What are the key notes of Baccarat Rouge 540?

Saffron, jasmine, amberwood, ambergris, and cedarwood are some of the key notes.

What does Baccarat Rouge 540 smell like?

It’s hard to describe, given that it has so many different notes that all blend together. But it’s warm and multi-dimensional, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, and slightly woody.

Why is Baccarat Rouge 540 so popular?

“It’s both timeless and unique, and has the perfect balances of notes, projection, and longevity,” says Zagwolsky, who adds that the scent is also very alluring.

10 Perfumes Similar to Baccarat Rouge 540

There’s no other type of beauty product that is more personal than fragrance. Individual scent preferences aside, even the same fragrance will smell slightly different on every individual, based on how it interacts with your skin’s chemistry and pH. The list of perfumes that are universal crowd-pleasers is short, but there’s perhaps no better example than Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540. It was intended to be a limited-edition launch when it first hit the market in 2016, when only 250 bottles were released. Flash forward to today and it’s arguably one of the most cult-classic fragrances out there.

What makes Baccarat Rouge 540 so special? For starters, it’s surprisingly versatile. “It’s exotic and luxurious, yet balanced enough to wear everyday,” says fragrance expert Leila Zagwolsky. (Clipboard that luxurious part, because we’ll come back to that in a minute.) In stark contrast to many other perfumes, it’s made of only seven ingredients, but blends a variety of notes that make it hard to put it into one olfactory category. Floral jasmine, spicy saffron, fresh cedarwood, and sweet ambergris are all combined together into one unique end result that has at least one element most people will gravitate toward. Now, back to the luxury part. It not only smells expensive—TikTokers have described it as “swimming in Scrooge McDuck’s vault”—it is expensive. Bottles range from $325 to a whopping $625 depending on the size. So, if you’re looking for a more affordable alternative—and/or just want something a little different than what everyone else is wearing—keep reading.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Al Haramain Eau De Parfum Spray at Fragrancenet.com

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Best Overall, Runner-Up:

Mancera Instant Crush Eau de Parfum at Bloomingdales

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Best Unisex:

Montale Arabians Tonka Eau de Parfum at Bloomingdales

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Best Sweet:

Ormonde Jayne Muscat Eau de Parfum at Ormondejayne.com

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Best Fresh:

Thameen Extrait de Parfum at Saks Fifth Avenue

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Best Woodsy:

Gisada Switzerland Oud Parfum at Gisada.com

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Best Floral:

Glasshouse Fragrances Eau de Parfum at Amazon

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Best Budget:

Dossier Ambery Saffron at Dossier.co

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Best Warm:

Ellis Brooklyn Super Amber Eau de Parfum at Nordstrom

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Best Natural:

Henry Rose Eau de Parfum at Nordstrom

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In This Article

Our Picks
Final Verdict
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Byrdie

Al Haramain Amber Oud Rouge Eau De Parfum Spray

Amazon

View On Fragrancenet.com

What We Like

Notes are very similar to those in Baccarat Rouge 540
Unisex

What We Don't Like

May not be very long-lasting on everyone

The notes in this perfume are almost identical to the ones of Baccarat Rouge 540, namely saffron, jasmine, and ambergris. (Many Amazon reviewers comment on how similar the two are.) It has the same warmth and sweetness to it, and it doesn’t hurt that the gold bottle is chic and expensive-looking, too.

Price at time of publish: $67

Key Notes: Saffron, amber wood, ambergris, jasmine | Size: 60 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Saks Fifth Avenue

View On Bloomingdales View On Saks Fifth Avenue

What We Like

Has a balanced profile of different notes
Comes in different sizes

What We Don't Like

Similarity to Baccarat Rouge is stronger initially than as it wears down

“This performs and projects just like Baccarat Rouge 540,” says Zagwolsky. It has similar notes and a full-bodied profile, combining jasmine and amber with rose that adds a touch of softness to the middle notes. There’s saffron in the top notes, but it’s paired with citrus and ginger to make this slightly lighter and more refreshing.

Price at time of publish: $105

Key Notes: Saffron, citrus, amber, jasmine, rose | Size: 60 mL | Cruelty-Free: Unknown

Bloomingdales

View On Bloomingdales View On Neiman Marcus View On Saks Fifth Avenue

What We Like

Long-lasting and projects well
Unisex

What We Don't Like

Sweeter than Baccarat Rouge

According to Zagwolsky, this is a nice unisex option. Tonka bean cuts the sweetness (which comes from a brown sugar base note), but it still has notes of amber and saffron, she explains. Opening bergamot also gives it a pleasant freshness to further balance out the sweetness.

Price at time of publish: $220

Key Notes: Bergamot, saffron, rose, oud | Size: 100 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Ormonde Jayne

View On Ormondejayne.com

What We Like

Offers some unique notes that other perfumes don’t
Very long-lasting

What We Don't Like

Strong sillage that may be too intense for some

Another one of Zagwolsky’s picks, this is an amberesque-oud that’s warm and spicy but also very sweet; credit the notes of date oil, which she says is very unique to any fragrance. It does dry down slightly less sweet, but keep in mind that it does have an intense silage that Zagwolsky says may turn heads.

Price at time of publish: $167

Key Notes: Saffron, oud, rose, dates, halva | Size: 50 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Thameen London Patiala Extrait de Parfum

Saks Fifth Avenue

View On Saks Fifth Avenue

What We Like

Lighter and fresher than Baccarat Rouge
Very long-lasting

What We Don't Like

Aldehydes in the top notes may be off-putting to some

Baccarat Rouge 540 is many things, but ‘fresh’ is not necessarily one of them. That’s why this is a nice alternative. It’s effervescent, thanks to top notes of bright orange blossom, says Zagwolsky. Additional citrus notes add to the freshness, which is balanced by rose and warmer amber and musk, which hearken back to those Baccarat Rouge 540 vibes.

Price at time of publish: $220

Key Notes: Citrus, orange blossom, rose, amber, musk | Size: 50 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Gisada Switzerland

View On Gisada.com

What We Like

A well-balanced and unique option for those who like woodsy fragrances

What We Don't Like

Not readily available
More expensive than Baccarat Rouge 540

Spicy and woody, this is a twist on other ouds with top notes of fruity rhubarb and raspberry. Subtle touches of rose oil and precious woods in the base further round this out

Price at time of publish: $349

Key Notes: Rhubarb, raspberry, oud, amber, vanilla | Size: 100 mL | Cruelty-Free: Unknown

GLASSHOUSE FRAGRANCES Midnight In Milan Eau de Parfum

Neiman Marcus

View On Amazon View On Glasshousefragrances.com View On Neiman Marcus

What We Like

Great price point
Long-lasting fragrance

What We Don't Like

Dry down may be a bit one note

Ambergris, saffron, jasmine…here’s another pick that has almost the same notes as Baccarat Rouge 540. Where it differs: The addition of blackcurrant, moss, and rose, which make this come across as slightly lighter. And because the rose is fairly prominent, this also skews toward the more floral end of the spectrum (although not overtly so).

Price at time of publish: $100

Key Notes: Saffron, blackcurrant, rose, jasmine ambergris, moss | Size: 100 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Walmart

View On Dossier.co

What We Like

Very affordable
Vegan

What We Don't Like

Packaging is a bit lacking

We’re not quite sure how they do it, but this brand is known for making inexpensive alternatives to some of the priciest fragrances out there—and this is no exception. It has all the usual suspects (including that oh-so important amber and saffron), but with some unique additions such as a plum and oakmoss to give it an ever-so-slightly different dry down.

Price at time of publish: $100

Key Notes: Saffron, orange blossom, cedarwood, amber, plum | Size: 50 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Ellis Brooklyn Super Amber Eau de Parfum

Sephora

View On Nordstrom View On Sephora View On Ulta

What We Like

Formula is free from fragrance allergens
Scent is subtle

What We Don't Like

Doesn’t last super long

For those who are intrigued by how warm Baccarat Rouge 540 is, this is another good option. You definitely have to like amber, as it’s the primary note here, combined with cedarwood and vanilla orchid that lend a slightly gourmand touch. It’s, in a word, cozy, a great choice for fall or winter.

Price at time of publish: $108

Key Notes: Amber, cedarwood, vanilla orchid | Size: 50 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Credo Beauty

View On Nordstrom View On Bergdorfgoodman.com View On Credo Beauty

What We Like

Brand is EWG-verified
Comes in two sizes

What We Don't Like

Doesn’t have great staying power

While not necessarily as directly similar to Baccarat Rouge 540 as some of the other options on this list, this is a great pick for anyone looking for cleaner, more natural fragrance. The brand discloses all of its ingredients (rare in the fragrance world) and is EWG-verified. It contains some of the same notes as Baccarat Rouge 540, just used differently; for example, jasmine is used as a middle note rather than at the top and amber woods are at the base rather than the middle. Peach and bergamot add a slightly fruity element that balances the other notes nicely.

Price at time of publish: $120

Key Notes: Peach, bergamot, musk, jasmine | Size: 50 mL | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Final Verdict

If you’re looking for an alternative to Baccarat Rouge 540, you have options. The Al Haramain Amber Oud Rouge Eau De Parfum Spray and Mancera Instant Crush Eau De Parfum are two nearly identical choices, as is the Dossier Ambery Saffron, the latter of which also rings in at a fraction of the price.

Meet the Expert

Leila Zagwolsky is a fragrance expert and the CEO & Co-founder of LUXSB, Luxury Scent Box, a perfume subscription site.

What to Look for in a Perfume Similar to Baccarat Rouge 540

Key Notes

According to Zagwolsky, amber is a key part of the scent profile you’re looking for so make sure to seek that out. “From there, if the fragrance also has woods, saffron, and floral notes of jasmine or rose, you’re likely on the right path,” she says.

Sillage

This is the French word for “wake” and essentially refers to the scent a perfume leaves behind as it evaporates. Baccarat Rouge 540 has a long sillage—generally associated with heavier or more intense perfumes—so if you want something that’s close to it, look for fragrances that also have a long sillage.

FAQ

What are the key notes of Baccarat Rouge 540?

Saffron, jasmine, amberwood, ambergris, and cedarwood are some of the key notes.
What does Baccarat Rouge 540 smell like?

It’s hard to describe, given that it has so many different notes that all blend together. But it’s warm and multi-dimensional, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, and slightly woody.
Why is Baccarat Rouge 540 so popular?

“It’s both timeless and unique, and has the perfect balances of notes, projection, and longevity,” says Zagwolsky, who adds that the scent is also very alluring.

Why Trust Byrdie

Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. While she typically likes very light, very fresh perfumes, she was shocked to learn that she loves Baccarat Rouge 540, proof positive of its universal appeal.

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