Decadence

If you want an amber-y cooked fruit jammy lighter version of this, still kinda green, but more youthful without rose Orris and heavy notes, try Tempo by Shirley May OR DUA's Caramel Floral Affair. Caramel Floral affair is close to Tempo rather than Decadence tho and more white floral compared to both. Caramel Floral Affair smells like jammy cooked fruit in syrup identical to Tempo, the jammy fruity woody amber-y scent supposed impression of MJ Decadence with the plum-iris, but it has its own more playful and floral fruity woody resinous jammy identity that Decadence is lacking - the amber-y base, without the vetiver, orris saffron heavy green notes of Decadence. So I smell these jammy fruity floral elements in Caramel Floral Affair. The issue with DUA's creation is that from the caramel note, the spicy black currant, and perhaps the watery rosey peony there is a smoky burnt plastic smell in it, right from the opening. I also smell a Cloud amber-y soft fruity undertone, perhaps from the common pear note with Cloud, and the amber-y base from the praline there and the caramel-amber here. The vein of Dua's scent though is the jammy cooked fruit scent of Tempo with the floral indolic aspect and the syrupy amber base, while its peppery black currant note with the dirty amber are reminiscent of the spicy plum-amber in Tempo and they both have jasmine. Decadence is smoother even tho much heavier and heady because it lacks amber so it's not smoky despite the spicy plum-saffron. Tempo has subtle amber peppery plum smokiness which isn't like burnt plastic. Caramel Floral Affair becomes slightly sour from the orange-black currant-pear since black currant is spicy and sour too as a note. As I said Tempo is not as smoky spicy from the plum-amber, and it becomes smoother fruity jammy and more woody. caramel Floral Affair is orange- infused while Tempo is greener, but equally jammy and syrupy. Dua's fragrance has magnolia and Tempo has iris so we get that indolic floral aspect, but in CFA it's more ethereal from the magnolia-peony. They have some differences, but they're very similar and both lighter than Decadence. The smoky burnt plastic element of Caramel Floral Affair becomes softer and only prominent when I smell my skin up close at the drydown. Regardless it's full bottle worthy and projects super loud. I have both the Decadence and its lighter flanker but they are like these green candy scents, much balsamic-heady and not as floral and jammy.

My favorite of all time and the first real perfume I ever had. My mom got a decadence gift set for me after I begged and begged, having gotten a sample from Sephora after buying a full coverage NARS foundation that was too orange for me. I still love it a lot, though I put it away for about 7 years and only pulled it out recently. I think it was best that I did that, as I got this scent when I was about 16 and by my read, it comes off as a mature and somewhat masculine fragrance. It’s very sexy and bold, a little sweet. I am partially anosmic but have no issues making out just about every note in this, I find it extremely nuanced though a bit hard to describe. Plum is definitely the strongest note upon spray, but it dries down a little sharper and spicier. I will say: I pulled this out during the summer awhile back and actually thought it had gone rancid or something. It is BAD in the summer. It makes me wonder if climate is influencing perception in these reviews — I live in Michigan with cold dry winters and hot wet summers, and Decadence heavily favors the former. I joined this site to hopefully find a dupe, so far I think Billie Eilish is the most similar, with a strong vanilla note added on. I got a 2ml tester with a different fragrance I bought. After a good amount of use, I would say it's in the same family as Decadence, though not close enough to be called a dupe. They do layer well together, though. Someone online suggested Sweet Tooth was a good replacement for Decadence. I don't think that's true at all. They don't even share DNA -- If Eilish is a sister, Sweet Tooth might her ex. I also purchased Divain 180, which claims to be a clone. I’m letting mine macerate right now, but right out of the box, 180 is too sharp, alcoholic and underdeveloped to really remind me of Decadence. Update: after macerating for about two weeks, this scent now smells almost exactly like Decadence but only BEFORE I spray it -- so basically what's left in the cap. The spray is still completely different -- astringent and pungent. I suspect that what's been left behind inside the cap is macerating way faster than what's inside the bottle, so it's likely that after a few months the entire bottle will smell like Decadence.

Ah, Marc Jacobs Decadence. Let me tell you, this is not just a fragrance. It’s a statement. It’s the fragrance version of slipping into a silk robe, pouring yourself a glass of champagne, and then casually throwing a fur stole over your shoulders like you own every room you walk into. This is the scent of a woman who knows exactly what she’s about, and isn’t afraid to flaunt it. From the first spray, Decadence is all glamour. A rich, intoxicating blend of plum that immediately screams “I’m too fabulous for your small talk.” It’s bold. It’s the kind of fragrance that announces your arrival before you even step into the room. It feels like a night at the opera, or a luxury car you don’t even need to drive, just sit in the passenger seat and let everyone around you admire your taste. But don’t think this fragrance stays in the same lane for long. No, just when you think you’ve got it figured out, Decadence settles into something darker and more mysterious; a blend of amber and vetiver that feels like you’ve just stepped into an ultra private, exclusive club where only the boldest dare to enter. It’s not just sweet and floral, it’s smokey, leathery, and almost too sexy for its own good. Now, let’s talk about longevity: this isn’t the kind of scent that vanishes after an hour like some fleeting flirtation. No, Decadence sticks around like the hottest date of your life~ lingering, intoxicating, just a little bit dangerous. The sillage? Enough to have people turning their heads as you walk by, trying to figure out what just hit them. And let’s not forget the tragedy of Marc Jacobs Decadence’s discontinuation. This fragrance should never have been taken off the market, its rich, intoxicating allure was too good to go unnoticed. Now, it’s just a rare treasure, something to be hunted down and clung to like a secret we weren’t supposed to keep. Decadence was a masterpiece, and we’ve all lost out.

"Jesus F- Christ" was my initial reaction to "Decadence". In the most positive way possible. I was determined to find an original bottle of this. I watched a few YouTube videos comparing the original with a fake before taking the risk. I even had a couple nightmares that I had accidentally bought the "Eau so decadent" flanker 🤣. I really wanted this for several reasons: 1. I love plum and iris. 2. The bottle. It is both campy and elegant and one of the best bottle designs by Marc Jacobs. 3. It is difficult to find. This makes it more attractive. 4. The name. I love the word itself, it comes from the Latin word "cadere" (to fall) and I really like the way this word sounds. It is a real shame this has been discontinued. I wish they would bring this back because I'm sure they will make many women (and some men) very happy. It is bold, different but easy to wear. The plum note dominates the fragrance throughout its duration. It reminds me of jam. The vetiver is strong for the first couple of hours. The saffron, iris and orris create a powdery, creamy base. When this combination dries down and most of the vetiver gets shed, it reminds me of a creamy dessert from my childhood. However, it remains elegant and classy. It is autumn now and I finally feel comfortable wearing this. The fragrance is like a warm hug. Sillage: at least moderate for at least 3 hours. Longevity: 7-8 hours on skin. I could still smell the delicious dessert on my shirt the following day. Spraying this on your hair also helps it last very long. Originality: 7+/10 Presentation (including name): 9/10 "Decadence" is a very appropriate name in the sense of "luxurious self-indulgence". Not only is the fragrance great but it is also nicely presented. It stands out in comparison to most Marc Jacobs bottles. The suede box was super cool.

I'm hooked on Fragrantica and there's no going back, but sometimes I do wish I could return to the days when I walked into department stores, sampled whatever caught my eye, and then bought whatever was most pleasing to my nose, without being swayed by other people's opinions! I'm disgustingly easily influenced! I've seen this get bad review after bad review, and because I'm not keen on Marc Jacobs' other offerings, I wrote it off completely. And not because I don't like the bottle - you can call it cheap and tacky, but I reckon it's fabulously kitsch and downright adorable. And yes, GigiTheFashionista, I'd kill to see them make a 'real-life' version to tote this about in! Well, I tried it today. And........ lesson learned. It's lovely! The plummy opening with the saffron does, in my humble opinion, do justice to the name 'Decadence', and I love Rose and jasmine anyway, so that's a win-win for me. It's nowhere near as sweet as his other creations, I enjoy the way the vetiver gives it a masculine edge. I find it very appealing, and I'm sorely tempted to purchase. It's been described as an evening scent, and as a single mummy, I don't get to do much dancing till dawn these days. Sod it. I can still be the best smelling shopper at the grocery store. Note to self: Trust your own sniffer before all others - it 'nose' best (sorry, had to be done...)