Red Temptation Elixir Parfum by Zara

I bought it blindly because I couldn’t find the traditional one, and the surprise was wow—an extraordinary first impression. A very captivating scent, very similar to the previous one that I praised so much. I’m happy with the purchase and consider it a very versatile and timeless perfume.

A new, more intense version of Zara’s successful Red Temptation, famous for being considered the dupe of the legendary Baccarat Rouge 540. In my opinion, without diminishing its quality, although it has a more than reasonable resemblance, I don’t consider it an exact clone. What’s noteworthy is its intensity and longevity, which far exceed the eau de parfum thanks to the concentration (you can tell by the darker colour). In the opening, you note that warm sweetness of bitter orange, like a slightly spiced orange reduction. Then it evolves towards praline, something like a liqueur-filled orange chocolate, and as it dries down, woody and green notes appear, where the coriander is most noticeable. It’s a long-lasting fragrance with good projection and an interesting evolution that you feel like a small personal bubble of scent.

The Elixir is rounder, very well blended, and it doesn’t give me the headache the original did. I love it; I can’t wait for the cold weather to wear it on a special night. It smells tremendously elegant and lasts on the skin for eternity. It’s warm, mysterious, and alluring. It has more sweetness in the praline than the original, but it’s not cloying; it’s woody. It’s one of those perfumes that leave a mark, with lots of personality, for a confident woman, a boss. It’s a proper beauty.

Excellent quality-to-price ratio. It easily lasts more than 12 hours, and two sprays are enough. It’s a darker, more mysterious scent than the Baccarat Rouge 540, and certainly much more potent. I’ve been wearing it for a month and there’s a polarisation in the opinions. Some love it and others hate it. I personally think it has a lot of class, although it’s not a perfume for everyone. I recommend trying it before buying.

Stronger and more long-lasting than the first Red Temptation. It resembles the BR540 extrait and Mancera’s Instant Crush. It lasts all day, making it ideal for cold weather; it truly shines in winter.

I don’t get the fuss about Zara’s Red Temptation being great dupes of my beloved Baccarat Rouge 540. My desire to get Baccarat at a bargain price led me to believe everything said on social media, and the truth is it was a disappointment. With this Elixir version, it’s more so than with the rest of the range, even though I’ve bought them all and this is the one that resembles it most, but it doesn’t resemble it. It has a super alcoholic opening, takes time to settle, and after a while I find the reason people say it’s like BC540: they’re just a few chords. As I said, it can remind you of it, but don’t buy this if you intend for it to smell like the wonder that is Baccarat. Forget it completely.

What a perfume! You can clearly tell it’s the Elixir version due to its concentration and longevity, and yes, it’s practically identical to the traditional Red Temptation, but with that wonderful praline twist! If you like the Red Temptation, this is a safe buy.

It bears a striking resemblance to the BR540 extrait and crushes the standard Red Temptation; this Elixir version is incredibly oily, which speaks to its quality. It’s warm, long-lasting, and you can truly taste that delicious burnt sugar. For me, it’s worth the price tag—even I feel it outshines the well-known Al Haramain Ruby Edition, as the RT Elixir projects beautifully in the air (unlike other BR540 dupes which give me anosmia), whereas the other Arabic scent falls short and is far too expensive. A triumph for Zara.