Designed to conjure memories of breezy, ocean-side walks and crackling hearths, Maison Margiela's collection of REPLICA perfumes offers a signature for every season and mood - and I've spritzed nearly the entire lineup...
When it comes to the best long-lasting perfumes and best perfumes for women, finding a brand that houses your signature scent is akin to discovering a clothing label that perfectly caters to your sense of style. Why? Well, chances are if you like one, you'll like another (or ten). This has certainly been my experience with the best Diptyque perfumes and of course, Maison Margiela's scent anthology. Indeed, for the last three years, REPLICA By The Fireplace has been my winter go-to. But since then, several other blends have turned my head too.
After all, the brand caters to every preference, from citrus and aquatic notes to squeaky-clean fresh perfumes. So, if you're seeking a scent that is both niche and familiar as well as luxe but affordable, here are 9 of the best REPLICA perfumes to consider - tested by a beauty writer.
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The best and chicest REPLICA perfumes, tested by our beauty writer
Aside from their aesthetically pleasing packaging, it's the concept that really sets these fragrances apart. Each one has been curated to smell like a memory, an emotion or a moment in time - like those slow Sunday mornings you long for when life gets a tad hectic. This is why I described the scents as niche but familiar, as you might just catch a whiff of one that reminds you of a childhood beach walk - while also featuring a blend of notes you may not yet have encountered elsewhere.
The perfumes themselves are also quite affordable, with 30ml bottles costing £60, while the 100ml is more on the premium side at £120. Plus, there's an array of scents to peruse, from woody hints to floral fragrances.
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Clove Oil, pink pepper, orange flower petals, chestnut, gaiic wood oil, vanilla accord and cashmeran
One of my all-time favourite scents, By The Fireplace smells exactly how it sounds but in the chicest, most comforting way. It's warm and initially smokey, reminiscent of a log fire in the depths of winter but as it dries down, that velvety sweetness from the vanilla and cashmeran emerges - laced with spicy clove and pink pepper. It's distinctive but not overpowering and the feeling it evokes is truly unmatched - as I feel cosy and so expensive all at once.
Who should buy it: those who favour woody blends or seek a unique, autumn/winter signature.
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Bergamot, pink pepper, lemon, ylang-ylang, coconut milk, musk and cedarwood.
Fresh but slightly creamy, Beach Walk is a sunny day spent ocean-side. It opens with sparkling hints of lemon and bergamot, which then shimmer down to reveal warm musk, cedarwood and velvety coconut milk. It's lightweight and not suncream-y like some coconut and solar perfumes can be. Instead, it's subtle and reminds me slightly of Diptyque's Ilio, which is another popular summer pick and also a favourite of mine. I did notice, however, that it does fade quite quickly compared to Fireplace - so you may need to top up.
Who should buy it: Those who love subtle, skin-like aromas - especially for summer.
RRP: £60 for 30ml | Notes: Lily of the Valley, pear, aldehydes, ambrette seeds, iris, rose absolute, orange flower, white musks and patchouli
As a lover of iris perfumes, I was instantly drawn to this scent and was not disappointed by its impression. It smells like waking up in soft, freshly washed sheets, warmed by sunrays spilling in through the curtains. It's clean and delicately floral, with a soft powderiness that I find so comforting. Its notes of aldehydes and ambrette seeds also give the fragrance a 'skin-like' quality, which combined with the other uplifting notes, leaves you smelling like you've just hopped out of the shower.
Who should buy it: Those who want to smell clean and fresh, rather than obviously of perfume.
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Pink pepper, coriander, carrot, nutmeg, frankincense, cedarwood, oak moss and balsam.
This to me, almost smells like a cross between Fireplace and Jazz Club thanks to its woody richness and whisky-like opening. This however gives way to its unusual hints of carrot, herbaceous coriander, spicy balsam and softly sweet frankincense. It's very multi-faceted and earthy - I found every time I sniffed it I caught a new one of its notes and definitely got that autumnal feel.
Who should buy it: those who favour woody blends as well as niche and less mainstream scents.
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Bergamot, vegetal accord, pink pepper, aquatic accord, Isparta rose petal essence, jasmine grandiflorum superinfusion, pine needle oil, patchouli Bali essence and moss.
Woman&home's Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett adores this scent and says it opens, "with strong notes of pink pepper but once settled into the skin, it transforms into a cocktail of florals and woody pine - imagine the smells you experience when walking through the woods in the rain. It’s fresh, clean and slightly aquatic whilst also calming and tranquil, making it an excellent everyday fragrance. This is a perfume that I find myself reaching for often thanks to its versatile and subtle notes."
Who should buy it: those seeking a fresh and subtle signature that is versatile and easy to wear - no matter the season or occasion.
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Pink pepper, neroli oil, rum absolute, sage oil, tobacco leaf absolute and vanilla bean.
This truly smells like spending an evening in a warmly lit bar, sipping on aged spirits. It's quite heady at first but as it begins to dry down, that sweetness from the vanilla bean emerges with the neroli and tobacco leaf. This scent then melts into a sweet and smokey signature that is so sophisticated.
Who should buy it: those who steer clear of delicate florals or citrus notes in favour of altogether warmer and richer blends.
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Soap bubbles accord, pink pepper, bergamot, lavender flower, rose super essence, jasmine, coconut milk, white musks and patchouli.
Another fresh perfume for your consideration, Bubble Bath -as the name suggests - offers a soapy and floral impression. The lavender, rose, jasmine and white musk notes really shine through, blending with that distinctive soap bubble accord. Like Lazy Sunday, this is the sort of scent that smells like you're freshly out of a floral-scented bubble bath and sits lightly on the skin. It's not sickly or bold, just soft - like a soap sud.
Who should buy it: those who wish they could bottle up the warm, soapy scent of a relaxing bubble bath.
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Pear, bergamot, blackcurrant, lily of the valley accord, rose damascena absolute, musks and vanilla.
Upon the first sniff, Springtime gave me an almost violet-like impression, but this quickly opened up into those fresh, timeless notes of lily of the valley and rose. The fruity hints also cling subtly to the skin, offering a light but sparkling scent that is the definition of springtime - if you could bottle the season up.
Who should buy it: those who gravitate towards delicate floral fragrance.
RRP: from £60 for 30ml | Notes: Kalamansi lime accord, cardamon, coriander, green tea extract, cedarwood, citrus absolute and white musk
This perfume truly evokes thoughts of a summer spent in Italy, lounging beneath lemon trees and feeling the sun on your skin. Its citrus notes immediately sparkle on the skin upon first spritz, before then being warmed by the cardamon, cedarwood and white musks. It's zingy and invigorating but very wearable, as its sharpness gives way to herby hints and chic musk
Who should buy it: those seeking a holiday scent that has more warmth and subtle depth compared to a traditional punchy citrus or fruit perfume.
How we tested the REPLICA scents
To achieve an all-encompassing impression of the brand's fragrances, I got my hands on the REPLICA Memory Box Discovery set, which features 10 of the Maison Margiela's iconic eau de toilettes; Jazz Club, By The Fireplace, Lazy Sunday Morning, Bubble Bath, Sailing Day, Beach Walk, Autumn Vibes, When The Rain Stops and Springtime In A Park.
As for testing, I sprayed each scent on my pulse points (neck and wrists) and wore them for a day, to judge their dry down and longevity. I also personally own 30ml bottles of both By The Fireplace and Jazz Club, which I've worn frequently over the last few years. A few of our beauty team members are also REPLICA wearers - and so shared their own thoughts on their favourite blends.
