I tried Zara’s £20 perfume ‘dupe’ of £215 Baccarat Rouge 540

I first smelled Baccarat Rouge 540 after receiving a 1.5ml sample of Baccarat at London Fashion Week two years ago and was hooked on the rich scent. I’d have happily gone out and bought myself a bottle if it wasn’t for the price tag.

The French perfume is priced at €215.00 (approximately £185) for a 70ml bottle. British retailers such as John Lewis and Harvey Nichols sell the famed perfume for £182.75 and £215.00 respectively. While I love the smell, it’s a price tag I can’t justify.

However, TikTok beauty influencers say they have found a dupe which is “exactly the same smell” – and I knew I had to try it for myself.

In a video, TikTok influencer Mia Rothwell (@Miaarothwell) said: “I saw that everyone on TikTok was talking about Zara Red Temptation being a dupe of Baccarat Rouge and oh my God it is. They are exactly the same smell. I can not believe it. Run to Zara and get this. It’s amazing.”

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What are the similarities between Baccarat Rouge 540 and Red Temptation?

Both Red Temptation and Baccarat Rouge 540 have a unique smell, which is both sweet and woody. According to experts from Fragrantica, the top notes of Baccarat Rouge 540 are saffron and jasmine, middle notes are amberwood and ambergris, and base notes are fir resin and cedar.

The main accords of the Maison Francis Kurkdjian perfume are woody, amber and warm spicy. The scent also has fresh spicy, aromatic, animalic and metallic accords. Comparatively, the top notes of Red Temptation are sweet and saffron, middle notes are jasmine and fruits, and base notes are patchouli and cedar.

The main accords of Red Temptation are sweet, warm spicy, patchouli, and woody. The scent also has earthy, metallic, leather, white floral, balsamic and fruity accords.

Conclusion

The Zara Red Temptation perfume meant I saved a whopping £162 than if I had bought Baccarat Rouge 540 from John Lewis, which was a happy saving.

Of course, the smells are not identical, and there are some differences between the two. Most notably, to my nose, the Baccarat Rouge 540 smelled stronger and had more elevated notes. The Zara perfume also does not last nearly as long on my skin, although I can still smell it on certain items of clothing a day after wearing it.

However, Red Temptation has a unique, rich smell and given the price tag, it’s been a perfect everyday perfume. Plus, I’ve gotten lots of compliments.