In an industry where every other product is touted as the “best thing ever,” “game-changing,” “iconic,” “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 said 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 my own 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 let me tell ya it will cost you a pretty penny—325 big ones, 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, 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, $325 just isn’t a realistic price point to foist on you like it’s nothing. (If I weren’t a beauty editor, I never would have had access to such a treasure.) So if your budget doesn’t allow that kind of splurge at the moment, I’ve gone ahead and done the good deed of finding 10 very similar contenders—dupes, if you will—that give off the same expensive and wonderfully poetic vibes, sans sticker shock. In fact, not one clocks in at more than $165. You’re welcome! Keep scrolling for the best Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 dupes money can buy without sacrificing an inch of luxury.
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.
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 just relaunched the scent in solid form, so you can bask in its milky, ambery, musky perfection, any time, anywhere.
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.
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 too glistens with juicy, lemon-tinged saffron, jasmine, musks, and ambrox. It still has that quintessential hint of woodiness but leans a little more floral and delicate.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Key notes: bergamot, Tuscan leather, galbanum, patchouli, black amber
