ALT. Fragrances: The Best Fragrance Dupes

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I have been in a fragrance slump lately. Ever since I stopped working at Shoppers Drug Mart in the Beauty Boutique, I’ve stopped having the luxury of smelling every new perfume. And that problem has gotten even worse with COVID now that I can’t even smell the tester bottles inside of Sephora or The Bay. How am I supposed to stay up on my fragrance game? I’ve just been really bored with my perfume collection lately and it has really needed some sprucing up. But perfumes are freakin’ expensive. It just pains me to spend over $100 on a single fragrance.

But luckily, there’s a company called ALT Fragrances that makes dupes of all the best and famous perfumes. And, even better, they specialize in replicating super pricey fragrances like those $500 Tom Ford ones that we are all enamored with. Can you even fathom spending $500 on a perfume? I can’t even handle spending $100 let alone $500. Maybe I’m just cheap. Nonetheless, ALT Fragrances is really solving this conundrum for me by offering similar scents at a way less expensive price tag. ALT Fragrances was kind enough to let me pick out several fragrances to try and I’m so excited to let you know what I think of them and how close they are to the original!

Let’s start with the full size (30ml) scents I picked out. Cherry Smash ($58CAD/$48USD) is a dupe for Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry ($265CAD/$205USD, 30ml). It is described as ripe cherries dripping in cherry glistens with a slight touch of a bitter almond note. I have never smelled a perfume quite like this one. It smells like straight up cherries and is so similar to the real thang by Tom Ford. You definitely have to be a cherry lover to like this one. It’s so fruity and unique. The top notes are cherry, bitter almond and cherry liqueur. The middle notes consist of cherry syrup, rose, and jasmine sambac while the bottom notes consist of roasted tonka bean, sandalwood, cedarwood and peru balsam. Although it’s such a nice smelling scent, I’m extremely glad I got the less expensive version from ALT Fragrances because this isn’t really an everyday scent. It’s so unique and bold that I will definitely reserve it for nights out.

The next fragrance is my personal favorite out of the six. It’s called Bohemian Water ($58CAD/$48USD) and it’s the dupe for Byredo’s Gypsy Water ($257CAD/$190USD, 50ml). I’ve never actually smelled Gypsy Water but it’s heavily talked about in the fragrance community so I was really curious to try it. When I read the composition of this perfume, I really didn’t think I would like it. It’s top notes are bergamot, juniper and lemon. The middle notes are pine needles, incense and orris roots while the bottom notes are amber, sandalwood, and vanilla. Apart from the bottom notes, this really isn’t a fragrance I would gravitate towards. I usually like sweeter and fruitier scents. On top of that, the OG Gypsy Water and ALT Fragrances’ Bohemian Water Is described as a unisex scent which is not usually my cup of tea. But wow, I was really pleasantly surprised by this one. It’s lemon is mixed with woody pine needles and sandalwood and it creates the most magical combination. It is so stunning and I can’t stop smelling it. Sometimes, I will just hold the bottle up to my nose and take a deep whiff of it. It’s addicting really.

The last full size fragrance I picked out was the Crystal No. 23 ($58CAD/$48USD) which is a dupe for the pricey Baccarat Rouge 540 ($390CAD/$300USD) by Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris. This is probably the most hyped, talked about luxury fragrance. It is such a unique scent that I fell in love with from the moment I saw it. It is described as a strong, intoxicating scent with exotic notes of rich jasmine and saffron, combined with the warm tone of cedarwood and subtle amber gris. The top notes are jasmine, saffron and orange; the middle notes are evernyl and ambroxan; and the bottom notes are cedarwood, amber gris and fir balsam. It’s such a deep, rich scent and there’s truly nothing else like it. Plus, the staying power on this scent is so strong! It lasts on my skin and clothes for days.

The next three scents I tried out are all in the 10ml sample size ($10USD) which I love! It’s the perfect way to try out a couple of the fragrances to see how close they are to the original scent before you purchase the full bottle! First is Simply Santal which is a dupe for Santal 33 by Le Labo ($225CAD/$192USD, 50ml). I’ve always wanted to try a Le Labo scent so I went for their infamous Santal 33 dupe. Simply Santal is described as a potent, sensual, enigmatic, yet versatile scent and has top notes of violet and cardamom. The middle notes are ambroxan, iris, and papyrus while the base notes consist of sandalwood, leather, cedarwood and musk. It’s such a warm, woody and leathery scent. I love it!

The next sample size fragrance I tested was the Fireside Marshmallow scent which, yep you guessed it, is the dupe for Replica’s By the Fireplace ($166CAD/$135USD). By the Fireplace is one of my favorite scents so I know it very well! I was excited to see just how close the dupe is to the original. And man, oh man, this Fireside Marshmallow really smells identical to the real thing. It’s also a dupe for the Bath and Body Works candle, Marshmallow Fireside, which I absolutely love so this fragrance really has a special place in my heart. It’s top notes consist of orange blossom and cloves; it’s middle notes are chestnut, juniper, and guaiac woods; while it’s base notes are vanilla, peru balsam, and cashmeran. It’s the perfect Christmas-y, winter scent.

And last but not least is Nicotianna inspired by Tobacco Vanille from Tom Ford ($320CAD/$250USD). Yes, yet another Tom Ford scent. You can tell I really do love Tom Ford fragrances. This is another unisex fragrance – it seems the majority of high-end, luxury fragrances are unisex. I guess at the price they are, you really do want to share them with your partner to get the most out of them. This is a very bold, strong and dominant fragrance. The top notes are tobacco leaf and spices. The middle notes are vanilla, tonka bean, tobacco flower and cocao while the base notes are woods and dry fruit accord. You really only need one or two sprays of this fragrance, that’s how strong it is! And it will linger for days!

I can’t even begin to express how impressed I am by ALT Fragrances. Every single one I tried is comparable to the original scent and their lasting power is insanely good. I find that sometimes when you’re buying a cheaper scent, they fade away to nothingness in just a couple of hours but I’ve found with all of ALT Fragrances’ dupes that they last for days on end. I would highly recommend any scent from them. It’s such a good way to get a scent you love for a fraction of the price!

Want to try ALT Fragrances for yourself? Click here for $5 off your purchase!

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*ftc disclaimer: Products were sent free of charge for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make When I’m Older possible!