Okay, so listen up, fragrance fanatics. We gotta talk about Creed Millesime Imperial clones. MI, as the cool kids call it, is like, *the* summer scent for a lot of people. That salty, fruity, kinda beachy vibe? Yeah, it’s a banger. But let’s be real, Creed prices are, well, *Creed* prices. You gotta take out a small loan just to smell good.
That’s where the clones come in, right? The promise of smelling like a millionaire without actually *being* one? Tempting, I know. So, are they any good? Eh, it’s complicated.
I mean, everyone and their grandma seems to have a dupe these days. The one that keeps popping up *everywhere* is Armaf Club de Nuit Milestone. Like, seriously, go to any fragrance forum (or subreddit, obvs) and someone’s gonna be hyping it up. It’s got that sea note thing going on, plus some berries and bergamot. Sounds kinda like the real deal, right?
But here’s the thing, and this is just my opinion, okay? Clones are never *exactly* the same. They get close, sure. Like, if you’re just walking past someone, maybe they won’t know the difference. But *you* will. You’ll know it’s not the real Creed. It’s like, a cover band playing your favorite song – it’s similar, but the magic’s just…missing?
And sometimes, let’s be honest, the quality just isn’t there. You get that initial burst of something that *resembles* Millesime Imperial, but then it fades super quick, or it turns into some weird, synthetic mess. Been there, smelled that, don’t recommend.
I saw someone online saying that Millesime Imperial becomes all “smooth and sweetly blended” after a few minutes. True. The clones… well, some of them do something vaguely similar. Other’s just stays a synthetic mess, and fade very quick and you have to spray it again and again.
Plus, let’s not forget the whole “inspired by” vs. “clone” debate. Some brands try to be sneaky and call their stuff “Citron Del Mar Inspired By Creed’s Millesime Imperial.” Like, okay, we all know what you’re doing. Just be upfront about it!
So, what’s the verdict? Are MI clones worth it? Honestly, it depends. If you’re on a super tight budget and just want something that’s in the ballpark, then yeah, maybe give one a shot. But don’t expect it to be a perfect replica. Maybe Armaf CDN Milestone will do it for you. Maybe not.