Kenzo Amour is my girl by far, I love it, and no flanker in the Amour collection even comes close to the original for me.

That said, I was never a fan of the Flower by Kenzo line. I find the violet in the OG way too prominent and strong, and violet is one of my least favourite notes. And most flankers always looked kind of generic to me.

But last year they launched Flower Ikebana Indigo, and for the first time I was genuinely interested in the collection, because the notes, ink, iris, and vanilla, are absolutely my thing. Since around 2022–23, ink has become one of my favourite notes, and a vanilla/ink combination is more often than not a hit for me.

I purchased a travel size some time ago, and this was no exception. It is so, so, so good. Floral and powdery, but in a dark, wet, mineral kind of way. It’s also very clean, especially in the opening, and then becomes more ambery and sweet as it develops. If this perfume were a colour, it really would be this indigo.

If anyone loves Supreme Vanilla by Zara and is looking for a spring/summer alternative, I’d definitely suggest checking this out. It’s beautiful and scratches the exact same part of my brain.

So, a month or so ago, I blindly bought the Scent Nº 03 Tailored Blazer from the Zara site. I haven't heard a lot about it, not a lot of noise about the collection as a whole, to be honest, at least in the spaces I frequent. But this one here has been going around as an alternative to You by Glossier.

I'm not extremely familiar with You, tbh, I’ve smelled it on others and I sampled it once from a girl at my uni who had it, and that’s about it. That said, I think I enjoy this one more than You. I’m not sure it’s actually that similar as a dupe normally is, at least on my skin. I could see it being a greener, more unisex flanker of the You collection than a clone for the OG You.

There is that same pencil shaving note on both of them, but this one is more citrusy and aromatic than You and not ambery or powdery enough, from what I remember. Even when the bergamot starts to settle, and the musk takes over, that green, aromatic quality is still there, just not as fresh. It becomes more musky and dry, even though still aromatic and fresh. I don't know how else to explain it. It just has a dry feeling from that pencil-shaving note, and even though it's more musky, it's still fairly aromatic.

It’s very unisex, very clean, and a very everyday, safe smell. It didn’t exactly blow my mind, but it has something... I don't know. I really like it, and I can see it being a go-to for warmer weather. I haven't smelled the rest of the collection, but this one definitely has a 90s feel. I can’t quite pinpoint why, but the scent evokes a very minimal, clean working girl that wears a blazer over a slip dress and sneakers, boots or oxfords, 90s vibe.

It's a skin scent, btw. The perfume lasts about 4-5 hours on skin, and the sillage isn't anything to write home about, but it's there. After about 2 hours, personally, I become blind to the smell, but the boyfriend comments on it, so it's still there. And it definitely is there on the clothes even the next day, but only if you smell them closely.

It's in the same realm as Fleur de Peau and Glossier You as a smell, and it's one of the most unisex smells of this nature. If someone enjoys this type of perfume and wants skin scents and similar products that don't overwhelm, you'll probably like this one.

Have you tried it or any of the other scents of the collection?

Ok, recently I bought a perfume from Verset because I saw people saying it’s a dupe of the original Narciso Eau de Parfum (the white cube), and it got me thinking, so, I’m curious what the general consensus is on this.

Personally, I’m not really against dupe companies. I know some people are, but at the same time, many of the most popular “dupe houses” like Lattafa, Zara, also release original scents, and many of them are genuinely great.

Also, perfumery in general has been very trend-following for some years. We could argue all day about whether it’s okay for companies to profit off other perfumers’ ideas, but at the same time, a lot of designer and even luxury houses are doing the same thing, just in a more “polished” way. Many fragrances today are clearly built around already popular or classic DNAs and existing smells.

Anyway, as I said, I personally don’t have that big of an issue with it.

Back to my original point. I bought a Verset fragrance because people said it dupes the original Narciso, and yes, Vivian is very, very close to this discontinued favourite. A lot of reviews say the same thing, people are excited to have something similar again.

And that made me think that I would love it if more of these brands (dupe or even designer/luxury) focus on recreating discontinued fragrances and DNA's instead of constantly chasing current trends.

I know that there is not much luck in that, following trends certainly brings more money. But I would love to see it. A lot of perfumes didn’t get discontinued because they were bad or unpopular. Sometimes it’s reformulations, limited editions and collections, shifting trends, or just weird business decisions. Yes, some were flops, but others weren’t.

I can only imagine the chaos a good dupe of Theorema, Whispers in the Library, or Stella would cause.

Anyway, just some thoughts, I’d be really interested to hear what other people think about this.

Making a moodboard about perfumes is my favourite thing. The number and nature of pictures smells bring is pretty unique.

I purchased L'Ombre Dans L'Eau some days ago, and it's truly spectacular. The moment I smelled it, this is the mood that came to my mind.

It is a bitter-green scent with a tart fruitiness and an almost ethereal quality. It’s the smell of nature that takes over. Bitter flowers, damp green leaves, and juicy berries. It’s a bit melancholic and sad, tbh. It's a rainy spring day.

It’s that time of the year again when Korres perfumes become my go-to.

They are mostly EDTs (only one is EDP), but considering their price, the fact that they’re the most popular and easy-to-find drugstore fragrances in Greece, and that they’re designed mainly for warmer weather, late spring to early fall is their time of year. They’re not cloggy, and the bottles are very sturdy and safe to carry around. So I wanted to share them!

Aegean Bronze — Korres (EDP)

It’s strictly a summer fragrance. But it’s the summer fragrance.

It’s the kind of scent I could imagine in an expensive sunscreen or tanning lotion, with glitter and all that. It’s not “Aegean Bronze” because it smells like the Aegean Sea, sun, and fig trees, but it does smell like vacations.

It’s an all-day, everyday holiday scent: from the beach straight to the bar at night, still with salt in my hair. For two years in a row, this (with its glittery bronze body lotion) has been my only fragrance on summer vacation because I don’t want to carry a lot of stuff.

Sugar, vanilla, and sand are the most prominent notes to me. The florals aren’t that dominant, you get a hint of plumeria, but that’s about it. It has a very beachy, salty, summery, creamy-sweet scent, with a faint touch of coconut even though it’s not listed. The citrus notes aren’t distinct, but they’re definitely there as a general freshness.

Even though it’s warm, sweet, and creamy, it still feels very fresh.

Yes, it doesn’t last very long, but this is purely a summer vacation scent. I don’t even see it as suitable for a summer night in the city. It’s made for very hot, salt-breeze weather. It doesn’t have EDP longevity, but it’s not expensive, not suffocating, and paired with the body lotion the performance is decent. I just reapply it. On hair it lasts quite well. It’s a throw in your bag and reapply every 2–3 hours on an island fragrance. That’s what it is. It's not a "perfume" perfume.

Cashmere Kumquat — Korres (EDT)

The more playful and fresh little sister of Alien.

If you like white florals like orange blossom and neroli, almond, and aromatic citrus, this is for you. If you’re an Alien lover but find it too heavy for warmer weather or daytime, this also works.

In my opinion, it’s a slightly lighter, fresher, more wearable version of that DNA. I can easily wear it from morning to night, all year round (during Summer maybe only at night). It’s a white floral fragrance with warm cashmere and citrus that is more noticeable in the opening but stays present throughout.

The citrus isn’t sharp or acidic. It’s more aromatic bc it's kumquat and orange, with a base of vanilla and almond. The cashmere note makes everything feel rounded and warm.

Kumquat, as a fruit, fresh, in liquers or in spoon sweets, is sweet and slightly tart, almost lemon-like but without the sharp acidity, and slightly piney. Here, that aspect is toned down, orange is more dominant, but I still think this is a hidden gem. Also, great longevity for an EDT.

Lefko — Korres (EDT)

It smells like innocence and purity. It also smells like your grandmother’s freshly washed laundry hanging in the sun in the garden. And I mean all of that at once: the flowers in the garden, the detergent, the sunshine, the feeling of your grandmother’s home, everything.

It’s more soapy at the beginning, but it settles into a warm, powdery, musky clean scent that still feels soft and comforting. I consider it unisex, even though it’s very delicate. It smells like a sunny morning around Easter, bright light, crisp air, and white laundry in a village garden at your grandma's house.

It has quite decent longevity for an EDT at this price point, and I find the sillage better than the average EDT for the first 2–3 hours as well. People around me often smell it and comment on it. Also, yes, it is a great Blanche dupe.

Bellflower — Korres (EDT)

It smells ✨pretty✨. I don’t know how else to describe the vibe.

It’s a green, woody, citrusy, fresh, slightly spicy floral fragrance. I’d call it safe overall, not boring, but not reinventing anything either. I’ve seen people say it’s a good dupe for The Beat, but I haven’t tried it, so I can’t confirm. Both are discontinued anyway, although I saw Korres hinting at a relaunch under a slightly different name, not sure what is going on.

It has a very clean, almost crystal-like opening, not soapy though. That’s why even though it’s not the most innovative scent, it still has something I personally gravitate toward.

The dry down becomes more powdery, woody, and warm, turning into a cozy skin scent while still staying floral and bright. Very easy everyday fragrance for all seasons, but best in spring.

Moderate sillage, decent longevity for an EDT.

White Tea — Korres (EDT)

My baby🥺

I also included it in my favourite spring perfumes post a few days ago. It’s a scent I can’t imagine myself without. It was my first perfume ever at 13, when the original version came out in 2011.

It’s a clean, fresh, slightly earthy white floral. My go-to for warmer spring days and warm autumn ones. It’s incredibly pretty and clean, but not soapy, very delicate floral. The dry down is powdery, woody, and slightly mossy musk. Just very easy, very comforting, and effortless.

Ok, the post is long, but I have thoughts.

I bought Her Confession. I found it on sale, so I said why not, it was already relatively affordable, and with 40% off it was easy to grab. Blanche Bête is a perfume I had been eyeing since it came out, but it wasn’t easy for me to find samples or decants. I knew a store in another city that carries niche perfumes and has Les Liquides Imaginaires, so I planned to go there and try multiple scents, not just BB.

I had also seen that Her Confession is supposedly a dupe for Blanche Bête, which is why I was so eager to buy it, even without smelling BB first.

Her Confession

So HC arrived and I smelled it and… ok, I guess. It’s one of the perfumes ever made.

On paper I should like it. I am a tuberose lover, which I know many people aren’t (Do Son is peak fragrance imo). I also love vanilla and incense, and in general I am a fan of sexy perfumes of that nature. Sure, they aren’t my go-to all the time, but I like them.

Good things first: it lasts A LOT and also has very good sillage, very good. I showered and it was still fucking there, pardon my French. I could smell it on my clothes obviously, and the dry down was still on my skin the next morning after I showered and slept!!!

Now the smell.

• Top Notes: Cinnamon and Mystikal
• Middle Notes: Jasmine, Tuberose, Incense and Mahonial
• Base Notes: Tonka Beans, Musk and Vanilla

I have no idea why they put cinnamon in the top notes when they clearly wanted to make a BB dupe. I don’t get it. The cinnamon is there from the first spritz and stays for hours (granted is prevelant only on the skin, not in the air, but it's there and sharp af). I like cinnamony perfumes btw when they are done correctly, but here it has that spiciness that stays in the nose and is kind of irritating. Like when you are grinding cinnamon and you inhale a little and it burns. That's the feeling when you put your nose close to your skin!

I will get to BB as well, but the cinnamon note is the biggest difference and one of the very few different notes. BB has cocoa in the base note while HC has cinnamon in the top ones, that is the biggest difference pretty much.

The rest of the perfume is very creamy, very milky, sweet, not as airy tbh. I find it relatively clogging. And quite messy. With the exception of the cinnamon, all the other notes are very much indistinguishable. It’s a creamy, ambery, vanillic white floral. I know it sounds like I hate it, I don’t, but I find the smell so, so, so underwhelming. And even if it wasn’t a BB dupe, it still had insanely raving reviews, and I personally find it mid and kind of messy.

Plus, the vanilla has the same ambery scent that Immortal Vanilla by Zara and Vanilla Powder by Matiere Premiere have. Actually, it’s a note very prevalent in many Zara perfumes, like the coffee gourmand and the line with the cocoa, and I find it very heavy and kind of off.

The smell in no way has this beautiful, sexy, heavenly, feminine, magical, mystical aura that people were raving about. Or maybe my take on these things is completely different.

So, I got it, I smelled it, and I immediately wanted to see if it really is a BB dupe. Because if it wasn’t, like some reviews were saying, then too bad, but if it was, that was even worse.

So I had a doctor appointment in Athens and I was like, great, I’m going to go to the store that has Les Liquides Imaginaires to smell it, because at that point I was more curious than before.

Blanche Bête

And I went, and I smelled it, and it was a relatively good dupe and I am so confused.

BB’s notes are:

• Top notes: Milk, Ambrette (Musk Mallow) and Mystikal
• Middle notes: Tuberose, Jasmine, Incense and Mahonial
• Base notes: Vanilla, Musk, Tonka Bean and Cacao

The biggest difference, as I said above, is definitely the cinnamon. Yes, there is no milk in HC, but the tuberose makes it similarly creamy to BB. Yes, BB is slightly more musky than HC from the start, and the dry down is similarly musky, but BB has a skin-like quality from the start, which makes sense since it has ambrette in the top notes.

The cinnamon though, along with the tonka beans, makes HC much, much spicier than BB on the skin. Yes, BB, because of the coumarin in the beans, is also spicy, but in no way as sharp.

BB is much better when you smell it on the skin, like really put your nose on your skin. It’s better blended, more rounded, less sharp.

But… guys, in the air, you can’t tell the difference. They are identical. It is insane.

BB is also blended to oblivion. It’s also a creamy floral sweet ambery concoction. It has the same cloggy feeling that HC has, even though the smell on the skin is better.

I don’t get where all these airy, heavenly, mystical, magical descriptions are coming from.

Oh, forgot to mention that both have a coconutty feeling for some reason, among all this creamy mess.

I am glad people are liking it so much, but definitely not for me. I have the same feelings as I had with BR540 and its clones, it is baffling that this type of DNA is that popular.

Idk, I am curious to hear experiences with both of them.

On a happier note, Tapis Volant is insanely good, and it’s what I imagined smelling Blanche Bête would feel like! Smells like a dream.

P.S: I hate Her Confession's bottle. I find it so so kitsch. It feels good quality it is sturdy and heavy and feels ceramic, but still I really don't like this aesthetic. (Also, excuse my HC's box, I squezed it in some places🥲)

Favourite Spring Perfumes ✨

^((Which happen to be mostly affordable!))

Zara – Waterlily Tea Dress

I love this so much. The bergamot really stands out here. Super aromatic and zesty. It’s green without that sharp, tart, or sour freshness you might expect from citrus. While it’s definitely citrusy, there is a subtle, rounded sweetness to it.

The mint is a playful, quiet twist. It isn’t that blast of cold you find in shampoo or gum, you only really notice it if you get close to the skin after it dries down. It eventually becomes more musky and powdery, but still stays cooling and zesty. Just delicious.

Zara – Elegantly Tokyo

This is a stunningly realistic white floral. It’s hard to pin down as strictly jasmine or lily, but it feels "realistically white", like a fresh bouquet. It has a beautiful, woody feel, slightly green and chilled.

It dries down spicier. To me, this is the ultimate spring perfume, though it isn't exactly "airy." The Akigalawood gives it an earthy, grounded quality rather than a sweet, bright, white floral vibe.

Diptyque – L’Ombre Dans L’Eau (Eau de Toilette)

This is a true beauty, and a full size is definitely on my wishlist (it's expensive tho🥲). It is a bitter-green scent with a tart fruitiness and an almost ethereal quality. It reminds me of a tiny, forgotten church in the middle of nowhere during spring, surrounded by running water.

There is something distinctly "church-like" about it, like the ghost of olibanum or incense lingering in old wood. But it’s subtle, it’s the smell of nature that takes over. Bitter flowers, damp green leaves, and juicy berries. It’s a bit melancholic and moody, tbh. It's for those grey, rainy spring days when the weather isn’t quite good.

Korres – White Tea

Clean, fresh, and earthy white floral. This is my go-to for warmer spring days (and warm autumn ones). It’s incredibly pretty and clean, but not soapy, it's a very dainty floral. The dry down is a mix of powdery, woody, and almost mossy musk. It’s just very easy to wear.

What are some of the best spring perfumes in your opinion?

My Favourite Spring Perfumes ✨

(Which happen to be mostly affordable!)

Zara – Waterlily Tea Dress

I love this so much. The bergamot really stands out here. Super aromatic and zesty. It’s green without that sharp, tart, or sour freshness you might expect from citrus. While it’s definitely citrusy, there is a subtle, rounded sweetness to it.

The mint is a playful, quiet twist. It isn’t that blast of cold you find in shampoo or gum, you only really notice it if you get close to the skin after it dries down. It eventually becomes more musky and powdery, but still stays cooling and zesty. Just delicious.

Zara – Elegantly Tokyo

This is a stunningly realistic white floral. It’s hard to pin down as strictly jasmine or lily, but it feels "realistically white", like a fresh bouquet. It has a beautiful, woody feel, slightly green and chilled.

It dries down spicier. To me, this is the ultimate spring perfume, though it isn't exactly "airy." The Akigalawood gives it an earthy, grounded quality rather than a sweet, bright, white floral vibe.

Diptyque – L’Ombre Dans L’Eau (Eau de Toilette)

This is a true beauty, and a full size is definitely on my wishlist (it's expensive tho🥲). It is a bitter-green scent with a tart fruitiness and an almost ethereal quality. It reminds me of a tiny, forgotten church in the middle of nowhere during spring, surrounded by running water.

There is something distinctly "church-like" about it, like the ghost of olibanum or incense lingering in old wood. But it’s subtle, it’s the smell of nature that takes over. Bitter flowers, damp green leaves, and juicy berries. It’s a bit melancholic and moody, tbh. It's for those grey, rainy spring days when the weather isn’t quite good.

Korres – White Tea

Clean, fresh, and earthy white floral. This is my go-to for warmer spring days (and warm autumn ones). It’s incredibly pretty and clean, but not soapy, it's a very dainty floral. The dry down is a mix of powdery, woody, and almost mossy musk. It’s just very easy to wear.

What are some of the best spring perfumes in your opinion?

So, I blind bought Tailored Blazer from the new Zara SCENT collection. Considering it's supposed to be a Glossier You dupe, I haven't heard a lot about it, not a lot of noise about the collection as a whole, to be honest, at least in the spaces I frequent.

I'm not extremely familiar with You, TBH, I’ve smelled it on others and I sampled it once from a girl at my uni who had it, and that’s about it. That said I enjoy this one more than You.

I’m not sure it’s actually that similar. I could see it being a greener, more unisex flanker of the You collection, than a dupe for the OG You. There is that same pencil shaving note on both of them, but this one is more citrusy and aromatic than You and not ambery or powdery enough, from what I remember.

Even when the bergamot starts to settle and the musk takes over, that green, aromatic quality is still there, just not as fresh. It becomes more powdery, musky and dry, even though still aromatic and fresh. I don't know how else to explain it. It just has a dry feeling because of that pencil shaving note.

It’s very unisex (more than You, like a true unisex), very clean, and a very everyday, safe smell. It didn’t exactly blow my mind, but it has something... I don't know. I really like it, and I can see it being a go-to for warmer weather. I haven't smelled the rest of the collection, but this one definitely has a 90s feel. I can’t quite pinpoint why, but the scent evokes a very minimal, clean working girl that wears a blazer over a slip dress and sneakers, boots or oxfords, 90s vibe.

It's a skin scent, btw. The perfume lasts about 4 hours, and the sillage isn't anything to write home about, but it's there. After about 2 hours, personally, I become blind to the smell, but the boyfriend comments on it, so it's there.

So, I blind bought Tailored Blazer from the new Zara SCENT collection. Considering it's supposed to be a Glossier You dupe, I haven't heard a lot about it, not a lot of noise about the collection as a whole, to be honest, at least in the spaces I frequent.

I'm not extremely familiar with You, TBH, I’ve smelled it on others and I sampled it once from a girl at my uni who had it, and that’s about it. That said I enjoy this one more than You.

I’m not sure it’s actually that similar. I could see it being a greener, more unisex flanker of the You collection, than a dupe for the OG You. There is that same pencil shaving note on both of them, but this one is more citrusy and aromatic than You and not ambery or powdery enough, from what I remember.

Even when the bergamot starts to settle and the musk takes over, that green, aromatic quality is still there, just not as fresh. It becomes more powdery, musky and dry, even though still aromatic and fresh. I don't know how else to explain it. It just has a dry feeling because of that pencil shaving note.

It’s very unisex (more than You, like a true unisex), very clean, and a very everyday, safe smell. It didn’t exactly blow my mind, but it has something... I don't know. I really like it, and I can see it being a go-to for warmer weather. I haven't smelled the rest of the collection, but this one definitely has a 90s feel. I can’t quite pinpoint why, but the scent evokes a very minimal, clean working girl that wears a blazer over a slip dress and sneakers, boots or oxfords, 90s vibe.

It's a skin scent, btw. The perfume lasts about 4 hours, and the sillage isn't anything to write home about, but it's there. After about 2 hours, personally, I become blind to the smell, but the boyfriend comments on it, so it's there.