The other week I was visiting one of Roja's Haute Parfumeries and was invited to compare 2 of the fragrances that they sold.

I sprayed a perfume strip with Clive Christian No1 and another strip with Samsara. I then compared them side by side, or should I say nostril by nostril.

The similarity between the 2 fragrances was unbelievable. To think that one costs the earth and the other costs mere pocket money.

I urge anyone who has access to a store that stocks both those fragrances to do the test and you will see what I mean.

Barry

Sounds like Clive Christian No.1 is so not worth the money then! I wasn't all too impressed with anyway. It is nice and pretty but so did't care for it. Plus I remember smelling it over a year and and an SA telling me, "Oh this is the one that Tom Cruise picked out for his wife, Katie Holmes" and I was like "BFD!" LOL!!

Armando, I knew that would SO impress you!

Prince,

Too bad you didn't have some Tigress with you. Clive #1 is almost a dead ringer for Tigress Cologne....the vintage, that is.

I think someone else on POL found this out & mentioned it on the board & since I had both of these fragrances, I did a *sniff* test. I was AMAZED!

Gosh, no wonder I didn't like Clive Christian No 1 as I can't stand Samsara! I am very fond of my Clive Christian X for Women though.

Were you by any chance at the Haute Parfumerie in Harrods when they had the Guinness Book of Records reception last autumn Barry? That's when I bought my bottle and met Clive.

Tom and Katie? Eeek.

My wallet started quivering when it saw Prince Barry was posting again.
It thought this thread was going to be another fragrance recommendation from HRH!

PHEW! Safe!

'Twas I who noticed that many years ago from a sample I had of Clive #1. You and I marveled at the similarity then. It's hard to find decent Tigress anywhere now since it's very old. I adore CC#1, but it will be a cold day in he!! before I spend $865 for the clone of a drugstore fragrance.

Ahhh I am so happy that my memory has not failed me!

I still have some Tigress. Not much, but when I want to smell like I spent BIG BUCKS on a fragrance I drag out my Tigress. LOL

Refined One made me laugh when she said her wallet started quivering! lolol

Thanks for the tip Barry , I shall forever enjoy Samsara as is.


As for Tigress , dang , I miss her but not at CC prices

Well, isn't that interesting! It turns out the Clive Christian #1 is one of the few perfumes that my perfume-hating husband kind of liked, when I came home with a spritz of it on. At least I think it was that one -- what color is the bottle?

no offense but clive and guerlain do not exist on the same playing field. Guerlain wins before the games begin IMO.

That is very interesting and it doesn't really surprise me as much as it should, because really just how expensive could one go in actual ingredients. After a certain point, there is no higher ceiling to overcome in that regard. Even then, one wouldn't come up with such a price tag!

I have made it a mission on the blog to find smell-alikes (I call the feature Twin Peaks), usually one more affordable or approachable/available than the other and it is always re-assuring to read people's mails telling me they agree or commenting further: it seems people do notice.
So thank you for reporting another -stunning- case of such a phenomenon! Very interesting indeed and I will do the comparison first chance I get.

I remember Scentablyurs mentioning that Tigress smells like Clive Christian No.1 and noting it down. And Colonia apparently noticed it first. Equally interesting! Perhaps even more scandalous!

Wanna bet that TC bought it exactly because it is the costliest in the world? Cheat, though, it has a real diamond on the bottle, doesn't it?

Sorry that I let you down Refined One, I will work on finding something stunning to tempt you with.

Fiordiligi, no, it was the one in Manchester.

You're welcome Helg.

Wow - it's been a long time since I've worn Samsara but that comparison is not registering with me at all. Still, we have some very good noses on board so I'll make a note to try and compare some time.

I honestly thought CC #1 for women was extremely good, and I resisted even testing it for a very long time because I figured it was much ado about nothing. I'm not sure it's special enough for that price tag, even if you can afford it...but I do think it's special. Samsara was dense and unwearable for me - a scrubber.