Cheaper alternatives

Cheaper alternatives to Ex Nihilo French Affair

French Affair by Ex Nihilo is an unisex eau de parfum in the luxury price tier. These 12 fragrances cost less and smell close to it.

What to wear instead

• Lattafa Art of Wood budget · 72% note match, 4 tiers cheaper. They share bergamot, rose, oakmoss, patchouli, cedarwood and vetiver.
• Yves Saint Laurent Yvresse designer · 69% note match, 3 tiers cheaper. They share violet, lychee, rose, oakmoss, patchouli and vetiver.
• Montale Red Vetiver niche · 65% note match, 1 tier cheaper. They share bergamot, rose, oakmoss, patchouli, cedarwood and vetiver.
• Ormonde Jayne Isfarkand niche · 61% note match, 1 tier cheaper. They share bergamot, oakmoss, cedarwood and vetiver.
• Frédéric Malle French Lover niche · 59% note match, 1 tier cheaper. They share angelica, oakmoss, cedarwood and vetiver.
• Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme Eau & Cèdre designer · 58% note match, 3 tiers cheaper. They share patchouli, cedarwood and vetiver.
• Masque Milano (Homage to) Hemingway niche · 56% note match, 1 tier cheaper. They share patchouli, cedarwood and vetiver.
• Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu premium · 55% note match, 2 tiers cheaper. They share lychee, rose, patchouli and vetiver.
• Olfactive Studio Autoportrait niche · 55% note match, 1 tier cheaper. They share bergamot, oakmoss, cedarwood and vetiver.
• Estée Lauder Azuree designer · 54% note match, 3 tiers cheaper. They share bergamot, rose, oakmoss, patchouli and vetiver.
• Montale Aoud Forest niche · 54% note match, 1 tier cheaper. They share violet, rose, oakmoss, patchouli and cedarwood.
• Guerlain Mitsouko premium · 54% note match, 2 tiers cheaper. They share bergamot, rose, oakmoss, patchouli and vetiver.

How these were picked

Ranked by shared notes, counting rare notes for more than the vanilla and musk nearly everything has, and base notes for more than the opening. A price tier is a band (budget, designer, premium, niche, luxury), not an exact price. “Sold as a dupe” means the catalogue records it as an imitation; the rest only match on paper.

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