Perfume Dupes: Snag these Low Cost Perfumes

veryone loves a great perfume. Unfortunately for those of us without an unlimited perfume budget, iconic fragrances get expensive really quickly. But that doesn't mean you're totally out of luck if you want to smell like luxury.

Enter: perfume dupes.

While they may not have the luxury label, there are plenty of more affordable perfume options out there that are inspired by more expensive scents. Translation? If you want to try out a few fragrances before investing in the luxury original, or you just don't want to drop $300 (😱) on your next perfume purchase, consider adding these dupes of high-end perfumes to your collection.

YSL’s Black Opium—--> Dossier Ambery Vanilla

Described by the YSL website as having notes of vanilla, coffee, and white flowers.  Intended to be a long-lasting perfume with an “intoxicating” aura.  Dark and sensual, ideal to wear for a night out. 

The Dupe: According to Dossier’s website, Ambery Vanilla has the following scents appear in this order: pear, licorice, orange blossom, jasmine flowers, “deep” vanilla, coffee.  A scent that evolves, with a few key differences from the original.  However, this perfume still retains the dark sensuality of the original.  

Cost Difference: $130 --> $30

Reviews: Generally 5 stars

Verdict: A real deal! 

Gucci’s Bloom—-> Dossier Floral Honeysuckle

According to the Gucci website, they have created a fragrance with the muse of “moonlight” at the center of it’s creation.  Potent, it contains fruity notes (orange blossom), as well as floral (jasmine sambac and tuberose).  A deep scent with forest-like notes.  Like walking through a garden under the moonlight, if you wanted to be poetic about it. 

The Dupe: According to Dossiers website, Floral Honeysuckle contains the same floral notes, including tuberose and jasmine.  Additionally, it has the added benefit of honeysuckle and green leaves to add a delicate, “tender” edge.  A very traditionally feminine scent, it contains a virtual gardens’ worth of blooms.  Ideal for a tea out.  

Cost Diff: $140 --> $40

Reviews: Overwhelmingly good, around 4.5 stars

Verdict: A great deal! 

Victor&Rolf’s Flowerbomb—> Dossier Gourmand White Flowers

According to Victor&Rolf’s Flowerbomb, it contains rose, jasmine and peony.  Yet another floral scent, Flowerbomb is quite upfront about the impression it gives via its nomicker.  Strongly feminine, this is a beautiful scent for those who are not easily overwhelmed by floral aromas.  

The Dupe: According to the Dossier website contains more than just blooms.  With a bit of added green tea, berries and caramel in addition to its floral notes of jasmine, rose, and, surprisingly, orchid.  Gourmond White Flowers is more wandering in the woods than exploring flower garden, yet this only adds to its depth and versatility.  Feminine, yet more androgynous than Flowerbomb. 

Cost Diff: $142 --> $39

Reviews: 4 to 4.5 out of 5 stars, pretty good! 

Verdict: Pretty good! 

YSL’s Y—> Dossier Aromatic Pineapple

According to YSL’s website, this fragrance is intended to be a long lasting scent, with a hard, confident edge to it.  (The website actually does surprisingly little to describe the actual notes themselves, through it would appear to contain the following notes: ginger, apple, and sage–prominent notes of bergamot as well).  

The Dupe: According to Dossier’s website, their dupe scent Aromatic Pineapple, gives off citrusy, decidedly “juicy” vibes.  A fun, yet professional scent that leaves the wearer feeling refreshed and ready to go.  This perfume gives off a strong masculine vibe: bright, aromatic, and “sharp like silver metal” (YSL website).  Hints of juniper berry.  

Cost Diff: $123+ --> $29

Reviews: 4.5/5

Verdict: Great! 

Chanel’s Bleu De Chanel —> Dossier Citrus Ginger 

According to the Chanel Website, Bleu de Chanel contains an edgy scent, suitable for shaving and other, etc.  It contains notes of: lemon, mint, and, surprisingly, pink pepper–among other’s, of course.  Opulent. Perhaps–in description at least–slightly confusing.  The men’s perfume seeks to convey a professional, upper-echelon atmosphere.  True elegance.

The Dupe: According to Dossier’s website, the dupe of Bleu de Chanel, titled Citrus Ginger, has a strong mint scent, as well as ginger and lemon.  Slightly spicy, and with an elegant base, this dupe will surely not disappoint.  Much like the original behind it’s inspiration, Citrus Ginger is marked as being masculine, severe, and elegant. 

Cost Diff: $125 --> $29

Reviews: 4.5/5

Verdict: Great! 

MFK’s Baccarat Rouge 540 —> Dossier Ambery Saffron 

The iconic Baccarat Rouge 540 is inspired by the meeting of Maison Francis Kurkdijan and Baccarat at a 250th anniversary/ bday celebration of the manufacturer.  Dark, woodsy, and decidedly spicy, this is perfume to the nth degree.  Light notes of jasmine and cedar brighten up the arrangement, centered around saffron and various “amber” notes.  Intense and vibrant, this is the perfect scent for the esteemed person looking to make a unique impression.  

The dupe inspired by Baccarat Rouge 540, as listed on the Dossier website, is titled Ambery Saffron.  Like it’s muse, it is intense, vibrant, and comforting.  A bit of a mystery altogether, this perfume manages to blend cedarwood, amber, and saffron.  

Cost Difference: $325 --> $49

Reviews: 4.5/5 

Verdict: Great value! 

Are Perfume Dupes Ethical? 

What exactly are consumers paying for when they purchase “luxury” perfumes from luxury brands? Largely, celeb endorsements, advertisement fees, and gorgeous bottles. However, when you buy a dupe -- you're not necessarily buying a fake. You are purchasing the perfume without the bells and whistles -- it’s really a difference in social status clout. 

There is no doubt that the concept of dupes have been gaining in popularity recently, as prices rise and salaries continue to remain stagnant. Many people who cannot afford the “real” product, or who feel disillusioned with the concept of luxury brands in general, are now turning to dupes. The Atlantic describes a phenomenon known as the "dupe loop".

Dupes are a way of “democratizing” luxury brands. It's important to draw the distinction that dupes are not counterfit perfumes claiming to BE the luxury brand perfumes. They are entirely new products inspired by luxury scents, similar substitutes for anyone wanting to achieve a similar result that they might’ve had with the larger, more famous or more expensive original. Just think about the way runway fashion makes its way into department stores and online shops -- nobody would say that JC Penny's spring catalog is ripping off the runway look. It's just taking cues from an industry tastemaker when designing a line for its audience who wants trendy styles but doesn't fall into the tax bracket to pay for the trendy price tag.

And luxury brands aren't going anywhere anytime soon. While plenty of people love a good bargain (and a good dupe), there will always be those who prefer the real thing. People who take pride in owning the authentic article as a status symbol or little bit of luxury tend to feel that the dupes flooding the market dilute the brand. And maintaining brand perception is important for higher end labels, or even swanky mall labels. You might remember Abercrombie & Fitch infamously burning their items to avoid them ending up in thrift stores.

So when deciding whether or not to go with the dupe, here are a few ethical things to consider:

• Is the luxury brand suffering because someone is stealing their design or intellectual property?
• Would you rather save up to invest in a big ticket item, or do you just want to try out the trend for a season?
• Is the original creator a young entrepreneur or emerging artist who may have to charge high prices in order to simply make a living and will be damaged by losing customers to dupes?

That's it for our analysis of affordable dupes for luxury perfumes.

Some might argue that, in order to be ethical to the creative process of the brand, you should buy dupes only if you truly cannot afford (with some small saving) the original product. No matter what your financial standing, dupes are a great way to save money. 

As always, the usual rules of purchasing perfume apply here. When buying perfume, always keep in mind: how long you want it to last, how strong you want the scent to be, what notes you like, if you are scent-sensitive or any perfume will make you ill, the quality of the perfume you buy. No one will ever judge you for the brand of perfume you wear. It all boils down to the scent, and how much you (and, supposedly, the people around you) enjoy it.