I Tried Sand + Fog So You Don’t Have To
(Feeling funny, title is a joke!)
So I’m sure by now a number of us in this sub are familiar with the Sand + Fog brand, either hearing about it or because we’ve used some of their products. As far as affordability and quality goes, their oils are pretty decent, some performing better than others, but overall S+F does a nice job of making wallet-friendly dupes of much more expensive fragrances. Cons of the brand in my opinion are that they have inconsistent packaging (the same scent can be sold in at least 2-3 different bottles or formats, sometimes under different names for no reason), they have yet to offer a way for customers to design their own discovery kits (the ones they put together themselves are often repetitive and overlap with each other a lot), and they have recently fallen into the “dupes of dupes” trap, or having lots of scents that are similar to each other (they’re inventory is a overflowing with sweet coconut, marshmallow, and vanilla scents, but not nearly as much attention gets paid to non-gourmands). It’d be nice if they took more of their customers’ suggestions to heart; I know I’m not the only one who has asked for a “make your own discovery set” option for their online store, and those of us asking for non-gourmand scents get ignored most of the time. But, they’re a business, they’ll do as they will.
I’ve tried a whole bunch of them by now, loved some, only liked others, and some just weren’t for me. But I thought I’d share a brief review of the ones I’ve tested out, since I can no longer do so on Parfumo (the brand had Parfumo remove them from the website, no idea why).
Amber & Jasmine
- Dupe of Nest Indian Jasmine
- I did previously have Indian Jasmine in my collection, but I realized I just didn't love how Nest's oil formula sits on my skin; it's a bit greasy for a while after it's applied and massaged in. But, this S+F dupe is really accurate to the original, so if I ever felt like I needed to have this scent in my stash again I would 100% buy the S+F oil. Kind of a shame they don't have this one in a dropper yet, just in the rollerball formats.
Amber & Neroli
- Dupe of Tom Ford Neroli Portofino
- Unisex lemon-lime vibes with a bit of basil and a soft, subtly sweet, but still unisex amber base. Very much a summer fragrance to me. Really great performance and longevity for a citrus fragrance; I honestly love that S+F’s oils really boost performance on typically light, short-lived scents.
Amber & Pear
- Dupe of Juliette Has A Gun Pear Inc.
- Sharp, almost lemony pear and a bit of a staticky musk dry-down. There’s something marine about it, in a way? Either that, or a pear/lemon laundry detergent. I didn’t like this one enough to buy it, but I can see why the fresh and clean crowd would enjoy it.
Amber Bloom
- Dupe of Nest Turkish Rose
- Honestly, a very nice, plummy rose, and I would have gotten this one if I didn’t already have several rose fragrances I enjoy more. This one could be layered easily with a bunch of fragrances if you wanted to, same as the Nest oil it’s inspired by.
Amber Cove
- Dupe of Abercrombie & Fitch Amber Cove
- Warm, deep amber with orange citrus. I don’t get much of the jasmine and rose mentioned on the S+F website, but this is like a stronger, citrusy take on the Nemat Amber scent I love so much. I haven’t worn this one often but I find myself enjoying it every time I do. Can also add some really nice depth and longevity to citrus fragrances in the summer without turning cloying or overwhelming.
Amber Musk
- Dupe of Prada Paradoxe
- This is a really nice dupe of Paradoxe and sits somewhere between the og Paradoxe and Paradoxe Intense. I don’t dislike it, but there is something in the drydown that just isn’t quite for me. The specific blend or maybe the particular musk note used just might not be working out great on my skin.
Aperol Spritz
- Dupe of Replica Never Ending Summer
- Very bold and spicy orange juice that doesn’t sweeten up much as it settles. It’s not bad, but it’s not my kind of citrus. I think if you like an Aperol spritz drink, though, you may really love this.
Apple Blossom
- Dupe of ???
- Overall I really like this, because the fresh apple in the opening is lovely, but there’s something oddly green in the middle. It sometimes reminds me of celery? Not entirely sure I’ll be keeping this one. Also, it’s in TJ Maxx but not on their website just yet, so I can’t say for certain what it’s duping.
Bloom
- Dupe of Marc Jacobs Daisy Love Eau So Sweet
- Very cute and pretty with a lovely lychee-berry pairing in the opening, but on me the floral heart and base notes are practically nonexistent. I would’ve loved if this one worked well for me; it would layer so nicely with some of my other berry and lychee fragrances if it did.
Cedarwood & Fig
- Dupe of NOYZ Sh**ty Day
- I’m not a fan of the inspiring scent or this oil. It’s just too masculine for my tastes. But, for those who prefer unisex or masculine-leaning fragrances, this could work out nicely for you. The fig is extremely subtle here, and overall it’s a green, fresh, slightly powdery fragrance.
Coastal Cashmere
- Dupe of Nostalgia Summer Vacation
- Because I’m not a huge fan of ylang-ylang, this wasn’t going to be a win for me. It is a fairly nice summer option, though, sweet and subtle and far from offensive.
Coconut Beach
- Dupe of Jo Malone Beach Blossom
- This is listed under their fruity fragrances, and sadly I cannot agree. This is very herbal and masculine-leaning; the coconut is very subtle, and overall this comes off like a typical lavender-tonka male-marketed fragrance.
Date Night
- Dupe of Lush Sticky Dates
- I’ve never smelled Sticky Dates and after smelling this, I do not want to 😂 Sorry to anyone who loves it, but to me this is* *just so much. Very dense, heavy, and hit my nose like an overly-scented candle.
Fall Mornings
- Dupe of ???
- Very “autumn candle”, but not necessarily offensive. Just not to my tastes, is all. But one of my friends says its "the pumpkin spice latte scent of her dreams", so do with that what you will!
Fleur de Vanille
- Dupe for Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blush
- So, I cannot wear CH Good Girl Blush; for some reason it turns into a plastic-and-patchouli bomb on me, which I do not understand. This oil, thankfully, gives me the sweet floral bubblegum scent I get off of GG Blush on paper, but there’s still a slight plastic edge to it. I can only assume that’s how ylang-ylang works on me, as I’ve noticed it happening on other fragrances with more prominent ylang-ylang. So, overall an excellent dupe, just not meant to be for me.
Italian Citrus
- Dupe of Ralph Lauren RALPH Eau de Toilette
- Is the citrus in the room with us? In all seriousness, the inspiring scent isn’t all that citrusy, so this was named in error, I think. Nothing citrusy about this at all. It’s a lovely apple shampoo fragrance, but the scent and name absolutely do not match. It’s also one of the softest of the S+F scents I’ve tried, so this one ultimately ended up in my declutter box.
Lemon Sugar
- Dupe of Kayali Capri in a Bottle
- Very cute, and I do get a lovely sugared lemon at first, but something in this turned bitter on my skin. I’m certain it behaves better for other people, though, because I’ve seen so many positive reviews of it.
Love Potion
- Dupe of Burberry Her
- Another dupe that was done very well and close to the original. It makes the scent profile last longer, and it’s bolder as well, but unfortunately something in here gave me a little bit of a plastic scent. Ultimately decided not to keep it, which is fine because I realized the only Burberry scent I genuinely love is Her EDT.
Lychee Dream
- Dupe of Kayali Eden Sparkling Lychee
- Similar to the problem I had with their Bloom oil, the lychee in the opening is very fun and pretty but it doesn’t last, and I just didn’t love the dry-down. I think the combination of powdery notes and milky/creamy ones didn’t sit quite right on my skin.
Mango Papaya
- S+F Original
- If I didn't already have a handful of citrus scents and one mango scent, this would've come home with me. A cute, sunny, tropical fragrance that thankfully isn't just another rehash of pineapple, coconut, or that vague fruity shampoo vibe a lot of summer fragrances turned out to be this past summer. Perhaps if I make some more space in my collection, I could snag this one later down the line.
Marshmallow Skies
- Dupe of Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow
- I was genuinely surprised at how much I liked this, because I usually don’t like dessert-like gourmands. I think it’s because marshmallow notes have a starchy-yet-powdery quality to them that, at least to my nose, helps keep them from becoming too sugary, like BBW Warm Vanilla Sugar or baked good gourmand fragrances. The berry notes also help, because I love me a berry note. And this one performs like crazy. You really don’t need much to last several hours, and when I’ve worn it to bed I can smell it on my blankets for days afterwards. And compared to the inspiring scent, this one’s incredibly accurate.
Mocha Martini
- Dupe of Ex Idolo Love & Crime
- All I can say is this smells like Tootsie Rolls with a little bit of bitter coffee 😂
Orange Cream
- Dupe of Nest Crème de Clementine
- I am not a creamsicle fan, so I have a negative bias against this. To me, it’s way-too-sweet artificial orange with way-too-sweet vanilla, and the combination of the two creates a bitter, almost vomit-like “aftertaste”. I couldn’t put this one back on the shelf fast enough.
Peach Bellini
- Dupe of Floral Street Sunflower Pop
- Fresh, zesty citrus with florals? Yes! Peach? Not so much. This one was fun, but it didn’t last that well on my skin, and ultimately just wasn’t my favorite of the S+F citruses I’ve tried.
Pear Blossom
- Dupe of Carolina Herrera Good Girl
- I like this so much better than Good Girl. GG is extremely strong and stuffy to me; coffee, almond, patchouli, tuberose…a lot going on that my nose isn’t vibing with. This oil, though, is mostly pear and caramel, which I love because pear is one of my favorite notes, and the caramel makes it nice and cozy for cold weather. The florals are there, just not in your face. Easily one of my favorites, and currently on my tray for the season!
Peony & Lily
- Dupe of Parfums de Marly Delina
- Initially, I didn’t mind this. It’s a fresh, sort of peppery, zesty rose, and honestly it’s a good one. But the more I kept it, the more the peppery quality was getting to me, and I decided to part with it. I haven’t tried Delina to know how similar it is, but some reviewers have said it’s either close or identical.
Rose & Pear
- Dupe of Kayali Fleur Majesty Rose Royale 31
- I was tempted because this is a beautiful floral, but as I’m working on decluttering this year, I can’t justify buying yet another fruity floral when I have so many to get through already. This isn’t really a rose scent to me, but it is pretty, and I think it’d be easy for someone to wear and love.
Rose & Peony
- Dupe of Dior Miss Dior (2021)
- This oil is the only way I can wear the 2021 Miss Dior scent, because something in Dior’s formulas just refuses to cooperate with my skin. Can’t wear any of them! (Which is good for my wallet, I suppose.) Whenever I wear this, I get the vibes of taking a day to myself, getting an iced vanilla latte, buying myself flowers, and just having a good time. The easygoing “romanticize your life” fragrance, if you will. Where I’m struggling is trying to decide how much I need it in my collection, because I do have a decluttering goal to get to. But, overall, this is a very solid dupe of Miss Dior 2021, which I’m sure fans of the fragrance will be happy about seeing as Dior just discontinued that version to make way for a new chypre interpretation.
Rose Dew
- Dupe of Byredo Flowerhead
- I got more gardenia than rose from this when I gave it a sniff, but otherwise it seems perfectly lovely. Again, though, I left it at the store because I have so many florals to get through. I’ve not smelled Flowerhead, but this did vaguely remind me of Tocca Florence.
Rue de Fleur
- Dupe of Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique
- I didn’t buy this one either, but it was another solid contender for an easy-to-wear floral. I couldn’t parse the individual notes, but instead got the sensory equivalent of sniffing a bouquet of mixed flowers. Very pretty, just not so pretty to tempt me personally.
Sea Salt Coast
- Dupe of Armani Ocean di Gioia
- If you’re a fan of Ocean di Gioia, which has been discontinued, you’ll love this oil. It’s a very close, if not identical, interpretation. A hint of citrus and pear, then the marine aquatic core, and a fairly smooth transition all the way into the dry down. I just wasn’t wearing mine enough to justify it taking up space in my collection, is all. If I find myself craving a salty sea breeze fragrance in the future, I know where to look for one.
Soft Skin
- Dupe of Glossier Reve
- Not for me, I’m afraid. I’m terribly picky and fickle when it comes to orris fragrances. This one was too “scratchy” and powdery in the way orris can go, but I know a lot of Glossier Reve fans have praised it.
Spa Day
- Dupe of Replica Bubble Bath
- This one surprised me. I normally don’t like soapy scents, but this one made me think of the specific bubble bath soap my parents used to buy for me and my sibling when we were little. And honestly? It’s one of the most relaxing, calming, grounding scents I own. It’s one of those scents you can wear any time of year, too, so I get plenty of use out of it.
Spring Morning
- Dupe of Byredo G Water
- I’ve tried a handful of dupes of G Water, not the original, and aside from Tocca Colette this is my favorite. Being an oil, it helps keep the scent around much longer, even if it’s still on the softer side, and is a great option all year. Absolutely love the combination of soft citrus, fresh aromatic woodsy and pine notes, and the gentle vanilla-amber base.
Strawberry Shake
- Dupe of Juliette Has A Gun Miami Shake
- This one was just far too artificial for me, but if you like scents along the lines of Burberry Her Elixir, Intense, or Parfum you’ll probably love this.
Strawberry Spritz
- Dupe of Phlur Strawberry Letter
- I really liked this one for a while, but as my nose developed I realized it just wasn’t my ideal berry scent. I seem to lean more towards blueberry and raspberry. But! A very fun, cute strawberry scent that also layers well with other fruity fragrances.
Sweet Apple
- Dupe of Kayali Eden Juicy Apple
- I’m torn on whether or not to keep this one! It’s got a beautiful red apple opening, but even though I can smell this on my clothes the next day I go noseblind to it somewhere in the drydown after the fruity notes fade off. But it’s so very pretty and fun, so I’m giving it another try before officially deciding whether to keep it or not.
Sweet Ivory
- Dupe of Valentino Donna Born In Roma Ivory
- Sweet, sunshiny mandarin orange, happy orange blossom, and fluffy marshmallows. Me again with the marshmallow notes, apparently. But this is so very fun and easy to wear, and doesn’t have that “something off” in the drydown that I get with Amber Musk. And since the DBIR Ivory flanker was a limited edition, this is a very affordable way for fans to get that scent again. Can’t quite pin this one to a specific season because it has those fresh and fruity citrus and orange blossom qualities, but also the warmth and indulgent qualities from the marshmallow and other base notes.
Toasted Marshmallow
- Dupe of Commodity Milk
- I haven’t smelled Milk, but if it’s like this oil I totally understand why it’s so popular. The marshmallow is there but subtle, there’s a smoky woodiness without going full bonfire, and it has a bit of a creamy, slightly sliced quality. This is great for fall and winter when you want something soft but long-lasting. I’ve been wearing it to bed lately, and I can still smell it when I wake up. But, this would also layer well with other fall scents.
Tropical Guava
- Dupe of Ellis Brooklyn Guava Granita
- The opening? Beautiful. The drydown? Bit of a let-down, I'm afraid. I love the fruitiness in the initial application, but once it dries down I'm left with a sort of generic coconut-banana-sunscreen vibe that just isn't what I'm after. But, this would be a hit for summer, I'm sure.
Vanilla Almond
- Dupe of Parfums de Marly Valaya Exclusif
- While I love White Peach (the S+F dupe of Valaya), I just don't have the same fondness for this one. It lacks White Peach's fruity notes and instead really amps up the powdery florals, and that powder quality doesn't go away once the vanilla tries to come up from the base. I wouldn't say it brings "vanilla almond" to mind when I'm smelling it. A little "staticky" in a strange way.
Vanilla Marshmallow
- Dupe of Ellis Brooklyn Marshmallows
- If you just want pure, starchy, sweet marshmallows without the berry notes of Marshmallow Skies, you'd love this. There is a hint of fruitiness for a little bit, but ultimately this is simply marshmallows. Good, but I ended up liking Marshmallow Skies more. The berry notes won me over.
Venice
- Dupe of Valentino Donna Born In Roma Green Stravaganza
- As cool as the DBIR bottles are, I couldn't justify spending the money on them even though the scents were nice; for some reason this house just doesn't last on my skin (a real shame with Coral Fantasy, because I loved the kiwi note). But here, you get that clean, lightly sweetened, spa-like green tea scent with a much-needed boost to both strength and longevity. It doesn't fill a room by any means (I don't think anything can top the strength I get from Marshmallow Skies), but at least this one won't fade after 2 hours. And, I think it could layer well with other tea or jasmine scents.
Violet Sandalwood
- Dupe of Byredo Mojave Ghost
- I wanted to love this, but I just don’t. One of my best friends, however, does, and it’s one of her regulars. Violet and sandalwood are the most prominent notes, with a clean, woody-floral profile.
Warm Cashmere
- Dupe of ???
- Another one that smells like a fall candle, but it’s very clove-forward. Not for me, but other folks have been raving about it apparently.
Watermelon Sugar
- S+F Original
- Initially this is a fresh, fairly realistic watermelon fragrance, but it turns synthetic kind of quick. I'd be very curious to compare this to the other two watermelon fragrances S+F has made, Watermelon Candy and Watermelon Swirl, to see which would be the best. Ultimately, I'm not too confident that I'll be keeping this one.
White Palm
- Dupe of Phlur Missing Person
- After finally getting to test out Missing Person, I can confirm this is stronger and, again, has better longevity. A bit of clean citrus at the start, then fresh, airy florals, and finishing with a comforting woody musk base. This is one of my go-tos when I just need to feel calm and grounded. And while it's stronger than the Phlur scent, this is still office-friendly and highly unlikely to offend any coworkers with sensitive noses.
White Peach
- Dupe of Parfums de Marly Valaya
- So far, this is the only peach scent I've kept in my collection. It's got a cool sparkling, fizzy/fuzzy quality at the start, like peach skin itself or someone cracking open a soda water while you're sitting next to a create of fresh white peaches. And it's definitely white peaches, not the more nectary yellow kind, or a syrupy or candied peach. The fresh and clean aspect of this make it incredibly easy to wear, and it was one of my favorites to wear to work this past spring and early summer. The longevity for an almost citrus-like scent is impressive, too; I get at least 6-8 hours. Can't say how true it is to Valaya, but I feel absolutely no need to pay $400+ when I can get this oil for $26 if I buy directly from S+F's website.
White Pear
- Dupe of Jimmy Choo I Want Choo
- It's kind of strange, but I get more of the gardenia and patchouli than I get of the pear. Maybe some of the cassis and blackberry? But I wouldn't say this is a pear scent to me... Then again, I did only get a brief whiff of it at TJ Maxx and haven't gotten to try it on my skin. Might have to retry this one next time I come across it, to be fair.
Dear GOD this took me so long to actually type out and finish. If you made it this far, congratulations, and thank you for your time! I'm still hoping we'll see a Nest Indigo dupe from S+F someday soon, but I'd also be happy to see a dupe of BBW Fresh Cut Lilacs or Le Monde Gourmand Jus de Kiwi (kiwi is such an underutilized note for fragrances, it's really unfair). But if anybody else has opinions on S+F, let's talk about them!