Posse! It’s a wonder I have any money at all! I’m in thrall to so many fabulous things because of this community ( Uriage lip balm, perfect for our sub-zero temps, #BlameTom for Tree Hut ( and more on that in a later post)
The latest is #BlameMarch. Her fun review of Guidance ( a fragrance that I love and wear) contained a link to a dupe of the scent, as well as intriguing comments on Fragrantica…
… so I bought it.
First thing: the packaging is lovely ( it’s designed as a book) and the bottle is lovely, too, heavy frosted glass with discreet lettering; my only quibble is the top: it’s a bit… shiny!(you know how easily gold can tip over into tawdry? This top is dancing on the edge of that razor)
“ Musette! SHUT UP ABOUT THE DAMB BOTTLE! How’s the JUICE?”
well… since you asked so nicely ?
..it’s actually…good? Yeah. Good! It’s not quite Guidance-level but I would’ve been stunned if it had been – every Amouage, even the ones that haven’t quite worked on me, are wrapped in an unmistakable aura of luxury . The Paris Corner dupe, by comparison, is a really lovely fragrance… luxury-adjacent? Where Amouage flies private ( and not in a Piper Cub) the PC dupe is in coach, albeit in the 2-seat upgrade .
I won’t wear you out with the notes, as they closely align with Guidance ( hence the ‘dupe’?)… but here’s the thing – when I tested them on my wrists I realized… they are mirror images… only vertical. That lovely sour lemon/citrus that comes at the drydown of Guidance? It is the open for the dupe ( and that might explain why some reviews complained of a ‘urinous’ note – in Guidance the sour lemon/ citrus note serves as a palate cleanser, coming as it does at the back end of the florals and spices. In the dupe, however, coming in as the amuse-bouche, it’s a little puckery/ screechy ( pear is in the top notes). Once it dries down, though, it paves the way for the lovely amber, roses and jasmine.
When I first started wearing Guidance I immediately thought of some of the Chong Era attars ( Tribute and Homage sprang to mind), not as nuanced… more like a really good tribute band of a really good band. If that makes sense then you won’t be surprised to know I think the dupe is the Next Band Down.
But! that doesn’t mean it’s not good. On the contrary, it’s a really good perfume. Just because it’s not Mick, Keith and Charlie on the roadhouse stage doesn’t mean the music isn’t still good… right?
But don’t take my word for it – try it yourself! Leave a comment, tell me if you’ve ever/ would ever try a dupe, etc. I’ll poke rando and a lucky winnah! will get a hefty slug of The Dupe!*
*I keep calling it The Dupe because Bayn Al Asrar is a whole LOTTA to type. I paid $35 for 2.7ozs. on Amazon.
I have this and it scratches the Amouage itch for me. Its a worthy pick up imo
The dupes I have come from Oil Perfumery, one of Monyette Paris (remember that one? Kai+incense) and the other is Chanel Coromandel. Neither of are mirror dupes but I like both on their own merit, especially the Coromandel, which smells like its has white chocolate but doesn’t. Guidance doesn’t sound like my kind of thing so no need to put me in the drawing.
Guidance is Amouage, for sure – not at Lyric level but still plush and posh… if you like Tribute you might like Guidance. If not… probably not!
I think many of these Arabian house perfumes aren’t really “dupes”. They are marketed as fragrances in their own right rather than “notes similar to”. Those are using the name of the real perfume to sell their products. So using the intellectual property of the real perfume house & perfumer.
The Arabian houses make none of these claims but use influencers & the online fragrance community to recognise the similarities.
I’ve noticed one of the UK dupe houses is doing a dupe of Envy. If I wasn’t on a no buy I would be tempted.
Well! That’s interesting – and it’s an interesting strategy!
When your no buy is lifted… (?)
By 21 Jan 25 it will likely have sold out or production will have stopped. If not? Then I’ll be on the horns of a dilemma
What Portia says. I’m not sure though about dupes. I will be buying so little in the next year that I think if I want something, I want that — not something like that. If that makes any sense…
Makes total sense!
Thanks for the great review, Musette. It’s certainly a bargain price with a pretty presentation. And the name is a heck of a lot better than Guidance! 😀 I don’t usually wear dupes. But with fragrance prices in the stratosphere, and eggs costing as much as steak in some stores, we’ll see if I change my tune.
I’m new to DupeLand so we’ll see. I’d like to try them on their own merits instead of comparing to the original – but that’s difficult when they’re marketed thus
At that price it’s practically free!
Yeah. It’s pretty enough… and my guts didn’t seize up when I hit ‘Buy It Now’
Heya Musette,
With perfumery all copying each other in the niche market anyway then going dupe seems to be the norm. It’s like buying a poster of an artwork you love. I get it.
As yet I’m yet to find one that is a full mirror image but do like some of the remakes with their own twist. There are some BR54 remix reprises that I find less of an attack than the original, and that’s a good thing.
Portia xx
There’s one ( Dossier??) that I sniffed at Walmart – it can stand on its own merit. If I loved BR540 I probably wouldn’t be thrilled about that / but since I do not ( love it , though I do like it) it’s just a pretty fragrance
Ha! I can’t wait to try it, I know it’s on its way… surprised at how good the packaging looks, as I mentioned to you. I’ll laugh if if works better on me than the original. Xo
Operators are standing by!