Carnal Desire

Carnal Desire is as similar to Carnal Flower as I need it to be, especially taking into account the $250 price differential. My husband strongly dislikes this, as I predicted--he doesn't have the knowledge to say it's the tuberose he doesn't like, but I know that's it because after he screwed up his face, I said, "Does it smell like mentholated bubblegum to you?" He said, yes, exactly. And then seemed surprised that I could agree and yet like it anyway. That's just tuberose for you! I do think he would like the scent just fine an hour or two into the drydown. But if he really does hate it through and through, I will not be upset with myself for spending almost $300. I think I paid $33 for Carnal Desire. Even if money were no object, I think I would just as soon have the Carnal Desire as the Carnal Flower, because I don't really want to smell like camphor-flavored bubblegum very often. There might also be subtle differences that I do not discern between the Dua dupe and the original, but frankly Frederic Malle is sort of on my shitlist now for adding so much cumin to Azurée and I'm not disposed to rationalize the elevated price points of his sophisticated creations. Update: This gets a lot better as it ages. I won't say "macerates" because that just brings out the pedants, including the pedant in myself, but I will say that if you dislike it at first, let it sit for a month or two and see what happens. This juice has improved immensely since I bought it six or seven months ago (it's Labor Day today). The Oil Perfumery dupe, which, like all the OP dupes, doesn't appear on the Fragrantica database, is also quite good, although it wears differently, being an oil and not an extrait or EDP. I would definitely consider layering the two if I felt like making myself utterly repellent to my husband, hahaha! (Seriously, I think he would like this OK if I hadn't sprung it on him moments after spraying. And even if he doesn't like it, I would still consider wearing it for myself beause I enjoy smelling hysterically, screecy, super-femme scents like this on myself sometimes.) Update: I'm liking this more all the time. The opening is so fresh and green--it reminds me of walking into the Linnean House at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis when the gardenia, tuberose, and jasmine species are blooming. I notice the eucalyptus note more, too, and it gives the tuberose a freshness that I think most of my other white florals lack. Update: The drydown is gorgeous if you don't overspray. Husband likes it now, and the throw goes maybe 1 to 2 feet, which is just about what I like in a scent bubble. The first hour might challenge some noses, but not mine. I do get the baby-wipes accord a tiny bit, but I don't find it too unpleasant, maybe because I did most of my babysitting before those were so prevalent. Update: My best friend, whose sense of smell is not always very acute, noticed it right away and commented on it, even though we were outdoors. I was stricken, assuming that I have oversprayed, but fortunately she loves it. I might get her a bottle, too.

I have this on order, and I'm very curious about it, since the real thing is too rich for my blood, and I am in the mood to wear a very strident tuberose only so often. Will report back when it arrives. This is pricey for a dupe, but if the quality is high, and they're truly using tuberose absolute and orange flower absolute, just like the Malle original, I will consider it a bargain. I'm told this needs to mature or age for a while after purchase, but I have done that with other dupes in the past and consider that a small price to pay for such an enormous savings.

FYI I don't know how close it is to the original I've never smelled that one. When I first received this, I opened it and I was like omg, old lady. I let it sit for a while, and admittedly my fragrance tastes have changed. Now it smells like the MOST expensive floral sunscreen on the MOST wealthy woman at the resort. This woman is not in her 20's, she's like 40-60. It's very strong and a touch animalic from an orange blossom/neroli note, 2 sprays max and for me summer only. Not a safe blind buy.

This stuff is not good. Compared to the original DUA’s version is harsh and reminds me of a bathroom cleaner. It is close ish to the real deal but feels artificial in a way that reminds me of a public toilet. Sad to say the real deal is still so worth the price