Dossier Cologne Dupes Prove High-Quality Fragrances Can Cost $30
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Fragrance prices are skyrocketing. In 2021, the average price per bottle shot up 15% having grown 10% over the previous two years. No wonder Dossier, likely the world’s most popular low-cost scent seller, has grown so rapidly. Known for selling perfume dupes at a low cost, the affordable fragrance brand is now getting in on the cologne dupe game, mimicking the likes of Chanel, Dior and Tom Ford while offering musks for $29 rather than $200.
The best colognes – Yves Saint Laurent Y, Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace, Chanel Bleu – are iconic. They are also expensive. YSL’s Y costs $139 and far, far more of that money goes to marketing campaigns and fancy glassware than into ingredients. But ingredients are the key. Dossier’s scents are borderline indistinguishable from OG spritzes because they use similar ingredients rather than the synthetic frauds found at Marshalls and T.J. Maxx. It’s a business model that makes a sort of inevitable sense despite being at odds with the scent industrial complex’s past strategy (read: gouging).
Dossier is shameless in its approach to copying. The brand is built around a price-centric value proposition; Dossier does not tan in the light of a brand halo. Dossier is the Kirkland of the scent space and proud of it. They have a bigger audience than their ostensible competitors because of their economics.
What the Experts Say
“Every perfume, no matter which brand, costs only a few dollars to manufacture. When designer companies mark up their perfumes to the insane prices we see on the market today, what they’re really selling is exclusivity catered to the 1% of people who can afford to spend $200 on a bottle of perfume. ,” explains Dossier CEO Sergio Tache. “What sets Dossier apart is not only the price but the true quality of the product and transparency about what goes into every bottle. We’ve built a relationship of trust with our customers, and in turn, we’re able to offer them the unique opportunity to enjoy a variety of fragrances.”
Trust is the key thing. By embracing the role of copycat, Dossier has promised… verisimilitude. The copies are remarkably close. The colognes are not original, but no one would guess.
“We are unapologetic about creating scents that are inspired by luxury perfumes,” Tache continues. “These aren’t thrown together, knock-off perfumes. Instead, we’ve prioritized the same quality as their designer inspirations.”
Dossier Woody Sandalwood
This is the scent that put Dossier on the map. Woody Sandalwood is meant to mimic the pricier scent of Le Labo’s popular Santal 33. This $49 bottle (compared to Le Labo’s $192) shoots out a scent of the Indian Myrose variety of sandalwood with every spritz, offering a smooth unisex scent that turns heads.
The top notes include violet leaves and cardamom for a floral beginning, followed by middle notes of orris, ambrox, cedarwood, cypriol for a scent that mocks a walk in the meadow. Bottomed out with musk, sandalwood and amber for some masculinity, this scent has a cohesiveness that every fragrance wearer would love in their collection – without having to spend almost $200.
Testing determined that this bottle is the real deal. It really does copy Santal 33 better than one could imagine. This is a surefire dupe.
Dossier Woody Sage
Why It Stands Out: Imitating Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt fragrance at $100, Woody Sage is a $29 alternative that’s both minerally, salty and citrusy. As another unisex fragrance, this is a scent anyone can rock.
Made For: Conscientious savers who love Jo Malone but don’t want to spend $100 when they can spend $29 instead. And, dupe-lovers.
What Does It Smell Like?: Top notes of fig tree and grapefruit, middle notes of marine notes and ambrette, base notes of clary sage and amberwood.
BEST DIOR DUPE
Dossier Aromatic Star Anise
Why It Stands Out: This “spicy” is a dupe of Dior’s Sauvage, existing as a warm, inviting alternative with a hot kick. It’s long-lasting and has a night-and-day feel, so spray in the morning and keep it nearby for another spritz at night.
Made For: Unlike the two above, this is more of a masculine fragrance. A large majority of Dossier fragrances have a unisex makeup, but this one is definitely more male-oriented. Male conscientious savers, look no further.
What Does It Smell Like?: Top notes of bergamot, pepper and star anise, middle notes of lavender, nutmeg and geranium, base notes of patchouli, amberwood and vetiver.
BEST TOM FORD DUPE
Dossier Powdery Tobacco
Why It Stands Out: This versatile unisex scent is a copy of Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille, creating a warm, almost wintery scent that pairs well with a crackling fireplace and a bottle of bourbon. It’s definitely a funkier, foodier fragrance, but one that a multitude of wearers can enjoy.
Made For: While this is most certainly rooted in masculinity, the vanilla in here really confuses the nose. It’s specific and playful, perfect for funky dressers.
What Does It Smell Like?: Top notes of tobacco, ginger and apricot, middle notes of honey, vanilla and cocoa, base notes of tonka bean, dry fruits, blond woods. This sophisticated scent isn’t made for average fragrance-wearers. It has an older feel to it, maybe more made for someone in their 40s and up. Someone that wants to be taken seriously. Someone wise.
BEST CHANEL DUPE
Dossier Citrus Ginger
Why It Stands Out: This is a fruit-forward male scent with summer written all over it. It echoes Chanel’s Bleu de Chanel with a zesty and slightly spicy scent that is both energizing and uplifting.
Made For: This is a masculine scent with some feminine energy. It has a spring and summer feel.
What Does It Smell Like?: Top notes of peppermint, lemon and ginger, middle notes of vetiver, Pink pepper and nutmeg, base notes of sandalwood, incense and cedarwood. There’s a tropical essence caught in this dupe that makes this $29 bottle feel like a Bahamanian breeze.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dossier Cologne Dupes
Is Dossier legit?
Yes, Dossier is legit. The brand creates a number of impressive scents that are borderline impossible to tell the difference of when compared to the scents they mock.
What makes Dossier fragrances different from other fragrance brands?
Dossier is specifically created to make popular scents more affordable for the general public. This brand creates dupes to mock some of the world’s most sought-after scents at a cheaper price.
How much does Dossier cost?
Dossier scents start at $29. Prices are also seen at $39 and $49.
If I wear Dossier cologne on a first date, will it guarantee a second date?
Nope.