TikTok has a super strong viral power that can make anything popular just by word of mouth. #Perfumetok is especially attractive. When I see a rave review of a perfume, I buy it without even smelling it.
One of the most beloved perfumes on TikTok is Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian ($325). It's touted as the official perfume of the “rich girl,” so you can expect endless compliments. This perfume has been featured in a lot of media, so it's definitely one of the internet's favorite perfumes, despite its high price tag. However, TikTok's beauty community is left waiting to find a knockoff of this perfume: Ariana Grande's Cloud ($70). I've heard plenty of debate about whether such a popular perfume really has a knockoff that's less than a third of the price, so I decided to try this perfume and finally settle the debate.
Baccarat Rouge 540 Notebook
This unique fragrance starts elegantly with rich amber and jasmine, while the addition of cedarwood keeps it quietly luxurious, and the lasting power is unmatched by any other fragrance I've tried.
Olfactory Family: Woody, Amber, Floral
Up: Jasmine, Saffron
heart: Cedar wood
base: The Ambergris Agreement
Cloud Note
Ariana Grande's acclaimed Cloud transforms upon application: first spritz reveals sweet praline and decadent vanilla orchid, but as it settles on the skin it reveals sophisticated woody musk – hence the comparison to Baccarat Rouge 540.
Olfactory Family: Warm, spicy, gourmet
Up: Lavender flowers, pear, bergamot
heart: Crème de coconut, praline, vanilla orchid
base: Musk, Blonde Wood
Ariana Grande
Cloud Eau de Parfum
Wearing time
One morning, I sprayed on Baccarat Rouge 540 before heading out for a busy day. As I was hugging my friend goodbye after the event (more than 10 hours after spraying on the perfume), she said, “You smell amazing!” This is certainly a testament to its incredible staying power. I'm the kind of person who likes to reapply a little perfume before an event or a night out, but one spray lasted me all day and into the evening. I told my friend that I was writing this story, and she agreed that although it was pricey, it couldn't compare to the original Baccarat Rouge 540.
Cloud has a sweeter, more youthful scent, but once it settles on the skin (after about 30 minutes) the scent mellows out and in my opinion smells very similar to Baccarat Rouge 540. This mellowed-out version lingers longer, but the lasting power is not as strong.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum
price
A 2.4 oz bottle of Baccarat Rouge 540 retails for $325, equating to $135 per ounce. A 3.4 oz bottle of Cloud retails for $70, equating to $23 per ounce, which is much more affordable.
verdict
To really put the two fragrances to the test, I conducted a blind survey of Who What Wear editors and staff, asking which scent they thought was more expensive and which they preferred. The overwhelming majority chose Baccarat Rouge 540 as the more expensive scent. (Blame their high fashion noses.) Their reasoning was that when first sprayed, Cloud smells so sweet that it doesn't feel expensive. However, as it dries down, they explained that the sweetness disappears and it smells almost identical to Baccarat Rouge 540. One editor even said that while she thought Cloud was less expensive, she preferred the sweet scent to the woody, spicy scent of Baccarat Rouge 540.
It is generally believed that Cloud is certainly an adequate imitation, especially when it comes to blending with the skin. But to be completely transparent, it's hard to beat the original. Baccarat Rouge 540 has staying power, so it's good that you don't need as much of it to smell the more expensive fragrance. But the difference between the two fragrances is almost (largely) Once fully blended into the skin, it becomes unnoticeable, so you might be the only person who notices you're wearing Cloud (unless you're surrounded by a group of beauty editors).
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This article was originally published earlier and has since been updated.
