best perfume store - worth or not? 🧐

so recently I have been into perfumes and wanted to get something inoffensive for office!

upon researching on tiktok, I’ve shortlisted a few so I went into le labo and byredo to test the original ones out! and decided to buy the bps versions as I heard they’re pretty good dupes 😋

1) X51 - another 13 by le labo ☁️🦢🕊️🍸

honestly I find this a vvv good dupe bc it’s so similar to the original. and it’s really a v good work scent bc it’s a clean musk smell and is simultaneously warm without being gourmand or overly sweet. it actly smells abit like a clean office space. the longevity is also v good, I still smell it after I come home from office and after I shower. I wld say the longevity is between 12-16h.

the sillage is also v good. I received so many compliments on it!!! and now ppl say they associate this scent with me 🤭

but if I were to nitpick, I’ll say that the bps version is abit more muskier and heavier than the original. but honestly, for 1/4 the price and a more concentrated perfume, I’ll rebuy this!! so I won’t feel bad using an expensive perfume everyday but still feel v happy when I smell it on myself HAHA.

rating: 4.9/5

2) X39 - bal d afrique by byredo 🍊🍋🥭

when I first smelt this in the store I rly fell in love. it smells like bitter mango skin to me but still delicious and fresh. my bf says it smells like a banana mango smoothie. anyway so I rly fell in love so I had to buy the dupe to try!!! bc the original is so expensive.

I would say it’s a good dupe as it’s very similar to the original. but if I were to rly inspect, it doesn’t rly have that bitterness that I smelt in byredo, and I feel like the bps version doesn’t capture the complexity and balance between the notes as well as the one in byredo.

but all in all, it’s still a v pleasant fresh fruity scent. I feel it’s not that citrusy despite having orange in it, which I appreciate and it’s perfect as a work scent bc it’s v non offensive, it doesn’t contain musk and doesn’t contain strong smells. it’s like a gentle slightly sweet fruity smell which I rly like and I feel it’s v appropriate for sg weather esp when it’s hot!! the sillage and longevity for this is also v good, I think about 12-16h too!!

rating: 4.8/5

honestly I feel v lucky I got the v good dupes from bps HAHAHA 🥰

3) testers

• 53 - l’impeartrice 3 by d&g 🍉🥝💦

haven’t smelt the original so can’t speak about its closeness as a dupe! but it smells pleasant - fruity and watery fresh. I’ll think this will be a v good scent to use in tropical hot climates like ours 😋 have also heard that the original from d&g has v poor sillage and longevity so I wld think if you’re planning to get from d&g you should try to get this one instead! as it’s more concentrated and will last longer :)

rating: 3.8/5

• x69 - the yulong by giorgio armani ☕️🍵🍊

have never smelt the original so can’t speak about how close it is as a dupe! but it’s v nice it smells like fragrant jasmine green tea, abit of citrus like oranges and abit of spice and darkness. I’m a fan, the jasmine green tea smell is v refreshing and unique. will def get this once on my next buy!

rating: 4.8/5

• 70 - miss dior blooming bouquet (2014) 💐

based off my humble opinion… and based on a miss dior blooming bouquet I had in the past, I think this isn’t a v good dupe bc I couldn’t identify it and I thought they gave me the wrong tester… it smells too much like rose and like many diff flowers all at once + powdery which smells too old for me … imo

rating: 1/5

• 90 - miss dior (2021) 🌹🍑🍨🌸

this is much better and resembles the miss dior I had more, as compared to the 2014 version. it’s less offensive and more delicate. but still v flowery and fruity. it’s cute. if you like miss dior you can try this as a dupe!

rating: 3/5

• x73 - hwyl by aesop 🫚🪵🌿

v spicy woody scent bc it contains thyme, spices and vetiver. I’ve never smelt this in aesop so can’t speak for how good it is as a dupe.

v strong wood, spice and smokey smells and it’s like a dark kind of scent and abit medicinal and incense-y so idt it’s v office appropriate esp if you’re in a small office!! but I’m quite a fan of it, bc it just smells like aesop and it’s evocative, unique and relaxing. it makes me think of a dark woody forest. I wld think that it’ll have v good sillage and projection too.

rating: 4.1/5

• x46 - bergamote 22 by le labo 🍊🍨🪵🍋🌿

this is quite a miss imo… smelt it at le labo and rly liked it! felt it was suitable as a work scent too bc it smells citrusy fresh; like abit of lemon/limes, some woody smells and dries down to vanilla & wood which is v pleasant, it’s def in my list of work perfumes.

but this bps version smelt FOUL. sorry. but idk if they put the wrong tester or what but it smelt nothing like bergamote 22 and it smelt v heavy and offensive. even if it were a bad dupe, if it smells good Im okay with that, but this smells overpowering, too much wood and citrus (?) and some other strong smells, basically there were too many strong smells going on at once.

rating: 0/5 ❌

so answer to the qn in my post is that it depends on what you get!!

feel free to ask me any qns 😋