Category: Q&As (Page 1 of 2)

Imagine this scenario. You’ve been wearing the same fragrance for years and you feel like a change. You spot an expensive brand online you’ve heard everyone raving about. It’s really expensive but, on a whim, you order it. It arrives – you hate it! Argghhhh! You should have bought a decant first!

What are fragrance decants? A fragrance decant is a small sample bottle of a specific perfume. You can order a decant of virtually any fragrance online at a fraction of the price of a full-sized manufacturer’s sealed bottle. However, there are a few things to beware of with any perfume decants as discussed below.

How are decants produced?

Perfume and any other type of fragrance decants are rarely sold by manufacturers. They are typically bought from private sellers who simply decant from the largest sized bottles of fragrance as these are the best value for money. When someone orders a decant from a seller, they pour the required amount into a decant bottle and sell it at a price that ensures they make a profit.

Decant sizes

There are various decant sizes and their prices depend on the price of the fragrance itself.

1 ml decants

These are the smallest and cheapest fragrance decants you can buy. Depending on how liberally you spray it one this size will provide 2 to 3 applications. To give you an idea of the amount, a standard teaspoon holds 5ml of fluid, so you will receive less than a quarter of a teaspoon! A tiny amount.

It’s difficult to estimate how much you will pay because it depends on the price of the fragrance you choose but here’s an example:

• A 1ml decant of Dior Sauvage can be purchased for approximately $3.00. A 60ml (3.4oz) bottle is approximately $100.

You should expect this decant to be a plastic or glass vial which is literally a tiny tube with a plastic stopper for a lid.

1.5 ml decants

1.5ml decants may come in a glass or plastic vial or mini-spray.

This is the smallest size some sellers supply and is equivalent to a quarter of a standard teaspoon. A vial will provide you with 3 to 5 applications but a mini-spray delivers smaller applications and you can get up to 18 applications from it – enough to help you decide if you like the fragrance enough to buy a whole bottle.

• A 1.5 ml decant of Dior Sauvage can be purchased for approximately $4.50 in a vial or $5.25 as a spray.

2.5 ml decants

A 2.5 ml decant is usually a glass or plastic spray bottle. Each light spray delivers a small amount and you can squeeze up to 30 applications from 2.5 ml.

• A 2.5 ml spray decant of Dior Sauvage can be purchased for approximately $9.00 as a spray.

3 ml decant

There’s not much difference between a 2.5ml and 3ml decant. You’ll find some companies offer one size and some offer the other. 3 ml gives up to 36 applications.

• A 3 ml spray decant of Dior Sauvage can be purchased for approximately $11.00 as a spray.

5 ml (1/6 oz) decants

A 5ml decant is equivalent to one teaspoon. This doesn’t sound like much but can give you up to 60 applications.

• A 5 ml decant of Dior Sauvage can be purchased for approximately $15.00 as a spray.

8 ml (1/4 oz) decants

An 8 ml decant is equivalent to a quarter of an ounce and can give you up to 96 applications.

• An 8 ml decant of Dior Sauvage can be purchased for approximately $22.00 as a spray.

15 ml (1/2 oz) decants

A 15 ml decant is equivalent to half an ounce and can give you up to 180 applications.

• A 15 ml spray decant of Dior Sauvage costs approximately $43.00.

30 ml (1 oz) decants

A 30 ml decant is equivalent to an ounce and can give you up to 360 applications.

• A 30 ml spray decant of Dior Sauvage costs approximately $80.00. I think in this instance I would find another $20 and buy a 60 ml (3.4 oz) manufacturers sealed bottle.

Table of common decant sizes and applications from each

Size (ml)	Vial (max applications)	Spray (max applications)
1	3	n/a
1.5	5	n/a
2.5	8	30
3	10	36
5	n/a	60
8	n/a	96
15	n/a	180
30	n/a	360

When to buy decants and when not to

It’s a good idea to buy a decant before buying a very expensive niche fragrance to ensure you like the smell of it on your skin.

For example, 50 ml of Creed Aventus is $325 which is a lot to spend on a fragrance you might decide doesn’t smell good on you.

On the other hand, a 5 ml decant of Aventus is approximately $55. This may sound like a lot of money but you’ll have 60 applications to play with. Apply it twice a day and it will last a month and will have cost you less than the price of a cup of coffee each day.

With lower-priced fragrances, you may find the price of a whole sealed bottle is not much more than a decant. Always compare the price per milliliter of a decant to that of a small bottle.

Choosing a fragrance decant seller

There are many ways to purchase decants online. Here are the main three:

Decants from Amazon

There are plenty of fragrance decants being sold n Amazon. Before you buy, look carefully at their reviews. Also, compare the one you’ve chosen to others to ensure you get one at the best value.

The good thing about buying via Amazon is the protection they offer if you have any genuine problems with the seller or product quality.

Decants from ebay

You will find many, many decants available on ebay. Some are from online shops and some are being sold privately. Again, don’t rush into a purchase. Look carefully at the sellers reviews and compare prices.

If you have any issues, ebay is very good at resolving disputes and does tend to favor you, the purchaser.

Decants from online shops

Online shops are in the best position to sell the cheapest decants. They can buy the largest bottles at the best prices so their decants really should be the best value. Of course, this isn’t always the case so do shop around for the best price and always look for customer reviews.

Decants aren’t just for sampling a fragrance

Don’t think of decants as just a way to sample a new fragrance. They also provide a cheaper way to own an expensive fragrance. If you can’t afford a whole bottle then a decant is a cheaper option. They’re just not always the best value.

If you want to own lots of different fragrances but can’t afford to, decants offer the perfect solution. The bonus is you won’t have the problem of fragrances going bad before you’ve had a chance to use them up.

With decants, you can afford to wear a new perfume every month or even every week if you really want to.

Decanting your own fragrances

If you like a particular fragrance but can’t afford to own the whole bottle you could buy it, decant some for yourself and then sell the rest as decants.

If you pick the right size you could end up being able to own a fair amount at no cost!

Here’s an example of how the price of fragrance decreases when you buy larger bottles. I’ve picked Creed Aventus and used current prices from their website. These are, of course, subject to change.

Bottle size (ml)	Price	Price per 10 ml
50	$325	$65.00
100	$435	$43.50
250	$670	$26.80
500	$1055	$21.10
1000	$1600	$16.00

Thought you would have to initially spend $1600, here’s how you could keep 250 ml for yourself and sell the rest to recoup your $1600.

• Decant yourself 200 ml into a clean bottle with a screw cap
• divide the remaining 800 ml into 8 bottles of 100 ml and sell at $200 plus post and packaging to recoup your $1600

There are plenty of empty bottles on Amazon you can use to decant fragrance into. These 100 ml glass spray atomizers are ideal.

You could choose to decant small sizes but, obviously, this is more hard work to sell.

The method above will work with any fragrance but just make sure to research how well it sells when decanted first.

What Are Fragrance Decants? – Conclusion

Fragrance decants are so much more than just a way for sellers to supply perfume samples. You can buy them if you can’t afford a whole bottle, use them to carry small amounts of your favorite fragrance anywhere or on holiday, and even use them to share a bottle of cologne with friends.

The bitter orange tree is an evergreen with dark leaves, sharp thorns and wonderfully orange-fragranced white flowers widely used in the perfume industry. Two popular perfume ingredients are created from the flowers of the bitter orange tree: one is neroli and the other is orange blossom.

What perfume smells like orange blossom? Many perfumes from the chypre and floral oriental families use the smell of orange blossom in their top notes to add a citrus freshness to their floral bouquets. You’ll find some of the best examples of perfumes that have an orange blossom smell reviewed below.

But first, here’s a little bit more information about the essential oils created from bitter orange blossom.

Neroli Essential Oil

To obtain the orange-scented essential oil known as neroli, freshly-picked white flowers from the bitter orange tree are steam distilled. It takes thousands of petals to capture just a few ounces of neroli essential oil which makes it an extremely expensive ingredient.

The scent of neroli is honey-sweet and floral with hints of citrus. It’s a long-lasting fragrance with fixative qualities that makes the perfume it’s added to last longer on the skin.

Orange Blossom Essential Oil

To create orange blossom oil, a solvent extraction process is applied to the same fresh flowers. This oil has a sweeter and more citrusy aroma than neroli.

If you’ve ever wondered what exactly orange blossom smells like in a fragrance, it is best described as a sweet, soapy citrus note that reminds you of the smell of the flower as it grows on the bitter orange tree.

The Best Orange Blossom and Neroli Perfumes

Neroli and orange blossom perfumes are my favorites. I’m currently wearing Neroli and Orchidee by L’Occitane and you can find more about this below.

In no particular order, here are 9 of the best orange blossom perfumes you can buy.

Neroli & Orchidee by L’Occitane EDT

Neroli & Orchidee is my absolute favorite – I’ve been wearing it for 15 years. It’s a sophisticated mix of neroli from bitter orange blossom and Madagascar orchid.

This sweet floral fragrance is perfect for daily use and has gained me more compliments than any other perfume I’ve ever worn.

The official L’Occitane site lists the featured ingredients as neroli essence and orchid absolute with fragrance notes of mandarin, neroli, and iris.

When you apply it, you’ll immediately pick up the light citrus floral note of neroli mingling with the sweet powdery note of orchid.

Neroli & Orchidee can be worn by anyone of any age who loves perfume with orange notes. It is a sophisticated citrusy floral, not too sweet, and slightly soapy.

Because it’s an eau de toilette, it doesn’t have great longevity. Its projection is about 6 feet and is not at all overpowering.

Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne for Women

Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne has a fresh clementine opening scent and middle notes of orange blossom and waterlily.

It has a beautiful floral and citrus aroma, perfect for daily wear, especially in summer.

If you like neroli orange blossom fragrances, Orange Blossom Cologne is a perfect choice. It’s a favorite of many celebrities too.

If you’re searching for a perfume that smells expensive but really isn’t, this certainly ticks that box. Just bear in mind as it’s cologne, it needs to be applied after 2 or 3 hours.

Honey by Marc Jacobs

Honey by Marc Jacobs is a fruity floral fragrance. It features a fresh pear and mandarin orange scent in its top notes.

The middle notes are honeysuckle, orange blossom, and peach. The base is a warm, sweet blend of vanilla, honey, and wood.

If you like a sweeter orange blossom fragrance, Honey may be the one for you. Its mix of warmth and freshness means it is a fragrance that goes with any season.

Love Story by Chloe

Love Story by Chloe is a feminine and flirty fragrance. It opens with the sensual aroma of neroli, followed by a floral heart of orange blossom and jasmine, and finally a cedarwood base.

The overall smell of Love Story is fresh yet sophisticated. It has great longevity and just the right amount of projection.

It doesn’t overpower the whole room but does enchant those you get close to – perfect for date night!

Mugler Cologne by Thierry Mugler

Mugler Cologne by Thierry Mugler has the soapy fresh, citrus fragrance of a traditional cologne. Though it is unisex, the base is quite floral.

The sweet citrusy aroma from the combination of bergamot and neroli gives this fragrance an intoxicating summery feel. As it dries down you’re left with a sensual white musk base.

As this is a cologne, you do need to reapply it every few hours.

24 Fouberg by Hermes

With fragrance notes including orange blossom, jasmine, tiara flower, ylang ylang, and iris, Hermes 24 Fouberg is a warm, floral perfume.

The soapy orange blossom aroma is very apparent and is backed by a mossy, sandalwood, and patchouli base.

Like the Hermes brand, this fragrance is aimed at mature women but could equally be worn by someone younger.

If you like orange blossom, patchouli, and honey perfume this one definitely has that vibe.

Fleur du Male by Jean Paul Gaultier

Fleur du Male by Jean Paul Gaultier is an aromatic fougere for men that is not a typical masculine fragrance. It could almost be classed as unisex.

It can be best described as an explosion of flowers featuring orange blossom, that dries down to a vanilla base. Fleur du Male is long-lasting and has a good projection. One application lasts at least 8 hours.

If you have been searching for a long-lasting orange fragrance that has vanilla, orange, and jasmine, try Fleur du Male and you won’t be disappointed.

Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford

Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford is a unisex fragrance with cirtusy top notes of bergamot, mandarin, lemon, and bitter orange and middle notes of orange flower, jasmine, and neroli – it’s no wonder it has a beautiful orange aroma.

This refreshing, almost heady fragrance suits warm, sunny days. Being Tom Ford, it is quite expensive so might be one you would save for special occasions.

Girl of Now by Elie Saab

Girl of Now by Elie Saab is an oriental floral fragrance. The name suggests it’s a younger woman’s fragrance but it honestly isn’t.

It has a fruity opening, a flowery middle, and dries down to a sensual patchouli base. Patchouli fans will love this touch.

It feels like a special occasion perfume. A generous application of Girl of Now will last on your skin all day and on clothes even longer.

The packaging is appealing and the bottle is just gorgeous – this would make a perfect gift.

What Perfume Smells Like Orange Blossom? – Conclusion

We’ve picked 9 perfumes to help you with your quest to find a perfume that smells of orange blossom. There are plenty more out there but these are leading favorites.

Some are aimed at women and others are definitely gender neutral though might be too florally for those who like to smell particularly masculine.

If you love cinnamon fragrances, the best cinnamon fragrances for women suggests 8 ideal choices.

A close, wet shave doesn’t only remove whiskers – it literally takes a layer of skin off your face leaving it feeling a little raw. Ouch, that sounds painful!

What does aftershave do? Along with making you smell good, aftershave is perfect for disinfecting any little facial injuries incurred whilst shaving. If you are a master shaver who never cuts himself, you can still benefit from aftershave’s soothing effect on your newly exfoliated face!

As your razor blade becomes blunt with age, or if you’re in a hurry, you run the risk of inflicting your face with small nicks and cuts – ideal entry points for bacteria found naturally on human skin.

This is where aftershave comes to the rescue. If you’ve never bothered with it or asked do I need aftershave, you might be compelled to buy some in about 5 minutes time – that’s how long it will take you to digest the rest of this article.

Is Aftershave Necessary?

Aftershave is not necessary but you may be missing out on its many benefits if you don’t bother using it.

If you’ve ever asked what is aftershave for, it has several good purposes. If you’re prone to skin problems such as spots, blackheads, and acne, a well-chosen aftershave can help to minimize these conditions.

Bacteria is partly responsible for acne so destroying it on a regular basis can help to reduce flare-ups. Other facial spots and blackheads result from blocked pores.

Aftershave is an astringent which means it constricts body tissues. Splashing it on your freshly shaved face closes pores to lessen the chance of spots and blackheads developing.

How To Use Aftershave or Aftershave Balm

Everyone has their own shaving regime. Ideally, start with a hot towel or flannel to open your pores. Add a good amount of shaving soap to enable the razor blade to glide easily over the skin as it removes your whiskers.

After your shave is complete, apply a cold flannel to start closing your pores followed by a good splash of aftershave to disinfect and completely tighten your pores.

If your aftershave is a liquid, you may need to apply a moisturizer to make your skin feel supple again. Some aftershaves are more like a gel and contain their own moisturizers, such as aloe vera.

Which Type of Aftershave is Best?

It’s important to choose the right type of aftershave to suit your skin. Aftershave balm suits dry skin and the splash variety suits oily skin. If you have sensitive skin you may have to choose the right one very carefully.

Here are the main aftershave types with examples:

Alcohol-Based Aftershave

The alcohol used in aftershave is usually ethanol or a purified form of it. The concentration is important if the aftershave is to have an antibiotic effect.

If it’s lower than 60% it is not very efficient at killing bacteria but if it’s higher than 90% it also loses its bacteria destroying potency.

An aftershave with 70% alcohol content it the ideal strength to thoroughly clean a shaved face and stop infections developing in shaving wounds. The alcohol has an astringent effect that tightens pores.

Aftershave with a high alcohol content can make dry skin feel uncomfortably dry, parched and tight. If you suffer from dry skin, you will probably want to apply a facial moisturizer as well.

The alcohol in aftershave is responsible for that stinging sensation you experience as you apply it and this, coupled with a strong fragrance, is sometimes more than some sensitive skins can bear.

Recommendation – Pinaud Clubman

Pinaud Clubman is a well-established old-school aftershave with a masculine lemon fragrance. You may find you want to don a smoking jacket, grab a cigar and seek out a leather chair in a gentleman’s club.

You’ll certainly notice the cleansing zinginess of alcohol as soon as you apply this. See all the details and rave reviews at Amazon.

Alcohol-Free Aftershave

Alcohol-free aftershave feels nicer if you suffer from dry, sensitive skin as it doesn’t sting in the way alcohol versions do.

Unless it contains another bacteria-killing agent, alcohol-free aftershave will not destroy bacteria with the same efficiency as one with an alcohol base.

Recommendation – The Art of Shaving Sandalwood Aftershave Balm

The Art of Shaving Sandalwood is an alcohol-free aftershave balm that can also be used as a daily moisturizer.

It contains beautifully soothing shea butter to leave skin feeling soft and supple, along with sandalwood essential oil which gives it a classic masculine woody fragrance.

You can see much more information over at Amazon.

Aftershave With Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera can be found in alcohol and non-alcohol-based aftershave. If an aftershave contains aloe vera it will be extra soothing and moisturizing.

Unless it also includes alcohol or another antibacterial product, it will not prevent infections.

Recommendation – Lucky Tiger Aftershave & Face Tonic

Luck Tiger uses aloe vera, calendula, and chamomile to soothe and refresh skin after shaving or whenever you feel the need. It has a light citrus fragrance that is not at all overpowering. You can find out more at Amazon.

Aftershave with Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel is a native North American shrub widely used to relieve inflammation and soothe skin. It’s a natural astringent that reduces redness, stings less, and is less drying than alcohol.

Many people use Witch Hazel to treat acne but its effectiveness in this area isn’t backed up scientifically. It is nice and cooling and helps to reduce the itchiness related to skin flare-ups and razor burns.

If you don’t like using alcohol-based aftershave, try using witch hazel after shaving. Does witch hazel kill bacteria?

It is widely believed that Witch Hazel has natural anti-bacterial properties that will help clean any shaving skin cuts.

Recommendation – Thayers Facial Toner with Witch Hazel

Thayers Witch Hazel Facial Toner is alcohol-free, refreshing, and revitalizing. It has a soothing lavender fragrance and is a great addition to anyone’s bathroom cabinet.

It can be used whether you’ve shaved or not. Use the button below to head over to Amazon to see plenty more product information and over 2,000 customer reviews which give Thayers a rating of 4.7/5.

Aftershave with Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an essential oil distilled from the leaves of an Australian plant known as the Melaleuca Alternifolia. It has been used as an antibacterial agent in traditional medicine for many years.

Its strength means tea tree oil must be diluted which is why it works well in aftershave. People swear by its ability to control acne and reduce acne scarring. It is also said to reduce inflammation, soothe eczema and dry out oily skin.

Recommendation – Baxter Aftershave Balm

Baxter of California is an alcohol-free aftershave balm with tea tree oil, glycerin, and aloe vera. It’s the perfect way to moisturize, soothe, and cool skin after a shave.

You can find plenty more information at Amazon via the button below.

Aftershave with Vitamin E

Many people find vitamin E soothes razor burn and itchiness, reduces the appearance of small facial scars, and leaves their skin feeling nourished.

You can buy vitamin E oil to apply directly to your skin or choose an aftershave that contains some.

Recommendation – Health Priority Vitamin E

Vitamin E Enhance is 100% all-natural and organic vitamin E oil, suitable to use on your face. It’s infused with jojoba, avocado, and rice bran oil and comes in versions with or without fragrance.

The fragrance-free version is perfect to use with any other aftershave product without causing a clash of aromas.

Click on the photo or use the button below to discover all the other lovely benefits of this oil.

What Does Aftershave Do? – Conclusion

What is the point of aftershave? Aftershave can be used whether you shave or not. It has a multitude of purposes including cleaning shaving wounds, toning skin, helping to prevent spots, and adding moisture.

Some aftershaves have alcohol and some don’t. Ingredients include aloe vera, witch hazel, tea tree, and vitamin E – to name but a few. Have a look at our recommendations and you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for you.

Aftershave is designed to soothe and protect the skin after shaving. It contains alcohol which has antiseptic properties to clean any nicks or cuts that may have occurred during a shave. This prevents any infections from developing in the wounds.

Can you use hand sanitizer as aftershave? The quick answer is yes, as hand sanitizer contains alcohol or witch hazel it can be used to soothe and protect skin in a similar way to aftershave. However, some hand sanitizers may not be as effective – as you are about to find out.

Hand Sanitizer vs Aftershave

Most aftershave is a combination of ethanol and fragrance. Ethanol is 95% alcohol by volume (ABV), a strength that is necessary to dissolve the essential oils that make up the fragrance and to preserve it. This strength is very effective at destroying bacteria on the skin.

Most over-the-counter hand sanitizers have less than 60% alcohol which is not as effective at killing bacteria as an aftershave. That said, it still has soothing qualities and is better than using nothing at all.

How To Use Hand Sanitizer As Aftershave

You can apply a hand sanitizer to your face in the same way as an aftershave. There a few things to bear in mind before splashing it on.

• Avoid your eyes as it can irritate them
• You may find it quite harsh and drying on your skin
• Some hand sanitizers contain irritating fragrances if you have sensitive skin
• The fragrance of some hand sanitizers may be a little pungent to use on your face
• If you choose a hand sanitizer with antibacterial properties other than alcohol, it may irritate the skin of you face
• Hand sanitizer may not close your pores in the same way that aftershave does.

The Different Types of Hand Sanitizer

There are two main types of hand sanitizers: alcohol-based and alcohol-free. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers usually contain between 60% and 95% alcohol, either isopropyl alcohol, ethanol (ethyl alcohol) or n-propanol. Alcohol-based sanitizer is more effective at cleaning small wounds.

The following two are recommended here because they have a high enough alcohol content to effectively protect skin after shaving, are moisturizing, and have light citrus fragrances.

Purell Naturals

Purell hand sanitizer is a safe choice to use as an aftershave balm. It is designed to use frequently, throughout the day without causing irritation to hands so if it’s applied occasionally to the face in place of aftershave, it shouldn’t have any adverse effects.

It contains naturally derived ethyl alcohol (70%), has a fresh citrus fragrance and is paraben-free. Its consistency makes it is easy to apply without fear of splashing it everywhere or getting it in your eyes.

You can find lots more product information, the current price and customer reviews at Amazon.

Hempz Triple Moisture Herbal Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer

HEMPZ is a triple moisturizing serum with antibacterial properties that leaves skin soft. It is enriched with coconut and hemp seed oil to reduce itchiness and dryness.

Another plus point is it is 100% vegan and is paraben-free. Find lots more information about HEMPZ hand sanitizer, customer reviews, and the current price at Amazon.

6 Great Aftershave Alternatives

You’ve run out of aftershave, have no hand sanitizer, and need something to splash on after a shave. What else can you use?

Here are some excellent aftershave alternatives that you may have in your home:

Isopropyl or Rubbing Alcohol

There’s no point using the alcohol you drink at home as the percentage alcohol in this isn’t high enough to cleanse your skin of bacteria.

Rubbing alcohol or isopropyl is about 99% alcohol and is OK as an aftershave substitute because it will kill bacteria on your skin and close your pores – but undiluted it is actually too strong to kill bacteria and it will leave your skin feeling tight and dry.

Dilute this type of alcohol with aloe vera gel to create your own hand sanitizer or aftershave substitute. The ideal mix is 3 parts alcohol to 1 part aloe vera gel. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to give it a nice fragrance.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Many people use apple cider vinegar as a facial astringent so there’s no reason why it can’t double as an aftershave. The best variety to use is organic.

I would dilute it with an equal amount of water to ensure it doesn’t smell too strong or sting your skin. Any vinegar content will naturally evaporate fairly quickly.

You might want to avoid getting this on your clothes as it may smell a bit strange all day long!

Skin Toner

Skin toner is often applied as part of a beauty regime because it tightens the pores. Women, in particular, like to cleanse, tone, and moisturize. If you share your home with a female, try using her skin toner as an aftershave – if she’ll let you!

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a succulent plant that is fantastic for the skin because of its natural anti-inflammatory qualities. You can literally break a piece from a plant and use the fluid from it to soothe any shaving nicks or cuts.

Aloe vera gel is also ideal as a shaving balm amongst many other uses so it’s a good idea to always keep a bottle handy.

This organic Aloe Vera Gel also includes tea tree oil and together these ingredients soothe and help to restore dry and damaged skin. You can find more details and the current price at Amazon.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree has natural cleansing properties and is great if you are prone to spots. Add a few drops to cold water and splash it on after a shave to give your skin an extra clean feel.

Water!

Don’t overlook the power of using water instead of aftershave. Most shaving lotions are soap-based and if you rinse with warm water once you’ve finished with the razor you will open and thoroughly cleanse your pores.

Continue to rinse your face with warm water until all traces of soap and loose whiskers are gone. Then run the tap until the water is very cold and thoroughly splash your face to tighten your pores and prevent new dirt from entering them.

Pat your face dry with a clean towel and apply face cream if your skin feels tight and dry.

Witch Hazel Based Hand Sanitizer

Witch Hazel is a plant that is used in astringents and hand sanitizers. It is soothing but does not have antibacterial properties. It is believed to close pores and soothe irritated skin by reducing inflammation.

Can I Use Aftershave As Hand Sanitizer?

As aftershave has a high alcohol content, it will clean hands in the same way as hand sanitizer so if it’s all you have to hand then, by all means, use it.

The smell may be a bit overpowering though! If you have access to soap and warm water, this is a far superior (and cheaper) way to cleanse your hands than using any type of hand sanitizer or aftershave.

Can I Use Hand Sanitizer As Aftershave? – Conclusion

You can use hand sanitizer in place of aftershave but I would only do so if you’ve run out of aftershave. After all, aftershave has been specifically designed and tested to be used on faces and hand sanitizer has been designed to clean hands.

If you don’t eat or use animal products, buying a suitable perfume isn’t always easy. You could be forgiven for hoping most perfume is an innocent concoction of alcohol and fragrance extracted from plants and flowers. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. It often contains an animal product or some aspect of it has been tested on animals.

Why is perfume not vegan? The answer to this question is simple. Many perfumes are not vegan because they contain animal-derived ingredients and changing these would alter the scent profiles that make them best-sellers.

However, some perfume is vegan and is clearly marketed as such. If you can’t find a vegan label it’s best to assume that perfume is off-limits.

Which Perfume Ingredients Are Not Vegan?

There are many ingredients that render perfumes non-vegan. Some are harvested directly from animals in captivity and some are animal by-products.

Ambergris

One of the most talked-about ingredients in perfume is ambergris and there are many misconceptions regarding its origins. Commonly referred to as whale vomit, it’s a waxy substance that forms in the large intestine of a sperm whale.

A sperm whale’s diet is largely squid and on a daily basis, indigestible, oily squid remains clump together in its intestines. Some of this is vomited and some is excreted.

However, the larger pieces collected and used in perfume are more likely from a sperm whale that met a sticky end.

Unfortunately, because of the sheer amount of squid they ingest, some sperm whales form such large pieces of ambergris that it blocks their large intestines. This prevents the excretion of any waste products to the point where a ruptured intestine occurs, sadly causing the whale’s demise.

Natural sea scavengers feed off the dead whale until the ambergris is freed to float in the ocean. The ambergris considered the best for has been floating about for years in all sorts of climates before it is discovered and sold for use in perfume.

Fresh ambergris has quite a fecal odor, but ambergris that’s been maturing in the ocean for many years has a sweet, earthy scent. It’s used in perfume as a fixative which means it helps it last longer on your skin and also intensifies the other fragrance ingredients.

Because Ambergris is so valuable, at some point, sperm whales were hunted in the hope that it would be found within them. Thankfully, they are now a protected species so hunting them is illegal.

Many fragrances now use ambergris alternatives, some of them plant-based and some of them synthetically made. Check out which type is used if you are looking for all-natural ingredients, vegan perfume.

Musk

Various perfume ingredients are given the blanket name musk, but true musk has one source – the male Musk deer. This is a small deer with protruding teeth, large ears, a very short tail, and no antlers and can be found in various mountainous regions

Within a Musk deer’s abdomen is a musk-producing organ known as the musk pod. To harvest this musk pod to use its contents in perfume, the deer are often killed. In some areas such as China, farmers have developed ways of harvesting the pod from live animals.

The Musk deer is now a protected species yet musk remains one of the most expensive animal products used in perfume today. Hunting (legal or otherwise) of this small deer is a huge concern. Until perfumers cease to use its musk, this deer will be hunted relentlessly – possibly to extinction.

Musk is used in fragrance because many people enjoy its animalistic scent and there are now many alternatives non-animal alternatives, such as ambrette seeds and angelica root though these are not as strong. Maybe musk is a fragrance note we should learn to do without?

Civet

Civet is a perfume ingredient collected from the perineal gland of male and female civets. Often referred to as civet cats, these small nocturnal mammals are native to Africa and Asia.

The perineal gland is located beneath the base of a civet’s tail and secretions are scraped from captured animals, imprisoned in small cages. The reason? For thousands of years, perfumers have used civet as a fixative to give fragrances an animalistic, radiant sweet scent.

Though synthetic versions of civet have been developed, they can’t quite replicate the real thing and so the demand for natural civet still exists.

Castoreum

Perfumers use castoreum to give certain fragrances their leather scent. It is extracted from the castor sacs of male and female beaver, a gland located beneath the base of their tails. Beavers are trapped and killed in order to harvest this popular perfume ingredient.

Beavers use the powerful secretions from these glands to scent-mark their territory. Perfumers use it as a fixative and to add a sweet, clean leather note to many popular fragrances.

Hyraceum

The rock hyrax is a rabbit-like mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. Their hardened urine and feces are known as hyraceum and are collected for use in perfume. At least using this product doesn’t entail harming the animal that produces it as it is collected from areas they inhabit.

No one knows how old the hyraceum is that’s used in perfume. Some claim it is fossilized or mineralized over thousands of years.

What is certain is that it is old enough and dry enough to have a stone-like appearance and is purposefully used to add a slightly dirty note to fragrances.

Though the collection of hyraceum does not involve any animal cruelty, it is still of animal origin which is enough to prevent any perfume containing it from being suitable for vegans.

Honey

Though some vegans use honey, the vegan society does not class honey as a vegan product. Honey is made from nectar that bees collect from flowering plants. So though it is plant-based, bees collect it and store it in their stomachs.

Honey is a source of food for bees. When humans take it for their own use, the vegan society deems this to be animal exploitation.

Perfumers use honey to add a sweet note to certain fragrances thus preventing them from officially being recognized as vegan.

Beeswax

Beeswax is often used in perfume. It is strained from melted honeycomb taken from hives that have been used for at least 5 years, as these have a strong honey scent along with the smell of the bees themselves.

The ingrained honey and bee scent means beeswax has a rich pheromone essence which gives perfumes a sweet animalistic note. As with honey, this exploitation of a bee’s environment means perfumes containing beeswax are not considered vegan.

Lanolin

Lanolin, also known as wool wax and wool fat, comes from sheep reared specifically for their wool. It works well as a skin moisturizer because of its ability to lock moisture in.

Perfumers make use of lanolins waxy moisturizing qualities as a fixative. Of course, any perfumes using it are not vegan.

Vegan Perfume Choices

There are several companies now specializing in totally natural, vegan, cruelty-free fragrances. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Lavanila – The Healthy Fragrance

Lavanila makes The Healthy Fragrance range. It’s handmade with totally natural and organic ingredients. This beautiful vanilla and coconut perfume is vegan, cruelty-free, skin-friendly, and environmentally friendly too.

See reviews and prices at Amazon (link opens in a new tab)

Pacifica Persian Rose

Pacifica has a great selection of vegan and cruelty-free, natural perfumes all freed from parabens and phthalates. The link below leads to a selection of 11 which have excellent customer reviews.

See reviews and other selections on Amazon (link opens in a new tab)

Why It’s Not Clear When Perfumes Are Not Vegan

Though many products list their full ingredients on the packaging, perfume makers are exempt from going this. You will see ‘Fragrance’ listed but this can be a mix of many essential oils and other ingredients.

The reason for the lack of information is to protect valuable secret recipes and prevent copycat perfumes from being created. This creates a problem for those who like to know exactly what’s in the bottle.

Being vegan-suitable and cruelty-free is becoming a big selling point and if a perfume is vegan it is usually clearly labeled as such. If a perfume isn’t labeled as vegan, assume it isn’t and avoid buying it.

Why is perfume not vegan? – Conclusion

Most perfume is not vegan because of the simple fact that it is popular and sells well. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for vegans as new companies are now producing beautiful vegan fragrances. Two are recommended here but you’ll find plenty more with a little research.

Coconut perfume, there’s nothing quite like it to evoke the memories of a bygone beach vacation or put you in the mood for your next summer holiday. Coconut oil has an intensely tropical fragrance that will be forever associated with sunscreen lotion. But this definitely is not the limit of its use!

Which perfumes smell like coconut? Perfumes such as Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude and Creed Virgin Island Water perfectly capture the exotic smell of coconut. We uncover the ultimate coconut-scented perfumes that conjure up images of sultry, summer days on a palm-lined beach.

Whether you’re looking for the best cheap coconut perfume for women or men, something to put you in the mood for your holiday, or a coconut fragrance to splash on every day, we’ve got it covered.

In no particular order of preference, popularity, or price, here are 12 of the best smelling coconut perfumes:

Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude EDP

Estee Lauder created Sensuous Nude in 2011 and it’s been a favorite coconut perfume ever since.

It has a fruity fresh mandarin and bergamot opening, complemented with rose and black pepper. The sweet fragrance of coconut comes from the middle notes, along with jasmine, honey, and musk. The base is a rich mix of amber, sandalwood, and vanilla.

Vanilla is often paired with coconut as the two fragrances combine perfectly. The result is a perfect summer fragrance with enough warmth for cooler seasons.

Sensuous Nude exudes glamour and sophistication which makes it ideal for mature women, though there’s nothing to stop younger ladies wearing it too.

Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Spray Perfume

Indian Coconut Nectar is a beautiful blend of fresh coconut and delicate vanilla. I’ve chosen this one for those of you who love the smell of coconut and also love natural, cruelty-free fragrances.

Pacifica has created a perfect natural fragrance that 100% vegan and not tested on animals. It’s also free from parabens, phthalates and other unnatural ingredients that can be harsh on your skin. Even the alcohol base is natural and grain-free.

The perfect partnership of vanilla and coconut will make you think of sultry summer nights. It’s perfect for any age group, can be worn alone or layered over another fragrance for a unique scent.

Vanilla Coconut by Lavanila – The Healthy Fragrance

Lavanilla has created a winner with their Vanilla Coconut perfume. It’s handmade with totally natural and organic ingredients. Everything in this beautiful vanilla and coconut perfume is skin-friendly and environmentally friendly too.

Natural vanilla and coconut complement each other perfectly in this Healthy Fragrance perfume.

The key ingredients are hydrating coconut oil, nourishing goji berries packed with super-antioxidants and soothing, aromatic Madagascan vanilla.

This super vanilla and coconut perfume is perfect for every woman, but particularly those who care deeply about the products they spray on their skin.

Victoria’s Secret Coconut Passion

Coconut Passion by Victoria’s Secret is a sensuous blend of vanilla, coconut, and lily of the valley. The coconut is quite subtle, but definitely there.

This is a body mist rather than a perfume, designed to spritz on liberally after a bath or shower. It contains moisturizing aloe vera and calming chamomile to leave skin feeling soft and beautifully scented and is gorgeously soothing after a day in the sun.

Oahu Coconut Sunset Fragrance Mist

Oahu Coconut Sunset smells like paradise in a bottle. It has a fabulous tropical fragrance to fall in love with. It’s quite a light fragrance for spritzing as liberally as you like.

The coconut comes courtesy of coconut blossom and is blended with zesty bergamot for a really refreshing aroma. Tuberose, tiger lily and Hawaiian monoi make for a seductive middle whilst labdanum and amber add a sensual base.

Coconut Sunset is perfect for younger ladies on a summer evening out. With its sultry floral notes, it isn’t as heavy on the coconut as some of the other coconut fragrances.

Holiday Traditions Frosted Coconut Snowball Body Mist

Frosted Coconut snowball makes you think of winter yet this sweet coconut perfume spray has a really summery scent. It’s vanillary, sweet and sugary – a true gourmand, edible aroma.

As this is another light fragrance, you need to spray plenty on and top it up throughout the day.

Anyone who loves a sweet coconut scent will enjoy wearing this scrumptious body mist.

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Coconut Fizz EDT

Launched in 2019, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Coconut Fizz is the newest coconut-based perfume on this list. As an eau de toilette, it’s quite light and refreshing and can be partnered with other fragrances to create a layered effect.

The opening notes are coconut partnered with zesty bergamot. Sweet freesias make up the middle notes against a base of sandalwood and tonka beans.

Aqua Allegoria Fizz is an exotic, tropical fragrance that can be worn by men or women.

Bath & Body Works Waikiki Beach Coconut Fragrance Mist

Waikiki Beach Coconut by Bath and Body Works is a coconut scented perfume mixed with fruity florals. It’s definitely a fragrance with a summer beach vacation feel.

The top notes of coconut, sea notes and bamboo are what really make you think of the seaside. Passionflower, frangipani, and jasmine add a floral middle. Sandalwood adds a warm woody base.

Serge Lutens Un Boise Vanille

Un Bois Vanille by Serge Lutens is a vanilla and coconut perfume that has a coconut, spicy wood, and sweet vanilla opening – great for those who love a gourmand fragrance.

For a change, this is a coconut fragrance that’s more suited to winter than summer with notes of licorice, bitter almond, musk, guaiac wood, and tonka bean.

Men and women can wear Un Boise Vanille and it definitely feels like something you’d want to wear with a cozy roll-neck sweater.

Creed Virgin Island Water

Like all Creed fragrances, Virgin Island Water is exquisite and expensive. It has a tropical coconut and lime scent that’s perfect to wear in warmer weather.

The tops note is a zesty mix of lime and mandarin. The middle note is a florally with ylang-ylang and jasmine. The base is warm tropical wood and musk.

Virgin Island water is an intoxicating holiday fragrance aimed at men and women. Though it’s pricey, it has superb longevity so a little goes a long way.

Reb’L Fleur by Rihanna

Reb’l Fleur by Rihanna is a spicy fragrance that can be classed as a fruity chypre perfume and won’t fail to draw attention to the wearer.

It’s a sensual and alluring combination of coconut water, tuberose, red berries, plum, patchouli, peach, hibiscus, violet, amber, musk, and vanilla.

As perfume with coconut notes go, this is one of the most attractive to the opposite sex and is perfect for any woman to wear, especially on date night!

Calvin Klein Eternity Now EDT for Men

Eternity Now by Calvin Klein is a men’s coconut fragrance that’s powerful, exhilarating, and undeniably masculine.

It opens with spicy ginger, refreshing coconut water, and star anise. The middle notes are an addictive mix of starfruit, cedar leaf, and intense patchouli.

The base is a truly sensual marrying of Moroccan wood, tonka bean, and Madagascar vanilla.

Eternity now is a truly exotic and sensual fragrance that renders its wearer simply irresistible.

Which Perfumes Smell Like Coconut – Conclusion

There are coconut perfumes to suit a variety of people, for various occasions and at varying prices. If you are searching for a perfume that smells like coconut, there’s bound to be one that’s perfect for you in our top 12 list. Which one will you try?

I love shopping for a new fragrance but some people find it mind-blowing. Perfume is expensive but, fortunately, there are many amazing Eau de Parfums and Eau de Toilettes at more affordable prices. These can be similar in price so what is the real difference and is one better than the other?

Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette – what’s the actual difference?

In a nutshell, Eau de Parfum has a higher concentration of perfume oil than Eau de Toilette. This difference in strength makes Eau de Parfum last longer on your skin than Eau de Toilette.

Should you buy Eau de Parfum orToilette?

If you want a stronger smelling and longer-lasting fragrance, the choice is simple – buy Eau de Parfum. Eau de Parfum contains 15 to 20% perfume oil whereas Eau de Toilette has 5 to 15%. Eau de Parfum is often more expensive but it does have a better scent projection and longevity.

You might find that one brand of Eau de Parfum has the same concentration of perfume oil as another brand of Eau de Toilette. So make sure you check the ingredients.

Eau de Toilette vs Eau de Parfum price

The most expensive component of any fragrance whether it’s Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette or any other concentration, is the perfume oil. Hence, the higher the perfume oil concentration in your chosen scent, the higher the price.

If you buy an Eau de Toilette because it has a lower price than an Eau de Parfum, bear in mind you may find you use twice as much to achieve the desired scent projection and longevity because of the lower perfume oil content. You might get through the same-sized EDT twice as quickly as an EDP so not really save any money.

The Five Fragrance Concentrations

Now you know the difference between Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum you might like to know that fragrance actually comes in five different strengths – just to blow your mind that little bit more.

Keep reading and you’ll soon be buying and wearing your favorite fragrance like a pro.

Here’s a little infographic to help you visualize what we’re about to talk about.

Fragrance is simply perfume oil blended with alcohol and occasionally a tiny amount of water. The ratio of perfume oil to alcohol gives rise to five different fragrance strengths which have been named as follows, in ascending order of strength:

• Eau Fraiche
• Eau de Cologne (EDC)
• Eau de Toilette (EDT)
• Eau de Parfum (EDP)
• Perfume

1. Eau Fraiche

The term Eau Fraiche translates to fresh water, but there isn’t really any water in it to speak of. This fragrance type has the lowest concentration of perfume oil at just 1 to 2%.

What this means is that in a 100 ml bottle, 1 to 2 ml is perfume oil and 98 to 99 ml is alcohol. It’s the cheapest type of fragrance there is.

Eau Fraiche is light and refreshing to wear and its scent lasts for about 2 hours on your skin before it needs to be reapplied.

It suits a variety of people: those who don’t like strong scents, teenagers, and anyone who doesn’t want to spend too much on fragrance.

You can also wear it in situations where you really don’t want to overpower others with a strong fragrance.

2. Eau de Cologne (EDC)

The term Eau de Cologne literally translates to Cologne water. In 1709, an Italian designer living in Cologne, Germany created a light, fresh fragrance which he named after the city. Since then the name has been applied to any fragrance of similar strength.

Eau de Cologne has a concentration of between 2% and 5% perfume oil and lasts for about 4 hours before it fades. It is slightly stronger than Eau Fraiche but is still a light fragrance with a low scent projection. It is perfect for summer days and nights and won’t overwhelm or offend other people.

This fragrance type is usually inexpensive because of its low perfume oil content and is more affordable than the higher concentrations if you’re on a budget.

Contrary to popular belief, women’s and men’s fragrance comes in Eau de Cologne form – it’s not just for men!

3. Eau de Toilette (EDT)

Eau de Toilette means quite literally toilet water. But don’t worry, no water from toilets is used to make it – honest!

In French, toilette refers to “la toilette” of a woman, pertaining to the clothing and make-up she wears for a special event. So the term Eau de Toilette once referred to the perfumed water a woman applied before going out. Now it’s a fragrance type anyone can wear, not just women.

Eau de Toilette is the most common type of fragrance. With 5 to 15% perfume oil, it can last anywhere from 6 to 10 hours per application.

Eau de Toilette seems strong when it’s first applied but dries down fairly quickly to become a scent with a fairly low projection. You can apply it quite liberally without fear of overwhelming everyone you meet.

4. Eau de Parfum (EDP)

Eau de Parfum means perfume water. With a concentration of 15 to 20% perfume oil, it’s a reasonably strong fragrance that can last anything from 8 to 12 hours with one application.

The higher concentration of perfume oil means this fragrance type is that bit more expensive but you should need to apply less than you would an Eau de Toilette.

For daytime, 5 sprays are a nice amount but for a night out you can apply more for a stronger effect.

5. Perfume (Parfum)

The word perfume comes from the Latin “per fumus” meaning “by smoke”. This term came about because perfumes were originally released as fragrant smoke by burning incense.

Perfume has the highest concentration of perfume oils, generally 20 to 30% (and occasionally higher), making it the most expensive of the fragrance types.

Perfume should easily last on your skin for 12 hours and often longer. It’s not unusual to find you can still faintly smell it the next day.

As it’s so expensive, perfume is not something many people wear every day. They usually save it for special occasions. Often, people also buy the EDP or EDT version of their perfume for daily use.

Another difference between perfume and the other four fragrance types is that it is not applied via a spray – this would be a waste! Instead, it has a cork or screw top and should be dabbed onto pulse points.

Though it’s the most expensive type of fragrance, if you use it sparingly and store it in a cool, dark place, a bottle should last a long time.

Where to wear fragrance

Eau Fraiche, Eau de Cologne, and Eau de Toilette

Here’s a simple diagram showing you the best spots to apply fragrances with a lower perfume oil concentration in order to get the best out of them.

Any fragrance works best when applied to dry, warm skin. Ideal areas for application are the lower jaw, neck, chest, wrists, forearms, inner elbows, and shoulders. In these areas, body heat helps to project the scent and make it last longer.

Only use small sprays and only add another layer over the top if you’re sure you haven’t achieved a strong enough level of scent.

A good trick to increase how long fragrance lasts on your skin is to dab on a little petroleum jelly first. This absorbs the fragrance and locks it in to prevent it from evaporating so quickly. Another thing that helps your scent linger is to spritz it onto your hair and clothes.

Eau de Parfum

As it’s stronger, you won’t need to wear Eau de Parfum in all the spots shown in the diagram above. Start with wrists and neck and see how strong it seems. If you think you need more, apply it to one more site at a time and stop before you become that person who wreaks of too much scent!

Perfume

The best way to apply perfume is carefully and sparingly. It’s expensive so you don’t want to waste it! Put a dab of petroleum jelly on the pulse points of your wrists and kneck and then dab a little perfume on each spot. Do not rub your wrists together as this evaporates the scent more quickly.

When to wear each fragrance type

Eau Fraiche

Eau Fraiche can be worn at any time. Wear it on hot summer days, for a workout or when you just want a lighter scent. It’s refreshing and inoffensive.

Eau de Cologne

Wear Eau de Cologne in the same way as Eau Fraiche. It can be a little stronger but is a great everyday fragrance type.

Eau de Toilette

You can wear Eau de Toilette day or night. For more of an effect, spray on a bit more. A more intense Eau de Toilette is great for a night out or date night.

Eau de Parfum

As it’s stronger than the first three, Eau de Parfum is great for nights out, clubbing, dating and can be quite irresistible to anyone you might be trying to impress.

In the summer, Eau de Parfum can be a bit overpowering so save it for cooler weather.

Perfume

Perfume is expensive and special so save it for special occasions and when you really want to impress – think hot dates, valentines, engagements, weddings, Christmas and New Year.

Perfume doesn’t always cope well in hot weather and can leave you smelling more overpowering than sultry.

Fragrance jargon

You may have noticed your perfume has one scent as you apply it and then changes as the day goes on. This has nothing to do with the percentage of perfume oil or the quality of the scent but has everything to do with what we refer to as the fragrance notes.

Top notes or opening notes or head notes

These notes are the ones you notice when you first spray a fragrance. They are what really make you decide if you like it or not. They evaporate quite quickly as the fragrance dries.

Middle or Heart notes

As the top notes evaporate, the middle notes develop and are the ones you’ll notice for quite some time. They mingle nicely with the top notes to give the fragrance its heart.

Base notes

Once the top notes have completely evaporated you’ll notice the base notes intermingling with the middle notes. They create a lasting impression and will linger the longest of all the notes.

Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette? – Conclusion

If you want a reasonably strong fragrance at a reasonable price, you’ll be happy with the performance of Eau de Toilette – it’s the most popular fragrance out there.

If you’re after something with a light fragrance and light price to match go for Eau Fraiche or Eau de Cologne.

Eau de Parfum is the next best thing to perfume and doesn’t quite cost as much.

Perfume is the creme de la creme of fragrances and is perfect if you want a strong scent for a special occasion – brace yourself for the price though.

One last thing

After investing in a fragrance you might be interested to know the answer to the question Can Fragrance Go Bad?

Creed is one of the most talked-about fragrance houses today with people wondering why their products, especially Creed Royal Oud, are so expensive and if they live up to the hype. If you love Creed Royal Oud but can’t afford it, don’t despair as there are a few excellent clones and similar fragrances available.

Instead of inundating you with information about dozens of Creed Royal Oud clones, I have selected one that I believe smells so similar only a trained nose can tell the two apart, and another very close match – which is what you really want from a good clone. I’ve also chosen two fragrances that are not clones but have similar enough aromas to Creed Royal Oud at more affordable prices.

What is The Best Creed Royal Oud Clone? Lomani Intense Black is one of the best clones of Creed Royal Oud on the market for three reasons: it has a very similar fragrance, it is less than 10% of the price of Royal Oud, and it’s very nicely packaged.

The Fragrance Notes of Creed Royal Oud

It’s the notes that give a fragrance its unique scent. In Creed Royal Oud these are:

Top Notes

• Lemon
• Pink berries (AKA pink pepper)
• Bergamot

Middle Notes

• Cedar
• Galbanum
• Angelica roots

Base Notes

• Sandalwood
• Oud
• Tonkin musk

You’ll find more about these fragrance notes further down.

Why Fragrance clones exist

Lots of people love expensive niche fragrances. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford them which creates a market for copycat scents which are far less expensive than the real thing.

What do you get from the best Creed Royal Oud clones? Niche-style fragrance at a fraction of the price!

The Best Creed Royal Oud Clones

1. Lomani Intense Black

Lomani Intense Black is the best clone of Creed Royal Oud I’ve tested. Whoever created this clone has given us an amazing replication. Like Creed Royal Oud, Lomani Intense Black has exhilarating citrusy top notes of lemon and bergamot. It dries down to the same alluringly warm fragrance of wood and spice.

Fragrance Notes of Lomani Intense Black

• Top notes: lemon, bergamot, and pink berries (AKA pink pepper)
• Middle notes: cedar, galbanum, nutmeg, and herbal notes
• Base notes: sandalwood, agarwood (oud), white musk and incense

Why Lomani Intense Black is one of the best Creed Royal Oud clones

Lomani Intense Black has many of the same scent notes as Creed Royal Oud. These give it almost the exact same opening and dry down fragrance. You would have to be quite an expert to tell one from the other.

There is one blatantly obvious difference, however, but it’s not one that will disappoint you because it’s the price! To give you an idea, at the time of writing this article for the price of a 3.33 oz (100 ml) bottle of Creed Royal Oud, you could buy 30 same-sized bottles of Lomani Intense Black. That’s a huge difference. See the current price of Lomani Intense Black on Amazon.

2. Royalty by Alexandria

Alexandria Royalty is a relatively new fragrance that compares very favorably to Creed Royal Oud. It does have a very similar scent. The top notes are a little more citrusy than peppery but the base notes are close enough to make it a very wearable clone.

Fragrance Notes of Alexandria Royalty

• Top notes: lemon, bergamot, and pink berries (AKA pink pepper)
• Middle notes: angelica, galbanum, and cedar
• Base notes: sandalwood, agarwood (oud), and musk

Why Alexandria Royalty is a good Creed Royal Oud clone

Alexandria Royalty has many of the scent notes found in Creed Royal Oud. The lemon and bergamot are a little more powerful in the opening notes which suggests it has less pink berry oil in its composition. Once dried down, the lack of incense isn’t really apparent and it feels as nice to wear as Creed Royal Oud.

A particularly welcome difference is that Royalty seems to have better staying-power than Royal Oud. Again, this clone is cheaper but not as cheap as Intense Black.

This time the same price as a 3.33 oz (100 ml) bottle of Creed Royal Oud could buy 8 same-sized bottles of Alexandria Royal, so it’s still a great deal cheaper. You can find the latest prices on Amazon.

Similar Fragrances to Creed Royal Oud

1. Memoir Man by Amouage

Amouage Memoir Man has a very memorable fragrance as does Creed Royal Oud. It’s not a clone but is a scent that feels like it’s in the same league. Amouage has a reputation for using traditional Middle Eastern perfume ingredients such as agarwood, incense, musk, rose, and spices.

Fragrance Notes of Memoir Man

• Top notes: absinth, wormwood, basil, and mint
• Middle notes: rose, frankincense, and lavender absolute
• Base notes: sandalwood, vetiver, guaiac wood, amber, vanilla, musk, oakmoss, leather, and tobacco

Why Amouage Memoir Man is similar to Creed Royal Oud

Amouage Memoir Man is a fragrance masterpiece with a similar quality to Creed Royal Oud. An abundance of ingredients combine perfectly to give it a rich, woody and spicy aroma that will suit you if you like Royal Oud but fancy an alternative with the same high-class vibe. Remember, it’s not a clone but it is still quite a bit cheaper than Creed Royal Oud. Check out the current price on Amazon.

2. Gucci Pour Homme II

Gucci Pour Homme II is often compared to Creed Royal Oud. I had to find out why. Pour Homme II is like a subtler version of Royal Oud. It has the same citrusy bergamot top notes toned down by the light powdery bitterness of violets. The black tea note is cozy and almost reminds me of chai tee and the cinnamon gives it a sweet, spicy edge. The overall effect of Gucci Pour Homme II is a rich warm fragrance that is reminiscent of Creed Royal Oud, but not a clone.

Fragrance Notes of Gucci Pour Homme II

• Top notes: bergamot and violet leaves
• Middle notes: pimento, black tea, and cinnamon
• Base notes: tobacco leaves, musk, myrrh, and olive wood

Why Gucci Pour Homme II is similar to Creed Royal Oud

These two are similar because of the fresh bergamot aroma in the opening notes and the musk and wood scents in the base notes. Both can be classed as woody, spicy fragrances.

So if you like Creed Royal Oud you might like Gucci Pour Homme II as an alternative that gives off a similar vibe. A sure sign that this is a great fragrance is it’s often out of stock! You might be lucky enough to get your hands on a bottle! See the latest price on Amazon.

An explanation of Creed Royal Oud fragrance notes

It’s the perfect mix of ingredients that give Creed Royal Oud its spectacular aroma. But how? What is each ingredient and what does it add to the fragrance?

Creed closely guards the full list of ingredients because they don’t want to make it easy to copy. These are the ones they are happy to share. Guessing the rest is what makes the clones similar but not exactly the same fragrance.

Top notes

1. Lemon

The fresh citrusy lemon scent in perfume cones from lemon essential oil. The oil is cold-pressed from the lemon peel. It takes the peel from 450 lemons to produce 3 oz of lemon essential oil!

2. Pink berries or pink pepper

The pink berries used to produce the essential oil used in perfume come from the evergreen tree, Schinus Molle. They are sometimes referred to as pink pepper but are not related to peppers.

PIn berry essential oil has a fresh, intense, sweet-spicy aroma with a light floral note.

3. Bergamot

Bergamot is a fragrant citrus fruit from the Citrus bergamia plant. It is common throughout the Mediterranean and produces fruit the size of oranges and the color of limes. Unlike other citrus fruits, bergamot has a distinctive, heady fragrance that’s slightly acidic, bitter, spicy and floral.

The essential oil used in perfumes is cold-pressed from the peel. It takes about 100 Bergamot fruits to produce approximately 3 oz. of Bergamot Essential Oil.

Middle Notes

1. Cedar

Cedar has a clean, balsamic woody odor. The essential oil used in perfume is produced from the foliage, and sometimes the wood and roots.

2. Galbanum

Galbanum is a resin ingredient essential in the chypre family of fragrances and adds a distinctive spicy bitter green note It is extracted from an umbelliferous (umbrella-like) Persian grass.

3. Angelica roots

Angelica roots have an aroma of earth, musk, and pepper, with a hint of citrus. The essence of angelica roots is obtained through steam distillation.

Base Notes

1. Sandalwood

Sandalwood comes from trees in the genus Santalum class which are woody, flowering plants. It has a creamy, spicy and freshly cut wood aroma.

Sandalwood oil is extracted by steam distillation whereby steam is passed through the powdered wood.

2. Oud

Oud is an oil extracted from Southeast Asian agar trees. The tree must be infected with a specific mold (Phialophora parasitica), which causes it to react by producing a dark, scented resin. Infected wood is chipped then soaked in order to distill the oil from them.

OUd has a warm sweet woody aroma with balsamic notes. It’s an aromatic and complex scent.

Oud is possibly the most expensive wood in the world. Sometimes referred to as ‘liquid gold’, it is ounce for ounce more expensive than gold.

3. Tonkin musk

Tonkin Vietnamese pure musk oil is one of the rarest in the world and ounce for ounce is more expensive than gold. Musk is a strong-smelling secretion from a gland in the abdomen of male deer. The glands are harvested from deceased animals, chopped and soaked in alcohol to extract the required fragrance.

Musk has a strong, animalistic, woody, aroma. Most perfume makers now use only synthetic musk for obvious reasons.

A final word on Creed Royal Oud

If you’re after a Creed Royal Oud clone that’s a fraction of the price of the real deal, then I recommend you try Lomani Intense Black.

If you want something similar then Royalty by Alexandria is a good choice.

If you really want Creed Royal Oud but it’s the price that’s holding you back you could purchase a decant – a small vile decanted from a larger bottle and usually in 5, 10 or 15 ml sizes. Shop around on the internet for the best price but beware of fakes!

Fancy bottles and packaging may draw our eye to a fragrance but what actually makes us buy it is the scent. So when a popular scent we know and love suddenly doesn’t seem quite the same anymore it comes as a bit of a surprise.

Why are fragrances reformulated? Fragrances are reformulated for several reasons such as increased costs or decreased availability of ingredients, ingredients becoming classified as allergens, lowering the cost of producing the fragrance and appealing to a fresh audience. Reformulation can change the scent for the better, but not always.

Some fragrances are reformulated without any obvious changes but with others, the difference is really noticeable. We’ll take an in-depth look at all the reasons for reformulation in a moment. But first:

What is a reformulated fragrance?

A reformulated fragrance is one that’s recreated with a change to the original ingredients which are often referred to as the notes. The individual notes blended in specific quantities give the fragrance its unique aroma. Therefore, a company will only reformulate a fragrance for what it deems to be a necessary reason.

Sometimes ingredients become too rare and expensive, leaving a company with no alternative but to reformulate a fragrance with synthetic alternatives. Many of these synthetic ingredients are indistinguishable from the real thing, such as ambergris, but others do affect the overall scent.

Reformulating a popular fragrance is always a risky move as there’s no way of knowing how the fanbase will receive the changes. Sometimes they love it and sometimes they don’t. Here are a few scenarios and outcomes:

• The scent is unchanged – everyone’s happy.
• The scent is subtly altered in a good way – some people are still sad because it no longer smells like their favorite scent, some people embrace the change.
• The scent is noticeably different and some say it’s an improvement – true fans are distraught, however, new fans are won over by the new fragrance and it becomes their new favorite.
• The scent is different and not in a good way – no one wants to buy the reformulated scent and mourn the loss of what was a classic fragrance.

Occasionally, even though a reformulation doesn’t alter the scent of a fragrance it does change its projection or longevity on the skin.

Reasons Why Companies Reformulate Popular Fragrances

As touched on earlier there is more than one reason for reformulating a fragrance. Here they are in greater detail:

1. Banned and restricted ingredients

Oakmoss was a key ingredient in some of the most popular and profitable fragrances until industry regulators, the International Fragrance Association (IFA), restricted its use.

Testing showed it to occasionally cause skin complaints such as dermatitis. Perfume makers had to find an alternative to this strong, earthy-mossy aroma. Classis fragrances such as Chanel No 5 and Miss Dior were affected.

Oakmoss is an integral ingredient of all chypre and fougère scents for women and men. Chypre fragrances have citrus top notes and woody base notes of oakmoss and ambergris, while fougère fragrances have lavender top notes and oakmoss and coumarin base notes. 

Other ingredients have been banned or restricted for health or environmental reasons, including substances that have been used for centuries. These include:

• rose oil
• jasmine absolute
• spice extracts
• bergamot and other citrus oils

The list of banned and restricted ingredients is always under threat of change so there’s is no telling what great fragrances will become endangered by the reformulations this might necessitate in the future.

2. Cost Cutting

Reformulation can occur as a cost-cutting exercise. Companies are first and foremost interested in making a profit. If profit margins reduce they have to look at ways to increase them. Sometimes they lower the concentration of perfume in a fragrance and sometimes they swap expensive ingredients for cheaper ones. This does reduce production costs but, unfortunately, often alters the scent.

3. Keeping up with an everchanging market

The perfume market is ever-changing and sometimes a little reformulation breathes new life into a fragrance – enough to renew its popularity with the up and coming generation of fragrance buyers. If a classic is not selling anymore it has to move with the times or it might disappear altogether.

4. Ingredient shortages

Even if ingredients aren’t limited or banned by regulatory bodies, mother nature has her own way of necessitating changes. She sometimes naturally leaves the perfume industry in short supply of crucial ingredients.

Some ingredients are becoming extinct meaning their rarity hikes their prices beyond affordability. Perfume makers are left with no alternative but to replace ingredients that would simply make the fragrance unaffordable.

Ambergris is a classic example of a perfume ingredient that costs the Earth. It is very effective as an agent that fixes fragrance to our skin, making it last longer. Ambergris only forms in the intestines of sperm whales and pygmy sperm whales and then only in a very few of them.

Ambergris’ purpose is to trap indigestible items from the Whale’s diet, such as squid beaks. If and when it is expelled (through their rectum), Ambergris floats around in the ocean, sometimes for years, until it is washed up on to beaches. As it’s so rare, it costs a small fortune – in excess of $10,000 per pound.

When a different aroma isn’t caused by reformulation

Many fragrances contain natural ingredients and the scent of these cannot always be guaranteed to be exactly the same all the time. There will be subtle differences.

When a batch of fragrance is produced and bottled, the scent of every bottle should be the same. However, the next batch may vary ever so slightly because of subtle differences in the aromas of the perfume oils.

Quality control should ensure that perfume from one batch to the next smells virtually the same as, obviously, consistency is expected from its purchasers.

If you are regularly using a fragrance you probably won’t notice any difference from batch to batch but if you stop using it for a couple of years then go back to it you might think it has changed quite a bit and even suspect it has been reformulated.

Famous reformulations

1. Chanel N⁰ 5

Chanel N⁰ 5 has been around since 1921. It was reformulated in 2012 as soon as there was talk of banning the use of oakmoss. It has also incorporated changes to appeal to the preferences of a new audience who will hopefully grow with it. Many fragrance wearers today are too young to have experienced the aroma of the original Chanel N⁰ 5. I first tried it in the 1980s and today’s formulation really isn’t that different.

2. Oscar by Oscar de la Renta

Oscar by Oscar de la Renta came out in 1977. My friend’s mom wore this in the 1980s and I loved it. At the time I didn’t realize it was the combination of lavender, rosemary, and carnation, with sweet, powdery, musky base notes that made it so irresistible. I bought a bottle the moment I could afford it.

Today’s version of Oscar is definitely different from that late 1980s scent I bought but it’s still a beautiful fragrance.

3. L’Eau D’Issey by Issey Miyake

L’Eau D’Issey came out in 1992. I first experienced it in 1998. It has since been reformulated and there are mixed reviews from fans. Some say it is not the same and some say it doesn’t last so long on their skin. The bottle pictured above was bought about a year ago by my hubby and we both think its scent is as great as always and it seems to last as long too.

4. Angel by Thierry Mugler

Thierry Mugler Angel hit the perfume shelves in 1992 and became my mom’s new favorite. We still have a couple of bottles as pictured above. It has undergone a reformulation related to the oakmoss crisis but still smells the same to us.

5. Aramis by Estee Lauder

Aramis appeared in 1964 and is still around now. The reformulated version has less clove and the oakmoss has been toned down. It’s still a gorgeous fragrance.

Conclusion

There’s always a reason behind the reformulation of a fragrance but it’s not something a perfume maker usually discloses. Many fragrances have been reformulated over the years without us even knowing.

If your favorite fragrance changes and you don’t like it, move on – there’s not a lot else you can do and there’s definitely no point in sulking about it. The best thing you can do is get over it and have fun deciding on a new one.

Most of the time reformulated fragrances still have great aromas and continue to be as popular as ever.