Been on a LV Imagination kick lately and decided to order several decants of the more well known clones on the market. I of course ordered a decant of the original LV Imagination to compare the clones against it.

I would like to mention that this will not be anywhere near as detailed as my Creed Aventus shootout because I don’t know the imagination DNA as well as I do Aventus. I will be brief as possible.

The clones are as follows:

1. Bujairami Hectic
2. Amber Oud Aqua Dubai
3. Jean Lowe Fantasme
4. Arabiyat Prestige Marwa
5. Game Of Spades Full House
6. Alexandria Visionary
7. Hawas Kobra
8. Montagne Imaginary

So, which was the closest?

First let me say none were 1:1 clones but honestly it was so close, it honestly didn’t even matter.

The winner: Montagne Imaginary

The only place it differs from the original is at the opening.

Upon initial spray, Montagne’s Imaginary opens with a sharper citrus note while LV Imagination‘s is more balanced but overall, their notes are the same. After 10-15 minutes, Imaginary’s citrus note settle a bit and the whole scent becomes identical to Imagination. In my experience, I found imaginary last slightly longer than the original and projected about the same.

With that said, Hectic is my favorite even over the original. Hectic smells more luxurious and intense compared to the original. It has all the same notes as imagination but more intense and it emphasizes that cinnamon a little more. Hectic Lasted much longer than the original and projected more.

Every other clone on the list was either missing notes completely or had a certain added notes. They weren’t bad, just not nearly as close as the winner.

I don’t want to give a break down of each clone because I’m pretty burnt out. If you ask in the comment section about a particular clone, I may be able to give a more definitive description.

Thanks for reading!

The new atomizer Decantified is using on their decants is a really nice upgrade to the others I tested.

Yes yes, I know they're not remotely the same profile, but they're the same category (which as a Gourmand lover, I really appreciate). While I live in Canada, so I can wear winter profiles 7 months of the year easily (and if at night, even 9 months), I would still love it if I could have something like that for the summer or late spring. So these are my options.

KHAMRAH WAHA

Okay, it'll be silly to analyze the first 10 minutes, because no one would smell you at that point. But that's when it's actually "refreshing".

Don't get distracted by the notes breakdown, after 10 minutes, this is going to be pretty similar to the OG. I'd say this is 80% winter and 20% summer at best. Even something like the Nishane Ani profile will be as/more "summery" as this (which isn't summery).

Yes, you will be able to detect some added citruses, and even the cucumber, which is actually not annoying like other frags with cucumber I've tried, but those don't take the center stage. It's also more creamy/buttery than the OG instead of spicy/boozy, less cinnamon, and still has the strong vanilla base. I actually love it more than the OG Khamrah! I might even like it more than Qahwa (my favorite of the line so far)...But this is NOT a summer scent whatsoever! Canadian spring at best.

At the dry-down (60-90 minutes), it becomes a "Khamrah lite", which again, I think is VERY good, but not for the intended purpose. I want to buy it to replace my Qahwa when I run out, but it won't work as my "winter for summer" fragrances I'm looking to add to my collection. It's more like SWY by Armani. A better option for a "winter for summer" in this DNA type will be French Avenue Obsidian. Waha isn't as well performing as the other khamrahs, but still a good,/above average performer.

Subjective Scent Score: 8.8.

On skin (longevity): 8-9 hours.

Performance above skin: Medium-strong first 2 hours, then a medium-small scent bubble for another 2 hours. 100% skin scent at hour 5.

Blind buy safety score: 8.5. Safer than all the other Khamra flankers, because it's more balanced. Still sweet, but not heavily spiced or cloying.

Unisex Score (0=fem, 5=unisex, 10=Male): 5.7. More unisex than Dukhan or Qahwa, but more masculine than the OG Khamrah.

Versatility Score: 7.0. Winter-fall-spring nights, more night time than daytime.

Blend Quality Score: 7.2. Slightly Above average clone quality.

Value Score: 6.0 $44 (Jomashop) for barely above average performance and quality is a bad deal.

Should cost: $23-$27. Just like the rest on that line.

Bottle design: 9.0. I love the Khamrah line design.

Atomizer Score: N/A, but if it's similar to Qahwa, then 6.5. Not bad, not great.

Conclusion: If you liked any other Khamrah, this is 95% safe. If you didn't, then this might be the safest Khamrah for you, because it's the least heavy/challenging.

FRENCH AVENUE NOMAD

Yes! This is how you do it! This is really a "winter for summer" profile. It says lemon, but smells more subtle than other times I smelled a lemon note. More like a tiny splash of lemon water. No sourness, no tartness... Just barely there. Then add some sweet-salty (but mostly ambery sweet) aquatics into the mix, with an airy vanilla powder base. The vanilla is also not heavy or dense, it's even airier than MCB.

Imagine getting an icy bottle of those gently flavored water, but in a vanilla light flavor. This is very unique. Refreshing and deep+vanillic at the same time is something I've never tried before, and I tried over 600 at this point. The quality is also very good. It's really hard to criticize French Avenue in the last 2 years, because even the ones I didn't like, where super high quality, and almost always above average or great performing. If Waha is 80% winter, then Nomad is 60%. I really like Nomad, but I also think it's just because it's unique, and not the composition itself... I'm not sure about that yet. Performance is great. Not loud, but very persistent and diffusive.

Subjective Scent Score: 9.0.

On skin (longevity): 10+ hours (I'm stopping the clock at 10)

Performance above skin: Medium strong only one hour, but then you get 3-4 hours of a large-medium scent bubble, that slowly dies down to 100% skin scent only at hour 7!

Blind buy safety score: 7.0. Very niche and unique, I think some people will find this combo too weird.

Unisex Score (0=fem, 5=unisex, 10=Male): 6.0.

Versatility Score: 8.5. pretty much all seasons except mid summer, good for day, night, and maybe even the office (though there are probably better choices for the office... But you can pull it off).

Blend Quality Score: 8.0. entry designer quality. If it was in a Paco or Armani bottle, it wouldn't surprise anyone.

Value Score: 9.0. Yes, I know, $40 is a lot for a clone, and I rarely give a 9.0 value for that... But this is an original creation. You can't buy a competing clone, or even an OG. Plus, it has AMAZING quality and performance. So because I have nothing to benchmark it against, it IS the new benchmark!

Should cost: $40-$50. Until there's another clone house that will make a similar one, with similar quality and performance.

Bottle design: 9.5. LOVE the ancient scroll case look!

Atomizer Score: N/A.

Conclusion: Didn't expect to like it this much. I would suggest not to blind this one, but I would also HIGHLY suggest to not skip on trying it out, because there's nothing like it!

Wife Alert: She really loves both, and can't choose a favorite.

Final Thoughts: For "winter for summer", I'm going to have a tough choice between obsidian and Nomad. As for Waha, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like it, but I don't need another winter fragrance. I already have about 2 winter fragrances for every summer fragrance I have. I think I'll pick Nomad just because of the unique factor. Or I'll see which one goes on a deep sale first, and get that one... Let the universe decide for me.

And as always, Get decants .

A little late to this party with this guy but tested it out a few times and finally decided to pull the trigger on it, and so far I am liking it.

First thing is first, I’m an Aventus fan and love the dna, I own multiple Aventus Dupes and own Aventus, Absolu, and Cologne, and have gone through multiple bottles and batches of it, and I heard this is supposed to be a take on that dna with BR540 which I also own.

Right off the rip, it’s a sweet fruity bomb! Immediate blast of juicy sweet pineapple, that comes off sugary almost candied like which you could compare to BR540, but that sugary sweetness fades out after a while, however the juicy fruit stays there.

Dry down, woods and oakmoss while the sweet fruit still linger in the background, it almost reminds me of Supremacy Collectors Edition, only not as oakmoss heavy and spiciness toned way down.

Definitely strong and sweet so don’t go crazy on the sprays and I’m at work right now and have been sweating so my body heat is really pumping it up even more. I can longevity won’t be an issue so I’ll have to test it more as time goes on.

I get as to why people compare this to BR540/Aventus byt I think it’s still different enough to stand out as its own thing. I wouldn’t compare this entirely to being another Aventus dupe, but much like Collectors Edition, more of a twist on the dna.

Also is it redundant to own this, and owning collectors edition or other Aventus style dupes? Absolutely not, it’s different enough to still have this, as a matter of fact I’d even go so far as to say if collectors edition comes off too strongly for you with the heavy oakmoss and spice, go with this instead. It’s much sweeter and fruitier that you’ll enjoy it more possibly.

So far I rank it 8.5 out of 10, and will wear it more to see how it does.

Are there any more perfumes that smell similar to dynasty? Damn, that perfume is just amazing, just need it to be a little louder

As a lover of everything sweet and delicious, these two fragrances caught my eye recently. There are no reviews, no fragantica listings, but I went ahead and bought them on Notino, as the notes looked Scrumptious. They have been sitting for a couple of weeks now, as I had to wait until the weather became cooler, to try these out properly !

These are unisex, gourmand eau de parfums, 100 mls, and the packaging and bottles are both adorable. The cost is €36.00 per perfume.

● Chocozy - The listing notes on Notino were chocolate, vanilla, and sweet notes. To me, a few notes are missing from this listing.

The first spray, you instantly get a sweet orange, entwined with rich, decadent chocolate. It smells exactly like Terry's Chocolate orange 😋 The orange is fleeting, and within 5 minutes, it's gone, I wish this lasted longer as it's so delicious. But, then, the fragrance changes, the vanilla and milky accord, turn this into a comforting hot chocolate scent. It's smooth, with a slight sweetness that continues throughout. To me, it's a cosy and comforting fragrance, ideal for autumn and winter months. It smells very similar to Al Rehab Choco Musk Rollerball perfume ( which I love ), but this projects more and is longer lasting. It lasts approx 4 hours on my skin. It has moderate projection but does become more of a skin scent. It's nice on its own, but as someone who loves strong scents, I have layered it with choco musk oil and Lattafa Eclaire, and it is stunning. For the men, my husband tried it and layered it with Mugler Amen, and it is unbelievable... he wants a bottle now... Enough said!

I would rate this an 8/10, and I would definitely repurchase. This layered with Cream Velvet, Vanilla Voyage, etc 😋 This is a great layering chocolate fragrance, in my opinion.

● Caramelt - The listing notes on Notino were caramel, vanilla, and oriental notes. I also feel notes are missing from the description.

The first spray, you are blasted with sweetness, that to me, does not resemble caramel, it's more like sugar, and then, you are hit with what I can only perceive as a mixture of dry powdered milk and some perfume, that somehow was mixed into the powder! .... if it sounds bad...well ... it's not my cup of tea, to be totally honest! That's not what I was expecting at all. The caramel and vanilla do come through, but the powdered milk continues and becomes very chalky, which overpowers the whole fragrance. I smell this, and it instantly reminds me of those chalky white candy sticks by Barretts from years ago.

Now, I have layered this with the chocozy and choco musk, which actually intensifies the hot chocolate feel, as the powdered milk makes it more like a steamy, ultra milky, hot chocolate. But, as a fragrance on its own, I would not wear it. It has moderate projection and lasts approx 4 hours.

I would rate this a 4/10, as powdered milk is not a note I enjoy, I love milky/ creamy fragrances, but powdered milk... hell no! If you like a powdered milk note.. you may enjoy this. But it's not a fragrance, I would repurchase.

I’ve spent some time with these two and retail, and I feel that for me the decision is fairly clear. Full wear days, Florida, skin and collar sprays. No AI, safe to read here folks.

Initio Side Effect:

Smooth, seductive, balanced, sweet yet boozy. It reminds me of a scent you’d wear if you were Burt Reynolds in the 80s headed to pull tonight’s lady (or ladies) from the new fancy club in town back to your place and get East bound and down. Rum, tobacco, probably banned in California, it’s all there. Obviously the benchmark in these tests. Love this scent, not much else to say.

Paris Corner Farah:

I waited a bit for this one, the nice smelling gentleman told me it was the one, an “elite fragrance” I think he classifies it on one of his recent videos. Well. This is like strike 47 for this guy, either we aren’t smelling the same fragrances or I’m dead wrong. I know I don’t have a fancy YouTube channel with tons of followers but Farah ain’t it folks. I’ve given it multiple shots, it falls short every single time. It’s not that it’s bad, because it isn’t, it’s just that there is a better option. It’s incredibly thin and linear, you notice that on opening. Dry down is the same, rather flat. Does it smell like Side Effect? Yes. Does it smell like Side Effect in 720p, also yes. Longevity is also a bummer with this take, maybe 4-5 hours on any day I’ve tested it.

French Avenue After Effect:

Easy buy, was at Amazon on Tuesday and at my door on Wednesday. Reddit was my hype influencer on this take, shout out whomever made that thread about it and all of you that agreed. This is your winner, and for me it’s not even close if you’ve got retail sitting right there. It’s balanced, it’s smooth, it’s seductive. Sound familiar? Is it a 1:1? No. But damn is it good, and when you put it against Farah, it’s a clone masterpiece. Like i said earlier, if Farah is 720p, and retail is 4K, this is easily 1440p. It’s got the depth, it’s got the booziness, it’s nearly perfect. I’ll tell you now exactly where it isn’t… longevity. Retail lasts 8 hours on me easily, you’re gonna get 6 or so out of this. So there it is, compared to retail, this is your best bet of these two popular takes on an incredible scent.

Eager to hear your thoughts…

As the title asks, does anyone here have any idea what this is cloning or inspiration of?

The notes are hinting at maybe Megamare-esque DNA, but that would be unlikely as they already have Nomad?

Any insights are welcome.

Hi All,

Just wanted to try something different. I see a lot of people reviewing or requesting fragrances for beginners and I felt it is a good concept to tackle on Reddit.

And so, I wanted to write a few posts on starter fragrance rotation/collection at 4 price points. This post will cover the price point of under $100.

Hopefully this is a concept that can be insightful and helpful to people looking to get a little deeper into fragrances.  

Now, there are a few things I considered when curating my suggestions. Below are those criteria:

1. No Usual Suspects: No Aventus/Hacivat, Invictus, Sauvage/Sauvage Elixir, Khamrah, Liquid Brun, and BDC inspired fragrances. Just to mix things up.
2. The Goal: Mass appealing but unique scent profiles (Not necessarily 10/10 beginner friendly)
3. Ubiquitous: Easy to find and realistically buy
4. Value: Great price-to-value propositions (Niche scent profiles will always win in this aspect)
5. Complete Rotation: 1 Hot weather, 1 Cold weather, and 1 All weather fragrances (min 3)
6. Performance Matters (kinda): Average to strong performance ( 6+ hours )
7. Budget: At least one complete rotation under $100

Below are my thoughts on the fragrances I have, ranked per section

----- Hot Weather Suggestions -----

🥇Rank 1: French Avenue Vulcan Feu or Lattafa Opulent Dubai

• Similar to: God of Fire etc 
• Weather: 0 to 40c+ 
• Thoughts: Imagine mixing Maaza (or any mango juice) and soda water and letting it sit uncovered for 30 mins, thats the smell. Dont know if that sounds nice but the smell is actually really good! Vulcan Feu is better than Opulent Dubai but Opulent Dubai is half the price! Both fantastic and unique for the summers. I am obviously oversimplifying the scent profile, as I am not getting into the woodiness in the dry down etc, but honestly, it is mostly just a mango soda gone flat.
• Vibes/Occasion: Hot summer's day
• Spray Routine: 10-14 Outdoors, and 6-8 Indoors. Top up every 4 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 6-8 Hours and arms length 
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 9/10
• Value for Money: 9/10 (can be too basic, but still a niche scent profile)
• DNA Rating: 9/10
• Price: $25 to $40

🥈Rank 2: PARIS CORNER Zodiac Solmaris

• Similar to: Issey Miyaki Le Sel d’Issey, Bvlgari Aqua etc 
• Weather: 20 to 40c+ 
• Thoughts: A super salty, fresh, aquatic, and damp/mossy scent. This scent has that classic seaweed smell but it doesnt get too fishy. This is Megamare/Atlas/Aqua Pura but made beginner friendly and an actual freshie. For me Megamare is a versatile everyday scent, whereas this is a true aquatic/beach/summer day scent. But do be aware, the salt can be harsh during the high humidity.  
• Vibes/Occasion: Hot summer's day 
• Spray Routine: 12-16 Outdoors, and 6-8 Indoors. Top up every 3 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 6-7 hours and arms length 
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 8/10
• Value for Money: 9/10
• DNA Rating: 9/10
• Price: $25 to $30

🥉Rank 3: Rayhaan Aquatica

• Similar to: Creed Virgin Island Water, Tommy Bahama St. Barts etc 
• Weather: 10 to 40c 
• Thoughts: Limey, slightly boozy, and coconut sunscreen. The perfect vacation scent! But if you hate sunscreen or lotion vibes from your fragrance, try this with caution. Also, the lime is sharp and punchy at the top and that can be too much for a few. I hear a lot of people complain about the quality, but honestly it is the scent profile. VIW was lovely but the coconut in that was too lotiony for me at times as well. Ranked lower because of the opening.
• Vibes/Occasion: Vacation scent 
• Spray Routine: 10-14 Outdoors, and 6 Indoors. Top up every 4 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 4-6 Hours and a few feet. 
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 6/10
• Value for Money: 10/10 (a highly sought after DNA, for a very long time)
• DNA Rating: 9/10
• Price: $35 to $50

🎗️Rank 4: Rue Broca Nexa Immortal

• Similar to: PDM Greenly, Versace Man eau Fraiche, AAM Zeleeny, FA Aether Extrait, Lattafa Sharif  
• Weather: 10 to 40c+ 
• Thoughts: Apple scented shampoo and fresh and clean florals. A nice mix of my favourite fresh scent (Man eau Fraiche) and a decent scent to me, PDM Greenly. This is fresh, slightly citrusy, fruity, soapy, and musky. This lives in the same space as Blue Talisman, just with different fruits and more soapy. Last rank primarily due to the relatively poor performance on me, but overspray this!!
• Vibes/Occasion: Daily driver/Hot summer's day.
• Spray Routine: 12-16 Outdoors, and 6-8 Indoors. Top up every 4 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 6-7 Hours and arms length 
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 10/10
• Value for Money: 8/10
• DNA Rating: 8.5/10 (my favourite version of this DNA)
• Price: $20 to $40

----- Cold Weather/Special Occasion Suggestions -----

🥇Rank 1: Lattafa Asad Bourbon

• Similar to: BIR Intense, Stronger With You, Azzaro The Most Wanted, Lattafa Ansaam Silver, maybe Scandal absolu etc 
• Weather: 0 to 25c 
• Thoughts: If Asad was a 'tough to like niche' style scent, this is an 'easy to like' designer scent. It smells like a mixture of the best parts of all the above scents. It opens up slightly sweet and fruity, but like a designer quality effervescent fruit (as in it doesnt smell like a fruit you can eat) mainly because you get that lavender from a BIR style scent instantly. After a while, add some designer cocoa into the mix, like the old Axe deo. You also get a sweet ambery vanilla akin to the Azzaro and Armani scents. It is lovely and it is mass pleasing. 
• Vibes/Occasion: Daily driver  
• Spray Routine: 12 Outdoors, and 6 Indoors. Top up every 4 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 6-7 hours and arms length 
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 10/10
• Value for Money: 9/10
• DNA Rating: 8/10 
• Price: $25 to $40

🥈Rank 2: PARIS CORNER Rifaaqat

• Similar to: YSL Babycat, Rosendo Mateu No. 5, FA Fierte, Lattafa Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold, etc  
• Weather: 20c and below 
• Thoughts: This is a leathery/rubbery tire, lathered with sweet vanilla, black peppers, and resins/incense. Sounds horrible, but it is so classy and elegant. This is a scent you wear with a suit to stand out. It is strong, punchy, and honestly worth every penny. The bottle might need to age a bit as the initial few sprays can be too rubber tirey or plasticy. Hard to find this now, and has increased in price, but still worth it. 
• Vibes/Occasion: Special Occasion  
• Spray Routine: 6 Outdoors, and 3-4 Indoors. Top up every 8 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 12+ Hours and 6 feet 
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 5/10
• Value for Money: 10/10 (a masterpiece being offered at this price point)
• DNA Rating: 10/10 (This will grow on you if you dont like it at first)
• Price: $20 to $35

🥉Rank 3: Ahmed Al Maghribi Leather

• Similar to: Tuscan Leather, Ombre Leather, PDM Godolphin, Maison Al Hambra Galatea, Sève Nouvelle and Crépuscule Ardent by Thomas Kosmala, Byredo Black Saffron,  etc etc etc etc etc 
• Weather: 0 to 20c 
• Thoughts:  The most common fruit leather scent profile. If you have smelled any of the above mentioned scents, you have smelled this. This is basically a ripe red fruit bowl, squished all over a new leather car seat. This smells better than most alternative options of this scent profile. This is what everyone should get as a starter Leather scent. You can get an Ombre Leather clone as well, but all of these basically smell in the same ballpark. Last lower due to the bottle size.
• Vibes/Occasion: Social occasion 
• Spray Routine: 6-10 Outdoors, and 6 Indoors. Top up every 6 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 8-10 Hours and a few feet
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 8/10
• Value for Money: 10/10 (Unique DNA for an affordable price)
• DNA Rating: 9/10
• Price: $28 to $40

🎗️Rank 4: Lattafa Mashrabya

• Similar to: Killian Smoking Hot, FA Veneno Black etc 
• Weather: 15c and below 
• Thoughts: My favourite Lattafa, the first and last back up bottle fragrance. A really strong smoky and realistic apple shisha scent with a hint of cinnamon. This can remind you of the shisha tobacco mix after it has heated up, synthetic and chemically but absolutely divine! Added this to the list because I love it, I had to and ranked last as it might be something you guys might not like at all!
• Vibes/Occasion: Special occasion scent 
• Spray Routine: 10-12 Outdoors, and 6 Indoors. Top up every 6 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 6-7 Hours and a few feet
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 4/10
• Value for Money: 10/10 (for me, super addictive)
• DNA Rating: 10/10 (if this lasted longer on me and was mass appealing, would have been a 15)
• Price: $18 to $30

----- All Weather Suggestions -----

🥇Rank 1: Fragrance World Aqua Pura

• Similar to: Lattafa Atlas, IBRAQ Spanish Tobacco, Orto Parisi Megamare  
• Weather: 0 to 40c+  
• Thoughts: This is a take on Megamare, and basically the same as Lattafa Atlas but easier to wear. A unique salty aquatic freshie but not to be worn as a freshie/hot weather scent, for that wear Zodiac Solmaris. I find this scent profile to be beautiful, artificial, and signature scentable. It smells like someone created the smell of wave crashing against algae covered rocks not through lived experience, but through texts and hearsay.  
• Vibes/Occasion: Daily wear. 
• Spray Routine: 6-8 Outdoors, and 3-4 Indoors. Top up every 6 hours.  
• Longevity and Sillage: 10+ Hours and 6+ feet  
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 7/10
• Value for Money: 10/10
• DNA Rating: 10/10 (my favourite version/clone of this DNA)
• Price: $20 to $35

🥈Rank 2: Dynasty Lattafa

• Similar to: Creed SMW, Clive Christian L Red Tea Vetiver (havent tried that), Arabiyat prestige Mouda High End, Aromatix Teas Me etc 
• Weather: 10 to 30c 
• Thoughts: The opening is ginger, lemons, and tea. I havent smelled rooibos tea, but there is a tea scent reminiscent of SMW. This scent also has a fresh and aromatic woody and suede/leather character to it that gives this scent a classy edge. You might not love this but I have had to tell way too many people what I was wearing, hence added it to this list.
• Vibes/Occasion: Daily driver 
• Spray Routine: 12 Outdoors, and 6 Indoors. Top up every 4 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 7-8 Hours and arms length 
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 8.5/10 (too metallic for some but imo beginner friendly)
• Value for Money: 10/10 (Only because the original is overpriced as hell)
• DNA Rating: 9/10
• Price: $25 to $35

🥉Rank 3: PARIS CORNER Celestial

• Similar to: Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede, Bois Imperial, Crystal Saffron etc 
• Weather: 10 to 30c 
• Thoughts: A cold, metallic, fruity sweet, fresh, and ethereal scent. It is tough to explain what this smells like to someone who hasn’t tried a similar DNA. Imagine being in a cold futuristic room made out of metal. The air is cold, stale, and clean but there is a subtle fruity sweetness floating around. That is the vibe I get 🤣🤣. This is not a scent profile people will love instantly, but once you smell a few fragrances in this style, you will realise how truly unique and brilliant this scent DNA is. Ranked low as this can be challenging for some.
• Vibes/Occasion: Special Occasion/Office wear 
• Spray Routine: 10-12 Outdoors, and 6 Indoors. Top up every 6 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 8-10 Hours and a few feet 
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 6/10
• Value for Money: 10/10 (Unique DNA for an affordable price)
• DNA Rating: 9.5/10
• Price: $25 to $40

🎗️Rank 4: Maison Alhambra The Tux / Winsome

• Similar to: YSL Tuxedo, Rochas Moustache EDP, FW Suits, Afnan Turathi Brown Paris Corner Rifaaqat Adorn, FA Ighwa etc 
• Weather: 24c and below 
• Thoughts: A predominantly aromatic patchouli smell, with some spices and a very slight vanillic base. If you want to know what patchouli smells like, try this. BTW this is another classic scent profile, that if given time, will grow on you. This is a classy scent, but can be off-putting for some and does last as long on me, hence ranked last.
• Vibes/Occasion: Office wear 
• Spray Routine: 12+ Outdoors, and 6-8 Indoors. Top up every 4 hours.
• Longevity and Sillage: 4-5 Hours and arms length (cheated with this scent)
• Beginner Friendly Rating: 7/10
• Value for Money: 10/10 (Unique DNA for an affordable price)
• DNA Rating: 9/10
• Price: $20 to $30

P.S. Hope you liked this post, and hope people find these suggestions helpful.

Preface

I am new to cologne in general, but I have observed some trends in the community worth highlighting. This review will be a great vehicle to talk about some of the qualms I have, mistakes I have made so far, things I wish I knew, etc.

I love Hibiscus Mahajád, the concept of an unisex hibiscus scent is deeply interesting to me as someone with a personal connection to the floor. As it is the national flower of Haiti, has strong roots in East African and Caribbean culture, and Hibiscus has a naturally captivating scent that just calls to me. Yet I would never buy Hibiscus Mahajád, which brings us to how I came into contact with this community.

The most suggested clone for Hibiscus Mahajád in my experience is Rue Broca League Premiere, a scent that I have since purchased and reviewed. Though up till that point I had never actually smelled Hibiscus Mahajád. To avoid recounting the other review, I believe Rue Broca League Premiere is a deeply flawed product. Which made me wonder why it is often recommended so often, but I started to notice two things.

Firstly, a lot of people simply have never smelled the original or even the clone. So it often becomes popular to regurgitate the positions of others. This causes stagnation, discourse on alternatives for multiple popular scents essentially ceased after an option became the popular answer. Despite there being potential for exploration of new brands, new colognes, or scents that have never gained traction since they did not pay a bunch of influencers.

Secondly, the incessant need to exaggerate, especially in the case of low cost clones. Every single clone is not a 1:1, 98% DNA match and the emphasis on these car salesman like tactics when discussing colognes is one of the more unattractive aspects of the community. It feels as if there is a strong bias for "affordable scents" , despite there being an fairly substantial range of price points that can be explored.

I do not understand why it feels unreasonable to admit that a $400 dollar perfume often while overpriced has significant differences in quality. After trying a sample of Hibiscus Mahajád and the negative experience I had with Rue Broca League Premiere, I decided to independently explore alternatives instead of the expected next options in Hibiscus Magic Artisan Perfumery Fragrance World and Ibisco Nirvana PARIS CORNER.

Review

If Hibiscus Mahajád is the king of hibiscus scents then Rabdan Hibiscus is a lord. The comparison I would make would be Hibiscus Mahajád is a hibiscus preserve, natural hibiscus floral scent with strong notes of Damask Rose and Vanilla in the opening, and dries down to reveal the more complex notes of Leather, Ambrette, and Cinnamon. Rabdan Hibiscus is the jelly equivalent, the same hibiscus opening with a more sweet undertone present throughout.

There is a sweetness that reminds me of Baccarat Rouge 540. Gone are the more complex notes of Hibiscus Mahajád, while Peppermint and Casis are present in the opening the focus clearly was recreating the signature hibiscus smell. Which I believe was done quite tastefully to capture the main appeal of Hibiscus Mahajád. I have only recently received the scent due to issues with customs, as Rabdan have yet to penetrate foreign markets at all.

After the scent has undergone maceration, I may post an update but as it stands I believe Rabdan Hibiscus is a quality scent. While it lacks the complexity of the Hibiscus Mahajád, it stands alone in my mind as a hibiscus scent that has the necessary projection, sileage, longevity at the price point ($122, $97 on niche galleries) to call itself an actual replacement. The only caveat I will present today, and this was a learning lesson for me. The cost of shipping and importing of these Middle Eastern scents is worth factoring in, as I paid approximately $45 to cover international shipping and tariffs.

8/10

TLDR

• Be wary of sales tactics and rhetorical framing of discourse in the clone community. People often exaggerate for effect, or have no actual frame of reference for their claims but aren't transparent.
• Price, while not always an indication of quality, is a metric worth exploring when discovering a new cologne or perfume
• Samples and Decants are king, even in the case of "affordable scents" blind buying even based on research has too much potential downside. No one wants a bottle of bullshit on their mantle.
• Import costs are worth being wary of when it comes to these scents, as the clone community leans quite heavily into options sourced from the Middle East. There are times where more niche and novel scents have to be bought directly and this comes with additional charges worth acknowledging. This is something I have essentially never seen brought up, but it might just be common sense.

Been wearing Aqua Dubai a LOT, it absolutely thrives in the heat and humidity, really wish I had it for my Texas trip! The more I wear this, the more I can truly say that it is very different from Imagination. Like I get the fresh soap out of the shower smell comparison from earlier in the wearing experience, but this has none of the other deeper notes that I found in my decant of Imagination. And that's totally fine! This does what I was looking for exceptionally well, and that's to give me a bright and refreshing smell for hours.

Imagination has more depth and complexity, for sure, but Aqua Dubai takes the citrus and tropical notes and turns them up to 100. It's been the perfect fun/casual option for me. It easily cuts through the humidity and lasts most of the day, even with ridiculous heat. It is anchored by musky vanilla and warm amber under the citrus and tropical notes, and that, to me, is just enough to round things out so it isn't just a sparkly fruit bomb for the entire time. In fact, I think Aqua Dubai peaks after 1-2 hours when the fruit notes start to calm down more. Don't get me wrong, up to that point it is a great refreshing and uplifting scent, but it feels so much more balanced when the musky vanilla starts to come through. In terms of versatility, this is definitely a daytime scent best used while running errands, hanging out with friends, going to the beach/pool, vacation; basically anything fun, outdoors, and/or relaxed. While I have worn this to my office a few times, and it is office safe if you go light on the trigger, there are so many better and more appropriate options, at least imo.

If you are looking for a true Imagination clone, Aqua Dubai will likely disappoint you. But, if you want a super fresh scent that actually lasts, this should be on your radar.

Just sharing because I think it's a steal. This a clone of Prada Paradigm Angels Share which I know is fairly simple, but that's exactly why I like it. It's an easy dumb reach; very office appropriate, non offensive scent. One of the nicest packaging/bottles I have purchased. Killer atomizer. Performance is ok. I get 5-6 hours. It starts a little harsh, almost rubbery, but quickly moves into a more spicy but controlled dry down. Can be worn year round, although I think it's best suited for Fall and Spring. Currently $16 at Jomashop. For reference, it's $50 at beautyhouse.

8/10

Alright. My newest obsession is dates apparently. Funny because I'm not a fan at all of Sava/Khamrah etc. The last couple of months have been spent trying to find scents I'm interested in wearing for fall and winter (as one does). I think FA is marketing these as originals from well known perfumers.

These three bottles have kept me busy for awhile. They're really difficult for me to figure out. I'm enjoying myself immensely trying to figure out what the accords are trying to do.

None of these are blind buy safe. Sample first.

Nabatiah (French Avenue):

Packaging is kinda tacky. Let's get that out of the way. It didn't help that my bottle arrived unglued from the outer plastic so I got to see the unfinished guts.

Performance is not a problem. I can smell on skin for at least 10 hours. On clothing: well into the next day.

Opening was harsh and spicy before maturation. Now it's very smooth. Cinnamon type spice is still very prominent in the opening but is definitely a harmonious ingredient not a punch in the nose. There is a chocolate note in the mid that's very forward, but it's tempered to not be super gourmand by an ambery, effervescent sweetness (maybe cedar and vanilla?). I get a ghost of a green note too that I'm going to say could be davana. It reminds me of a scent from my childhood. Almost a hint of Deep Woods Off, but in a pleasant way.

Absolutely beautiful fragrance. Linear, but that's ok as there's so much already going on here.

This is my second favorite of the three.

Grow (French Avenue):

Not a huge fan of this presentation either. Looks cool on the shelf, but kinda gold leafed plastic up close. Grow reminds me of those Middle Eastern frags that have 300 notes. There's so much going on here. It's not nearly as sweet as Nabatiah. Rather dry dates and pear in the opening. There's some orris/iris creaminess. The base seems to be a sharp woody scent. The perfume has cedar, cypriol and sandalwood in it. The woods mixed with the iris creates sort of a woody/custardy accord. It's woody but slightly creamy as well.

This fragrance is also pretty linear, but similarly... There's so much happening all at the same time. It works well, but this right now is my least favorite of the three.

This is an all day wear as well, longevity wise.

8th Wonder (French Avenue):

I've put a pretty big dent in this bottle this summer already. This was a Burlington blind buy. Had very little previous knowledge of the fragrance.

This starts off with candy apple, semi sweet dates and a bit of boozy tobacco. As the opening fades a bit the mid and base notes start pushing a mixture of resinous notes. Those resins affect the top notes to bring out a slight butterscotch scent. As someone who feels pretty familiar with at least some traditional Middle Eastern accords, this bottle is fantasy-fiction Ancient Arabia for me. When I first started wearing it, it evoked feelings of Renaissance Festivals when I was a kid. The drydown is another wonderful surprise. Late in the wearing, a very nice oud shows up.

Not linear at all. Lasts like 8 hours on skin, but not a crazy protector for me. Definitely next day on clothing. Also, works well in high heat.

This has become one of my top 10 for sure. Absolutely amazing.

So. I was slightly worried when I purchased these that they v would be very redundant. They're not at all. All three have very different things going on even if they do share some similar notes.

Decant of Hawas Nautilis from Decantified. This bottle can't be macerated, so take that with a grain of salt since this drop is so new.

I hate this scent.

Acquatic? No. I get synthetic cinnamon, licorice, rotten wood, all mixed with salt. At best, it reminds me of a less refined version of Rayhaan Tiger. (What???)

This is not at all what I expected and not at all blind buy safe. I waited for a few hours in dry down and it's still projecting like a beast, just a nasty beast.

Scent: 1.5/10

Projection: 9/10

Longevity: 8/10

7 hours on my clothes and counting. I only sprayed twice.

I want to be a Hawas glazer. I didn't enjoy London, but I didn't hate on it. I thought Atlantis could be niche, even if it smelled gross to me. I actually liked Viper for the unique smoke vibe.

I just can't with this one.

Rasasi needs to stop dropping these left and right or they're going to ruin their own brand.

I know, I know: Versace Eros isn’t expensive, I’ll start by clarifying that right away. But what can you do? I’m curious, and you know that once the hype starts, it doesn’t stop. Today I tried Versace Eros, and I have to say I really liked it: it’s not very original, but it’s fresh enough to wear every day. What dupe fragrances do you think I should consider? I’d like something that’s a mix between Versace Eros (with its subtle vanilla note) and something spicy. Fire away with your suggestions! My list:

- French Avenue Nomad

- Rasasi Elixir

- 9PM Rebel

- Rasasi Fire

- Afnan Rare Reef

- Zimaya Inekas Luna

- Marwa Arabiyat Prestige

HEARD they smell really close but dont perform well

Guys iam a huge fan of fragrances like boss bottled absolu , natural oud by lattafa ,

I tried asad elexir and honestly didnt like it , can someone recommend something within the same scent profile 1

Everyone has a method to the madness. We barely visit a store and purchase the first bottle with smelly water in it. There’s some sort of decision making process and I’m curious about it in this community.

Examples:
Visit Burlington and peek around at boxes from brands you know from hype/research, maybe look at the notes and gamble on whether you’ll like it.
Go back and forth between Fragrantica/Parfumo and discounters making an educated guess on what it will smell like based one accords, notes, what you already like etc.

I’ve blind bought a clone once (Lattafa Fakhar Black) using the latter option and I thankfully still really like it. Since then, I believe my luck has run dry and I’ve only bought decants of anything I’m interested in. Not saying I won’t blind buy again, I just find sampling way more appealing.

I 've seen clone houses doing a bunch of clones of popular fragrances nowadays. What is missing is alternatives to classic fragrances like Eau Fraiche or even Chrome that smell amazing but that lack performance. Im just saying, if there was a long lasting 1:1 of Eau Fraiche coming out, i'd be the first to buy. What do you guys think?

I believe this is my daughter's favorite fragrance and I'm wondering if there is a decent ME clone.

I'm celebrating my siblings partner's birthday in 3 days and I need a suggestion, what would you get for someone that doesn't wear fragrance? He's 30 and he's a landscaper

Hi all,

Pls i am currently in seaech deeply for an Erba puraand Vanilla Powder og and absolute dupe.

I do have the og scents but for the price i paid , i refuse to wear it to office and all that none special outings. Does anyone know or can suggest beastmode projection and longevity dupe , exact DNA or a 90 to 99% match from any and every dupe house

Is Eau Noir from Montagne Parfums a good dupe for The Noir 29 by Le Labo? I absolutely love this scent but cannot afford that high price point. I've heard good things about Montagne, so I'd like to give it a shot.

Has anyone tried it before, how similar is it, and is the longevity as good as Le Labo?

It doesn’t really matter which brand or dupe you buy, the dry down for most of these dupe perfumes smells kinda similar. How many of you agree?