Contralto

This is a straight-up middle finger to Bal d'Afrique. Byredo has created some of the best clean smells on the market, but have shot themselves in the foot with shocking performance and pricing, therefore Sospiro have seized the opportunity to replace it entirely. The new Absolu does improve on the original, but it doesn't beat cash grab allegations. I would not label Contralto as a clone - yes, they smell nearly identical, but this is a direct upgrade and has been blended by a master perfumer, so there is zero loss in quality, unlike most other dupes. Everything about this perfume screams 'gatekeep', but if you're already reading these reviews and are on the fence between Bal d'Afrique and Contralto, just get Contralto, even if you have to blind buy it. For those who haven't smelt either, Contralto is a unique combination of fruity, floral and woody accords, something I haven't come across in everyday life, which makes it difficult to describe. There is not one ounce of synthetic harshness in the blend, it smells so natural, it makes me picture an imaginary sweet, tart and yellow berry. Perhaps I am thinking of a Mirabelle plum, or perhaps I'm just losing it. Regardless, it is a fantastic smell leaning slightly feminine, and I genuinely can't imagine anyone not enjoying it. As it dries down, some of the fruitiness fades away, leaving a woody undertone, similar to how Bal d'Afrique fades into vetiver. This type of scent profile is fully versatile, though it may lack the depth to pierce through colder weather. If I was a girl, Contralto would be the holy grail of office fragrances - it's bright, clean, inoffensive and a guaranteed mood lifter. Performance is pretty solid, and miles better than Bal d'Afrique of course. It did seem to struggle a bit in super hot weather, which is why I think it would be perfect for indoor occasions, or at least days under 30C. The bottle is very cool, with a velvety outside and smooth sliding cap. Price-wise it's quite expensive, but cheaper than Byredo whilst being better, which increases its worthiness in my eyes. Thankfully, I managed to get a tester bottle for an absolute steal, but at retail price, I wouldn't blind buy it unless you've smelt Bal d'Afrique and love the DNA. Smell: 9/10 Performance: 7/10 Presentation: 8.5/10 Value: 6.5/10 Overall: 8.5/10

I have never smelled Bal d'Afrique Absolu, but I do have a sample or the regular Bal d'Afrique. Loved it, but is so fleeting that I can't convince myself to get a bottle of it at such expensive price. So, looking for alternatives, met Contralto. Blind bought Contralto, hoping for the "reminds me of" being accurate. And it was. Bal d'Afrique and Contralto smell almost identical. The only difference lies in BDA being a little less woody, more citrus forward, and Contralto being much stronger in sillage and longevity. I find BDA sheer, more delicate, while Contralto is a deeper, woodier, velvetier version of it. I prefer BDA as for its fragrance, but I feel Contralto is better in performance, in price (os easier to find offers for it) and the difference in the scent itself is minimal. So I am happy I get Contralto instead of BDA. BUT the biggest downside here is that I HATE the bottle. It is not an aesthetic issue (I don't find the bottle pretty, but it is not hideous either), it is a sensory issue. I can't stand the touch of that velvety bottle. Just can't. Will probably decant it, so I will be able to spray without wanting to cry.

Byredo Bal d’Afrique Absolu was a fragrance I fell in love with the first time I smelled it. While looking at reviews here I kept seeing people compare it to Sospiro Contralto so I had to smell it for myself and the moment I did I honestly liked this one more. To me this doesn’t have that metallic or synthetic smell some people talk about. It’s fresh, slightly musky and has the slightest touch of powder and creamy smell that makes it smell clean without being boring. The best way I can describe it is like white hotel sheets on a king size bed overlooking the beach on a sunny summer day. It just smells relaxing and luxurious. I think this is absolutely blind buy worthy. The longevity is great and even if you overspray it, it’s never offensive or overwhelming. Easily one of my top six fragrances and if you’re choosing between this and Bal d’Afrique Absolu, I’m choosing this every single time. And for those who are worried about how it holds up in the summer. I’m wearing it in 90 degree (32 in Celsius) weather with 50% humidity. Have no problems.

Similar to Bal, as many have stated, but not a replica by any means. This is more lemony and masculine. (Not masculine enough a woman cant rock but it is a big difference between the two) The first spray is much stronger, citrus forward and morphs into a clove / chestnut which doesnt last long but is a little earthy. Luckily that fades quickly and the citrus/woody/aromatic notes stay. It's way more beastly than Bal D Afrique however it is not as smooth, ethereal & airy as Bal is. As a female, I like the formula of Bal better, but on days I want to be noticed and not have to respray all day, I opt for my Contralto. Really loving aromatic & fresh, citrus & woody frags recently and this is getting heavily used! Bottle is very beautiful, I love the velvet & gold accents.

Bal d'Afrique is more cutesy and has wayyyy less performance than this. To be more specific, BDA is more light and airy than the denser Contralto. In order to get more performance, you need denser ingredients and Contralto has just that. The DNA is very very similar, my nose is still pretty novice but there's this woody note that I can't put my finger on (either that guaiac wood, almond, or even the balsam? again, i'm learning) that sticks out to my nose but isn't overbearing at all. It's kinda nice to have that woody scent over the sweetness of this perfume. This will be my signature fragrance once my BDA fully runs out. I've been having to overspray the hell out of BDA for it to perform for more than 2 hours on my skin. Contralto is a welcomed replacement.