What Possessed me? Dossier Aquatic Coconut

I blame Musette. And March. And maybe the moon.

After all this talk about Hawaiian Tropic and coconut and coconut scents I went cruising the interwebs looking for.. something. A little coconut balm for the soul that wouldn’t involve calories, booze, UV exposure or (much) cost.

So I ran across Dossier Aquatic Coconut.

Yes, I don’t like aquatic. At least I don’t usually. I am not that big on fruit in perfume either. There are exceptions (Patou Colony springs to mind) but I ordered this and promptly forgot that I did. I haven’t even smelled the original this is a dupe of (Replica Beach Walk) so I am judging it on it’s own merit.

You know what? I kind of love it.

It is aquatic, but in the “tanned and 2% body fat flesh fresh from the surf” skin scent kind of way that I am genetically predisposed to never have in real life. And it’s fruity- the coconut runs the gamut from canned coco loco to the woody smell of the actual nut. It’s brilliant. It’s Elizabeth Taylor’s Puerto Vallarta complete with caftans, big jewels, and even bigger cocktails.

It’s 32 bucks.

I will have to go through their website and look at the other “imposters” on there. 

Have you tried any of these? Are you an aficionado of “replicas” of fragrances, discontinued or otherwose? Let us know in the comments.

Images: My iPhone, Pexels.

  • Maya says:

    I’m not a fan of most aquatics either, but I love coconut in all its forms. I think you lucked out in that you love the Dossier on its own! That’s a win and it’s a great time of year to enjoy it.

    • Tom says:

      It is kind of perfect. And I kind of want to get some HT to layer it with. Just because of Musette..

      • March says:

        Musette and I are both high priestesses in the Cult of Hawaiian Tropic which is (legitimately) great sunscreen (SPF50) — smells delightful, works well, feels nice on the skin, and is cheap and easy to find. I always have at least 2 of their big bottles banging around here.

        • Tom says:

          Oh you coconut Circes are sending me scurrying off to Amazon. And I might have to get the orange gelee stuff too.

          • Maya says:

            OK, that does it. I’m going to Amazon and adding some HT to my cart. I want to join the *high priestesses” and “Circes” club, 🙂 😉 or maybe an apprenticeship?

          • Tom says:

            Well, come on down! The water (and the Pina Coladas) ‘s fine!

          • Maya says:

            I’m in! I love the Pacific Ocean and Pina Coladas. Oh for a Mai Tai in Hawaii though.

          • Tom says:

            Even better..

          • Musette says:

            Your skin will thank you… and you will smell divine!!!

          • Tom says:

            I am waiting on mine to get here. It’s to be hoped tomorrow.

          • March says:

            SPF50, “sheer touch”, $9.99 at Target! The number of compliments Musette and I have gotten on the smell is hilarious.

          • Tom says:

            I got sheer touch 70 for $10.49 at Amazon

          • March says:

            Sheer Touch SPF50, go big or go home, should be about $10 for 8 ounces!

          • Maya says:

            I just checked the one I put in my AMZ cart. It’s Everyday Active SPF 50 scent -coconut. AMZ has Sheer Touch SPF 50 only in 2 packs, $15.88. Mmmm I can give my daughter one or keep the spare or go to Target. Good skin and divine smell works for me!

          • March says:

            I predict you will LOVE it! My daughter wears the Active — sheer touch for $16 in a 2-pack is a heck of a deal!! I like that one because it’s LIGHTLY moisturising but not sticky, but I think they smell pretty much the same.

          • Tom says:

            I’m looking forward to it. I need one for the car. Even if I don’t put the top down (and I don’t like I used to) I can feel the sun on my left arm and leg while driving. And I never think to moisturize them.

          • Tom says:

            Mine doesn’t specify that it’s coconut? hmm…

          • Maya says:

            I also looked at the SPF 70 . The scent is mango. (Sad face.) The SPF 30 sheer touch is Tropical Island. I almost chose that one until I checked the scent. I think SPF 50 is the only coconut one and I want coconut.

          • Tom says:

            Mine got here. It coconut. Or “coconut”. Love it!

          • Maya says:

            Terrific!!!
            AI says all the scents are essentially coconut…..so I’m getting the sheer SPF 50 that I wanted.

          • Tom says:

            I am keeping mine in the car. So I can keep creaming my left arm. It gets all the sun when the top is up and on a long drive I can feel it frying. (you should do the left side of the face with extra too, unless you drive on the other side of the road, in which case reverse it.

  • Dina C. says:

    Well look at you, and March this week!, finding the low-cost dupes and being all happy with a bargain scent! We might have to send the Perfume Police after you to pull your membership card! 😀 just kidding! Sounds like a great scent for sitting poolside and reading a book. I’m not a big dupe gal. Reminds me of that drugstore brand, “If you like Opium You’ll Love ______” in the skinny metal spray canisters back in the day. Anyone else remember them? The imposters? I’d rather find a mini vintage scent on ebay like that wonderful Detchema you told us about!

    • Maya says:

      I do, though a bit vaguely. I think that may be why I am not interested in dupes. I keep thinking, “bad imitations”. And I love finding a mini vintage scent!

      • Tom says:

        I love finding a vintage one. I’m giving myself a pass on the “imposter” aspect of this one since I never smelled the original and don’t think it’s even available anymore.

    • Tom says:

      I know, right? Next thing you know we will be at Santee alley dickering over the price of a Vee-Tone or a Cucchi bag!

  • March says:

    Ha! I can’t believe you bought something with an aquatic note if you don’t like aquatics (me neither) I’m glad it worked out so well, though. I have the same issue as Musette with Beach Walk, that aspect is too strong. I do love a good beachy scent in the summer, though … I don’t approve of counterfeits (in handbags, perfume, etc.) and if I own any it’s by accident and I’ve been ripped off. So-called “dupes” or “inspired by” type fragrances … in general I’m not shopping for them. If I want (g-d help me) some spendy Tom Ford I’d get a decant (which is its own kind of theft, right? That’s how brands feel about decanters.) Amouage can have all my money, not buying a dupe. But in a world where Fragrantica exists and I can choose from a whole raft of, say, tobacco scents or spicy gourmands that aren’t that different from each other, I don’t object to the concept of dupes.

    • Musette says:

      I agree! There are too many fabulous things NOT counterfeit out there and since I’m not a label fiend I’d rather have those anyway!

      :: I just checked – I don’t have any dupes in my Messy Armoire::

      Fwiw – I do love me some Cheap and Cheerful which, of course, is not the same as a dupe – C&C is required to stand on its own merits

    • Tom says:

      I know! But there are aquatics that I do like- like the late lamented (at least by me) Miller Harris Saks exclusive Fleurs de Sel.

  • Musette says:

    I am a fiend.. I KNOW! But TO BE FAIR it is coconut season and you’d better be in some HT ( or equivalent) if you’re going further than taking out the trash!

    Interestingly, I was leery of the Replica line precisely because the name sounds like a dupe – but ( non-dupe) Lazy Sunday Morning is gorgeous! Beach Walk’s aquatic/ ozonic note gave me a headache. Alas.

    • Tom says:

      Well, now I see that (I really should learn how to use these newfangled interwebs things) that Beach Walk is readily available and not even that much more than this Dossier. But do I need to track if down and find whether the aquatic/ozonic is Fleurs de Sel Fabulous or Secretions Magnafique horrific? “Je ne think so pas” as we used to snark in high school.

  • cinnamon says:

    I’ve not focused at all on dupes. No particular reason. I guess if I test something and want it and it’s financially out of the question I’ll do a decant. I do have fun cheap colognes.

  • Eldarwen22 says:

    Way back when, probably in the mid to late 90’s, in just about every drug store, there was a display of aerosol cans of dupes. The two that I remember was the dupes of Obsession and Happy. I got the Happy dupe once or twice but I wasn’t the perfume fiend that I am today. But I think those were geared for those of us who had some Bath and Body Works money but didn’t live near a mall. But I haven’t thought about buying a dupe in years.

    • Tom says:

      Neither had I. I was just looking for something coconut that wouldn’t break sobriety or have calories.

      I remember those aerosol knock offs. I never got one since they were always of something like White Diamonds or Giorgio or Giant Stinky Death Bomb.

    • Dina C. says:

      Yes! I thought of those too! See my post above!

      • Tom says:

        We’re dating ourselves.. We saw them in a YouTube video about old stuff. Yeah, that’s the ticket. (ooof, just dated myself again!)

  • Portia says:

    OHHH! I never tried Beach Walk Tom. Sounds right up my alley.
    I’m totally ambivalent about dupes. I love they make perfume accessible but really sad that they basically steal IP. Yes, I know it’s different because it’s done using cheapest possible ingredients but…
    Do I have any? Yes, I have a Zara BR sideways rip off but it’s changed enough that I don’t get headaches when wearing it. So my usage is based on pain. HA!
    Portia xx

    • Tom says:

      My bad reaction to dupes is exactly about the IP. Plus I think it’s just kind of tacky. Plus I’m not so secure that is would, for instance, dare to walk down Rodeo with a VeeTone bag I got at Santee alley for fear that sales people would pop out of shops and screech at me like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”

      Now, like I wrote, I never smelled the original so I don’t know how much of a replica of replica it is. I’d be happy if the just sold it on it’s own merits.