If there is one perfume that can sum up the entire early 00s, it is Thierry Mugler's infamous Alien.
The iconic scent has always been a huge hit with fragrance enthusiasts for years, but it has had something of a revival in recent years thanks to social media.
If you've ever been on TikTok, then you'll know that shoppers and beauty enthusiasts have become impressed with many 'dupes' for the iconic designer scent.
I mean - lets face it - we all love a luxurious designer fragrance to make ourselves feel fancy, but literally no-one likes the designer price-tag that comes with it.
And at £57 for 30ml, it is understandable why social media has been flooded with budget priced fragrances that you can pick up from some of your favourite retailers, including Home Bargains.
One 'dupe' that has managed to catch a bit of attention from shoppers recently is a fragrance from high-street fashion chain Primark - and it costs £50 less than the designer original.
Primark's £7 Amethyst Haze fragrance has been a hit with shoppers on Facebook and TikTok for "smelling exactly like Thierry Mugler's Alien."
To be honest, I am a huge fan of the Alien fragrance and regularly wear it wherever I can, but I have regularly been disappointed with its 'dupes '.
So, as I am always on the lookout for how to save money, I decided to pick up a bottle of Primark's popular fragrance just to see if it really could stand next to the original designer brand.
Let me just tell you now, I was pretty surprised with the results.
The packaging
Let's start with the packaging, shall we? Usually 'dupes' try and look similar to the original they are impersonating. Even Home Bargains Exotique fragrance had an eerily similar packaging to the Thierry Mugler scent.
As first impressions go, Primark's budget fragrance is already incredibly different. Apart from both being purple - and Primark's is very light compared to Alien's bold purple - they literally have zero similarities.
Thierry Mugler's Alien comes in its infamous purple talisman bottle, while Primark's comes in a plain bottle with a marble quartz bottle cap.
Despite the differences in packaging, I will say that Primark has done a good job at making their fragrance at least look designer. The Home Bargains 'dupe' definitely looked like it only cost 99p, but Primark's is quite cute.
I also noticed that Primark's bottle has quite a bit of weight to it, whereas a bottle of Alien feels rather feather light in your hands.
The fragrance
Now on to the main event, the actual fragrance.
Now, I'll start this by being completely honest by saying that I am pretty surprised by Primark's perfume. What similarities it lacks in packaging, it pretty much makes up for in scent.
I went into this test with zero hopes, mainly because I have struggled to find a good 'dupe' that compares to this on of a kind fragrance - and I may have to eat my words on that one now.
First of all, Alien is synonymous for being an eccentric fragrance. It's known for its powerful floral scent that is mixed with an undertone of wood and amber that gives it a bit of spice.
As soon as I popped Primark's Amethyst Haze onto my wrist I was hit with a scent that was floral, aromatic and sweet - similar to the powerful floral scent that Alien is iconic for.
I was also surprised by how powerful the budget fragrance was. At £7, I expected it to fade instantly, but it didn't. So, kudos to the fashion chain for that.
Another quality I did notice was that it didn't ever have that alcohol or chemical smell that you get with low-priced fragrances. It definitely had a distinct fragrance and it was never overpowering.
That being said, I do think Primark's just lacks the woodsy and amber element that makes life the designer perfume and make it so distinctive.
Overall, as fragrances go, Amethyst Haze is one of the better low-cost fragrances that actually smells like a decent perfume and looks appealing.
Overall thoughts
Do I think that Primark's Amethyst Haze fragrance is a good 'dupe' for Thierry Mugler's Alien?
I'll have to be honest and say that it's not bad. Not bad at all.
While it certainly doesn't have the spicier undertones that make Alien iconic, it certainly has the sweet, floral and feminine fragrance down to a fine art.
Not to mention that it also comes in an incredibly cute bottle. I will give kudos to Primark for making their own fragrance that looks and almost smells like a designer fragrance.
At £7 for 100ml, it really is a low-cost fragrance and powerful fragrance that will go quite a long way. It also helps that the bottle and it's cute quartz topper are adorable and will make your vanity table look extra fancy.
It's not an exact replica of the £60 designer perfume, but it is certainly worth the comparison and the money that you will save instead.
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