Short answer: Yes.
Does that mean your decant was diluted? Not necessarily – here is why!
The 4 major ways “Dilution” can happen!
- Oil
- Alcohol (Ethanol)
- Fixatives
- Cheaper Dupes
Let’s unpack each one.
1) Oil
Adding oil” isn’t simple.
- Fragrance formulas use a specific blend of note ingredients/chemicals with defined density and solubility.
- Random oils don’t integrate; they separate, mute notes, and smell off.
- Anyone skilled enough to “seamlessly” re-formulate could earn millions creating perfumes than “diluting for pennies.”
2) Alcohol (Ethanol)
Ethanol is already in fragrances. If someone added extra alcohol, you’d likely notice:
- Flattened top notes and a slightly more synthetic feel.
- Color shift (deep colors look a touch lighter; clear stays clear).
- Possible layering/separation if alcohol grades/densities don’t match.
3) Fixatives
Fixatives are performance agents (many are already in the formula). If more were added:
- Longevity may increase, but
- The scent profile changes, sometimes a lot – especially with characterful materials (e.g., Ambroxan, Iso E Super, Cashmeran, Coumarin, musks, ambergris notes, sandalwood, benzoin).
4) Cheaper Than Original But Close Dupes
There exists many brands who deliver 90-95% similar smelling dupes. Many of you already buy those retail items as Arabian Dupes.
- A dishonest seller can provide you a duped decant, and if the dupe is high quality, you may never be able to catch the scam.
- A dupe fragrance can be as high in quality as the original as most times the same perfumer produces the dupes with cheaper ingredients. Only a nose with years of experience may be able to differentiate
- The only counter to this is decant services brand reputation or visiting the decanter, verifying the bottle and seeing the decant process take place in front of your eyes.
Why Would Anyone Dilute?
To make quick money ofcourse!
- Skimming 1 mL off a luxury fragrance (e.g., LV Imagination) can be worth more than 50 mL of cheaper scents.
- Some decanters also get duped at the fishy supplier end – counterfeits and “many tiers of copies” do exist in many markets.
Why Reputable Decanters Don’t Dilute
- Brand reputation & legal risk: One proven diluted decant can end a business – and invite lawsuits.
- Repeat customers: Decanting thrives on trust and reorders; off-smelling juice kills both.
- Growth path: The goal for such services is to graduate you from decant to full bottle. That only happens if a decanter delivers the closest possible experience to the original.
What Should You, The Shoppers Do?
- Be careful – but also fair – until you’ve confirmed beyond doubt dilution or duping.
- Even with batch codes and decanting videos, scammers exist. And they will try to scam you no matter what. Authenticity is best judged in-hand.
- If a decant smells off, first consider batch variation, storage, heat, skin chemistry, or age. Then compare it to a known full bottle and check community notes.
- If you’re convinced of tampering, act fast: ask detailed questions and hold the seller accountable. Keeping the space clean is on all of us.
Do We (aromatica.one) Dilute Decants?
Let’s be transparent.
We’ve decanted 40,000+ decants for over 16,000 customers in less than two years.
If we were “diluting,” that reputation wouldn’t exist —
and thousands of repeat buyers wouldn’t keep coming back.
We’re not magicians who can fool tens of thousands of noses.
That should say enough about us..
But Let’s Also Talk About Bullying in This Space
Many decanters start small – out of deep love for fragrances.
Some run it simply as a hobby. And yet, a single less educated or impatient buyer can bully us into unfair refunds or exchanges.
We’ve personally had cases where:
- Certain shoppers used the decant
- Refilled it with water
- Claimed a “fake” and demanded refund
If that can happen to us, imagine what our smaller peers face.
So yes – stay vigilant. But be kind too. Because this space only grows if we protect both buyers and honest sellers.
TL;DR
- Clear, stable decant? Not water.
- Sudden flatness/“synthetic” edge? Possibly extra alcohol.
- Longer longevity but different vibe? Possibly fixatives.
- Obvious separation/clouding/off-smell? Something’s wrong.
As for us, we stand behind every decant of ours. If you have shopped with us but face issues with the decants, contact us immediately – we’ll test, verify, and make it right ASAP!
