like Wren Atelier by RJ Lopena, Edro, Imperfect Scents, Ilum Studios, Home Studio Scents, and Letters of Love are creating scents that capture Filipino culture, nostalgia, and even local landscapes. Imagine smelling like the sea breeze of Batanes or the warmth of a sampaguita-filled summer evening. Indie perfumers are making that possible.
There’s also been a significant rise in dupe brands, and they’re doing something fascinating: they’re making luxury fragrance accessible to Filipinos who would otherwise never dream of spending P20,000 on a single bottle of perfume. Whether it’s an under P500 bottle of “inspired by Baccarat Rouge” from Shopee or a local brand creating scents “in the style of” niche perfumes, there’s now a way for everyone to smell expensive without breaking the bank.
Some people might turn their noses up at dupes (pun intended), arguing that they cheapen the artistry of perfume-making. But I disagree. If anything, it pushes the entire industry to evolve. It forces luxury brands to ask themselves: what makes our perfume worth the price? It also gives consumers the ability to experiment with scent without feeling pressured to make a high-stakes purchase. In the same way that affordable fashion brands make designer-inspired clothes available to the masses (think Zara, H&M, even Uniqlo), dupe fragrances allow people to experience high-end scents at a fraction of the price.
The fact that someone riding a jeep can smell like Maison Francis Kurkdjian just proves that luxury isn’t limited to those with deep pockets anymore. And why should it be? Fragrance is one of the most personal ways we can express ourselves. Whether you’re wearing an artisanal scent from a local perfumer, an inspired dupe, or the real thing, what matters is how a fragrance makes you feel.
Indie brands are opening up a whole new world of scent for Filipinos—one that’s not dictated by international trends but by local tastes, memories, and experiences. At the same time, dupe brands are making sure that price is no longer a barrier to smelling fantastic. It’s an exciting time for the Philippine fragrance industry, and I, for one, am here for it.
So go ahead, spray that dupe or that niche Filipino-made fragrance. Because at the end of the day, luxury isn’t down to the price tag. It’s about how good it makes you feel.
