Guide
How to Check if a Perfume Is Original: 7 Checks (UAE 2026)
By the AZ & CO teamPublished
Short answer: Start with the batch code. A genuine bottle has one on the box and on the bottle, the two codes match, and the code decodes to a sensible date on a batch code checker such as CheckFresh. Then check the wrap, the box, the bottle and the cap, and buy only from a licensed seller who will refund you in full if the bottle is not genuine.
Fake perfume is sold in the UAE at street stands and small shops, and by unknown sellers on online marketplaces. Counterfeit goods are also sold through social media. Many fakes fail simple checks. Here are seven. Five are about the bottle and its box, and you can run them on any bottle you buy, from anyone. The other two are about the seller, and you run them before you pay.
Five checks on the bottle and box
1. Find the batch code
Every genuine perfume carries a batch code: a short code of letters and numbers that identifies the batch the bottle was made in. It is printed or stamped on the bottom of the box, and printed on the bottle, usually on the base. Do not confuse it with the barcode number, the long row of digits under the barcode.
No batch code at all is the biggest warning sign there is.
2. Check that the box and bottle codes match
The code on the box and the code on the bottle should be the same. If they are different, the bottle may have been put into someone else's box. If the code has been scratched off, cut out or covered with a sticker, you have lost the one thing that lets you check the bottle, and you should ask the seller why.
3. Look the code up
Sites such as CheckFresh and CheckCosmetic read batch codes for many brands. Pick the brand, type the code, and they tell you roughly when the bottle was made. Both cover Creed, Parfums de Marly and Maison Francis Kurkdjian, and CheckFresh also covers Xerjoff.
A code that decodes to a sensible date is a good sign. A code that does not decode is not proof of a fake, because not every brand is covered and the checkers can be wrong. A code that looks nothing like the brand's usual format is a warning sign. If you are still unsure, send the code and clear photos of the box and bottle to the house's customer service.
A note on barcode apps. Barcode-scanning apps only read the EAN, the long number under the barcode. That number identifies the product, for example one perfume in one size, not your bottle, and it is easy to copy. A barcode that scans proves nothing about whether the perfume is genuine. Use the batch code instead.
4. Check the packaging
- The plastic wrap on a boxed bottle should be tight, clear and neatly folded. Loose, cloudy or heavily glued wrap is a warning sign.
- The box should be stiff card, with sharp printing and straight edges.
- The text should have no spelling mistakes or blurred printing. The volume and concentration, for example 100ml Eau de Parfum, should be printed clearly and match what you ordered.
A tester comes in the brand's own tester box rather than the retail box, so for a tester the bottle checks below matter more than the box. We explain the difference in tester vs boxed perfume.
5. Check the bottle
- The glass is smooth and clear, with no bubbles or rough seams.
- The cap fits snugly and sits straight. A loose or lopsided cap is a warning sign.
- The sprayer gives a fine, even mist, not a jet or a drip.
- The colour of the liquid looks right next to photos on the house's own website. Liquid that is much paler or darker than it should be is a warning sign.
Two checks on the seller
6. Be honest about the price
Genuine perfume does not always cost full price. Testers cost less than boxed bottles, and every shop sets its own prices. But a current bestseller sold at a small fraction of its usual price, and in volume, is almost never real. In a 2020 Gulf News report, a manager at a major UAE retailer said he had seen stands selling fake Good Girl by Carolina Herrera for AED 75, when the original cost AED 520. If a price is far below every other seller in the UAE, ask why. The table further down shows what five bottles people often check cost on our site today.
7. Check the seller
- Do they have a trade licence and a real way to reach them?
- Will they refund you in full, in writing, if the bottle is not genuine?
- Will they show you the batch code before you pay?
A seller who is confident in their stock will say yes to all three. If you buy in person, check the bottle you are handed, not only the one on display. Gulf News has reported vendors who show a genuine bottle and then hand over a fake.
Prices for five bottles people often check
UAE shoppers often search these bottles with words like "original vs fake", or with a price. Here is what each one costs on our site today, boxed and as a tester, so you have a real number to compare a deal against.
| Perfume | Boxed | Tester |
|---|---|---|
 Aventus by Creed Eau de Parfum, 100ml |
AED 1,260 | AED 1,090 |
 Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian Eau de Parfum, 70ml |
AED 1,050 | AED 850 |
 Layton by Parfums de Marly Eau de Parfum, 125ml |
AED 840 | AED 750 |
 Naxos by Xerjoff Eau de Parfum, 100ml |
AED 630 | Not available today |
 Delina by Parfums de Marly Eau de Parfum, 75ml |
AED 860 | Not available today |
Skip it if
- Aventus. Skip the tester if it is a gift, or if you want to run every box check in step 4. The tester comes in the brand's own tester box, not the retail box.
- Baccarat Rouge 540. Skip this option if you want the Extrait de Parfum. It is a separate option on the same page, so check which one you are choosing, and compare your bottle with the house's photos of that version.
- Layton. Skip the 125ml if you want a smaller bottle. The boxed 75ml is AED 710.
- Naxos. Skip it if you want a tester. Only the boxed 100ml is available today.
- Delina. Skip it if you want a tester or the 100ml. Only the boxed 75ml is available today.
More from each house: Creed, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Parfums de Marly and Xerjoff. If you are choosing between Xerjoff bottles, our guide to the best Xerjoff perfumes can help.
How we picked. We did not pick these by sales, and we do not call any of them a best seller. We chose bottles that UAE shoppers often search for with "original vs fake" or "fake vs real" (Aventus, Naxos, and Parfums de Marly bottles such as Delina), or with a price (Layton and Baccarat Rouge 540). Each one was available to order on 11 October 2026.
How we handle it at AZ & CO
AZ & CO is a licensed online perfume boutique based in the UAE. We built the business around being checkable.
Every bottle is checked before it ships, with its batch code left readable. If it is not genuine, we collect it free and refund every dirham. You will not need to prove it.
The full detail is in our refund policy, and you can see customer photos of orders that have arrived. Delivery is AED 25 anywhere in the UAE: same day in Dubai and Sharjah when you order by 10 AM, otherwise next day, and one day more elsewhere.
Quick questions
Is a tester a fake?
No. A genuine tester is the same perfume from the same house, packed in the brand's own tester box for shop counters. It should still carry a batch code, so the code and bottle checks above still apply. We explain the difference in tester vs boxed perfume.
Is a perfume without a box fake?
Not always, but without the box you lose checks 2 and 4. Only buy an unboxed bottle from a seller who will refund you in full if it turns out not to be genuine.
Can you buy fake perfume in Dubai?
Yes. In 2020 Gulf News reported fake perfume on sale in Deira and Karama, and more than 20,000 counterfeit perfume bottles seized from a warehouse in Al Qusais in 2019. It has also reported counterfeit goods sold through social media. That is why the checks above are worth running wherever you buy.
What should I do if I think my bottle is fake?
Stop using it, keep the box, and send the seller photos of both batch codes. If you bought it from us, message us and we will collect it free and refund every dirham. You will not need to prove it.
Where can I buy original niche perfume in the UAE?
Official boutiques and department stores are the safest. If you buy online, choose a shop that leaves batch codes readable and gives a written authenticity refund. You can browse our full collection, read our guide to the best niche perfumes in Dubai, or see all our guides.
Prices on this page were correct on 11 October 2026. The product page always shows the current price.