Beauty in Review: Baccarat Rouge 540 Dupes

For the past year or so I have been very into perfume. I don't know if it's because I've gone through a makeup, haircare, and skincare phase already and it's time to move on to another sector of the beauty industry or just the beauty that is a bottle of delicious fragrance.

Because of this, I've been experimenting with a lot of different brands and scents, and I've definitely found my favorites. I've also learned a lot about fragrances, the different notes, and intensities. I've tried expensive perfumes, drugstore brands, middle-of-the-range lines, and popular and unknown fragrances. I'm a little obsessed. 

PerfumeTok aka the perfume side of TikTok has become one of my favorite ways to entertain myself and it's so interesting to learn from people who have created a career out of their passion for fragrance.

What I have learned over the past year is that one of the most expensive and popular perfumes is Baccarat Rouge 540. It has the most distinct smell that lasts for days on the skin, even after having showered. It is a scent that can be smelled on the streets of Manhattan and Paris, and it is one that costs a minimum of $325. 

Yes, a perfume costs that much money.... and the largest size costs over $600. It's a ridiculous price that I would never pay to smell good. However, my sister's boyfriend did spend that much so I have the perfume in my house and my sister wears it a lot. The scent lingers around the home and when she does have it on, you know it from a mile away.

What Does It Smell Like? 

I do not say that as a bad thing as the perfume does smell insane. It's unreal how notable and noticeable the scent is. It is the kind of scent that makes people stop in their tracks, the one that people stop you on the street to ask what you're wearing (but only if they've never smelled it before because it is so recognizable, you instantly know if someone is wearing it.)

The scent is woody with the slightest touch of floral notes. Its main notes are jasmine, saffron, cedarwood, and ambergris. It is the kind of scent that is desperate to be a signature scent; because it is so luxurious, lingering, and expensive, it is the type of scent someone will recognize as your own. 

It's really unlike anything I've ever smelled before... until I found dupes. And even though those dupes are great alternatives, they are not exactly the same nor do they last as long on the skin but they are well worth the price.

Pacifica Dream Moon

This perfume went viral during the first quarantine back in 2020 and it took me a while to get my hands on it. It was sold out for a while and then I just kept forgetting to buy it but then a few months ago I finally pulled the plug and purchased it from Ulta. 

I love Pacifica but I had never tried the perfumes... this one did not disappoint and is one of my current favorites. Its top notes are patchouli, sandalwood and pink rose; all of them come through pretty strongly and next to Bacarrat, the smell is nearly identical but less intense.  

Even though Bacarrat 540 is a strong scent and Dream Moon is very similar, Dream Moon does have an oddly calming sense to it probably because it's not as intense.

Pacifica's Dream Moon perfume is 1 oz and costs $22. 

ALT Fragrance Crystal No. 23

This was the first dupe I bought a few years back and it is intended to be a dupe. That's what the ALT Fragrance brand is all about. All of their perfumes are inspired by well-known, more expensive fragrances. The Crystal No. 23, which is the Bacarrat Rouge 540-inspired scent is the only fragrance I have by them but I'm interested in more.

When I first received the perfume I was shocked at how identical it smelled to the original. The only difference is longevity. Crystal No. 23 doesn't last nearly as long as Bacarrat but to be honest, I don't need nor want my perfume to last days. It's unnecessary to me and if I just want the scent of Bacarrat without the luxury then Crystal No.23 is what I'm going to use. You cannot tell the difference between the two side by side, it's actually pretty crazy how the company did it.

As does the original, Crystal No.23 has notes of jasmine, amber, cedarwood, and saffron. It is 1 oz and $40 but there is a bigger size; for $50 you get 2oz. 

Finding dupes is a lot of fun and very satisfying when you can find a similar product for so much less expensive. 

Below are some other well-known dupes though I have never tried them myself so I can't speak for the scent.

xoxo

B