Perfume, like fashion, is an expression of uniqueness. However, as with clothing, you can also burn a lot of money if you want to smell particularly unique. The bottles from Tom Ford, Parfums de Marly, Francis Kurkdjian
The best known and most expensive of them is probably Oud. This is a rare resin that is obtained from the agarwood tree (Aquilaria Agallocha). Only when it is infected with the mold Phialophora Parasitica does oud form in the form of a dark resin, from which the oil for perfume is extracted. The price of pure oud is around 100,000 euros per liter.
In addition to the ingredients, the perfumers naturally want to be compensated for their work. And they see themselves as artists. A perfume is never “just” there to smell good. It is always a composition that can tell its own story. It is logical that the works of famous artists are paid more than those of unknown artists. And a work of art must also be appreciated, which is why the copy of it can always be viewed critically – if the author is not involved in it.
So now that what needed to be said has been said, let’s give in to the temptation to smell rich without being rich. The advertisement of the company “Kazaar” was repeatedly flushed into our Instagram feed. More or less well-known scent influencers claim in the short clips that the scents smell like the originals and at a fraction of the price.
Kazaar itself explains on its homepage that all perfumes are manufactured in Switzerland. A short search revealed that the company was initially a limited company registered in London, but is now based in the Alpine republic. Kazaar names its scents after Greek gods and philosophers and directly states which original fine scents they are based on.
We choose the following scents and dupes: Oud Wood by Tom Ford (Hephaestus), Oud for Happines (Aristotle), Oud for Greatness (Heracles) and Fucking Fabulous by Tom Ford (Poseidon). At Kazaar we order the pure fragrance oils, one tester of each of the originals. A comparison: For Oud Wood by Tom Ford, buyers shell out 115 euros per 30 milliliters. The portrait of Kazaar only costs 39.90 euros in size. How is that possible?
According to its own statement, Kazaar forgoes expensive marketing, but at the same time advertises with Willi Whey (around 2 million Instagram followers), one of the most famous German-speaking influencers. This advertising might not be cheap.
What stands out are the bottles. The manufacturer does not use elaborate fragrance bottles, which of course should drive the price down. According to Kazaar’s own statement, every perfume from Kazaar also contains at least 20 percent fragrance oil. This is more than Eau du Toilettes from well-known manufacturers, which cost more than 40 euros.
Kazaar also gives its customers the freedom to ask questions about the fragrances. We try it out and want to know whether the precious oud is used in the dupes we buy or whether the manufacturer uses synthetic fragrances to replace it. The answer follows promptly and is hardly surprising.
There is no real Oud in any of the twin scents. It’s a shame, but that’s not really surprising. As for the test, we use our left arm for the original and the right for the dupe. We judge both scents based on their similarity. One more thing should be said: The dupes are pure oils. Therefore there is no comparison of durability.
Oud Wood is one of Tom Ford’s classics. The brand has been hyped for several years now. As the name suggests, Oud Wood is a woody scent. However, it was surprising to the tester how much “wood” and how little “oud” came through in the scent. The original smelled more peppery to smoky and less smooth than you might expect from other Oud scents.
The dupe does this a little better, although when applied to the skin it doesn’t smell as complex as the original. Don’t get it wrong: At the core you can see the similarity of the scents. However, the original has more peppery notes and the spiciness of cardamom than the dupe. Hephaestus seems a bit simpler. However, for the tester, this small increase in complexity would not be worth the extra cost.
Oud for Happiness from the French perfumery Initio is a woody, fresh scent that stands out with its lemony note. In the first scent test, both scents are very similar, although in Aristotle there is significantly more lemon, which seems a bit artificial and applied too thickly. Oud for Happiness, on the other hand, has a softer scent. When sprayed onto the skin, the impression is confirmed. Oud for Happiness, while intense, is more reserved than Aristotle.
On the skin, the Instagram scent is crisp, lemony and a little woody. Oud for Happiness, on the other hand, seems more flowery and friendly. Over time, however, both scents become similar. For Aristotle, however, this takes time. And it doesn’t quite get rid of its strong citrus note. In Oud for Happiness, however, the lemon gives way to sweeter notes. The original also manages to be less obtrusive than the dupe.
Oud for Greatness is also from Initio. It is a heavy, spicy and wonderfully opulent fragrance that – with the exception of Haltane from Parfums de Marly – is in its own class. Describing Oud for Greatness is not easy. It is sweet, woody, very noble and long-lasting. If you are looking for a fragrance to make a statement in a class of its own, Oud for Greatness is a good choice. And Heracles simply doesn’t come close in any way.
It smells way too sweet, way too floral, way too nice and adjusted to even begin to float in the spheres of Oud for Greatness. Comparing the scents with each other is almost like an lese majeste. Even after a long time on the skin, Heracles is unable to live up to his role model. If one can even speak of a scent twin here, Oud for Greatness outclasses its copy by far. If you really want to be great, you have to dig deep into your pockets.
Fucking Fabulous by Tom Ford is an ideal, warm summer fragrance that impresses with its notes of almond, tonka and vanilla. Poseidon comes damn close, but still misses the original. And this is mainly due to a distinctly woody note in the dupe, which is quite disturbing compared to the original. The dupe is therefore somewhat unbalanced, while the original is calmly fresh. Admittedly, we’re complaining at a high level here, because next to Hephaestus, Poseidon is the best dupe in comparison. If Fucking Fabulous is too expensive on a daily basis, you can use the dupe and save the original scent for special occasions.
Three out of four sniffed dupes came close to their model, one was a total failure. However, the originals seemed consistently more coherent and rounder, sometimes more complex. You can’t really blame the dupes for that. They don’t want to be a stroke of genius either. The price clearly speaks in favor of the scent twins. For 40 euros you can’t go wrong with the twins. But their true strength lies elsewhere.
They are great to use as a layer for other scents. Heracles (Oud for Happiness) combines brilliantly with fresh scents such as Chanel Bleu Eau de Toilette. Poseidon improves on a light fragrance like CK One, but also combines well with Maison Margiela’s Replica Jazz Club. Here it is important to combine the joy of experimentation with imagination and create your own original.
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