Written by contributor Hayley Morgan of The Tiny Twig.

I‘m not sure if it’s the case everywhere, but right now all the cool girls are wearing Ambre Essence where I live. It’s a lovely fragrance that wafts behind you and stays all day. It’s not cloying, it’s grounded, and it’s really natural smelling. It’s also not cheap. It’s sold in boutiques and fetches as much as a department store brand (slightly less than $50 for a roll-on applicator).

When I was at The Influence Conference a couple weekends ago, I smelled the familiar aroma of Ambre Essence and complimented the sweet girl wearing the fragrance. She looked at me like I had five eyes.  Not only had she never heard of the designer fragrance I was referencing, but she plainly stated what she was wearing was cheap and from Whole Foods.

Is There Really a Knockoff?

This is where things got slightly embarrassing and I got slightly giddy. Had I found a knockoff to a perfume I thought was so unique? Did I find an option that was less than half the price?  Surely not, because I’d Googled “Ambre Essence Knockoff” (so classy!) months ago. So, I high-tailed it to Whole Foods at the first chance I got and gave it a whiff. Sure enough, this Whole Foods perfume (it’s only $7.99 in the store) was a dead ringer for the fancy fragrance oil sold at the high-end boutiques.

So, if you’ve been looking for a cheaper option to Ambre Oil–this is your dead-on-nobody-will-know knockoff. And, if you’ve never heard of Ambre Essence, head to Whole Foods (or order online) and thank me later. This scent smells lovely on every woman and is kind of mysterious and not-trying-too-hard sexy. It’s a home-run and an instant “signature scent”. You’ll thank me for helping you smell great, and your Christmas budget will thank me for saving some money for gifts!

Do you have a signature scent? Have you heard of Ambre oil?