Are perfume dupes worth the hype? Why fragrances that smell just like designer scents but cost much less are taking off

A fragrance dupe – a scent inspired by, but not fraudulently imitating, a more expensive perfume – can seem like the smart choice for those trying to save money

When it comes to their ingredients and how long the results last, though, are they on par with the originals? Experts and industry insiders weigh in

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Noted Aromas’s Saint-Tropez perfume is an example of a dupe – lower-cost fragrances that imitate the smell of much more expensive designer perfumes. Photo: Instagram/@notedaromas

Published: 6:15pm, 10 Apr 2023

Can a US$20 bottle of perfume, “Inspired by Black Orchid”, smell as good as the US$220 Tom Ford original? That is the million-dollar question being asked of the emerging market for fragrance dupes – perfumes’ fast-fashion market, if you will.

A group of upstarts and established high-street retailers are piggybacking on decades of brand recognition and millions of dollars worth of research and development and marketing to release scents inspired by designer perfumes.

Unlike counterfeiting – a fraudulent imitation or forgery of a trusted brand and product – “inspired by” simply refers to the scent a perfume dupe is similar to and does not purport to be the original.

A dupe can seem like the smart choice for those trying to save some money. But when it comes to their ingredients and how long the results last, are they on par with the originals?

A fragrance dupe is inspired by a similar, more expensive perfume and does not purport to be the original. Photo: Getty Images

Noted Aromas, based in the United Kingdom, is on course to hit £4 million (US$4.9 million) turnover in its first year.

The firm, run by brothers Thomas and James Gibson, produces a range of fragrances inspired by designer perfumes such as Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540 and Le Labo’s iconic Santal 33.