If you like
Portrait of a Lady
Frederic Malle · 2010
Dark Turkish rose with patchouli, incense and spice.
5 indie picks
Undernotes
Comparisons
65 comparisonsOne featured each day
One mainstream fragrance at a time, described in our own words, answered with independent alternatives that share its notes. No dupes, no affiliate links: just small houses working the same accord.
Smoke & Incense. Frankincense, birch tar, bonfire and ash.
If you like
Black Orchid
Tom Ford · 2006
A dark, dense floral gourmand people reach for when they want to smell heavier
5 indie picksIf you like
By the Fireplace
Maison Margiela · 2015
The scent people want when they ask for something that smells like a wood fire and mulled spice.
4 indie picksIf you like
Aventus
Creed · 2010
The pineapple-and-smoke scent that launched a wave of 'success' fragrances and dupes.
4 indie picks
About these comparisons
Well-known fragrances are named here for one reason: they are the shared vocabulary most people have for a smell. We describe the accord in our own words, then point at independent houses working the same territory. There are no logos, no bottle photographs and no affiliate links, and Undernotes is not affiliated with any house named on these pages.