In an industry where every other product is touted as the "best thing ever," "game-changing," "iconic," and "award-winning" (I could go on and on), it's safe to say the sparkle of *truly* magical players can get lost in the shuffle. In an effort to make money and spike sales, the entire market has become one claustrophobic mess of holy-grail It items. But as you and I both know, most of these products don't deserve the jewel-encrusted crown great marketing coronates them with.
In my time as a beauty editor, there have only been a few products that truly live up to the hype and buzz that have preceded them, and that pool gets even smaller when it comes to fragrance—a notoriously finicky genre that's so exceptionally personal it almost feels wrong to try to make a recommendation. But last year, after lots of anticipation and countless testimonials gushing over the magnetic olfactive powers of Maison Francis Kurkdjian's famed unisex number, Baccarat Rouge 540, I finally got my hands on a bottle. And let me just say, that first-ever sniff felt like a borderline religious experience. It's hard to call a perfume perfect—the most bewitching perfumes are typically anything but—and scent preference is incredibly subjective, but Baccarat Rouge 540 comes pretty damn close. It's dazzling, and a few hours post-spritz, I knew I was dealing with a true masterpiece. So, yes, the glowing orb of obsession it's inspired since its 2015 inception feels about right.
Born from the relationship between Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Baccarat to celebrate the crystal manufacturer's 250th birthday, Baccarat Rouge 540 is a very special perfume, carefully crafted with very special ingredients. And it will cost you a pretty penny—$325 worth if we're being exact.
"The woody scent releases a poetic alchemy, a highly condensed and graphic olfactory signature," the brand muses on its website. "Breezy jasmine facets and radiant saffron boost the ambergris mineral notes and the woody tones of freshly-cut cedar. Bright and sleek, Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum caresses the skin like an amber and woody floral whisper."
I mean, who doesn't want to be caressed by an amber and woody floral whisper? Even though I highly recommend MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 as a very worthy investment at some point in your life, I understand that sometimes your budget doesn't allow that kind of splurge at the moment. So I've done the good deed of finding 10 very similar contenders that give off the same expensive and wonderfully poetic vibes. Keep scrolling for the best affordable scents similar to Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540.
#1: Dossier Ambery Saffron
Key notes: saffron, orange blossom, jasmine, plum, cedarwood, oakmoss, fir balsam, amber
This is not a drill. The magic of Dossier lies in the fact that the brand intentionally brings you scarily similar iterations of the most iconic perfumes in the industry for a fraction of the price. And, you guessed it, this is the brand's dreamy lookalike of MFK's Baccarat Rouge 540 for one-sixth of the investment. The sizzling mixture of amber, cedar, and saffron is uncannily perfect.
Customer Review: "This is my second time buying this perfume and I absolutely love it. My coworker always compliments me saying it smells yummy and my husband loves it on me!! I will be buying it again when I inevitably run out of it :)read more about review content This is my second time buying this."
#2: Glossier You Solid
Key notes: ambrox, ambrette, musk, iris root, pink pepper
Glossier You is already an iconic fragrance in its own right, and it definitely has to be in my top 10 favorite perfumes of all time. The brand recently relaunched the scent in solid form, so you can bask in its milky, ambery, musky perfection anytime, anywhere.
Customer Review: "It is such a cute compact and it smells great."
#3: DedCool Fragrance 04
Key notes: fig, pepper, orange, lemon, sandalwood, patchouli
I'm a huge DedCool stan. I love the brand's commitment to clean, no-BS formulations, and every single perfume is holy-shit good. Baccarat Rouge 540 is known for its musky, gender-neutral aroma via a heady mix of woody amber florals, and Fragrance 04 comes pretty dang close. It's musky, woodsy, rich, and the perfect signature scent if you're in the market for a new one.
Customer Review: "It started out with me wearing it and my husband asking what I was wearing. He loved it so much, he started wearing it. We just had the sample. But, he loved it so much that I bought him a full size bottle. It has become his favorite cologne. It is woodsy and a bit more masculine. Very clean scent. It is his favorite."
#4: Boy Smells Flor de la Virgen Genderful Fine Fragrance
Key notes: pomelo, saffron, lemon rind, fig leaf, ivy leaves, jasmine petals, olibanum, cistus, labdanum, clear musks, ambrox
It took me days, maybe weeks, to pin down this sparkling scent as my favorite within Boy Smells' new fine fragrance collection. Alas, I finally did, and it's really no surprise it has some glaring similarities to Baccarat Rouge 540, one of my absolute favorite scents of all time. It glistens with juicy, lemon-tinged saffron, jasmine, musk, and ambrox. It still has that quintessential hint of woodiness but leans a little more floral and delicate.
Customer Review: "I am a huge Boy Smells fan and had high hopes for their perfumes. This does not disappoint, it is a light, summery, and extremely floral scent—exactly as it's described! It is really long-lasting which I love and a little goes a long way. The packaging is really lovely, but not for everyone's taste—its not a subtle bottle you can carry around easily! I would highly recommend and will personally be buying more Boy Smells perfumes in the future."
#5: Ellis Brooklyn Super Amber Eau de Parfum
Key notes: amber, cedarwood, vanilla orchid, and biodegradable musk
If it's the amber aspect of Baccarat that pulls you in, I recommend taking Ellis Brooklyn's fan-favorite Super Amber for a spin. MFK's Baccarat Rouge 540 makes every editor I know start drooling, and this velvety scent has the same hypnotizing effect. That said, it's a litter warmer and sweeter since it lacks the floral aspect you can subtly detect in its pricier counterpart.
Customer Review: "The perfect cozy amber scent. It wasn’t love at first sniff—it definitely has to sit on the skin for a few moments to warm up. It’s subtle but noticeable and surprisingly I get tons of compliments on this. A stranger even asked me to write down the name so he could buy it for his girlfriend!"
#6: St. Rose Circa 91 Eau de Parfum
Key notes: lemon, bergamot, patchouli, iris, jasmine, sandalwood, cedarwood
If you have yet to dip your toe into the clean, sustainably made fragrance universe of St. Rose, consider this the perfect time. Born in Australia, made in New York, and rooted in the art of nature, each and every scent is utterly unique and feels like a collector's piece. That said, if you're looking for something similar to the famed Baccarat Rouge 540 but slightly fruitier, I recommend Circa 91. Retro-inspired and nostalgic, this particular one oozes refreshing ozonic accord brightened by citrus notes of Italian lemon and bergamot and intensified by Bulgarian lavender, patchouli, jasmine, Virginian cedarwood, and Australian sandalwood.
#7: Skylar Sun Shower Eau de Parfum
Key notes: bergamot, lemon leaves, jasmine tea, meadow greens
Somewhat similar to Circa 91, this is a vibe-ier, slightly cheerier version of Baccarat. It's earthy and woody and leads with the same interludes of fruits and florals (like jasmine and lemon) without MFK's warm murkiness courtesy of amber, saffron, and cedarwood. If you like lighter perfumes, this will be a better (and cheaper) option.
Customer Review: "My favorite perfume! It’s so clean, it smells like the color green if that makes sense. I'm obsessed."
#8: Jo Malone London Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne
Key notes: ambrette seeds, sea salt, sage
On the other side of the spectrum, if you're more into the amber, sage, and woodiness angle of Baccarat and can leave the lighter nods à la jasmine, tea, and lemon, spring for this beloved Jo Malone London scent, which is the next best thing to visiting the Cliffs of Dover—complete with windswept hair and salt-crusted skin.
Customer Review: "Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt Colonge is beautiful. Not overwhelming, clean, and lasts me all day. I've been enjoying this high quality line of fragrances for years. Highly recommend."
#9: Henry Rose Last Light
Key notes: peach, bergamot, jasmine, white woods, patchouli, musk, amber woods
Like Baccarat Rouge 540, this perfume from ultra-transparent brand Henry Rose has a little bit of something for everyone. It's one part juicy, one part floral, one part woodsy, and one part musky. It's light, clean, and super universal.
Customer Review: "Absolutely in love with this woodsy, musk aroma. The patchouli just adds a wonderful depth. The fragrance perfectly complements Jake's House, making an irresistible combination. A very satisfying experience indeed!"
#10: Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt Perfume Oil
Key notes: sandalwood, cedarwood, vetiver, nutmeg, cinnamon, amber wood
Maison Louis Marie's prettily packaged perfume oils are dreamy with a capital D, and No. 04 Bois de Balincourt is a true gem within the collection. Spicy additions like nutmeg and cinnamon, plus the earthiness that vetiver lends, give the foresty hits of sandalwood, amber wood, and cedarwood an extra special kick.
Customer Review: "I started wearing this years ago and I have had more people ask me what it is [than] any other fragrance, ever. It’s crazy. And I have some of the most expensive perfumes [on] my vanity and this is the one I get complimented on the most. It’s so good and stays on all day."
More Baccarat Rouge 540–esque Perfumes You'll Love
Key notes: bergamot, Tuscan leather, galbanum, patchouli, black amber
Key notes: pomelo, saffron, juniper berry, black violet, accord cuir, cristal rose, blonde woods, raspberry, vetiver
Key notes: rose, saffron, 100% natural oud, frankincense, sandalwood
Key notes: palo santo wood accord, ebony wood accord, rose
Key notes: copper, cedar, sandalwood, radiant iris, boronia, balsam fir absolute, coconut musk, ambergris
Key notes: lemon, mandarin, orange flower, jasmine, vanilla, sandalwood, waterlily
This article was originally published on Who What Wear.
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