baccarat rouge 540

Baccarat Rouge 540 vs. Creed Aventus

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Creed Aventus and Baccarat Rouge are two of the most popular fragrances in the world. Since they are both luxury scents and have that popularity, they often get compared to one another. Even though, they are both different scents, and one is distinctly for men to wear. Nonetheless, I thought I’d give my full comparison between these perfumes. Which smells better? Lasts longer? Is the better buy?

Tale of the Tape: Aventus vs. BR 540

Baccarat Rouge 540

Notes include: saffron, ambergris, cedar, fir resin, jasmine

Click here to try: Buy from Saks

Creed Aventus 

creed aventus

Notes of Creed Aventus: 

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla.

Click here to read my original Aventus Review

Click here to get Aventus: Aventus by Creed

Opening

The opening act of both of these is pretty funny to compare for me, as I’m not a huge fan of how either starts off. The sharp pineapple note, with the other citrus and woodsy elements of Aventus has never been something I enjoyed.

If all I’d have to go by was the first 15 minutes or so, I’d think that this fragrance wasn’t worth wearing. The pineapple, blackcurrant, and the dryness of birch can be a bit much at first.

However, I do like what it settles into. Fresh and lively, very enjoyable to wear. Next, you get less pineapple, and more of the birch wood and oak moss. This is where Aventus comes into its own. Plus, a little vanilla sweetness and the remaining apple note.

Baccarat rouge goes with the saffron and jasmine, front and center in the beginning. It’s clean, sweet, and presents a lemony tinge to it from the hedione (jasmine). Sitting under that, is the amber and wood notes giving this a invigorating and resinous quality early on…which will become greater as it develops.

Which is a better opening? Again, not a huge fan of either. But, I’d give the edge to Baccarat Rouge, because I like the resin.

Edge: BR 540

Projection

Both of these fragrances starts off strong. But, most of what separates them in sillage, will come later in the wear.

I think Aventus hits a higher level and can project itself further. Plus, it will maintain much of its strength for a longer time than Baccarat Rouge does.

Rouge kicks off strong, goes moderate, and then has a stage wear it is pretty airy and light. It does hang around, but doesn’t have a heavy or overwhelming presence.

Aventus is the better of the two here.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

With Aventus, I will usually get 8-9 hours of wear out of it. Sometimes, it’ll hang around for 10, on my skin. But, within that time frame, the sillage will mostly stay pretty substantial and it won’t be a pure skin scent.

Meanwhile, BR 540 will land anywhere from 8-12 hours. It has a much wider spectrum than does the Creed, usually hitting around 10 hours total. They’re fairly close to one another, but Baccarat does have a higher high than Aventus.

Thus, the Kurkdjian perfume takes this category.

Edge: BR 540

Versatility

This is an interesting category. Baccarat Rouge 540 is much more of a unisex fragrance, than the more traditionally masculine Aventus. So, in that sense it is more versatile.

However, I think seasonally Aventus is more versatile since it can hold up better in the warmer weather, while also being able to stick around for the cold. Spring and autumn is where Aventus is best, in my mind.

Both are the sort of fragrances that can be worn pretty much anywhere.

All in all, I think I’ll give BR 540 the nod. Just because it will have a greater appeal to a wider range of people, even if it isn’t a warmer weather scent.

Edge: BR 540

Overall Scent

Baccarat Rouge is a very nice fragrance, that has captured so many hearts, that it has been endlessly copied. It is distinct, pleasant to wear, and has very good performance.

I do like when it settles down. The amber, jasmine, and overall clean yet resinous quality is intriguing. For women, it’d be the one I’d go with between these two. Although, if you can swing it, BR 540 Extrait is a better scent.

As to which of these two fragrances is better? The answer is Aventus. Yes, I think the opening is rough, but the dry down has so much depth and just smells better than does Baccarat Rouge. Sure, Rouge has a slight edge in different metrics, but Aventus isn’t far behind.

I would rather wear Aventus, hands down. Most men, will probably prefer the Creed fragrance, also.

So, women: vast majority will want BR 540. Men: Vast majority will want to go with Aventus. But, again, BR 540 is the more unisex friendly scent.

Winner: Aventus

Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

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Baccarat Rouge is the most popular perfume in the world right now (or it at least seems that way). So naturally, the more concentrated Extrait version has also garnered a lot of attention. As a man, neither is something that I particularly want to wear for myself, but I do enjoy them. I grabbed new decants of each recently to finally post my reviews. How does BR 540 Extrait smell? Does it last long? Is it worth the high price?

What does Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait Smell Like?

Notes include: almond, saffron, ambergris, jasmine, cedar, musk

Click here to try: Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait at Saks

My Full Review

The opening of Extrait is sweet and powerful with the almond note and saffron. Well, call it bittersweet. It actually reminds me a bit of a more well put together (and unisex) version of 1 Million Lucky.

That cologne has a hazelnut in lieu of the almond. However, they have shared notes of  jasmine, cedar, musk, and amber. Here is is ambergris versus a much more synthetic smelling amberwood. Definitely not as sharp or harsh as the Paco Rabanne, but they do have a similar profile early on.

As Maison Kurkdjian describes the saffron note: “Its very powerful perfume is bitter and slightly metallic, blowing hot and cold on the rest of the composition with also a leathery, tarred facet.” 

Saffron gives it a bit of spiciness yet it’s all very smooth. I smell a pinch of salt in this mix. The impression of faded cotton candy, like walking along a boardwalk where they’re selling that fluffy pink stuff.  Like it was made earlier in the day, just remnants hanging in the air. 

The next phase comes across as more watery and sweet. Very clean with jasmine taking the reigns and feeling closer to the original Baccarat Rouge. The opening almond fades mostly away on my skin.

The musk, woods, and ambergris play the supporting role to the jasmine note for the rest of the way. It’s mostly about the floral with a very fresh and musky cedar coming in second. This is more of a unisex fragrance than what I get from the original.

 

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage is pretty powerful at first, but it really settles closer to the skin. It will project itself pretty darn far off of the skin or a piece of clothing. Though, once it has calmed down a bit, I don’t find it to be too strong.

I mean, I definitely notice it throughout the day and it’s less airy than the EDP, but I never feel completely overwhelmed by Extrait. Yet, you don’t need to apply very much to make it work. Nice balance. 

Longevity wise, Extrait is an absolute workhorse. This perfume just keeps going well past 10 hours. I’m not sure exactly when it ends but I’ve worn it for 13 hours and it wasn’t quitting. So, you could probably tack a few more hours to that total. 

Seasonally, I like this mostly in the colder weather of autumn and winter. Not a super heavy scent, just not one that I’d reach for in late spring or the summer. Depending on where you live, you might get use out of Extrait for 2/3 of the year.

It does have great versatility. It can be worn by all ages, is unisex, and can be worn on a variety of occasions. I don’t really think of it as a nightlife perfume or one that is all that ‘sexy’. Outside of that, it can generally fit in and does have an attractive quality.

 

Overall Impressions of BR 540 Extrait

Overall, do I like Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait? Yes, while it is very expensive, this one is a great perfume and I do like it a bit better than the original. 

I enjoy the opening act with the almond and saffron. Particularly, the saffron since it is one of my personal favorites. You get plenty of the DNA of BR 540, but with its own uniqueness and personality. It’s a bit more refined and smooth.

Performance wise, you’ll get your money’s worth. It goes on and on and doesn’t seem to want to quit. It is one of the longest lasting perfumes on the market. Which is cool, because it also smells great, and doesn’t need to use any odd notes to achieve that longevity.

Is it worth the price? If you like the smell, absolutely. If you’ve never smelled it before, you should probably grab a sample before committing to a full bottle. For most people, I don’t think it would be too much of a mistake. But on the off chance that you don’t enjoy the sort of perfume, it could get pretty costly. 

 

Baccarat Rouge 540 vs. Burberry Her

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Baccarat Rouge is a super popular fragrance that seems to keep growing in status. The catch is, it is also wildly expensive for most people. Thus, there have been many cheaper scents or similar smelling perfumes that have been released, that people want to try out.

One of them, Burberry Her, just happens to have been created by Francis Kurkdjian and has a somewhat similar profile to his best seller. How does it stack up to BR 540? Which lasts longer? Can it actually compete?

Tale of the Tape: BR 540 vs. Burberry Her

Baccarat Rouge 540

Notes include: saffron, ambergris, cedar, fir resin, jasmine

Click here to try: Buy from Saks

Burberry Her

Notes include: strawberry, citrus, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, wood, musk, amber, jasmine

Click here to try: Burberry Her Eau De Parfum Spray

Read my review: Burberry Her EDP

Opening

Burberry Her EDP starts off with a strong use of its citrus and berry notes. The fruitiness is powerful in the early stages. Strawberry is the strongest note of the lot, with some additional raspberry and brightness of the citrus notes.

It can be sharp and sour versus being sugary sweet or anything. The floral notes aren’t all that strong, but there is a decent amount of jasmine at times.

Baccarat Rouge 540 kicks things off with the saffron and jasmine note sharing the stage. It’s clean, sweet, and presents a lemony tinge to it from the hedione (jasmine).

Sitting under that, is the amber and wood notes giving this a invigorating and resinous quality early on…which will become greater as it develops.

Which is better? While I do like the fruitiness of Burberry Her, is does begin to wear on me. It’s a good start, but I prefer that of 540.

Edge: BR 540

Projection

In terms of how far they project at their peak, it’s actually pretty even. They both start out strong, but not insanely overwhelming, and then settle into something much more moderate.

I’d say that Baccarat Rouge has a longer run at the top of its strength. Then, it is also projects itself to a greater degree in the dry down. By no means, is it way more powerful than Her, but it does have a slight edge.

Edge: BR 540

Longevity

BR 540 has a wide range of hours for how long it lasts. Sometimes, it’s 8 hours, and other times it’s 12. Split the difference and it can last a consistent 10 hours, on my skin. It’s got a great long lasting wear.

Burberry Her will go up to 8 hours. So, at its peak, it can hit the baseline of what I get with Baccarat Rouge. The Burberry isn’t a bad performer at all, it will hit that 7-8 hour mark regularly.

But, between the two, the Maison Kurkdjian perfume easily takes this category.

Edge: BR 540

Versatility

Seasonally, Burberry Her can work better in the heat than BR 540. So, that’s one area that it can have an advantage. Though, Baccarat Rouge is also great during the rest of the year, so not too big of a deal.

I will say that Her is a much more youthful fragrance, that can have a teenager perfume vibe. Not completely childish or anything, but it does skew younger.

BR 540 does have better versatility, since it can pretty much be worn anywhere and fit in just fine. While the sweet-tart fruitiness of the Burberry might not always be appropriate.

Edge: BR 540

Overall Scent

Overall, this isn’t really much of a contest, and it will be a clean sweep for Baccarat Rouge. Really, it should absolutely be the outcome based on the price of this perfume.

I like Burberry Her for its differences, but it also becomes grating. The opening strawberry and citrus is fun and uplifting, but it gets old after a while. Very sweet/sharp with musky woods in the base.

Her gets a lot of play due to its similarities to BR 540. It’s nice, not a must have. A teenager or younger woman can absolutely get use out of the Burberry and find it plenty enjoyable. If affordability is a major factor, you may very well want to go with Burberry Her.

But, I’d probably just get something else in that price range, instead of just trying have a sort of smell alike of Baccarat Rouge. Burberry Her isn’t even the best Br 540 clone, anyway.

For BR Rouge, it’s an easy win. The fragrance is well ahead of the Burberry by every metric. If you can afford a full bottle, go with that. Actually, Extrait is the best BR 540 version.

If you aren’t familiar with how this fragrance smells, get a hold of a sample, and test it out. There are plenty of people who won’t enjoy Baccarat Rouge, despite its popularity.

Winner: BR 540