A fraghead is someone who collects, reads about and discusses fragrances. Simply said, a person who loves to inquire, read, and discuss perfumes in more detail other than 'this smells good/this smells bad'.
I believe I tick those boxes, although this is just a self-diagnosis. Buying perfume is an expensive vice or hobby (depending on where you are in your fragrance obsession) so some brands are not enticing enough for me to try, especially niche and high-end designers like Tom Ford and Diptyque. So what I do is go to clone houses.
Clone house - Perfume brands that specialize in creating clones or duplicates of scents of more 'expensive' brands/houses.
Here are 3 local clone houses that you should keep on your radar
Eternal Scents and Fragrances
Safe to say this might be my favourite local clone brand as of the moment. The glass bottle is simple and easy to stack -albeit being pretty basic and devoid of imagination. That said, this is the longest wearing perfume and 'closest to the real thing' that I own.
I've tried US clone brands that are close to their inspiration as well and while I like those immensely, this brand is pound for pound or drop for drop(?) better. Mostly because it's easier to acquire. The presentation is (box, ribbons, and hand-written note from the owner) *chef's kisses* as well.
The roster of scents is quite large in my opinion, they have Tom Ford, Diptyque, MFK, and Le Labo for the niche and Chanel, Dior, etc for the higher-end lines. Some celebrity brands and designers are there as well, but personally if you're going for clones, go for the clones of high-end or niche.
Talking about the fragrance itself, there might be some sharpness in the scent or a note or two differences. Despite that, to a casual fraghead (or non-fraghead), their mixes are pretty good copies. Longevity is approximately 6+ hours
I recommend Eternal Scents for people who want a cheaper backup or every-day version of their pricey fragrances. Shhhh! They won't know the difference!
Price range : ₱450 - 550
Store link : eternalscentsmnl.com
Symmetry Lab
I don't have much experience with Symmetry Lab compared to Eternal (where I have had more than 4 scents in total), I only have this one clone of Carolina Herrera Good Girl.
Let's start with packaging. First of -the bottle design is gorgeous. The all black square bottle is visually different from most local clones. Topping it off is a nice wooden cap, very reminiscent of Nasomatto. The box itself lends a bit more credibility and adds to the over-all brand presentation.
As for the scent, at first it was more alcohol-heavy than I expected. It also didn't last long and didn't project. So I kept it in my closet for a few weeks. Tried it again in cooler weather and it fared much better- stronger and more projection. Definitely less alcohol in the first spray and lasted longer over-all (approximately 4-5 hours). Please note that I spray quite heavily, a minimum of 5 sprays in total for all my fragrances.
I read this particular scent is very close to the original, which prompted me to get it. Bottomline? It's a pretty solid introduction to the scent without shelling out a lot of money. Symmetry also produces popular niche as well as designer fragrances, similar to Eternal Scents, though the latter has a wider range of offerings.
I recommend Symmetry Lab for people who are looking for an over-all good scent in display-worthy packaging. Great for gifting because of the box!
Price range : ₱499 - 1,250
Store link : shopee.ph/symmetrylabph
Le Fofo
Like Symmetry, I only have one scent from this brand but that's enough for me to sing its praises.
Housed in a plastic tub, inside a velvet pouch is this cylindrical bottle and "Sauvage" cap. To be honest they really got me with this unique bottle design. I've only ever seen this type of bottle in designer brands. The label is quite simple, maybe a bit 'cheap-feeling' but the over-all look is good for gifting.
What I do like about this particular scent is the oil content and the fragrance itself. It's a clone of a discontinued fragrance of By Killian. That day I was looking for a coconutty scent that I could layer with my other fragrances, to get the 'beach sun tan/sunscreen lotion' vibe and I heard that By Killian Love The Way You Feel was a great scent for that particular profile.
While this doesn't say much in the projection department, it makes up for it in the longevity office. (*sorry*)Lasts for about 4-5 hours on my skin, but layered with another fragrance lasts up to 6+.
This brand is lovingly hand-made with the perfume oil flown from Dubai!
I recommend Le Fofo to people who are looking for discontinued and luxury/niche fragrances.
Price range : ₱699-900
I know there are a lot more brands out there I have yet to try. What clone brands do you love or would you like featured? Let me know in my socials or email!
xx,
CJ
PS. The sprayers and atomizers for all of these brands are pretty good except the Eternal one- it's a hit or miss tbh. Some Eternal bottles tend to leak as there's a high oil content in the liquid and it loosens the cap.
I love me a good fragrance -- whether it's in hand sanitizer form, book or perfume (not so much with skincare though). I wanted to see what this brand was all about seeing as it's inspired by 'the most romantic city in the world' --- Paris and the fact that this will be sold exclusively at Watsons, meaning it's in the affordable range.
