This is where the whole “designer-inspired” thing comes in. It’s kinda like… well, like finding a really, *really* good dupe for that designer handbag you’ve been drooling over. Only it’s perfume. And, tbh, sometimes they’re even *better* than the original. Okay, maybe not *better*, but definitely close enough that nobody’s gonna know the difference unless they’re sniffing you with a magnifying glass.
I’ve seen a bunch of these companies popping up everywhere. There’s Àerre (seriously, that name, tho? Makes me think of air freshener but whatever), Dossier (I saw they had a BOGO deal on Amazon, holla!), The Essence Vault (sounds kinda…intense, but “meticulously formulated” does sound fancy), ALT. Fragrances, Paj Fragrances… the list goes on and on.
They basically take the scents of those crazy expensive perfumes – you know, your Chanel No. 5s, your La Vie Est Belles, your Baccarat Rouge 540s (which, seriously, why is it so popular??) – and recreate them. Or, rather, *get inspired* by them. Legally speaking, they can’t just copy it exactly, which makes sense, I guess. But close enough is good enough for me!
Look, let’s be honest. Some of these are going to be total duds. You might get a scent that fades faster than your attention span during a lecture. Or maybe it’ll smell like straight-up rubbing alcohol. But that’s the gamble, right? It’s a way cheaper gamble than blowing half your paycheck on a “real” designer scent, though.
I tried one once, it was supposed to be like Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, and honestly? It was pretty darn good. I mean, maybe not *exactly* the same, but for the price, I wasn’t complaining. Plus, I could drench myself in it without feeling guilty about wasting money. Which is a major win in my book.
The thing I like about these, too, is that you can experiment more. Like, maybe you’re curious about a certain expensive perfume, but you’re not ready to commit. This is the perfect way to try it out without ending up with a $200 bottle that you never use.
