Jo Malone is a British fragrance brand that has, since its inception in 1990, become perhaps the most popular and successful niche fragrance house on the market, along with Creed and Diptyque.
Their signature scents, like Wood, Sage & Sea Salt, Blackberry & Bay, or English Pear & Freesia, have been imitated countless times, and their iconic flacons and candles have become a relatively common sight in Christmas stockings and Valentine’s Day gift boxes.
But there’s no denying it: Jo Malone fragrances are expensive. A 3.4 oz (100ml) of Wood, Sage & Sea Salt, for example, retails for $145, or $1.45/ml. But why are they so pricey?
Jo Malone prices are high for a few different reasons, including the quality of the ingredients and presentation and the high level of brand recognition that the house has achieved. However, on today’s market, the price of Jo Malone perfumes are on par with higher-end designers and other niche brands.
Let’s take a closer look, and break down why exactly Jo Malone perfumes are priced the way they are.
History of Jo Malone
The Jo Malone fragrance brand was founded in 1990 by the eponymous Jo Malone, a British entrepreneur and perfumer. In the early days of the brand, Malone made and mixed all of the brand’s perfumes herself, and apparently labeled and shipped them off herself, too. According to Malone, she used truly high quality ingredients and created truly unique creations, and hence her perfumes were priced to match.
In 1999, however, the fashion conglomerate Estée Lauder bought the brand from Malone, evidently for quite the pretty penny. Malone went on to found another brand, called Jo Loves, which she presently still owns and operates.
A lot has changed since 1999, and despite the fact that the woman herself is no longer at the helm of the ship, the Jo Malone brand has transformed into one of the most famous and successful fragrance houses in the world.
Now that we’ve got an idea of what Jo Malone is all about, let’s examine some of the potential reasons why Jo Malone perfumes might be so pricey.
Quality & Presentation
As I wrote in why perfumes are expensive in general, one of the critical determining factors behind a fragrance’s pricing is the cost of the ingredients that go into it.
Raw materials are expensive, and aroma chemicals (some of which are exclusively owned by chemical companies like Giuvadan) can also be expensive. Designer perfume houses usually allocate a lesser amount of money to fragrance briefs, simply because perfume is not their most important product.
Of course, it does generate revenue, but a brand like say, Cartier, is definitely making more money off watches and jewelry than it is off of fragrances.
However, in the case of niche fragrance brands, like Jo Malone, perfume is the most important product, and hence more money can be poured into the materials that go into the scent.
Generally speaking, Jo Malone perfumes are higher quality than many designer fragrances, especially those featuring citruses and lighter florals, which to my nose smell quite natural.
Although Jo Malone might not be operating at Guerlain or Roja Dove levels of quality or creativity, they are definitely using a decent amount of natural ingredients, which is reflected in the price.
Jo Malone perfumes also have upscale packaging, including hefty glass bottles and, if not overly elaborate, iconic and classy boxes. There’s a reason why they make such great gifts.
Factoring in these two considerations, it’s certainly understandable why Jo Malone perfumes are a bit pricier than your average designer fragrance.
Brand Recognition
Another important reason behind Jo Malone’s high prices could be the brand’s high level of global recognition and appeal.
Jo Malone has spread all around the world and is incredibly popular, especially in Asia. In fact, the light, citrusy, floral, and ephemeral nature of most Jo Malone perfumes make them ideal for the Asian market. The fact that it is a European brand also adds a certain je ne sais quoi, and makes Jo Malone an influencer’s darling in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Jo Malone has come to be synonymous with class and quality, and hence, in their eyes, there isn’t any need to lower the price. As such, Jo Malone is one of the few niche fragrance brands that has gone mainstream and achieved popularity and instant recognition along the lines of fashion houses like Chanel or Dior.
The Price of a Jo Malone
In point of fact, however, Jo Malone fragrances are actually not that expensive in this day and age. While $145 might have been a steep asking price ten or twenty years ago, in recent times the price of perfumes has increased across the board, and will likely continue to increase as time goes on. Fashion brands like Louis Vuitton are releasing perfumes in the $300+ range, and Dior’s recent Sauvage Elixir, available only in a 2 oz (60ml) bottle, costs a whopping $160 smackers.
Compared to that, a Jo Malone perfume seems a small ask.
The lighter, transparent bottle perfumes come in 3.4 oz (100ml) for $145 ($1.45/ml), 1.7 oz (50ml) for $100 ($2/ml) and 1 oz (30ml) for $75 ($2.33/ml). These are all “cologne” concentration, one of the lightest perfume concentrations. Don’t know what a perfume concentration is? Don’t worry – this guide should get you sorted.
The heavier, black or opaque – bottled “Cologne Intense” fragrances, such as the popular Myrrh & Tonka, come in 3.4 oz (100ml) for $196 ($1.96/ml) and 1.7 oz (50ml) for $138 ($2.76/ml). The higher pricing reflects the great performance and depth of those fragrances.
Are they worth the price? Only you can decide that for yourself, my friend. However, now you know a few reasons why Jo Malone perfumes might be so expensive.
The Final Word
Compared to a lot of fragrances out there, Jo Malone perfumes are actually on the cheaper side of the niche spectrum. Nevertheless, they are definitely in the higher price range of the average consumer, and could not ever be accused of being “cheap”.
So, why are Jo Malone fragrances priced the way they are?
Jo Malone’s pricing reflects the quality of their fragrances, as well as their global brand recognition. Since Jo Malone is a niche perfume house, they can use higher quality materials in their scents. However, compared to many other brands out there, Jo Malone is not as expensive as it could be.
