FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
PRODUCT RELATED QUESTIONS
At Papillon our business model is straightforward and simple.
Our products have not been tested on animals in any way!
Please note our product warnings:
– Keep out of reach of children
– Flammable
– Keep away from heat and flame
– Do not apply to broken or irritated skin
– Discontinue use if a rash develops.
The Development, Production and Distribution of our fragrance compounds adhere to I.F.R.A. regulations. All fragrance compound suppliers are ISO 9001 registered.
GMP (Good Manufacturing Process) quality standards are followed by our perfume bottler/producer.
Contact us for specific allergen information.
Our perfumes contain superior quality imported perfume oils, is locally produced, and bottled, making it a truly affordable South African product.
The longevity of perfume depends on various factors like skin type, seasons and the perfume design / ingredients.
Less is more – your nose gets used to a scent and may then result in the over-application of perfume. 3 Sprays (pulse, pulse, neck) should be adequate.
Keep all fragrances in a cool, dry area and away from direct sunlight. An opened bottle should be kept in its box to ensure longer shelf life.
Fragrances usually last 3-5 years from the date of manufacturing if stored correctly.
At Papillon, we use only high-quality fragrance compounds, many of which are among the most premium materials available. These compounds often contain a higher proportion of natural ingredients rather than purely synthetic alternatives. As with all natural materials, they are more sensitive and may vary slightly from batch to batch, and they can naturally react to light, time, and other ingredients.
Some fragrances require naturally colour-changing ingredients in order to smell authentic. A well-known example is vanilla, which contains vanillin. Vanillin, along with several other commonly used fragrance materials, can naturally deepen in colour over time, often developing a warm amber tone. For example, F25 – Mesmerized contains a particularly high concentration of vanillin, which makes colour variation more noticeable.
While it is possible to use chemical stabilisers to prevent discolouration or cloudiness, we intentionally avoid doing so in order to keep our fragrances as natural and authentic as possible. Importantly, these natural changes do not affect the scent, performance, or quality of the perfume in any way.
Discolouration is therefore completely normal and a sign of the natural, high-quality ingredients used in Papillon fragrances.
It is a well-known industry fact that more than 80% of the retail price of original branded products is linked to packaging, marketing, and branding.
Our customers want to wear perfume, on a daily basis, not packaging or marketing expenses. With the cost savings on our: packaging (despite the quality and pleasing aesthetics) and marketing (thanks to the power of word-of-mouth marketing and a national network of loyal distributors), we can reduce the cost of our product and price to our customers significantly. We pride ourselves on the quality of our product and know that only the best perfume will result in word-of-mouth marketing and loyal repeat customers our agents deserve.
Papillon fragrances are now available directly from our online store, allowing you to purchase with confidence straight from the source.
If you would prefer to experience the fragrance before buying, we can also connect you with a Papillon Reseller in your area who has testers available. In many cases, this may be a trusted colleague, friend, or family member, allowing you to smell and test the fragrance while also supporting a local reseller.
We are fully confident in the quality of our products. Refer to our return & replacement policy.
Whether you choose to buy directly from us or through a Papillon Reseller, you can be assured that you are receiving the same high-quality, authentic Papillon fragrance.
Yes, our products are inspired by/directly equivalent fragrances of the original products, packaged under the Papillon trademark. The same fragrance corporations that design and supply fashion houses with fine fragrance compounds (perfume oil) also supply us with the compounds. Not all players in our industry however use these corporations and or they buy the cheapest inspired by version they can find (mostly synthetic). At Papillon we ignore price, our aim is to find the closest possible match by only comparing samples supplied by the best corporations we can find. All our perfumes use the maximum potential dosage (+20% perfume oil) to ensure optimal longevity.
Perfume is a highly personal product, and individual scent preferences may vary. For this reason, we do not offer returns or replacements based on personal preference or scent choice.
However, we are confident in the quality of our products. If you believe your purchase is faulty, damaged, or does not meet the required quality standards, please contact us. In such cases, we will assess the issue and, where applicable, provide a replacement in line with our return & replacement policy.
MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT PERFUME
The perfumer begins a perfume project with a brief by the perfumer’s employer or customer. The customers are typically fashion houses or large corporations of various industries. Each brief contains the specifications for the desired perfume and describe in abstract terms what the perfume should smell like, the target market, and what feelings and emotions it should evoke in those who smell it, along with a maximum per litre price of the perfume oil concentrate. This budget, along with the intended use of the perfume oil (i.e., fine fragrance, shampoos, detergents, etc) will determine what aromatic ingredients (and whether natural or synthetic) will be used in the perfume oil’s composition.
The perfumer will go through the process of skilfully blending raw materials (natural and synthetic) into various perfume mixtures in an attempt to match the brief. After presenting the perfume mixtures to the customers, the perfumer may or may not win the brief. They proceed to work with the customer, often with the direction provided by a panel or artistic director, which guides and edits the modifications on the composition of the perfume. This process typically spans several months to several years, going over many iterations and may involve cultural and public surveys to tailor a perfume to a particular market. The perfume composition can either be used to enhance another product as a functional fragrance (shampoos, detergents, etc.) or marketed and sold directly to the public as a fine fragrance.
Perfume is very much like a musical composition. Fragrance notes refer to the various layers of ingredients which reveals themselves over time:
- Top notes are the first impression, very light and last a few minutes (0-10 minutes)
- The middle note (or heart) begins after about 10-15 minutes and lasts for about 2 hours.
- The base note is the final and longest lasting expression of perfume and lasts for several hours.
Typically, ladies’ perfumes have more floral and men’s perfumes are more wood and citrus notes.
The nose breaths in air containing scent molecules, which are deposited in the rear of the nose and throat. Here, the receptors communicate the smell to the brain, where it is deciphered and evaluated. After evaluating the molecular content of two breaths, the brain readies itself to decipher new smells. The smell of a familiar perfume no longer has the same effect on you or your sense of smell. In addition to adapting to a specific scent, the olfactory sense may become confused. Therefore, your Papillon distributor provides you with a small container of fresh coffee beans to smell during a testing session of a variety of scents. The beans rebalance or recalibrate the olfactory function, cancelling the olfactory confusion.
Eau de Cologne
Eau de Cologne is 3 to 5 percent oil in a mixture of alcohol and water. It tends to be lighter and refreshing, typically with a citrus oil component.
Eau de Toilette
Containing about the same amount of perfume oil or a little more, somewhere between 4 and 8 percent than Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette is mixed with alcohol instead of water.
Eau de Parfum
A higher percentage of perfume oil, roughly 15 to 18 mixed with alcohol makes up Eau de Parfum. It is more expensive than Eau de Cologne and Eau de Toilette.
Perfume
Perfume is 15 to 30 percent perfume oil mixed with alcohol. Because it contains such a high percentage of perfume oil, it is far more expensive than Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette, or Eau de Parfum.
Papillon Perfume has a 20% oil to alcohol ratio! These fine oils are imported from France and Switzerland.
Oil-based perfumes are typically roll-on applicators. Oil-based means that the fragrance oil is paired with a carrier oil like Jojoba oil in a roll-on bottle. When the perfume is applied, the Jojoba or carrier oil is absorbed into your skin which leaves the fragrance on top.
Alcohol-based perfumes do not typically contain carrier oils like Jojoba. Instead, it usually contains ethanol which allows for a stronger scent than an oil-based perfume. The stronger scent is due to the projection of the alcohol evaporating around you, instead of absorbing into your skin. The alcohol also allows for people to experience different top, middle, and base notes.
Papillon Perfumes are alcohol-based and has a 20% oil to alcohol ratio.
Wear your chosen fragrance on your clothes, scarf, or handkerchief. Make sure not to spray too close to the fabric as the oils may cause stains. Please discontinue if you still experience any skin irritation.
Also, consider Perfume pendants/jewellery.
If you have acute sinus problems, please consult your doctor before using any perfume. Certain olfactory groups must be avoided like, floral, floral-fruity perfumes. If you cannot live without perfume rather try perfumes in the following olfactory groups:
Oriental Spicy, Oriental Vanilla, Chypre Fruity, Gourmand, Oriental Woody.
Spraying perfume on your back is advisable.
You need to consider your skin type, time of day, the season and the occasion when selecting a perfume. Scent is about body chemistry and skin type and the same fragrance can smell very differently on different people, even if it is the original product. Scent is molecular but also personal and different people will react differently to the same scent as memory, childhood and various other factors play a role.
- Always test a new fragrance before buying. Test it directly on your skin.
- Allow 5 – 10 minutes for a fragrance to emerge before judging it.
- Apply your fragrance to a pulse point (wrist, neck, or behind the knees). This is where the blood vessels are closest to the skin and release the most heat.
- Never dab or rub your wrists after applying perfume as this damage the composition.
- A fragrance may last longer on some people than on others.
- Dry skin will not retain a fragrance application as long as oily skin, applying perfume on moisturised skin will improve longevity. A layer of oil-based skin lotion (Papillon Fragranced / unfragranced Creams and Body butters) can be applied to the skin before putting on perfume.
- Don’t wear perfume if you’re sunbathing.
- Do not apply perfume on your clothes or any other fabric, if you must, due to skin sensitivity, make sure not spray too close to the fabric as the oils may cause stains.
- The best time to apply perfume is right after a shower or bath when your skin pores are open.
- Don’t use only one perfume; test various perfumes to see which ones work best during different seasons.
PAPILLON COMPANY RELATED QUESTIONS
Papillon Pty Ltd, Registration number 1995/012994/07 was registered at the end of 2012.
The company is run by husband-and-wife duo, Yolanda and Burger Botha.
We are based in Pretoria, South Africa, but courier nationwide. We also have distribution representatives in Botswana (Gaborone), Lesotho (Maseru), Zimbabwe (Harare), Swaziland (Mbabane).
