Purchasing options for perfumes and scents Should I buy dupe perfumes or scents, Inspired By perfumes or scents or original perfumes and scents? With so many different perfume fragrances available, it becomes almost impossible to decide which scent to choose. Perfume shops seem to proliferate almost every high street although it seems as though the fragrance shop that specialises will be very different from and will also carry a larger range than the perfume counter in a department store. To add even more complexity, the world is changing and men’s aftershaves and men’s scents now occupy almost as much space as women’s fragrances. Adding further to the complexity of shopping options is the growing range of cheap perfumes online. You’ve probably noticed that there seems to be a vast amount of dupe fragrances appearing on the internet in recent years. But what is a dupe perfume? A dupe perfume or dupe fragrance is a scent which smells almost exactly like a designer fragrance. Hence the term dupe being an abbreviation of duplicate. In other words, a fragrance that has been duplicated. So dupe eau de parfums are in essence cheaper perfumes which are intended to smell like the more expensive original version. The demand for designer fragrances is growing as more of us want high end perfume and aftershaves. But the fact remains that high end often means high price and that’s where the dupe scents come in. Buying dupe perfumes online can be complicated and risky. After all, there are lots of scents which smell similar but there are occasions where the supposed dupe is clearly different from the original. So how do we define what is a dupe perfume? A possible answer is to classify scents using the following terms. Dupes Inspired By Dupes A fragrance which has been made to smell like an existing perfume or scent. As mentioned, there are many companies selling their own fragrance at an affordable price and which is barely distinguishable from the original scent. Such products be it perfume, aftershave, cologne etc are usually marketed as smelling like another scent but using the dupe companies own branding and not passing off as the original. There are some good dupes and there are plenty of bad dupes so be careful who and where you buy from. It’s also worth noting that dupes are never 100% the same as the original product. But you would be hard pressed to tell the difference in many cases. Inspired By Inspired by scents and fragrances are as the name implies. The producer has been inspired by a particular scent to make something similar. In other words, a cheaper perfume or scent which has been inspired by a high end and more expensive designer perfume brand. Is there a real difference between Dupe perfumes and Inspired By perfumes? Some people would define a dupe as a copy of another perfume or scent which tries to replicate the original designer brand as accurately as possible. Whereas they may classify an Inspired By perfume as something which has its own branding and sold as their own eau de parfum with no mention of what it smells like. But the point is if they mention what it was ‘Inspired By,’ then there clearly is a mention of the original and the fragrance that they are basing their scent upon albeit not exactly the same. In other words, ‘Inspired By’ is effectively the companies own version which may well be very similar. There are many scents which share similar ingredients and thus the resulting fragrance. But that does not automatically make them a dupe, it just makes them similar. There are plenty of premium brand scents which smell very similar to each other but are not intended to be a dupe. In just the same way, many cakes share similar ingredients and can often have the same base flavours but are different because of their construction.
Do dupe or Inspired By fragrances last long on the skin? The answer totally depends on the ingredients used and their ratio. Some have longevity giving a great performance and some won’t. It’s a bit of a hit and miss and it is therefore wise to buy only from somebody you trust to create good products. Are dupe scents or Inspired By scents any good? As already discussed, buying dupe scent online really is a gamble. If you know you are buying from a reputable company or discount perfume shop who make good products, then it may be worth giving it a try. Most companies will do a small 10ml tester size product at an affordable price which allows you to trial the fragrance. You could then go on to buy a larger size eau de parfum or cologne if you are happy with your initial purchase. Another reason to buy dupe scent or Inspired By scent is if the original designer brand discontinues a particular fragrance. An online UK discount perfume shop may be your only alternative for finding something akin to your favourite discontinued fragrance. At the end of the day, if you want to buy cheap online perfume and if you can find a reliable online discount perfume shop, you will save money and consequently be able to smell good more regularly. Or you may prefer to purchase the more expensive top end brands. We have therefore listed some of the iconic perfume brands and top selling scents. What are the popular Gucci perfumes? Gucci are a leading fashion house and are known for quality. Gucci No.1 for women was the first scent they launched back in 1974. There range has grown to include iconic perfumes and scents such as Gucci Guilty, Gucci Flora and Gucci Bloom. What are the popular Jo Malone scents? Jo Malone founded her famous fragrance brands in the nineties. She went on to sell her company to Estee Lauder before creating Jo Loves. Jo Malone created a huge range of very popular iconic scents including the classic Lime Basil and Mandarin. Other favourites include Velvet Rose and Oud, Peony and Blush Suede, English Pear and Freesia, Blackberry and Bay, Dark Amber and Ginger Lily, Pomegranate Noir, Amber and Patchouli and not forgetting the amazing Earl Grey and Cucumber. These extremely popular Jo Malone scents are also used by candle and wax melt manufacturers as well as in room sprays and reed diffusers. What are the popular Hugo Boss scents? Hugo Boss is a German luxury fashion house. They sell clothing, fragrances and footwear and are responsible for some of the most popular perfumes on the market. They have created fragrances for men and women including Hugo Boss EDT, Hugo Boss Bottled Infinite Eau De Parfum, Hugo Iced EDT for men, Boss Number One, Boss Bottled Night, Boss in Motion, Boss Orange and Boss Energise. What are the popular Estee Lauder scents? Estee Lauder created her cosmetics company with her husband in 1946. The company is highly revered in the perfume world and produces popular perfumes such as White Linen, Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess, Beautiful, Estee Lauder Pleasures, Estee Lauder Knowing and the much revered Estee Lauder Youth Dew. What are the popular Creed scents? Creed first came to mainstream prominence in 1985 with the release of Green Irish Tweed fragrance. Creed are an innovative company who continually develop and discontinue scents. The popular Creed colognes for men include Aventus, Green Irish and Bois Du Portugal. Popular womens perfumes include Creed Spring Flower, Creed Fleurissimo and Sublime Vanille. What are the popular Giorgio Armani scents? Giorgio Armani was an Italian fashion designer who broke into the industry in the 1960’s. He went on to release his first perfumes in the early 1980’s. The brand has since released some of the best known and most popular womens perfumes including Acqua Di Gio, Armani Code, Acqua Di Gioia, Armani Si and Si Passione. The range of mens cologne includes favourites such as Acqua Di Gio Absolu, Acqua Di Gio EDT, Armani EDT, Acqua Di Gio Profumo and Armani Code. What are the popular Jimmy Choo scents? Jimmy Choo started out in the East End of London over 20 years ago. He was working in the studio of a shoemaker where he made shoes for the ‘well heeled’ of society. The first signature fragrance was launched in 2011 and now includes perfumes such as Illicit Eau De Parfum, Jimmy Choo Fever, Jimmy Choo Flash, Jimmy Choo Blossom and Jimmy Choo Stars. They have now ventured into selling men’s colognes with some popular names such as Intense Eau De Toilette, Jimmy Choo Man Blue and Man Ice Eau De Toilette. What are the popular Tom Ford fragrances? Tom Ford started his career in design by joining Gucci in 1990 and then working his way up to the position of Creative Director in 1994. After leaving the Gucci group in 2004, Tom Ford launched a line of fragrances starting with Black Orchid, a scent which is loved by both men and women. Other notable scents include Jasmin Rouge, Café Rose, Violet Blonde, Tom Ford for Men, Neroli Portofino, Tuscan Leather and Tobacco Vanille. What are the popular Jean Paul Gaultier scents? Jean Paul Gaultier grew up in a suburb of Paris in the 1950’s and 60’s. His first job at 18 was with Pierre Cardin and from there, his career in design flourished. He launched the Classique fragrance in 1993 and went on to develop a range of beloved scents. His most popular women’s perfumes include Classique Eau De Parfum, Scandal Eau De Parfum and La Belle Eau De Parfum. Top Jean Paul Gaultier men’s colognes include Le Male, Ultra Male and Le Beau Male. What are the popular Chanel perfumes? Chanel is possibly the most famous of all the perfume brands. Gabrielle Coco Chanel was a fashion designer and responsible for releasing Chanel No.5 as far back as 1921. She was a forward thinker of her time and also designed jewellery and women’s fashion accessories. Chanel died in 1971 but her legacy lives on in the amazing perfume range that the company continues to develop. Chanel No.5 continues to be a best seller 100 years after being released. Other top sellers include Coco Chanel Eau De Parfum, Chance Eau Tendre, Gabrielle Chanel, Coco Mademoiselle, Allure Sensuelle, Bleu De Chanel and Chance Eau Fraiche. What are the popular Paco Rabanne scents? Paco Rabanne was born in Spain in 1934. At the age of 5, he and his mother fled to France to escape the Spanish Civil War. He originally trained as an architect before moving into fashion design. Rabanne established his fashion brand in the 1960’s. Shortly after, a Spanish group called Puig acquired the license for Paco Rabanne perfumes paving the way for numerous famous fragrances to be developed. Some of the most notable Paco Rabanne perfumes include Black, Olympea, Ultraviolet and Lady Million. Colognes include the amazing Invictus, Black XS and Paco Rabane 1 Million Lucky (one million). What are the popular Issey Miyake perfumes? Issey Miyake is a Japanese fashion designer. He was born in Hiroshima in 1938 and so endured the awful experience of the first atomic bomb in 1945. After studying Graphic Design in Tokyo in the early 1960’s, Issey Miyake went on to work in French fashion design studios. He broke into the world of scents when he launched L’Eau d’Issey in 1992. This went on to become an international best seller and inspired him to also produce mens colognes. Top Issey Miyake perfumes for women include L’eau D’Issey, L’eau D’Issey Florale, L’eau D’Issey Pure, Pleats Please and L’eau D’Issey Absolue. They also produce popular mens colognes including Issey Miyake Fusion Dissey, Issey Miyake L’eau Bleue D’Issey and L’eau D’Issey Pour Homme Intense. What are the popular Lancome perfumes?Lancome was founded by Frenchman, Armand Petitjean in 1935. He launched 5 perfumes, all of which became an instant success. The company was taken over by L’Oreal in 1964 with the company becoming known for both its skincare products and perfume range. Some of the most popular and iconic perfumes include La Vie Est Belle, Hypnose, Tresor, Miracle and Magie Noire. What are the most popular Viktor and Rolfe perfumes? Viktor and Rolfe is a Dutch fashion house founded in 1993 by designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren. Although primarily fashion designers, they are equally well known for their incredible range of perfumes and colognes. Top womens perfumes include Flowerbomb, Eau Mega and Bonbon. Their equally popular men’s cologne range includes Spicebomb, Spicebomb Extreme, Spicebomb Eau Fraiche and Spicebomb Night Vision. What are the popular Joop fragrances? Joop was founded in 1986 by German fashion designer, Woolfgang Joop. Joop fragrances were launched in the mid 1990’s. Wolfgang Joop sold his shares in the business with the fragrance and cosmetics element now being owned by Coty Inc of New York. The more popular Joop womens perfumes include Le Bain, Joop Femme and Joop Wow whilst the mens range includes top names such as Joop Go, Joop Jump and Joop Homme. What are the popular Penhaligon perfumes? Penhaligon’s is a British perfume house but is owned by the Spanish fashion and fragrance company, Puig International. Founded in the late 1860’s by William Penhaligon, he was a barber who created and sold his own products to his clientele. Top selling scents include Halfeti, Juniper Sling, Elisabethan Rose and Iris Prima. What are the popular Chloe perfumes? Chloe is a brand founded in 1952 by an Egyptian lady, Gaby Aghion. Known for their luxury clothing designs, the company released their first fragrance more than 20 years later – ‘Chloe, 1975’. Chloe have released some classic fragrances including Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld For Women, Chloe New For Women, Chloe Nomade and Love by Chloe for Women. What are the popular Yves Saint Laurent scents? Yves Saint Laurent was an Algerian who went to Paris and worked for designer Christian Dior in the 1960s. He launched his own fashion labels in 1966. He actually created his first fragrance for women in 1964 and named it simply ‘Y’. Some of the most popular Yves Saint Laurent perfumes include Black Opium, Mon Paris, Manifesto and Libre. The company also has a fabulous range of mens colognes including Kouros, L’Homme Sport and Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme Eau De Cologne. Other popular scents not listed by brand above include Diesel ‘Only the brave’ and Proctor and Gambles ‘Old Spice.’ One other definitely worthy of a mention is Black Pepper & Sandalwood by Acca Kappa - a Woody Spicy fragrance for both women and men. At Ava Mayfair, we have a range of Inspired By scents suitable for both men and women. These are available in a 50ml size and a small 10ml bottle thus making it possible for you to trial affordably via the following link. https://avamayfair.com/products/eau-de-parfum-10ml/ You can now use our AVAMAY10 discount code to get 10% off across the range of women’s perfumes, men’s fragrances, gift sets, candles, wax melts and other products on our website. This discount code does not apply to items on special offers / bundles. To find out more about our products and to be alerted to our special offers, please go to the website and sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
