To say I like perfume feels like the understatement of the century. I've flown to perfume capital of the world Grasse to learn about how to make perfume and craft my own, as well as
Paris and Florence to study it further. When it comes to my birthday and
Christmas it's one of the most common gifts I get, with those around me buying me small bottles of luxurious scents to add to my collection. My personal collection ranges from £2 roll on scents I got on
Amazon to designer scents worth hundreds of pounds but there's one type of perfume that's been notably absent: 'inspired by' scents. I've been wanting to try them for the longest time, seeing if simply matching the notes can create a scent just like a luxury brand for a fraction of the price. Wowcher is selling Blossom perfumes and I got my hands on four of them: 073 - based on Dior Sauvage and 464 which is based on Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 . Here's what I thought: 073 - based on Dior Sauvage 073 - based on Dior Sauvage I don't think this smells exactly like Sauvage but that might be a good thing. Officially Sauvage smells like Calabrian bergamot and Pepper on the top, Sichuan Pepper, Lavender, Pink Pepper, Vetiver, Patchouli, Geranium and elemi in the middle with base notes of Ambroxan, Cedar and Labdanum. However I, like I'm sure many other
Women will agree, think Sauvage smells a little bit more like the majority of men we crossed paths with in 2018. Sauvage was so popular that it's hardly a surprise that there's a running joke that this scent smells like her ex because chances are that yes, she's dated someone who wore it because it seemed everyone wore it once upon a time. It got a little overexposed and while it is a nice scent, it's one that reminds us of men we've known before. Which is why I think it works in 073's favour that it's not a complete clone. It's not got quite as much depth as Sauvage but at £9.99 it's hard to complain. It's still got something appealing to it and smells masculine, but it won't have you flinching and thinking of that one ex. 464 - based on Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 464 - based on Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Baccarat Rouge is one of the most famous luxury scents on the market and the one we see the DNA of constantly being used as inspiration in other perfumes. Not just in fragrances that clearly are inspired by BR540 , but in 'new' fragrances on the market. 'Uses BR540 DNA' is a common comment, or complaint, used by fragrance buffs sampling new scents. Some people love it, some people hate it, but the biggest complaint I see for the original is that it's too heavy. There's absolutely nothing delicate about it. It has top notes of Saffron and Jasmine; middle notes of Amberwood and Ambergris and base notes of Fir Resin and Cedar. The resinous quality really comes through with a scent that is undeniably powerful, with enormous sillage and seemingly eternal longevity. Well, once again Blossom is a little different. 464 has the saffron and jasmine dancing around the top but it's not got the overly strong woody notes taking over the whole scent. It's an unintimidating take on the classic that I think could be a better introduction to woody scents in all honesty. At £10.99 it's hard to complain. I don't think these perfumes are the best on the market, however if you're looking for something similar to expensive designer scents I think you're absolutely onto a winner. I think you'd really struggle to find a £10 perfume that's a better quality than this. Personally I prefer the Blossom alternatives to the originals as they're slightly less overbearing which can only be a good thing. For more must-have scents, head over to Lookfantastic .