Expensive isn’t always better; that applies to makeup, furniture, fashion items like SKIMS, and even perfume. Over the past few years, I’ve been getting really into perfume dupes and trying to find scents I love for way cheaper than Sephora, Ulta, or department stores.
One brand I shop for more frequently than others is Dossier. I like their packaging, their return policy, and, most importantly, their scents. Plus, Dossier follows U.S. and E.U. guidelines for fragrances. Even better, their vegan and eco-friendly fragrances are 100% non-toxic and cruelty-free.
Below are my favorite perfume dupes from Dossier and some details about their pricing and how they compare to their more expensive counterparts.
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What is Dossier, and how are their perfume dupes so cheap?
Dossier is an online retailer that creates and sells cheaper alternatives for popular, high-end perfumes and colognes. Scents start at just $29. They’re able to sell perfume dupes at a lower price tag because it’s all direct to consumer and uses no middleman. Also, Dossier’s simple, generic packaging helps keep costs low.
And let’s be frank, these perfume dupes don’t have the same formulas as the name brands. You shouldn’t expect them to. But, some of them come pretty darn close. After all, there is no way to patent a particular smell.
While these luxe-influenced fragrances smell similar, or nearly identical to the original scent, I will say I’ve never found one that truly smells exactly the same. That being said, I only have one perfume I love enough to continue to purchase at full price (looking at you Roses de Chloé). But otherwise, I’m perfectly happing smelling wonderful in my luxury-inspired dupe for less than half the price.
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1. Save an additional 20% on Dossier perfume dupes when you buy in bulk.
Dossier often offers discounts when you buy more than one bottle of perfume dupes. Buy three to get 10% off, buy four to get 15% off, or buy five bottles to receive 20% off. When they run better sales, you can snag 20% off when you buy three bottles. I recommend waiting for that sale. It drops the $29 bottles to $23.20 each, which works out to $13.64 per ounce! (For context, you’ll see us referencing high-end fragrances that retail for $135 per ounce below). Dossier also offers free shipping when you buy three or more bottles.
2. You can return or exchange scents for free.
Scooping up five bottles of perfume to get that 20% off can seem daunting. What if you don’t like the scents you selected? Dossier offers free returns or exchanges and then donates the returned perfume to Give Back Box, a nonprofit that will then add them to their inventory to donate. So don’t fret if you aren’t sure if you’ll like a fragrance. Give it a try and if you don’t like it, use their simple return or exchange process.
3. Save 129% when you purchase the Baccarat Rouge 540 perfume dupes at Dossier.
Baccarat Rouge 540 costs $195 for a 1.2-oz bottle, which works out to be $162.50 per ounce. Dossier’s Baccarat Rouge 540 dupe, Ambery Saffron, costs $49 for a 1.7-oz bottle, or $28.82 per ounce. This means that Dossier’s dupe is about 82% cheaper than the original. When comparing the 2.4-oz Baccarat to the 1.7-oz Dossier, the savings is 129% per ounce.
Baccarat Rouge 540 is a fan favorite. It’s a pretty sophisticated scent that makes you think, “What is that?!” when you smell it. But at $195 for a 1.2-oz bottle, I start to lose interest in what it is that makes it smell so unique. The MFK Baccarat Rouge 540 works out to $162.50 per ounce (or you can spend $325 on a 2.4-oz bottle to pay a “cheaper” $135 per ounce).
Dossier’s Baccarat Rouge 540 dupe, called Ambery Saffron, rings in at $49 for a 1.7-oz bottle, or just under $29 per ounce. This represents a savings of about 82% compared to the original Baccarat Rouge 540. When comparing the 2.4-oz Baccarat to the 1.7-oz Dossier, the Dossier dupe offers a 129% savings per ounce.
The difference? The Dossier scent isn’t as jasmine-heavy and smells a little fresher (likely due to the oakmoss notes). The catch? It could have better-staying power. So if a long-lasting fragrance is the main thing you care about, it might be worth splurging on the original. But, I’m not sure it’s worth the extra $146 to have the scent last a few hours longer. I’d prefer to pay the $49.
4. Grab this YSL Black Opium dupe at Dossier for just $29.
YSL’s Black Opium is a sweet and warm scent that I really enjoy in the winter months. It rings up at $95 for a 1-oz bottle. Dossier’s Ambery Vanilla is $29, or $17 per ounce, a 139% price difference (saving you $78 per ounce). I’ve gotten the most compliments on this dupe than any other perfume I’ve ever worn, expensive or otherwise.
I will say, at first sniff, there is an obvious difference between the YSL Black Opium and Dossier’s Ambery Vanilla. When you first spray the YSL version, you get a distinct coffee and a slight chocolate scent. Dossier’s version doesn’t have that. But after a few minutes on your skin, they’re nearly identical. The Dossier version dries slightly sweeter than the Black Opium, but overall, I couldn’t tell a difference on my skin after about 10 minutes.
5. Shop this cheaper option of Dior J’Adore for about 1/4 the price.
J’Adore runs $100 for a 1-oz bottle. Fruity Jasmine is $29 for 1.7 oz, which works out to $17 per ounce, or 83% cheaper than the Dior original. I have to be honest with you, It’s tough for me to tell these two apart.
If I absolutely had to find a difference, I would say that maybe J’Adore has a slightly warmer floral note while Fruity Jasmine is a little cleaner or fresher. But I honestly had a hard time remembering which I sprayed doing the sniff test. I love Fruity Jasmine for a spring or summer scent, it’s really fresh and clean. I absolutely would choose the Dossier dupe over the original in this case, they’re that close.
6. Save 135% with this Thierry Mugler Alien perfume dupe.
Thierry Mugler’s Alien scent is so unique and one of my favorites. At $89 for a 1-oz bottle, I don’t cringe nearly as much as other fragrances on this list when swiping my card at checkout. But I can do better. Dossier’s Ambery Cedarwood is just $29 ($17 per ounce) and I can accept that price point even more! The Dossier dupe gets you a savings of 135% off the original per-ounce fragrance price.
Alien has stronger jasmine notes than its Dossier dupe, but overall I think after they dry down they are almost identical. I do really love jasmine, so I still like the original a tiny bit more than the dupe. But to be honest, I’ll continue buying the dupe to save money because they are that close.
7. Get this ‘Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume’ dupe at Dossier for just under $30.
This one was spot-on for me. Dossier’s Musky Musk lasts longer than some of the other dupes I’ve tried and I still smell it on my clothes at bedtime. And at $29, or $17 per ounce, it’s 112% cheaper per ounce than Juliette Has a Gun’s Not A Perfume, which rings in at $105 or $61 per ounce.
To be honest, some people love this scent, and some people hate it. I personally love it and think it smells like a combination of clean and smoky. I used to wear Juliette Has a Gun’s version a little over five years ago and bought the Dossier version for some nostalgia. I am so glad that I did!
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