Celebrity Fragrances: From Lucrative To Looney

Celebrities often lend their names to a range of products, but no trend seems more popular among celebs than creating their own fragrance. Easily marketed, fragrances have a good track record of turning out impressive sales, even for some of the most random celebrity/product pairings.

The fragrance industry, which launches up to 1,000 new scents each year, suffered a significant decline in sales -- 15 percent -- between 2007 and 2009, according to NPD Group, a New York-based market research company. Still, celebrity fragrances continue to bode well compared to their designer counterparts.

According to market research firm Euromonitor International, celebrity fragrances accounted for $215 million of the $5.3 billion U.S. fragrance industry sales in 2010. For those celebrities with the right "juice," like Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds or Jennifer Lopez's Glow, a large chunk of the market share can be theirs with a little shameless self promotion.

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Comments

[crrunch]

03:58 PM on 12/25/2011

I've worn White Diamonds since '92. Finding your scent is like finding good, comfortable cross trainers. Grab all the shoes in your size and try them until one says 'I belong on these feet'. Color, brand, & celebrity don't make your feet happy. You may like the celebrity, but that doesn't mean their item is for you. The only thing it may suit is your need to wear the name.

[agnis1]

02:07 PM on 12/25/2011

Liz Taylors White Diamonds is a beautiful fragrance. Don't buy it in Dept stores or you'll pay a high price for it.. Walmarts sell it cheaper. Merry Christmas to all

[mrimsosure]

11:46 AM on 12/25/2011

I didn't see Jennifer Aniston's. I don't know about her perfume but, I could really like her scent!

[Ronda Voelker]

11:28 AM on 12/25/2011

Sorry but I think Tova Borgnine's perfumes are still the best smelling around. She Is still a celebrity In that she Is Ernest Bornine's Wife.

[Think for once]

11:09 AM on 12/25/2011

Fabio?

[gloriaswanson43]

11:29 AM on 12/25/2011

I think he did have one at one time.

[Henssis1]

09:11 AM on 12/25/2011

Some of the stars perfume really stink aweful...

[CaliforniaGirl]

06:12 PM on 12/24/2011

If you look at the ingredients in these perfumes and read them -- you will see they are absolutely carcinogenic when sprayed directly onto your skin, any scents I like or use, I spray onto my clothes NEVER NEVER NEVER onto direct skin -- that is a straight conduit to the blood stream---
there are plenty of nice organic essential scents that are not carcinogenic bombs out there too

[doglove]

10:57 PM on 12/24/2011

All perfume has always put me into an immediate migraine with pukes, shakes, etc. If I am in an elevator with someone with perfume, I'll be on the floor. I could have $500 theatre seats and if someone is nearby with 'fragrance', I'm gone. I once quit a lucrative job because everyone bathed in perfume.
I read recently that people who react like I do have died from this carcinogenic exposure.

Many doctors offices do not allow 'fragrances' for employees and patients.

[Absolute]

04:01 PM on 12/23/2011

What thehell is wrong with people? Who is buying thiscrap?

[Highball]

06:11 PM on 12/23/2011

People who buy fragrances, I'm guessing.

I just bought a bottle of cologne last week. I don't know if Ralph Lauren counts as a "celebrity" but if he does, then I bought a "celebrity" cologne. Heh.

[NINA B]

01:57 PM on 12/23/2011

I know I'm alone in this, but I won't buy any product with a celebrity name on it. Not even Liz Taylor's. I won't wear Britney Spears' cologne, or Jessica Simpson shoes. I also won't wear anything with the designer's logo prominently displayed on it. There's already an incredible markup on cosmetics and clothing (I've heard perfume has a 2000% markup) and the celebrity name is just a rip off and an excuse to charge you more. And I don't believe any of these people have anything to do with the design or production of these products. Just the marketing. I won't buy in.

[Highball]

05:34 PM on 12/23/2011

So, you'll buy something that says Chanel, and is priced accordingly. But if it says Britney, it's a no go?

Can you explain that?

[NINA B]

05:46 PM on 12/23/2011

I have a bottle of Chanel No. 5 that was given to me as a gift. But I've never bought it- no. And I doubt if I could afford it. I won't buy into celebrity marketing. I think they're greedy and they don't need my money. And I don't believe these celebrities have anything to do with the clothing/fragrance/shoe lines they put out. They're just marketing their names. I don't want to wear their names. You don't think Britney mixes her perfume up herself, do you?

[greymom]

06:42 PM on 12/23/2011

Chanel was a designer who revolutionized women's clothing almost a century ago. She took us out of corsets and put us in knits. She was an iconic figure with exquisite taste. Her Chanel #5 perfume was revolutionary, the first perfume created by a designer to reflect her taste. Britney is a pop star.

[Stand Up for your Belief]

12:36 PM on 12/23/2011

Also, where is Halle Berry?

[meganmarieborn]

04:58 PM on 01/02/2012

Mariah Carey has a perfume also. Don't really care for her, but the perfume smells really good!

[Stand Up for your Belief]

12:35 PM on 12/23/2011

WHat about Rihanna? Her perfume flew off the shelves like crazy!

[Highball]

06:12 PM on 12/23/2011

Yeah, it did.

I'm not sure about this list, the longer I think about it. Rihanna is missing, as you mention. I still don't know why Gisele isn't on it, either.

[syds180turn]

12:09 PM on 12/23/2011

Elizabeth Taylor and Beyonce's fragrances have nice soft lovely scents. I was sprayed by a person at Macy's with J-Lo's fragrance (and they're not suppose to do that anymore) and I had a sneezing attack and red eyes for 2 days. It's too fruity and full of vanilla. The only other one I've tried is Celine Dion's and it is just awful...pungent and strong. But, if they can make a good fragrance and it agrees with your body chemistry...why not? A good scent is a good scent no matter if it's a celebrity or not.

[Highball]

06:13 PM on 12/23/2011

Exactly. If you like it, who cares whose name is on it?

As I said to someone else in this thread, why is "Beyonce" any different than "Calvin Klein" when you get right down to it, as far as the name on the bottle is concerned?

[riverhouse]

11:14 AM on 12/23/2011

Coco Chanel, of course, has long dominated the celebrity fragrance market and always will.

[greymom]

06:45 PM on 12/23/2011

She was a designer who became a celebrity because of her talent in revolutionizing women's wear. She wasn't a celebrity who came out with a fragrance.

[Camille Michelle]

10:31 AM on 12/23/2011

Celebrity perfumes notoroisly suck, quality wise. That's why they're cheaper. I'll stick to the normal perfume brands by companies that actually put work into their scents.

[Highball]

10:04 AM on 12/23/2011

No Gisele? Or does she not count, somehow?

Because her fragrance business is huge.